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[reddit-me]Also, known as "Wizard Withdrawal" and "Phantom Wand Syndrome."
Now that I'm done with the whole Harry Potter series, I feel a little empty. Like I've learned everything there is no know and life poses no more challenges [not actually… I just really enjoyed the books]. I find myself wanting to engage strangers in Harry Potter related discourse, and make constant references to HP characters and events in normal conversation. "Who does this jackoff think he is? The Minister of fucking Magic? C'Mon!"
Die hard fans may disagree, but I think the HP mythos is crying for an expanded universe. I still desire to immerse myself in the wizarding world, and there's no more magical waters in which to dip my dainty toes. Maybe the release of "The Half-Blood Prince" movie will liven my spirits. The early reviews all say it's the best in the series.
If nothing else, having finished all 7 books I am better equipped to make veiled sexual references using the vernacular of the Potter-verse. Armed only with knowledge of the movies I might have said something like "I bet he wants to stick his bludger in her snitch, if ya' know what I mean." While humorous to the average muggle, that phrasing and word substitution is all wrong. You see "snitch" bares a striking resemblance in spelling to "snatch," a crude euphemism for vagina. Saturated with Potter lore as I am now I realize, other than in name, a snitch doesn't accurately convey the idea of an "opening" in which to place a phallus. Unless, you count Harry's first golden snitch in which Dumbledore hid… well you get the point.
I'd probably be better off comparing, let's say, an old woman's (perhaps your mother's) vagina to the Sorting Hat. Leathery, patched up and floppity.
Thanks to everyone who followed along with my live tweeting while reading (with my ears) the books. I got a lot of positive feedback and only a few "STOP! NO! SPOILERS! AHHH!" A lot of you commented about the long buried emotional scars I was stirring up with my tweets. I admit to getting a little misty on more than one occasion towards the end.


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What's next for Entwistle?
Neil Entwistle may follow several high-profile convicted murderers inside the walls of MCI-Cedar Junction in Walpole eventually, but he won't begin serving his life sentence there.
Entwistle, 29, was convicted Wednesday of two counts of first-degree murder for the Jan. 20, 2006, murders of his wife, Rachel, 27, and daughter, Lillian Rose, 9 months.
On Thursday, he was sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole. He was sent to the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley on Friday, the only other maximum security facility in the state.
Past notorious inmates at the Walpole prison have included Albert DeSalvo, also known as the "Boston Strangler," who died there in 1973, Richard Reid, the so-called shoe bomber, and John Salvi, the man convicted in a 1994 shooting spree at a Brookline abortion clinic.
Salvi committed suicide in 1996.
Media outlets as diverse The Boston Globe, The Sun (London) and Wikipedia incorrectly reported Entwistle was headed to Walpole rather than Shirley.
It will take at least six months before Entwistle is going anywhere, though, according to Diane Wiffin, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Corrections.
At six months, Entwistle, like any other maximum-security prisoner, will have a classification hearing to determine if he stays at Souza-Baranowski or transfers to Cedar Junction. This hearing will be repeated every six months.
Inmates serving life sentences typically start with two years at a maximum-security facility, Wiffin said.
Whether a transfer occurs depends on many factors, Wiffin said. Authorities consider the medical, physical, mental and program needs of a prisoner, as well as factors as mundane as bed availability in different facilities.
Regular assessment of prisoners is done to ensure their well-being, Wiffer said. "All prisoners are treated the same," she stressed.
At the two-year classification hearing, prisoners sentenced to a life term may be transferred to a medium-security prison, Wiffin said. Often, it is contingent on "institutional adjustment," she said.
"It depends on a lot of things," she said. A prisoner may continue to stay put, or may be transferred.
Maximum-security prisoners like Entwistle occupy their own cells at Souza-Baranowski and Cedar Junction, Wiffin said.
Upon transfer to a medium-security facility, he would be assigned a cellmate, she said.
The Walpole and Shirley prisons share inmate programs such as Emotional Awareness and Healing which is designed to foster emotional and spiritual growth. Various drug and alcohol recovery courses are also offered, as well as lessons on dealing with anger and its results.
Jeb Bobseine can be reached at email@example.com or 508-668-0243, ext. 13.

subset: commoncrawl


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Mount Adams Climber's Log
NickyP - Aug 29, 2007 4:28 am Date Climbed: Aug 28, 2007South Climb
Great day to climb with excellent weather. Had a miserable wet slog coming off the mountain but well worth it.
ibndalight - Aug 28, 2007 6:06 pm Date Climbed: Aug 16, 2007South Climb
Climbed via the very crowded south route it was a nice walk up peak with no real technical challenges. It could be harder with limited visabilty but we had a great clear day to climb.
mongoose762 - Aug 23, 2007 4:23 pm Date Climbed: Aug 7, 2007South Spur
Woohoo, First official summit logged!
larryN - Aug 23, 2007 1:50 am Date Climbed: Jul 25, 2007South Spur
Nice weather, only 10 mph winds at the top, and excellent glissade. Snow was hard on the way up, and crampons were helpful.
pkrebs - Aug 20, 2007 6:39 pm Date Climbed: Jul 20, 2005South Spur
I had a good time, but the route up the South Spur is jsut long slog. Would like to go back to do the Mazama or Adams route next time.
YEM - Aug 20, 2007 3:39 pm Date Climbed: Aug 14, 2006South Spur
8-14-2006 and 7-2005, both car to car. The glissade and the view are the only redeeming quality of this long slog. I'd like to do a different route next time.
nigelmcc - Aug 1, 2007 8:10 pm Date Climbed: Jul 26, 2006South Spur
Very enjoyable climb, and my first volcano as well! The glissade route was absolutely incredible, as we were able to drop some 2000'+ in a very short amount of time!
Returned on the 24th of August to encounter much worse snow conditions, yet the ascent (as well as portions of the glissade) were still very enjoyable.
Luciano136 - Jul 31, 2007 3:45 pm Date Climbed: Jul 29, 2007South Spur
Camped at 8000'. The wind was blowing all night until it finally subsided at 5am. I got zero hours of sleep but the day went pretty well. I was actually glad I took a later start (6:15am) as some early summitters couldn't glissade down as it was still too icy.
Anyway, fun day, great mountain and awesome views of Rainier! TR can be found in the link below:
bmwboarder7 - Jul 20, 2007 11:46 pmNew Heights
We went in late October and tried to do it all in one day. It was fun, but I did end up getting altitude sickness so I only made it to the false summit. My partners continued on without me. I'll be back though.
Made another trip up in August of 2009, camped at Lunch Counter, and made it to the top. A great mountain to spend time on. Beautiful blue skies and a great glissade down!
spotly - Jul 20, 2007 3:58 pm Date Climbed: Jun 11, 2005South Spur
Climbed with Brian F. and Machelle car-to-car. Climb went well though too icy to glissade coming down....as Machelle discovered :)
andret - Jul 18, 2007 11:43 am Date Climbed: Jul 15, 2007Wild Wind on Mazama Glacier
Summitted via Mazama Ridge. 30-40 mph wind gusts all night... woke up to more wind and blowing sand... sky cleared on the way up... clear skies, beautiful views... hit the summit by 9am. It turned out to be a wonderful day.
mradventure - Jul 13, 2007 2:11 pm Date Climbed: Jul 12, 2007South 183
Cloudy morning, sprinkles, wind, and sun by late morning. The snow was soft in early morning, and the water was flowing faster at Lunch Counter as the day went on. Watch for falling rocks (saw a couple on the snowfield above Lunch Counter), but the snow was soft enough that it stopped them from going very far. Mountainlion and I slept a couple hours then headed up at 4:00am reaching the summit at 1:00pm. The glissade chutes are at their best as they go from Pikers Peak to the Lunch Counter. It's a great summer hike for those who don't like technical climbing such as route finding around crevasses or steep slopes or seracs that may fall.
HeyItsBen - Jul 9, 2007 4:40 pm Date Climbed: Jul 2, 2007Mazama glacier
Fun route, an excellent beginner glacier climb. My partner wasn't feelin' it, so I went solo from the top of the glacier. 4:10 to the summit from Sunrise Camp. Cut off the train coming up the South Side and was the first one to the summit that day by an hour.
tkoooooooooo - Jul 7, 2007 8:04 pmplaying catch up
i climbed this a couple years ago, then a year later. Mazama glacier and South Spur. South Spur is boring.
dan-o - Jul 7, 2007 1:59 am Date Climbed: Jul 26, 2004North Cleaver
2 good friends, 3 days of fantastic weather, no one else on that side of the mountain... perfect!
giggy - Jul 6, 2007 2:44 pm Date Climbed: Jun 25, 2007Via Mazama Route
great 3 days on the peak! Had sunrise to ourselves. Bird Creek road opened on 23rd. Coming from east coast, we got lucky with that. Great route.
gimpilator - Jul 6, 2007 2:35 am Date Climbed: Jul 5, 2007South Spur Solo
I made bivouac at Cold Springs last night after getting lost in the dark on the forest roads. Woke three hours later and got going at 3:45 am this morning. I was on the windy summit by 11 am and back to my motorcycle by 3:15 pm for the 250 mile drive home. Now I'm tired.
jclements - Jul 5, 2007 10:58 am Date Climbed: Jul 4, 2007From Lunch Counter
First one up in the morning ~0820, though I saw a light up there during the night.
idahomtnhigh - Jul 2, 2007 10:39 pm Date Climbed: Jun 30, 2007South Spur Route
This was my first Cascade Mountain. The weather on the approach was bad, snow, rain and wind. The top of the mountain was getting hammered. Saturday dawned clear and no wind, the day stayed great but the wind did pick up in the afternoon. I got a little sunburned but it was a great day!
nasak - Jul 2, 2007 4:17 am Date Climbed: Jun 28, 2007Denied
We went up the South Spur during mid-week. Great weather on the approach, but incoming weather from the coast caused us to turn around around 10,600. It was raining at the high-camp (8100ft). Lots of folks up on the south side ... probably around 30. Great views of Helens & Hood.


