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My client is finishing her 1L year. She's bored.
"I study. Then I study some more. Then I go to sleep. Then I get up and study again. It's the same for everyone."
At least, I proposed, the subject matter was interesting.
She demurred. "Yeah, I guess…but – really? I mean…Property law? Contracts? Torts?"
Her demurrer was sustained. She had a point.
Maybe it's your turn to demur. The subject matter of law school – law itself – not interesting!?? That's unthinkable. It has to be the school's fault – my client must be attending some fourth-tier degree mill, with sub-par teaching and a dull-witted student body…
But the school's not at issue here. She's attending one of the top places in the country. Not that it would make much difference, since every law school essentially teaches the same thing, first-tier or fourth-tier.
Then it must be her fault. If she doesn't appreciate the study of law – if this Philistine isn't drawn to the greatness of legal scholarship – she doesn't deserve her seat at an exalted institution.
I'm not convinced. This young woman projects intelligence, and turns heart-felt-y and passionate discussing her real interest – international human rights law. Unlike most law students, she did an internship and reads books, so she knows what international human rights law is (even if, like most law students, she vastly over-estimates its significance.)
It's possible things will get better next year, when she takes a course on international human rights law. On the other hand, law school courses have a way of making topics less interesting than they were before you took them.
Maybe the fault doesn't lie with any particular school, or any particular student. Maybe it lies with the myths surrounding law school itself.
Let's gather for a moment, and contemplate the inconceivable: Maybe law school is just…well…not that big a deal. Maybe it isn't engrossing or life-altering or – much of anything. Maybe the whole schtick – law school as the turning point in a young lawyer's existence – is oversold. The legal industry itself is a bubble recently popped. Perhaps the mystique surrounding law school is due for puncture.
Ask yourself – is the subject matter taught in law schools really so engrossing? Or were you taught to believe the subject matter taught in law schools is really so engrossing?
It would make sense, in the greater scheme of things, if the whole "law school experience" were massively over-hyped. Lawyers remain, after centuries of skill-honing, master bullshit artists – especially with regard to any matter touching upon their own significance. To judge from their own press, you'd think lawyers were free-lance philosophers rather than the guys who draft purchase agreements to keep holding corporations from paying taxes, or file minutiae-laden briefs to sustain Big Pharma's eternal patent infringement battles.
Lawyers incline towards the hoity-toity the way heliotropes incline towards the sunny-sunny. Phrases such as "precise intellect," "formidable legal mind" and "brilliant analytical prowess" get tossed about like so many croutons over a caesar.
I doubt accountants speak of a "formidable accounting intellect" or dentists praise one another for "brilliant dental prowess." I hope not.
It follows logically that the legal world's fetish for pretension trickles down to the law schools, and the law students themselves – who soak up all that pomposity and behave during their first year as though their cosmic entireties lay balanced each hour on a fulcrum between existential completeness and the barren void. They take it so seriously you want to smack them. No, the professor doesn't want to stay late after lecture and argue some point of tort analysis. He wants to go home and play that new level of Angry Birds set in outer space, just like you should want to do. He's only pretending he cares that much about tort stuff because that's what law school is about – pretending law is the most fascinating thing in the entire world. Maintaining this illusion plays a key role in keeping law professors, and law schools, earning big bucks.
Remember the official schtick beaten into every law student's cranium: Law school is where they re-make you. Law school is where you learn to think like a lawyer.
In case you were wondering, here is the formal definition of to think like a lawyer: verb, 1) to display a neurotic tendency to hostile, oppositional behavior; and/or 2) to obsess over unnecessary, pointless detail.
The extravagance of lawyer egotism is matched – if not exceeded – by lawyer humorlessness. The result is a professional edifice so laden with pretension that, if anyone so much as farted, the whole rig might tumble Earthward, accompanied by giggles.
For better or worse, in a room full of lawyers, no one could ever loosen up sufficiently to launch such blessed mirth. So, once again, The People's Therapist steps into the breach – and does what he must.
Without further ado – and just in time for exams! – I present The People's Therapist's Three Key Rules to Surviving Law School…
Rule number one: avoid your classmates.
A 1L client refuses to so much as avail herself of the "study break" events planned by extracurricular groups at her school. Spending time with classmates pointlessly spikes her anxiety level.
"I'll be chatting with the one friend who's cool – shooting the breeze. Then some idiot from our section walks up and suddenly it's like: Have you done your outline for Torts yet? Oh my God, do you think there'll be a question on fault liability?"