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happy b day
nevermind bro. I got it fixed. kinda
will you delete the new thread I just started in the music discussion plz.
dude that site has everything huh. from animals to the gross as hell. i just dl'd a bunch of gifs. let me know if you wanna take another look.
Aww ^__^ <3 The PLUR! It's contagious!!
yos, you got a group invitation on steam!
checking out one of ur mixs...like the track selection ..big ups
Do you have any pictures from LUCKY?
Feeniks - Item 9 (Jump Up Minimal Tune)
Danny Mac
El Gigante
Come on. It will be very.
forward one step at a time.
AKA Colonel Cuddles.


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Thanks to Mike for barking in this press release from PRNewswire! More "pawer" to these lawyers!
Audet & Partners, LLP Files First-Of-Its-Kind Class Action Complaint in U.S. Against China-Based Company
Suit Seeks Relief for Violation of Chinese Consumer Protection Law on Behalf of Pet Owners Impacted by Melamine Poisoning
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 8 /PRNewswire/ — The law firm of Audet & Partners, LLP has filed a class action lawsuit against Binzhou Futian Biological Technology, Co., Ltd., a company based in Binzhou, China, seeking relief under the laws of the People's Republic of China and California. The complaint, filed in California State Superior Court (San Francisco) (Case #: CGC-07-465924), seeks damages and other relief arising from injuries to pet owners whose dogs and cats became sick or died from ingesting melamine.
As alleged in the complaint, the named plaintiff's beloved cat died due to complications associated with melamine poisoning from pet food. "It's time to hold all companies, regardless of the location of the business, financially and legally accountable for distributing toxic materials into the United States stream of commerce," said lead attorney William M. Audet, managing partner of Audet & Partners, LLP.
"Our firm's legal research has revealed that the law in the People's Republic of China actually provides for potential liability for distributing 'impure or fake materials' in products such as dog and cat food," said Attorney Audet. "We intend to argue that the China-based company is liable under both California law and applicable Chinese law."
The complaint asserts class-wide claims against Binzhou Futian Biological Technology under the provision of the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Rights and Interests of Consumers and under the Consumer Protection provisions of the law of the State of California.
As a separate cause of action against the Chinese-based company, the complaint asserts a claim based on law adopted Oct. 31, 1993 by the Fourth Session of the Standing Committee of the Eighth National People's Congress. Legal research indicates this may be the first-of-its-kind claim, but as noted by Attorney Audet, "While the claim may be the first of its kind, our client's ability to obtain relief is consistent with well-established law in the United States."


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CBS premiered the first teaser for their upcoming "Under the Dome," based on the Stephen King novel of the same name. You can also go to UndertheDome.com to see what your own house looks like trapped under the dome.
Niels Arden Oplev, the director of the original The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, will helm the first episode. Brian K. Vaughan ("LOST") adapted the book for the screen.
The story tells of a small town in Maine which is cut off from the rest of the world by an invisible dome. With air, food and patience dwindling, societal norms within this town begin to break down.
"Under the Dome" will debut on CBS June 24 at 10/9c.


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Redskins Make Handful of Roster Moves
By Jake Russell | January 2nd, 2009
With the season officially over, the Redskins are now looking to build their 2009 roster for this summer's training camp.
The Redskins have elevated three players from the practice squad and signed one street free agent.
Wide receiver Marques Hagans, a former Virginia Cavalier, offensive lineman Rueben Riley and defensive back Michael Grant were elevated from the Redskins 2008 practice squad to their 2009 offseason roster.
The Redskins also signed fullback Jeremy Cain, who has spent time with the Chicago Bears, Tennessee Titans, and Philadelphia Eagles. Cain will backup 2009 Pro Bowler Mike Sellers.
For all updated roster moves, please visit our Redskins Transactions and Roster pages.
For more on these moves, please check out:
ProFootballWeeklyTagged: Chicago Bears Mike Sellers philadelphia eagles Practice Squad Tennessee Titans


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Does anyone remember the CFNY concert series'. I attended several, they were broadcast usually the next week. I am looking for the Shawn Phillips concert, El Mocambo. I had it taped...lost it. Also saw The Vapours, Fischer Z, Joe Jackson, Mink Deville, Fingerprintz.
Also looking for: Ray Materick, Lady Of Light from Best Friend Overnight
The Attractions, Arms Race, from Mad About The Wrong Boy,
Interview, St. Jean Wires, album of the same name
Bill Nelson, Suva...something, from on a Blue Wing
Any help appreciated, email@example.com
Help finding..
What ever happened to...?
Post Reply
1 post • Page 1 of 1
Post Reply
1 post • Page 1 of 1


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Willow Collectors (IWC) is a group of people who collect willow-pattern
china and other willow wares. Our primary purpose is to increase
members knowledge and enjoyment of willow and to provide a network
through which we can communicate with fellow collectors throughout
the world.
With a history of more than 30 years, IWC continues to be the only organization of its kind dedicated to a pattern that has witnessed four centuries. Quite impressive given its humble beginnings. From its introduction in the late 1700s to its still popular production today, the Willow Pattern has earned quite a distinction in history: it is the china pattern that has been in continual production for the longest period of time - more than 215 years.
We hope our website will be a warm welcome into the world of willow collecting.
It's a passion shared by thousands of people. Our website will be everchanging
and will continue to offer more exciting information, news and photos. We hope
you enjoy your visit here, and that you might consider joining our group. You'll
meet other collectors who share your passion for the Willow Pattern and who are
more than willing to help answer questions, encourage your interests and share
their vast knowledge.
Happy willowing!


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Hyatt Hotels Jobs in McKinney ✓ Video Based Information ✓ Best reputed Company Hyatt Hotels Corporation⚡ Just announced New Job Openings for Job Seekers. Check latest Massive job opportunities in Worldwide for freshers & experienced Both. Filter jobs according to role, salary, type, locality. Notification for Latest Recruitments and Apply Online for fresh vacancy. Find Latest recruitment Salary, Qualification and much more details bellow. Eligible candidates can apply from today. Apply online through official website. for other detailed information read our Post carefully.
Our Town Hospitality is looking for a qualified candidate to join the team as the Housekeeping Supervisor at Hyatt Centric Arlington. The Housekeeping Supervisor is responsible to assure the completion of housekeeping tasks assigned to Room Attendants and Housepersons to maintain Our Town Hospitality's high standards of cleanliness and customer service. The below is a summary of the essential job functions:
- Oversee the performance and cleaning standards of assigned housekeepers.
- Full fill Room Attendants duties as needed.
- Assist and supervise staff.
- Complete morning assignments for housekeepers and housemen.
- Prioritize and direct work of staff.
- Responsible for the training of employees.
- Update room statuses throughout the day on the hotel computer system.
- Responsible for the care and cleanliness of all areas of responsibility.
- Evaluate performance of staff.
- Report deficiencies and maintenance requirements.
- Maintain schedule of all weekly/monthly special projects.
- Remain alert, courteous and helpful to guests and co-workers at all times.
- The ability to communicate, write and speak English.
- Perform other related duties as requested by Executive Housekeeper or Housekeeping Manager.
- Assist all other departments as needed to ensure the success of the overall operation of the property.
- Any other reasonable tasks as assigned.
- Must be knowledgeable and familiar with all aspects of custodial services.
- Good organizational skills and detail oriented.
- Ability to train and mentor staff.
- Neat and pleasant personality.
Our Company is an equal employment opportunity employer and will not discriminate, or retaliate against any employee or applicant in any manner prohibited by applicable federal, state, or local laws.
Hyatt Hotels Jobs in McKinney Information
|Company Name:
|Hyatt Hotels Corporation
|Company Info:
|Hyatt Hotels Corporation, commonly known as Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, is an American multinational hospitality company headquartered in the Riverside Plaza area of Chicago that manages and franchises luxury and business hotels, resorts, and vacation properties.
|Industry Type:
|Private company
Hyatt Hotels Jobs in McKinney Description:
|Employment Type:
|Full Time, Permanent
|Basic Qualification Needed.
|Required Skills, Experience:
|Freshers & Experienced Both Can Apply.
|Roles & Responsibilities:
|Certain sets of responsibilities.
Soft Skills:
- Good written and oral communication.
- Positive attitude and strong inclination towards learning.
- Good requirement gathering and elicitation skills.
- Motivated to work in enterprise mobility domain.
- Must possess strong leadership skills and generate enthusiasm among team members.
- Provide functional leadership to the project team.
:::Watch full Video For More info:::
Career: https://careers.hyatt.com/
Pro Tips for Interview :
- Research the Company, and Show What You Know.
- Follow-Up After the Interview.
- Get Ready Ahead of Time.
- Practice and Prepare.
- Be on Time (That Means Early).
- Develop a Connection With the Interviewer.
- Try to Stay Calm.
Visitors also looking for: Jobs for freshers, Online Jobs, work from home jobs, Jobs for Freshers near me, MNC Job, jobs for graduates, Government vacancy, Private Jobs, company jobs near me and much more.
Note: Beware of imposters!
We does not promise a job or an interview in exchange of money.


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This post contains external links. Please review our external linking policy.
Cora Dickson is a Senior International Trade Specialist in ITA's Office of Energy and Environmental Industries.
At the end of April, I accompanied the certified trade mission "Export Green: Brazil – Energy and Environment" to Brazil. This was the second trade mission for Export Green, ITA's partner under the Market Development Cooperator Program. Last year, participating companies went to São Paulo and Rio; this year, Export Green tried a different approach and offered more options to the 13 participating companies, based on their needs and prospects. As a result, we ended up with three distinct groups with overlapping itineraries: São Paulo/Rio/Recife, São Paulo/Recife, and São Paulo/Rio.
Our Commercial Service presence in the northeast city of Recife has been augmented in recent months, due to increasing trade opportunities in the region, with growth between 4 and 4.5 percent. Our group was in fact the first "official" U.S. government-sponsored trade mission to Recife and the staff was determined to help the companies make business connections. Delegates met with Brazilian companies in a "speed dating" style, with as many as 12 meetings in four straight hours. All told, 102 meetings took place, and 46 local companies came to meet the U.S. delegation.
Another great feature of our trade mission was the "Solar Program" designed for the three participating companies from the solar sector. I accompanied them to Rio as we met with five Brazilian entities that are building, or are considering building, large-scale solar projects. Brazil is at a critical juncture in promoting solar energy. Despite the more than adequate supply of sun, solar is one of the few renewable energy sectors where Brazil lacks deployment and expertise. The country however is very strong in hydropower, biomass, and recently wind power.
Just the week before, Brazil's electricity regulator ANEEL had announced two important new solar policies: "net metering," making it possible to sell excess power back to the grid, and an 80% tax break for solar plants up to 30MW. These new regulations were frequently cited during meetings with these companies, giving us the strong impression that there could not have been a better time for the U.S. solar industry to be exploring opportunities in Brazil.


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We're getting caught up on two weeks of intense blogging for West Coast Sound, and we now present to you some tasty MP3 and/or streaming works. This is Groove Edition (think "fun-kay").
- FEATURED: Nite Jewel with Teen Inc. for EP, 'Am I Real?'*
- 'Timber,' Lush Electronics from Asura and Ana Caravelle
- Chamber-Funk Ensemble Fol Chen Drops 'The Holograms'
- James Poyser, Karriem Riggins, Madlib on 'Funky Butt'
- Arabian Prince and CX Kidtronik in 'Let's Hit the Beach'
- Freddie Gibbs with 'Str8 Killa' EP, Says 'F*ck the World'
(all stories via West Coast Sound, via LA Weekly)
* "Nite Jewel, keyboard queen Ramona Gonzales, is a quintessential artist of the L.A. underground and has now produced a collaboration with a young group that's starting to catch buzz, Teen Inc."


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Do you hate plugging things into the wall? How about typing your name into some fields? Hoo boy, have I got a deal for you! Target is willing to do these arduous tasks for you for a mere $99.
Yes, ninety nine fucking dollars. To hook up an Xbox or a PS3 that cost you a bit more than twice that. It's though a third party called Zip Installation, who somehow stays in business despite offering such idiotic and overpriced services. Seriously, who is paying for these things? And do they realize that they're being ripped off once the tech is in their house and they watch them spend 5 minutes doing the most basic of tasks before asking for a check? [Kotaku]


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Last September or so there was a lot of headlines about a survey that claimed people in the US wanted a wealth distribution more like Sweden's. OK, that was maybe not so surprising.
I recently got a reason to read the survey, and it is interesting. It asked a couple of questions, in the first one they got to choose between three unlabeled wealth distributions, where one was a perfectly even distribution (obvious even when unlabeled) with every quintile having 20% of the wealth, one was a wealth distribution where the bottom quintile had 0.1% of the wealth and the top quintile 84% of the wealth. And the third was a wealth distribution where the bottom quintile had 11% and the top 36%. They asked people which one they preferred.
Well, which one would you choose, if you don't know anything about economics? Right, the middle one. The one with a completely equal wealth distribution is obviously one extreme. If you don't know anything about the subject, you will automatically assume the 84% – 0.1% to be extreme as well. But it isn't. That would be having 100% for the top quintile and 0%for all the others. They didn't show any such chart, making the question completely biased from the start.
To make matters worse, of these three distributions, only one was real, the 84% – 0.1% distribution. It was the US wealth distribution. The perfectly equal one was obviously unreal, but the third one is also fictional. In the survey they claim it's Sweden's wealth distribution, but that is not true. In a footnote (yes a footnote) they admit that it's not. It is Sweden's income distribution. Although possibly that isn't true either. According to data from SCB, the top 20% have 40% of the income and the bottom 20% have 4%of the income. Not 36% and 11% as Norton and Ariely claims.
However, the big problem here is of course that income and wealth distributions are completely different beasts and will look very different. They claim they chose the income distribution to have a bigger contrast, because although Sweden's wealth distribution is more equal the the US wealth distribution it is still, according to them "extremely top heavy". Yes, because that's how wealth distribution works. Sweden's wealth distribution is 73% in the top quintile and 0% in the bottom one. And that's the worlds most equal country.
So Norton and Ariely showed one real and two completely fictional and unrealistic income distributions and asked which one they preferred. The 8% that preferred the US income distribution to the fictional Swedish one are likely the 8% of people that know enough about economy or maths to notice the flaw.
What should Norton and Ariely have done here if they were serious? Well, they probably should have shown them several different income distributions taken from real countries, with two fictional (but not wildly unrealistic) extremes. Why income distributions? Because wealth distributions are by nature extreme. The people in the bottom quintile will not tend to save money, but to spend their income. They don't really have money over to save. Hence, they will always fall close to zero. That looks much more unequal than what it really is. Income distribution is less unintuitive in that way. Maybe they could have had Sweden, US and Namibias income distributions, for example. There will likely always be a bias towards the middle in such a question, so it's important to have US as the middle of the road to avoid a bias, and see when people then prefer, more or less income distribution.
Then they got asked what they though the US income distribution was, and then of course put the numbers somewhere in the middle of the option they choose (the unrealistic fabricated option) and the one they thought was extreme (US), proving that they didn't know what they were being asked. And then they asked what they wanted it to be, and then wanted in average a slightly more equal distribution than they thought they had. In fact, slightly more equal than the completely unrealistic center option they had got, with the top quintile earning 36% of the total and the bottom quintile 11%.
These choices are both influenced by the false data they were fed in the first question, and an effect of the unintuitive maths here. This survey got Americans to claim that the average guy on the top 20% should earn about three times as much as the average guy in the bottom 20%, while in the most equal country in the world, Sweden, he in fact currently earns around ten times as much. This is not an expression of what people really want in a society, it's an expression of that people won't understand the issues if they are expressed in unclear maths after being feed misleading information.
I think this survey is interesting and you can learn a lot from it. It would be an excellent case study in how to not make surveys as they pretty much did everything wrong.
So what did this survey show? It shows that the maths involved are unintuitive. Most people in the lower 20% doesn't save money. They will have very little of the wealth, because even if they have money over at the end of the month they spend it. That's normal and expected, and every country will work like that, always. It also shows that people in the US believe that the US is more unequal than they would like. That's it. But it doesn't show any of the things they claim it shows, much less that Americans prefer Sweden's income distribution. Maybe they do, maybe they don't. But this survey doesn't show it.


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In case you missed it, and let's face it, that's all of you that don't have a subscription to Love Sewing magazine, or haven't bought one this weekend.
I'm in this month's Love Sewing Magazine!!!
In collaboration with MinervaCrafts they had featured my post about my bright pink Burda Young 7051 top.
I was aware this was going to happen but to see yourself and your words in print really tickled me.
Our post came late on Saturday; it hadn't arrived before I had left the house but I received a few messages whilst at the gym that I was in and I couldn't wait to get home.
My blog is coming up to it's 2 year anniversary. So that's 2 years of crafting, recording and drivel and only 6 months or so since I started my own personal 'ready to wear' collection.
So I'm pretty chuffed.
And they printed my blog address!
OK. Brag over. Normal service resumes tomorrow.