Ignoring your classmates is an essential key to surviving law school. For starters, eschew "study groups." Those other people will get you riled up and distracted, and they won't help you do any better on the exam. And by the way – hello! – you're competing against them. What's the point of pretending you're not?
Go home and study. To heck with those other people. Shun them like plague victims.
I had exactly one friend in law school. Later on, after spending time in the company of real live lawyers, I still had exactly one attorney friend and it was the same guy. That's when it clicked, and all became clear.
(In the interests of receiving no more than my usual quota of hate mail, I'll try to put this delicately.)
Lawyers, as a group, are pompous, uptight, miserable, or boring. That begins in law school.
(Of course you're the exception, so yes, you can relax.)
Rule number two: use commercial outlines.
It's that simple. One client, who attended a tippy-top school and earned lousy grades first year, told me his big mistake – embracing his professors' snobbery against commercial outlines. He bought outlines second and third year and, predictably, his grades shot up. Unfortunately, no one cares about second and third year.
Law school is about first year. First year grades. That's it. And that means memorizing commercial outlines from day one, then practicing essays until your fingers bleed.
The professors are charming and eccentric and amusing, but it's rare to find one who can deliver a coherent lecture. More common are coots mumbling into their notes, or psychos who fetishize wasting class time tormenting students with the "Socratic method." That's another bit of schtick, where you call on people at random with confusing, arbitrary trivia questions and try to humiliate them until they cry. At least for the professor, it's fun – and easier than preparing a lecture.
In terms of the content of the classes, law schools – all law schools – hit you with one thing – a pointless tsunami of legal doctrine. Doctrine, doctrine and more doctrine. More "three-pronged tests" than you can shake a three-pronged stick at.
For actual, practical legal skills, you'll have to look elsewhere. Schools don't teach that stuff. Neither does anyone else.
Happily, there's nothing on Earth better-suited to the task of cramming an assload of pointless legal doctrine into your head than a commercial outline. They do the trick because that's what they're for.
A guy in my NYU section skipped lectures and crammed commercial outlines all semester. The following year he transferred to Yale. You can do it too! Just memorize everything, and practice those damned essays until you reflexively plop out something shiny and nice on command. If it's a teensy bit shinier and nicer than what the people sitting next to you plop out, you're golden.
(By the way – in case you've never contemplated the horror of grading those exams, an old friend of mine is a law professor, and he took me there. He sits on the floor with a big pile of the hideous things, dips into a few, divides them into A B and C piles, then keeps reading and sorting. The awful process takes weeks, is admittedly rather arbitrary, and the sheer drudgery of it almost justifies his bloated salary.)
If you want to act all holier-than-thou about using commercial outlines, I invite you to go ahead and read the sacred "cases" in your "casebook." But be forewarned – the old ones were penned in Saxon dialect during the Bronze Age. I defy anyone to elucidate, without a commercial outline, what Marbury v. Madison is trying to say. Might as well be carved in stone with hieroglyphs.
(Of course, as an attorney, I am eminently qualified to discourse at length on the crucial role this seminal work of jurisprudence played in weaving the fabric of our democracy. But somehow I sense you'd rather I not.)
More recent cases remain dense, self-indulgent and circumlocutory. Of particular note are those super-annoying and utterly impenetrable "concur in part but dissent in part" Supreme Court decisions that make you want to pull your hair out trying to deduce the bottom line.
Buy an outline and save yourself the agita. Deciphering recent high court decisions is as fulfilling as trying to coax Antonin Scalia over his terror of homosexuals, or teach John Roberts how it feels to be poor. A pointless exercise.
Rule Number Three: Don't kid yourself this is either a big deal, or going to be a lot of fun.
It's isn't and it isn't. The only thing that matters to anyone in law school – including you – is your grades. Each semester amounts to a waiting period before you take exams.
A client told me he could strangle the Supreme Court Justice who advised his class (at a hot-shot law school): "Grades don't matter anymore. You're here. Now you can relax."
Doh! He landed at the bottom third of his class and is still looking for a job.
Don't fool yourself. It's all about grades – which means it's all about exams – and the difference between an A and a B on a law school exam can be measured under an electron scanning microscope. So good luck.
As for the material itself – there are two kinds of law students.