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"I tell you Doris, he was making $150,000 a year and had been working at the same place for a decade and they wouldn't approve his loan! They told him straight up that no credit history means no loan—all because he didn't have a credit card."
It has become a bit of an urban legend, but with the rising prices of houses and the need for almost everyone to carry a mortgage, credit ratings have taken on greater importance. In this article, we will look at credit cards, their relationship to your credit rating, and what you can do about both.
Life in Plastic, It's Fantastic
There is still a sizable amount of the population with no credit cards. According to a 2014 Gallup survey, about 29% of Americans don't have even one credit card. However, this is not the norm. In fact, most individuals have more than one credit card, and the average American has 2.6 cards. Among credit card owners, the average is 3.7 cards.
For many people, credit cards have become a part of everyday life. Those without them, it would seem, are being left behind—but that isn't entirely true. The original appeal of credit cards was the ability to make purchases without carrying cash (that could be stolen) and the protection against unauthorized purchases. These days, however, these benefits can be achieved with a run-of-the-mill debit card. It is in new areas that credit cards have the edge, specifically shopping over the Internet. There are still shopping sites that run C.O.D., but by and large, it's a plastic world.
In short, credit cards aren't necessary, but they are useful. Besides, if the average person only used credit cards for online shopping, one card—rather than five, or 10—would be enough.
Credit Card Reproduction
As you may know, credit cards reproduce rapidly. One minute you have your first credit card in your wallet—the one they weren't going to give you until your parents signed the paper too—and the next thing you know, you have a card for every store you've ever been to (plus three you've never heard of).
The proliferation of credit cards may be one of the most successful PR campaigns in history. Somebody decided to change the definition of credit and made consumers feel that buying on credit was less like a high-interest loan and more like an increase in disposable income.
Unfortunately, no one told the general public about this change, and many consumers were duped into believing they were gaining buying power when they signed up—not more debt. As time passed, the truth was exposed. Instead of giving up the game, credit card companies introduced exclusive benefits and wormed their way into the ominous sounding, "credit rating report."
Therefore, the general consensus is that, without a credit card, you can't have a credit rating; without a credit rating, you can't get a loan; without a loan, you can't get a house, car or flat-screen HDTV; and without these, you are destitute, homeless and worse than dead.
Carrying this further, if one card gives you a credit history and, thus a credit rating, won't 20 credit cards give you 20 times the credit rating? This seems logical, but unfortunately, it is not the case.
The Great Divide
Banks and credit card companies have opposing views on credit card proliferation. For banks, a credit card is fine as long as it gets paid down regularly. A few credit cards are surmountable, but some of these had better have a zero balance and the rest should be heading that way. For banks, having many credit cards is a bad sign that usually points to a potential financial crisis in the making—even if they all have a zero balance.
If a potential client has so many tempting sources of easy (high-interest) credit, the bank begins to wonder which debt is going to be given priority when the chips are down and whether it is even possible for the lender to handle all the different payments. This does not, however, keep banks from issuing cards themselves—after all, money is money and a credit card gives them an interest rate return that they could never get on a regular loan.
In contrast, credit card companies love customers who carry a balance as long as they pay the interest. If you only pay the interest and continue to carry a balance on your card, you will probably be offered a credit limit increase or another card. To a credit card company, the amount you owe is less important than the fact that you pay the interest regularly. Credit cards issued by stores don't even put that fine of a point on it. They issue small debt packages, say $500 per card, and are more concerned about getting a casual customer shifted over to a constant one—the interest payments on the card are icing on the cake. It is best to avoid store cards or, failing that, avoid carrying any kind of a balance on them from one month to another.
Deciphering the Credit Rating Code
Banks want to see a potential borrower who regularly pays the interest and reduces the principal. Credit cards can be a good indicator of whether the potential borrower can service the debt one is requesting.
But credit cards are just one part of your overall credit rating. If you have taken a student loan, car loan, furniture loan, house loan, etc., these will also be part of your credit report. If you paid down these loans in a timely fashion, this will count in your favor. A stable income is also a key factor in deciding whether you qualify for a loan. You can have the best credit in the world, but without regular income, you're usually sunk.
If your credit cards are a significant part of your credit history, there are some things you can do to improve your credit rating. First, you need to keep you credit-debt ratio as low as possible on all of your cards—below 50% for sure, but below 30% would be ideal. And, once you have found a low-interest card you like, keep it. The cards that you have the longest history of regular payments with will help your rating. Pay off and cancel cards that have given you trouble.
If you are carrying a balance of more than 50% on one card and are going in for a credit report, it may be better to split up the balance between two cards. This will improve your debt ratio by increasing your available credit compared to how much debt you are carrying. Basically, you are putting the debt in a bigger box in order to make it look smaller. This strategy works up to a point. Depending on the creditor's attitude, you will hit a tipping point where the number of cards you open to deflate your debt ratio reflects more poorly on your record than the ratio itself.
Your credit rating is only one part of what decides whether you get approved for a loan, and credit cards are only a part of the credit rating. Things like splitting a high balance on one card into two make sense, but if you are holding too much debt on too many cards, you have to consolidate your credit payments on the card with the least interest and get rid of some of the principal. Or, assuming you have the ability to be approved, use a flexible loan instrument like a line of credit to clear your cards every month. This will give you a better interest rate and take away the risk of forgetting to pay a particular card down. Consolidating and eliminating debt is the best way to improve your credit rating—having a good income and well-ordered finances is the best way to get approved for a loan. Having a credit card can't replace that.


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Baked Twice Sweet Potato a la Mexicana is all the flavors of a great spicy taco inside a double baked sweet potato. An easy homemade spicy taco mix to season the meat, a few fresh tomato dices, crunchy lettuce and cheddar and a final smooth touch of sour cream.
Some of you know how I love to mix up ideas… and after a long winter it's time to call mother nature for some sun. No better way to bring the heat back than a nice spicy taco right? Well, what if we merge it to a nicely crunchy twice baked sweet potato? The spicy taco mix goes to perfection with the sweetness of the potato, plus you get some nice fresh and crunchy toppings and sour cream to makes it taste fully like a Taco.
Homemade spice mix
No need to go buy a "mexican spice mix" at the store, this nice taco seasoning is often already in your pantry! A simple mix of cumin powder, coriander powder, cayenne pepper, spicy paprika, oregano or dry cilantro, pepper and salt and there you have the perfect taco mix. Often homemade tex-mex or mexican seasonning contain onions powder and garlic powder, well for this recipe I've used fresh onion and garlic which gives a fresh touch to the meat. To finish the meat seasoning, I added a bit of "salsa de Chili Chipotle" which is easy to find at any supermarkets and a touch of cornstarch which help to protect the meat from getting tough and chewy and picks up the leftover juice from the Chipotle sauce. I've added the spices in the end of the cooking process because some spices (like paprika) can burn and give a bad taste if over cooked. I suggest to add the spice mix one or two minutes before the meat is done.
Twice baked potato
A fluffy inside with a crunchy skin is what a perfect potato should be! The best way for your potato to get those two winning attributes is to start by cooking it whole in some aluminium paper and let it cook about an hour (depending on the size, check it out with a stab to the heart;) and then once cooked… you scoop some of the potato flesh out and mash it with some butter or keep it for a potato salad or a tortilla. To make the skin extra crisp you'll need a touch of oil over the skin and a sprinkle of salt then simply broil the potato skin side up until it gets nice and crunchy. Usually you would fill it back with some of the mashed potato but in this case I've kept the space for the mexican flavored meat and the fillings.
So let's get the heat going!
Roasted Sweet Potato a la Taco Style
Makes 2 main courses | Preparation: 1h20 | Difficulty: Easy
- 2 big sweet potatoes
- 300g of ground meat (pork and/or beef)
- 1/2 yellow onion cut into small dices
- 1 garlic clove finely minced
- 1 tbsp of salsa de Chili Chipotle
- some cooking oil (I use olive oil)
The taco spice mix
- 2 tsp of cumin powder
- 1tsp of coriander powder
- 1tsp of cayenne pepper powder
- 1tsp of spicy paprika powder
- 1 tsp of oregano or dry cilantro spices
- 1 tsp of cornstarch (optional)
- salt and pepper
The toppings
- Lettuce
- Tomato cut into small dices
- Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
- Sour Cream
- Chives (optional)
- Start by cleaning the potatoes, pat them dry, give them a half way through cut on the length and cover with aluminium paper. Cook at 180°C (350F) for an hour or more until tender in the center. Scoop some of the inside out (reserve for another recipe) and cover the skin with a bit of oil (I use olive oil) and sprinkle of salt. Broil skin side up for 10 to 12 minutes until crisp.
- During the last 10 minutes of the potato time make the meat; Start by cooking in a pan, med-low heat, the onion in some olive oil and salt until translucent (5-7 minutes).
- Season the meat with salt and pepper, bring the pan to high heat, add a touch more of oil and the garlic. Once the pan is hot, add the ground meat and cook at high heat until almost cooked, add the spice mix and the salsa de Chili Chipotle and mix well until cooked. Reserve.
- Once the skin of the sweet potato is crispy, add to a plate and fill with the mexican seasoned meat. Let people serve their own toppings at the table; lettuce, tomato, cheddar, sour cream and chives.


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Gwinnett Co. sheriff's deputy faces DUI charge after wreck
MONROE, Ga. - A sheriff's deputy is facing a DUI charge after authorities say he wrecked his patrol car in Walton County.
Georgia State Patrol officials say Gwinnett County Deputy Robert Christopher Matt is charged with driving under the influence, leaving the scene of an accident, failing to maintain lane and having an open container of alcohol.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports (http://bit.ly/SCmAY1) that the deputy's vehicle ran off Georgia 81 around 1:20 a.m. Wednesday, struck an embankment and overturned several times. He was taken to the Walton County Jail. Jail records did not indicate whether he has an attorney.
A 27-year-old Lawrenceville woman who was a passenger in the patrol car was taken to Gwinnett Medical Center for treatment.


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August 28, 2005 Sunday
Daily News Editorial
There are few public officials who merit being described as distinguished and fewer still who deserve the distinction for decades of service. Robert Morgenthau is one who does. Seeking reelection after 30 years as Manhattan district attorney, Morgenthau leads a prosecutor's office that is the national gold standard. His record on bringing criminals to justice, whether they be street thugs, corrupt politicians or thieving corporate chieftains, is superb. The borough's Democrats must serve the public good by voting to return Morgenthau to office in the Sept. 13 primary.
Years 26 through 30 have been remarkably productive for Morgenthau. His assistants brought far more accused felons to trial than did their peers in the other boroughs, had the highest trial conviction rate and sent by far the highest percentage to prison after guilty verdicts and pleas.
By themselves, those batting averages call for extending Morgenthau's tenure. But the statistics are all the more impressive when you consider his ambitious range of prosecutions. Thousands of murderers, robbers and rapists were packed off to prison while the DA's office also brought the high and mighty to justice. Morgenthau's newly minted convicted felons include former Tyco chief executive Dennis Kozlowski, former state Sen. Guy Velella, former Assemblywoman Gloria Davis and the leadership of the roofers' union, to name a few.
Along the way, Morgenthau also took on the role of Wall Street cop, prosecuting corrupt bankers, stockbrokers and money launderers and recouping $50 million for the state and city from JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup for their roles in the Enron fraud. And his office is deeply involved now in probing the UN oil-for-food scandal.
Morgenthau's opponent, Leslie Crocker Snyder, served for 20 years as a justice in Manhattan Supreme Court, earning a reputation for meting out tough sentences that provoked death threats from drug gangs. Before her judgeship, Snyder, 63, worked as a Manhattan assistant DA for nine years, during which she became the first woman in the history of the office to try homicides. Snyder, in other words, has a fine résumé. What she lacks is a rationale for dumping Morgenthau.
The central tenet of Snyder's campaign is that the DA's office has "grown stale and out of touch." Her accusation is a transparent reference to Morgenthau's age, 86, and is meant to suggest that everyone would be better off if the coot retired to pick apples. Some may agree. Among them we'd count contractor Phillip Minucci, who got 10 years after Morgenthau slammed him with innovative manslaughter charges stemming from the deaths of five $7-an-hour immigrant masonry workers.
Snyder's proposals for the DA's office range from a sensible focus on domestic violence to a wrongheaded retreat from Morgenthau's white-collar prosecutions. She says, for example, that she would have let other authorities pursue Tyco, forgetting that millions of small shareholders need a watchdog over corporate honesty. She also overlooks that Morgenthau's white-collar cases are a profit center for the city and state, recouping millions of dollars a year in fines, forfeitures and unpaid taxes.
Our occasional differences with Morgenthau - for example, he refused to apply the state's now-defunct death penalty law - pale in comparison to the sweep of his accomplishments. He has prosecuted without fear or favor, pursuing crime in the suites as well as in the streets, and he still has his fastball. The Daily News gives Robert Morgenthau its unqualified, wholehearted endorsement.Â


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Here are a couple of great videos on some common audio recorder comparisons, as well as a look into mic polar patterns and best practices for recording audio with your HDSLR video. In the first video we get a look at the noise levels on the Zoom H4n, Tascam DT-100 MKII, Sound Devices 702, Beachtek DXA-SLR PRO, Edirol R44, Tascam DR-680 and the juicedLink Riggy Micro and Riggy Assist.
This is a great video to bookmark for reference given all of the mic comparisons within. Being a big fan of the Tascam DR-100 MKII, I was rather surprised at how well the juicedLink Riggy preamps performed when recorded direct to camera. They are obviously doing some good work over at juicedLink.
Next, take a look at this video with Olivia Speranza and Robert from juicedLink as he goes over some mic performance and behaviors, as well as other best practices when recording audio for video.[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J1K-1UocI4&w=640&h=360]
[via OliviaTech]


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The world's biggest bond fund manager Bill Gross has had a change of heart on Treasurys, raising allocations to U.S.government bonds, as the fund seeks to pre-empt an increase in buying from Japanese investors.
The PIMCO Total Return Fund, which has $289 billion in assets, increased its allocation to Treasurys to 33 percent in March from 28 percent the previous month, the firm's website showed on Tuesday. The fund also decreased its exposure to mortgage bonds from 36 to 33 percent.
Gross said he had turned positive on Treasury bonds maturing in 10 years because the Bank of Japan's aggressive monetary stimulus plan would drive Japanese investors to seek higher returns in overseas markets.
(Read More: Bank of Japan Unveils Aggressive Monetary Policy)
"This BOJ printing seeps out daily into global markets as Japanese institutions which have sold their Japanese government bonds to the BOJ look for higher yielding replacements," he told The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday. "Ten-year Treasurys to us look very low-yielding,but to them they yield 125 basis points more," he added.
Gross told the paper in an email that "to a certain extent" planning for what central banks buy is "a guessing game," but Japanese investors have traditionally bought Treasurys and French and German government bonds. "Of the three, we like Treasurys the best," Gross remarked.
Ten-year U.S. Treasury yields have fallen from around 2.05 percent in March to around 1.75 percent on Wednesday.
Gross, a vocal critic of the Federal Reserve's $85 billion a month quantitative easing program, told CNBC on Monday that the Bank of Japan's own foray into massive bond buying was the equivalent of a popular energy drink, helping to grease the stock market's big rally.
(Read More: Pimco's Bill Gross: Beware of 'Monetary Red Bull')
The massive amounts of liquidity being pumped into markets by global central banks amounted to"monetary Red Bull," and investors should fear what comes after the rush.
"Financial markets are really feasting on an anticipated Japanese flavored Red Bull," he told CNBC on Monday.
"Monetary Red Bull can feel good for a while, it doesn't have many calories, but it does have some negative consequences down the road," he said.
-By CNBC's Holly Ellyatt, follow her on Twitter @HollyEllyatt


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When 3sixteen debuted their fall look book, we got a black-and-white preview of some quality outerwear pieces—a reincarnation of their famed toggle coat, wool vests and a waxed canvas baseball jacket. After an exclusive look at the collection, the new convertible Harrington jacket is the standout for us. Made of water-resistant wool, the coat features a higher-than-usual collar which allows it to be worn a variety of ways to keep out the chill. Winter-weight overshirts and wool ties accompany the label's staple jeans, club collar shirts and bracelets. And they hit Self Edge stores and 3sixteen's site later this week, just in time for the holidays. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, indeed.
Convertible Harrington, $330 available this week at 3sixteen
Wool overshirt, $220
Duffle Coat, $440
What should I pack for my first business trip?
- Matt, OH
With nearly every airline imposing a baggage fee nowadays, if you can get away with flying with just a carry-on, do it.
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In April of 1908, six year old Donald C. Minor received this Gartner and Bender feline.
Postcard collecting was a favorite hobby in the early 1900s and many creative entrepreneurs entered the printing industry. German publishers set the standard for early postcards and produced beautiful inexpensive cards that were imported by the thousands. American publishers like Gartner and Bender of Chicago, felt the pressure of this competition and implored the federal government to set tariffs on their European counterparts, to stabilize and grow the American business.
This excerpt from 1908 Congressional Tariff hearings states the case succinctly.
Source: Hearings, Volume 17, By United States. 60th Congress. 2d session., 1908-1909. House. Accessed from Google eBooks 26 April 2011.


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Doctor Who: Four Doctors (FCBD 2016 Edition)
Jump on board the TARDIS with FOUR all-new short tales of the Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh and Twelfth Doctors! Whether you're a whizz with a Sonic Screwdriver or completely new to Who, this is the perfect Free Comic Book Day adventure for SF fans of all ages! Written and illustrated by the creative teams of the regular comics, this is the ideal place to start reading!


text: Teatro ZinZanni is part circus, part cabaret, and always magical. Described as "This city's hottest ticket" by The New York Times Teatro ZinZanni is a night out unlike any other. It is a three-hour whirlwind of international cirque, comedy and cabaret artists all served up with a scrumptious multi-course feast and elegant libations. The ever-evolving and constantly changing production— at least three new shows per year — combines improv comedy, vaudeville revue, music, dance, cirque, and sensuality into a dizzying and colorful new form that is never quite the same from evening to evening. Famous for its intimate setting, the fast-paced action of the show unfolds above, around and even alongside you as you dine on a gourmet meal.


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Spring Breakers
Harmony Korine's Spring Breakers follows the exploits of four bored coeds as they embark on a dream trip to Florida, where they hope to escape their dull and confining lives. They arrive in Tampa to discover a world of debauchery, drinking, and drugs set against a backdrop of brightly-colored bikinis and sunny beaches and pumping hiphop and techno score that seems to fulfill their fantasies of escape and transformation, even while it visualizes the nightmares of any parent with teenagers who are worried about the behavior of kids today.
This plot description initially would seem to set the stage either for a film that exploits its female protagonists or one that functions as an implicit critique of a materialistic, excessive, and shallow youth culture bent on its own self-destruction. Add the fact that three of the Spring Breakers in question are tween stars Ashley Benson, Selena Gomez, and Vanessa Hudgens, and such readings (like Jackie Cooper's complaint that Korine is celebrating the excesses of Spring Break) are even more tempting.
But these readings place too little emphasis–or seem confused by–the second half of the girl's journey when they are arrested in a drug raid when they are doing cocaine during a hotel party. During the trial, they are bailed out by a cartoonishly excessive white, corn-rowed, drug-dealing hip-hopper who goes by the name of Alien (played by James Franco). The image of the girls, standing in front of the judge handcuffed, still wearing their day-glo bikinis visually emphasizes their vulnerability and the recognition that their utopian fantasies of transformation have been disrupted. And here, the film begins to take unexpected turns. Alien show sympathy for the girls' plights, even while his excesses frighten the more religious Faith (Gomez). But the other spring breakers find themselves embracing and emulating Alien's bravado, even to the point of engaging in some gunplay themselves.
These readings also seem to be unsure of how to engage with Korine's playful engagement with the culture of images. Like Stephanie Zacharek, I do think that Korine's depiction of the excesses of Spring Break have an air of superiority about them, even while relishing the ability to indulge in that depiction. But it's the film's fascination with guns (and their relationship with phallic power) that seems oddly crucial to the girls' fantasies. This motif is recurrent throughout the movie. During the opening scene–in a college lecture hall, with seemingly hundreds students sitting bored behind laptops–two of the spring breakers draw pictures, one with a heart with the message "I love penis" inside it and another with a crudely drawn penis.
Later, these same girls commit their first crime, a robbery of a local chicken shack where they use squirt guns to frighten the customers and workers into giving up their money. Eventually, the girls pick up some of Alien's incredible arsenal of guns, pushing these connections to absurd lengths. Instead of girls gone wild, it's something closer to girl power gone wild. Like Glenn Kenny, I was fascinated by the "gendered role-reversal" here, but I'm still not convinced that Korine completely sustains any fully meaningful observations here. I'd also agree with Kenny that the set piece involving Franco's Alien singing Britney Spears' "Everytime," while playing a white, poolside piano, the spring breakers dancing alongside, seems a bit too obviously "critic bait." Still, Korine's consciousness about the culture of images–especially as they are shaped by the personas of its young stars–makes it hard for me to dismiss the film completely.
Alongside of this critique, Spring Breakers also seems to be about the desire for transformation. Faith seems to be trying to break free from a restrictive religious culture, and the other girls also imagine that their spring break trip will allow them to reinvent themselves. In that sense, I think Korine is not engaging in a generation critique of kids today but tapping into or exploring how these fantasies of transformation operate and contribute to the culture of excess depicted in the fim.
Update: I think Michael Chaiken's review brings together the multiple threads Korine is weaving together–the cultures of excess and materialism and the fantasies of power and materialism–in a pretty insightful way.


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Women continue to shatter stereotypes
as athletes. So how come they can't
catch a break as coaches?
espnW and ESPN The Magazine
Jody Runge stands over the sink, scrubbing dishes. The kitchen counters are cluttered with the remnants of breakfast: a pancake skillet, a cutting board, coffee mugs. Her guests have excused themselves from the main house, returning to their rooms in the cottage around back. During the meal, they all chatted happily, and Runge bubbled with curiosity, filling any silence with questions. "Every morning it's a new story," she hums, satisfied, as she loads the dishwasher. "I just enjoy that so much."
Jody Runge resigned under pressure 11 years ago. But her former Oregon players, some of them now coaches themselves, continue to stand in her corner.
On this rainy March morning, though, the guests don't ask about Runge's own story, don't ask what twists and turns led her to A Painted Lady Inn, this bed-and-breakfast in Portland's charming Northeast neighborhood. So they don't know that the soft-spoken proprietor of the warm Victorian, the striking 6-foot-2 blonde who changes their sheets and scrambles their eggs, used to be one of the top women's basketball coaches in the country.
That's how Runge wants it. Maybe even how she needs it.
In quarters right out of a Bronte novel, Runge has allowed herself only one nod to her former life: a front-page newspaper story, framed in sharp metal, sits atop an antique wood cabinet. In the accompanying photo, Runge waves to the crowd at Oregon's old McArthur Court during a ceremony in 2010. Nine years after her departure as coach, she is being feted as the evening's "honorary captain" as part of the school's farewell to the arena.
In each of her eight seasons, Runge led the Ducks to the NCAA tournament. She won two Pac-10 titles and 70 percent of her games. She also fought for equality, demanding better practice times, fair distribution of gear, respect for her players and pay commensurate with that of her peers. She rocked the boat. And for her trouble, she says the administration tipped her overboard.
Which explains why in the photo of the waving Runge, her lips smile, but her eyes do not.
Runge bought her home the same year she resigned, after a tumultuous final season with the Ducks. She was 38 at the time, and figured she would take a year off to let the dust settle, to catch her breath, before getting back in the game. After all, she'd built Oregon into one of the Pac-10's elite programs from little more than a bag of basketballs and a vision of greatness. In the three seasons before her arrival, the Ducks had gone 15-39 in the conference and averaged 670 fans a game. Attendance jumped to almost 2,400 in her first season and soared to nearly 6,000 a few years later. Surely the game would welcome back such an accomplished coach.
But a one-year break turned into five; five turned into a decade. Runge phoned athletic departments that posted openings. She faxed her resume and stockpiled recommendations from former players, even those whose comments contributed to her resignation. In the 11 years since she left, she has applied for more than 20 jobs. Exactly one school returned her call -- a Pac-10 program that arranged a furtive interview, seemingly loath to reveal her as a candidate.
It's the silence, not the rejection, that's most telling. "When I walked away, I knew how hard it was for women to get another chance," Runge says. "I knew how women's basketball worked. But I kept thinking my record was strong enough, that I'd done so well that somebody would want me."
Jody Runge's story should come as no surprise to anyone who has followed women's college sports since the advent
of Title IX. Female coaches, no matter their record, often find themselves on the outside looking in. And who's on the inside?
Often, it's men.
Over the past four decades, the number of female college athletes has soared, but the percentage of female coaches has plummeted. In 1972, when Title IX was passed, women coached more than 90 percent of women's teams. By 1978, that number had already dipped to 58.2 percent. This year, it's down to 42.9 percent, according to the most recent survey by Brooklyn College professors emerita R. Vivian Acosta and Linda Jean Carpenter. That figure has hardly budged over the past six years.
Schools looking to woo -- and support -- top female coaches just need to follow the blueprint Maryland has used with Brenda Frese.
But while some experts may consider this holding pattern a victory, the raw numbers say otherwise. Since 2000, NCAA programs have added 1,774 women's head coaching jobs. Men have filled 1,220 of the openings.
Women have entered the rest of the workforce at all levels and now make up 57 percent of college students. Sports are bigger than ever for them too, with an average of 8.73 women's teams per school.
And yet female coaches continue to be sidelined. Stanford women's basketball coach Tara VanDerveer is only half-joking when she says, "We'll have a female president -- and one woman coaching women's college basketball."
It's not as if women are finding new opportunity in the men's game: Only about 3 percent of men's teams are coached by women, the same percentage as before Title IX's passage. Coaching is a man's world.
Back in the 1970s, few men wanted to coach women. When Pat Summitt began her career at Tennessee in 1974, she made $250 a month, washed the squad's uniforms, drove the team van and sometimes slept alongside her players on the opponent's gym floor the night before a road game. But within 10 years of Title IX becoming law, women's sports had erupted, claiming 16 percent of athletic budgets where once they received just 1 percent. Coaches of women's teams could earn a living, even prestige. And before long, men began to gobble up most of the job vacancies.
Some blame the dropoff on a shallow pool of female candidates, who often aren't as eager to apply for jobs, let alone pack up and move, as men. But there are more pernicious reasons as well. First is an old-fashioned sexism that gives men a chance to coach women's programs but squelches any thought of hiring a woman to coach men. There is also an ingrained homophobia that quietly pressures women to hire male assistants so as to combat any appearance of a "gay" program.
One other theme came up again and again during espnW's dozens of interviews: a lack of second chances for female coaches. Male coaches, particularly in men's sports, often pass through a revolving door whenever they lose a job -- from Bob Knight to Rick Neuheisel to Rich Rodriguez. But women fear they are much more likely to be one and done.
Runge's story may sound extreme. It's not.
Across all sports and teams of both genders, women hold 20 percent of the top jobs -- and that actually puts basketball ahead of the game. On every Division I campus, there are approximately eight basketball coaching positions: four on the men's side, four on the women's. Men can and do apply when any of those become available; inevitably they fill six of them. Women, however, will vie for only four slots -- the women's team slots -- and claim two.
That men can coach women while women are shut out of the men's game is a phenomenon researchers call "The Glass Wall." Women can see the thousands of jobs on the other side. They just can't get to them.
Female head coaches often contribute to the disparity by hiring men as assistants, and not only to placate recruits' parents with a male (read: straight) presence. Some women believe they need a man's voice on the bench. That thinking doesn't cut both ways. "If having a man's voice in the room is important for women, why aren't women's voices in the room in men's basketball or football?" asks VanDerveer, the Hall of Fame coach. "People will say whatever to rationalize any situation."
A situation that effectively makes 50 percent of all college coaching jobs off limits to women.
Nefertiti Walker, an assistant professor at UMass Amherst and a former Division I basketball player, has studied the glass wall. She asked men's head basketball coaches if they would hire a woman, and the majority were quick to name Summitt. In other words, the one female qualified to shatter the wall is the NCAA's all-time winningest coach. When Walker pointed that out to her respondents, they explained that "breaking the institutional norm" required an exceptional candidate.
Although the Acosta/Carpenter study notes that 2 percent to 3.5 percent of men's teams are coached by women, that number is inflated by individual sports like track and field, and swimming and diving. Of the NCAA's team sports, researchers estimate the number of women coaching men is below .05 percent, with none in Division I. Applying for a men's coaching vacancy is an exercise in futility for women, and apparently they know it. Of the dozen or so administrators interviewed for this story, none had seen a female candidate for a men's coaching job.
Nicole LaVoi, associate director of the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sports, believes the NCAA's job postings for men's coaching openings should include language that encourages female applicants. She dreams of a marketing campaign that says, "Hey, women coaches, don't just apply for women's jobs. Apply for men's jobs. It's what the men do."
The lack of women in the men's game is more than just a fair-employment issue for the coaches. It is also an equal opportunity issue for the athletes. While female student-athletes are usually exposed to both male and female mentors, men almost never are. "I think, in general, athletic departments lag behind the rest of the campus on all kinds of equity issues," says Ceal Barry, associate athletic director at the University of Colorado. Barry is also CU's senior woman administrator, an NCAA-mandated label, created with the hope of preserving female voices in athletic departments.
Karen Morrison, director of gender inclusion for the NCAA, thinks a bias exists in which men continue to be perceived as more viable candidates. "That's a personal opinion, not the NCAA's opinion," Morrison says, before adding: "We do not tell our schools whom to hire and how to hire, but we certainly want to impress upon them why having female role models as administrators and coaches is important to the development of both women and men as student-athletes and citizens."
Even as society in general becomes more accepting of women in leadership roles, female coaches in the NCAA can't seem to crack the glass wall. Instead, in one sport after another, they continue to lose ground in their own game as male coaches move first into assistant coaching positions and then, gradually, into the top jobs.
Since the inception of Title IX, basketball has been the NCAA's marquee women's sport. The money poured in early, the pressure increased dramatically, and by the early 1990s most female head coaches were hiring male assistants. Many of those men became the game's next head coaches (UConn's Geno Auriemma the most notable among them). Now, the arc of hiring male assistants who go on to become head coaches is playing out in other sports.
Division I softball, about a decade behind women's basketball in terms of growth and exposure, has seen the percent of female coaches drop from 74.8 in 2000 to 60 this year. "My concern isn't necessarily what softball looks like in three years, but what it looks like in 30," says Sue Enquist, former softball coach at powerhouse UCLA. "We need to get organized -- now."
A four-point plan to help women earn more coaching opportunities.
A similar trend is playing out in field hockey. While the sport is still dominated by female head coaches, those women are increasingly hiring male assistants, often from abroad. Countries such as the Netherlands and New Zealand, where the game is played by men in high-level club leagues, supply more and more U.S. college coaches.
There is a "keeping up with the Joneses" element to this hiring practice, says Peel Hawthorne, head coach of William & Mary's field hockey team. Coaches want what the neighboring staff has -- an international, male perspective. "But I don't know if that little voice in their head is saying, 'This is bringing in the next generation of coaches,'" Hawthorne says. "It's like anything else: Once the ball gets rolling, the results are exponential."
Since 2000, the percent of female coaches in Division I field hockey has dropped from 98 to 87. "I don't think we really see men as a threat ... yet," Hawthorne says. "But I think that's just a lack of awareness, really. The basketball model is a little ominous."
The worst part is, the problem is self-sustaining. For starters, fewer female coaches means fewer coaching role models for female athletes. Lavoi's research shows that if young female athletes don't see women in positions of power -- as either head coaches or top administrators -- they will be less likely to consider a similar career path. "If you don't have women doing it," Michigan softball coach Carol Hutchins says, "young women can't dream it."
The generation of current basketball coaches now bearing down on retirement grew up when women actually dominated the ranks. Pat Summitt became, well, Pat Summitt partly because she played for the legendary Billie Moore on the 1976 U.S. Olympic team. But there's significantly less torch-passing these days. "I always ask our players, 'Why don't you think about becoming a coach?'" says Florida women's soccer coach Becky Burleigh. "Some of them haven't even thought about it until I mention it."
An increasing number of young women reach NCAA teams without ever having played for a woman. Youth sports are overwhelmingly coached by men, especially the higher-profile club and travel teams that produce most college prospects in sports like basketball, softball and soccer. Girls grow used to that particular division of labor. "The dads coach, the moms drive," Hutchins says. "And the girls become trained that men are the people with the knowledge, the voice of authority in the leadership position."
U.S. Olympic hopeful Morgan Uceny, the world's No. 1-ranked runner in the 1,500 meters, competed in one of the few college sports in which women sometimes coach men. So how many women have coached her? "Zero," says the Cornell alum. "I've never had a woman coach, in any sport. Now that I think about it, that's surprising."
An absence of role models not only keeps girls from growing up to become coaches, but it also creates obstacles for those want to try. Boys and girls accustomed to male coaches become recruits who don't want female coaches. "When I talk to kids, they are candid," says Mary DiStanislao, the senior associate director of athletics at Penn. "They say, 'I've only had male coaches; I'm more comfortable with a male coach.'"
It's one reason female head coaches feel pressure to hire male assistants. But it's not the only one. Many women, quite frankly, haven't helped each other out. Female coaches cite a lack of mentoring within their ranks. Ensconced coaches often feel paranoid about their own job security, so they spend little time preparing the next generation. "It's the difference between women being willing to help, and women having a sense of urgency to help," Enquist says. "We need to get the best ones out in front, and I don't know if we're doing that."
A few years ago, Penn State basketball coach Coquese Washington reached out to VanDerveer, who promptly invited Washington and an assistant to her offseason home in New York. The group spent hours discussing the X's and O's of the famed Triangle offense. "I'm accessible to anyone," VanDerveer says. "I'll help anyone who asks."
She is just trying to do what has been done for decades in the men's game. Established coaches mingled with fresh-from-college players and high school coaches at gatherings like the old Five-Star camps. Old and young exchanged knowledge and business cards (or phone numbers on bar napkins), and the connections often led to regular mentoring or even jobs.
But an encounter like the one between VanDerveer and Washington is a rarity in women's basketball. VanDerveer is one of a small roster of women's basketball coaches -- Summitt, Texas' Jody Conradt, Texas Tech's Marsha Sharp -- who served for decades as the faces of their sport and were committed to growing it. While there is a group of outstanding 40-something female Division I coaches today, among them Baylor's Kim Mulkey, Oklahoma's Sherri Coale and Maryland's Brenda Frese, older coaches fear there is no comparable "next generation" to lead the way.
And that leaves the door wide open for men. Athletic directors who spoke with espnW for this story say they consistently receive significantly more applications from men for all coaching vacancies. "There isn't a job that's not dominated by male applicants," says DiStanislao.
Michigan's Hutchins tells the story of one former player who was in the running for an assistant gig at a big-time softball program. The player was a perennial All-American who led her team to three College World Series. A shoo-in for the job, right? "The school hired the male manager from another program," Hutchins says, still oozing bewilderment.
Women's teams have hired male assistants whose only qualification is having served as a manager or practice player. The male practice team at Tennessee has launched a few coaching careers, as have those at Colorado and USA Basketball. These men are chosen at the expense of women who have actually played the game at the college level. Once again, the reverse is never true: Managing a women's college team qualifies no one for entry into the men's coaching ranks.
"Too many athletic directors say, 'We have to get the best candidate, and the female pool is so weak,'" Hutchins says. "That just makes me cringe."
Plenty of male ADs, of course, like Maryland's Kevin Anderson, say they understand the importance of expanding the applicant pool. Maryland, with its flagship women's hoops program and a department that was run for years by Debbie Yow (now at North Carolina State), is known as a welcoming place to apply. "We are a great school academically, a great school athletically and a great place to live," Anderson says. "There's a lot to sell. But Debbie created an environment that's conducive to getting women to come here to work."
The male coaches espnW spoke with -- including North Carolina women's soccer coach Anson Dorrance, Texas A&M women's basketball coach Gary Blair and Penn State women's volleyball coach Russ Rose -- stressed the necessity of keeping women on the bench. "I always like having a female on my staff," Rose says. "Right now, the people actually pursuing the jobs are men, but my belief is you should have balance."
And yet even the most progressive institutions say they're overwhelmed with male applicants for every job opening. Bowling Green hired Danijela Tomic from Florida International as its women's volleyball coach in December, but only after having to persuade her to apply. Lesley Irvine, Bowling Green's assistant AD, says that of the 100 or so applicants for the job, 65 to 70 were male.
Judy Sweet, a former NCAA senior vice president and longtime AD at UC San Diego, co-founded the Alliance of Women Coaches in 2011 to help remedy the inequity. "At one point years ago, I'd have said the biggest cause of the lack of women coaches is the decision-makers who aren't selecting qualified women," Sweet says. "But now, for a lot of reasons, a lot of women just aren't applying for jobs."
Some of them may just need a seminar in the finer arts of BS. Colleen Hacker, a professor at Pacific Lutheran and a team psychologist for the U.S. women's soccer team, cites a study from the 1980s that found female candidates believed they needed to meet nine of 10 requirements on a job posting to even apply. "For men, it was five out of 10," Hacker says, noting that subsequent studies have verified this phenomenon.
So women need a dose of chutzpah? "Exactly," Sweet says.
In addition, anecdotal data suggest that some qualified women, especially those with families, have a harder time relocating than men. Glenn Sugiyama, an executive vice president at DHR International, a firm that helps college administrators find coaches, has seen the phenomenon first-hand in two recent searches for women's basketball jobs. "There were serious women candidates in each case who decided not to pursue it," he says. "The job would have been a step up for them, career-wise, but they didn't want to move. It wasn't about moving jobs; it was about moving, period."
That reluctance has to do with the effort it takes some women to have it all. "When women get a job, they 'build a village' to help them support their family while they're coaching," says Celia Slater, who co-founded the Alliance of Women Coaches with Sweet. "It's not as easy for them to leave and move around the country like some men will do."
In the end, though, those hurdles are less daunting than two others, more entrenched and insidious, that women have faced over the past four decades: homophobia and blatant sexism. "When you look at the decline in the percentage of women coaches," says Helen Carroll, of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, "sexual orientation has a lot to do with it."
Homophobia has haunted women's sports throughout the Title IX era, forcing coaches to stay closeted for fear of losing their jobs, or at least recruits. In some quarters, coaches have been known to signal quietly to prospects or their parents that a competing program is run by a lesbian, in an effort to turn the recruit away.
To this day, there is only one out lesbian coach in Division I basketball, Portland State's Sherri Murrell. In a 2009 paper on negative recruiting, Carroll and Pat Griffin, of the Women's Sports Foundation, wrote, "The psychological toll of silence, denial and secrecy results in a climate of fear and hostility that many lesbian, gay and bisexual coaches endure in order to pursue their profession. Others simply choose to leave the profession."
It's not only established coaches who check out. Former players often decide the hassle isn't worth it. Two former collegiate stars, Sue Wicks of Rutgers and Abby Conklin of Tennessee, told ESPN The Magazine in 2011 that homophobia still casts a wide shadow over the sidelines. In the same story, former WNBA star Kate Starbird stressed that she wouldn't consider coaching because she refused to be closeted. "I didn't want to live my life that way," she said.
At the same time, gay and straight women alike must fight an age-old battle just to level the male-dominated playing field. Merely pointing out Title IX inequities, for instance, can cost a coach her job. The National Women's Law Center conducted a study from 2001-06 that found coaches filed only 8 percent of the 416 Title IX compliance lawsuits during that period, even though they're the ones most apt to see, and best able to document, inequities. Why so few? The NWLC report says that coaches "fear retaliation if they complain."
Consider the disturbing case of Fresno State. In the early 1990s, federal investigators slammed the school's athletic department for not complying with Title IX. (On one occasion in 2000, during a department office party, someone hung an "Ugly Women Athletes' Day" poster that featured the heads of school administrators pasted onto the bodies of female athletes.) But the sanctions changed nothing.
A decade later, the mistreatment of three female Fresno State athletics employees led to lawsuits that resulted in nearly $20 million in judgments against the school. Volleyball coach Lindy Vivas was fired in 2004, ostensibly for failing to meet performance clauses in her contract. But Vivas sued the school, claiming she was let go in retaliation for a federal complaint she filed alleging inequitable treatment of her athletes, and a grievance she made with the university that pointed out pay discrepancies between male and female coaches.
"One strains to imagine what performance clause Vivas could possibly have failed to meet," writes Vermont Law School associate professor Brian Porto, an expert on Title IX. "Her career winning percentage was .612, she was a three-time Western Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, her teams had appeared in a postseason tournament six times, and the academic performance of her players was exemplary." A jury awarded Vivas $5.85 million in 2007, later reduced to $4.52 million.
Meanwhile, Fresno State women's basketball coach Stacy Johnson-Klein won a $19 million judgment in 2007 (later scaled back to $9 million) after she proved to a jury that the school looked for a reason to fire her when she threatened to file a Title IX complaint for the inequitable treatment her team received. That case came on the heels of a $3.5 million settlement the school paid to former associate AD Diane Milutinovich, a senior women's administrator for 21 years, who alleged she was reassigned in retaliation for her advocacy of equal treatment for athletes.
Those cases may feel like justice, but the three women who stood up for equality did so at the cost of their careers; none are in college athletics today. "There's a feeling that if you take on these fights," Carroll says, "you'll be blackballed."
Runge knows that all too well. She never filed a formal complaint during her tenure at Oregon, but she did twice hire a lawyer to negotiate her contract. The first time, in 1994, was after athletic director (and longtime football coach) Rich Brooks declined her request for a multi-year contract. Runge says she was losing recruits to competing programs whose head coaches were locked into longer deals. "We don't do that for women's sports," Runge says Brooks told her. At the time, she was making $32,000 a year, which was $20,000 less than the next-lowest paid Pac-10 coach and $40,000 less than the conference average.
"I thought she'd done a terrific job," says Brooks, adding that he hired Runge because he believes women's sports should be coached by women. "I did everything I could to make it right, but only football and men's basketball had multi-year contracts. Whether it's right or wrong, that's what it was at the time."
During Runge's eight seasons with the Ducks, she repeatedly went to the administration with equality issues. She believes she developed a reputation for "not playing by the rules" because she was unwilling to allow even small slights to pass. She demanded a share of the "prime" practice slot, 3 to 6 p.m., for her team, and refused to look the other way when the marketing department plastered Mac Court with life-size photos of men's team members, but none of her squad.
Runge wasn't blind to the risks she was taking. She routinely sought the advice of other female basketball coaches, two of whom have won an NCAA title. Without exception, they encouraged her to stand down. "They felt I was risking my job," Runge says. "Their comment was always, 'I don't know if I would do that.' Nobody thought I should fight those battles or that I should even ask for anything beyond what I was given."
Runge ignored their counsel. She was winning, and attendance at her team's games was at an all-time high. She thought her job was secure.
She was wrong.
When Runge resigned in the spring of 2001, the sitting AD, Bill Moos, told local newspapers that her players "called a meeting" with him to voice concerns about their coach's acerbic style. Those players, most of whom Runge is still in contact with, say it was Moos who convened the meeting, prying for ammunition. Many of them have since written formal letters of recommendation on behalf of Runge, and the sentiment is unanimous: She deserved better.
At the time, none of this shocked Runge, whose relationship with the administration had been frayed for years. She'd had trouble with Moos ever since trying to negotiate her first contract extension with him. The AD had simply wanted to roll over her existing deal, with no increase, even though the Ducks had just won the Pac-10 title. So Runge hired a lawyer -- again.
(Moos, now the athletic director at Washington State, declined comment for this story, as did other key administrators from Runge's tenure. The current Oregon administration seems to have moved on; during the ceremony at Mac Court in 2010, administrators said it was "time to honor" Runge's impressive record.)
The day after the news broke about the players' meeting with Moos, Runge walked into practice and told her team: "I'm not mad at you. What's happening has nothing to do with you, and it's not your fault."
But she was bone-tired. She'd spent eight years trying to change a mentality, and it had gotten her nowhere. "I couldn't fix it," she says now. It was time to walk away.
Runge left Oregon believing she still had a future in the game. She didn't yet realize she'd been branded, twice over. Not only had she essentially been fired, but she'd also developed a reputation for, as she puts it, "always wanting something." She was a walking red flag.
And now she is a cautionary tale, putting a face on a pervasive fear in women's sports: There are no second chances. Some of the most successful female coaches in basketball, soccer and softball agree that if they get fired, they won't again find a job at a similar level. Frese, who has won a national championship at Maryland, believes one bad experience can upend a career. "You have to be careful and calculating in terms of taking a job that you can go into to be successful," she says. "Because you might not get another opportunity."
Becky Burleigh has led the Florida women's soccer team to 11 SEC championships and a national title, helping to develop national team stars Abby Wambach and Heather Mitts along the way. Still, Burleigh harbors no illusions about career security. "I can't imagine getting fired from Florida and then, say, Texas hiring me," she says. "But that could happen in a men's sport. Even if they cheat."
She is not overstating the facts. Male coaches -- both on the men's and women's side -- often land on their feet after tanking a program or, worse, bringing the wrath of the NCAA upon it. Brian Agler, current head coach of the WNBA's Seattle Storm, resigned as women's coach at Kansas State in 1996 amid an NCAA investigation that resulted in a two-year probation for the Wildcats and forfeiture of all wins from the 1995-96 season. Since then, he has held three pro head coaching jobs. In 2009, Boston University fired Dennis Wolff, the coach of its men's basketball team. Less than two years later, he had found another job, as head coach of Virginia Tech's women. He had no experience in women's basketball.
And who is sitting in Runge's former office in Eugene these days? Paul Westhead, who has held eight head coaching jobs, including four in the college game. The 73-year-old Westhead was hired by close friend and AD Pat Kilkenny in 2009, just 10 days after Kilkenny fired the Ducks previous coach, Bev Smith. (At the time of Westhead's hire, Kilkenny had only a few months left on the job; Oregon had already tabbed his successor.)
Eugene's local paper, the Register-Guard, soon released the details of Westhead's deal. It guaranteed him $3.2 million over five years (Smith made $206,000 in her final season), not including a car allowance and bonus incentives for Pac-10 titles and NCAA appearances, neither of which Westhead, who's 46-49 in three seasons at Oregon, has reached. The contract also states that Westhead need only make Eugene his primary residence for seven months a year.
"A marked woman is marked forever," Hutchins says. "A marked man is marked until ... you know ... tomorrow. And then he starts over."
VanDerveer calls her Cardinal program the "recycling bin" because she has made a habit of hiring ousted head coaches. During her tenure, she has brought in Marianne Stanley (USC), Beth Burns (Ohio State) and Trina Patterson (a 17-year head coaching career). VanDerveer says that if she doesn't offer a life raft, no one else will.
Female coaches operate under the assumption that their current job will be their only job. That explains why there is relatively little movement within the women's ranks. If a female head coach finds success at a school, she tends to stay put. Although many of these women credit loyalty for their lengthy tenure, they admit that climbing the ladder entails risk. Fall off, and good luck getting back on.
There is also a perception that older female coaches, regardless of track record or institutional allegiance, will rarely be allowed to leave on their own terms. While white-haired male peers are often viewed as stately and distinguished as they continue to preside over their benches, female coaches hit 50 and begin looking over their shoulders. In 2011, Debbie Ryan resigned from Virginia after 34 years as women's basketball coach. Multiple sources within the sport confirm that Ryan, who was 58 at the time and had a career record of 739-324 (including 148-84 in her final seven seasons), was forced out. Last year, Old Dominion declined to extend Wendy Larry after she went 20-11. Larry, who is 57, won 559 games in 24 seasons and made 20 NCAA tournament appearances.
In other words, beware -- even the sturdiest rung can snap.
Jody Runge sits in the front room of A Painted Lady Inn. She's tucked into a corner of the couch, her hands cradling a mug of tea. She blows on the hot drink, lowers the mug, waits.
She's telling the story of how she came to buy this place more than 10 years ago. She had been driving around with some girlfriends and her niece, and stopped on a whim. The others took one look inside, shook their heads and went back to wait in the car. Runge saw what they saw -- the rotting wood and ancient appliances -- but she saw something else, too. She knew she could make the old Victorian sing again.
It's how she had felt on the recruiting trail, whenever she would find a diamond in the rough, that girl who'd been overlooked by Stanford and Connecticut, who was too raw or too slow or too unskilled. Runge always recruited with one thought in mind: Do I want this girl next to me in a foxhole? If the answer was yes, the coach would bring her to Eugene, and they'd scrap and claw and win -- often in front of a packed arena.
"If they didn't want to fight when the chips were down, there was nothing I could say to change that," Runge says. "I always thought that was the only thing I couldn't teach."
Runge, now 49, spent the better part of a decade in a foxhole, fighting for her players. "They were the belles of the ball in Eugene," she says. "They felt like they were as much supported as any athlete on campus -- by the community, anyway. They knew some of what we'd accomplished as far as getting equity for them and allowing them to feel that way, but I don't think they knew how hard it was to get there, and to keep it there."
After her resignation, Runge left Eugene because it was too painful to stay. Trips to the grocery store turned into conversations with fans about how shamefully she had been treated. How unfair the whole thing was. How much the Ducks missed her. "It was like ripping off a scab," she says. "Daily."
Runge takes a sip of tea and raises her eyes to the ceiling. She'll be at yoga in less than an hour, wrapping herself into an impossible pose, meditating on something other than her exile from the game she loves. But right now, she's thinking about the second chance she still hopes for.
The one that likely won't come.
Tyrone Curry was just another ordinary high school janitor -- until a stroke of luck gave him the power to change an athletic community
Tyrone Curry was just another ordinary high school janitor -- until a stroke of luck gave him the power to change an athletic community