If you cherish and adore Civ Pro – if the subtle distinctions between subject matter jurisdiction and personal jurisdiction ignite your mind with radiant epiphanies – then kudos to you. Maybe you were born to be a lawyer.
For the rest of us, Con Law is the most interesting course, first, because there isn't much competition – Torts, anyone? – and second, because Con Law boils down to a self-gratifying debate over values disguised as an intellectual debate over legalities. Here's the big insight: In any Con Law case that you actually care about, Republican judges vote one way and Democrat judges vote the other way. That's why elections matter. The rest is so much pontificating.
Con Law isn't merely bogus – it's also useless. It might make you feel like a better, more educated citizen, and perhaps that's a legitimate purpose. Most Americans don't realize there is a Constitution, or know what one is – but – as a nation – we all adore pondering the meaning of liberty. I suppose the few of us with the money to purchase a higher education ought to possess a smattering of familiarity with the foundational documents.
On the other hand, the staggering loans you're taking out to pay for that education are real – and you'll never get paid for patriotic navel-gazing. Maybe half a dozen times per year, a law suit actually raises an issue in the US Constitution – something like gay marriage. Then it gets voted down along party lines, and that's that. The chances that you'll ever litigate an issue under the First Amendment parallel the chances that you'll win the Mega Millions – or that my client will wield the authority of international human rights law to wipe evil dictators off the globe. Not gonna happen.
You study Con Law because it's part of the schtick – the law school gestalt. You play along and savor the ambience of hushed libraries and leather-bound tomes. The exam, and your grades, are all that matters. Then passing the bar. Then year after year after year after year in hell, paying loans.
If you're attending Yale, you might spend third year in a seminar with a federal circuit judge, mulling "Law and the Experimental Films of Southeast Asia." One client – a Yale grad in her 60's – experienced paroxysms of nostalgia recalling a long-ago seminar on the "history and philosophical underpinnings of injunctions." Yes, an entire semester plumbing the etiology, phenomenology and epistemology of injunctions.
Whatevers. It's still law. It's still a bit boring, and a bit pointless. You're not splitting the atom – you're fussing over fine distinctions, splitting hairs, exhausting exhausted arguments.
I invite you to savor a lively discussion of injunctions – among yourselves – while I grab a beer from the fridge and watch reruns of "Fashion Police."
Law school is oversold – the law-school/law-firm establishment makes it out to be a life-altering peak experience. It's not. The intellectual challenge is more like philosophy lite. You might find it rather ho-hum. If you do, you'll be following in the well-worn footsteps of those who went before.
Basically, it's college all over again – but less fun.
This piece is part of a series of columns presented by The People's Therapist in cooperation with AboveTheLaw.com. My thanks to ATL for their help with the creation of this series.
If you enjoy these columns, please check out The People's Therapist's new book, Way Worse Than Being A Dentist: The Lawyer's Quest for Meaning
I also heartily recommend my first book, an introduction to the concepts behind psychotherapy, Life is a Brief Opportunity for Joy
(Both books are also available on bn.com and the Apple iBookstore.)


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Gov. Andrew Cuomo gives emotional update on brother Chris Cuomo's coronavirus: 'I'm worried'
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo gave an emotional update during his Wednesday coronavirus briefing about his younger brother, CNN's Chris Cuomo, who announced his COVID-19 diagnosis a day prior.
Reiterating that the news personality is isolated at home and "doing fine," the governor used his brother has an example of how "anyone" can get coronavirus.
"There is no superhero who is immune to this disease," he said. "Anyone can get it. No one can be protected from it. I couldn't protect my own brother ... And with all he knows and as smart as he is, he couldn't protect himself."
The CNN anchor revealed his diagnosis Tuesday on Twitter: "Sooooo in these difficult times that seem to get more difficult and complicated by the day, I just found out that I am positive for coronavirus. I have been exposed to people in recent days who have subsequently tested positive and I had fever, chills and shortness of breath."
Gov. Cuomo also addressed his brother's diagnosis in a press conference Tuesday, saying coronavirus is "the great equalizer" – anyone can get it.
"When he told me he had the coronavirus, it scared me," the New York governor said Wednesday. "It frightened me. Why? Because we still don't know... And I deal with all sorts of stuff and I've seen all sorts of things... Why? Because we're talking about my brother. This is my best friend. I talk to him several times a day, basically spent my whole life with him. It is frightening on a fundamental level ... because there is nothing I can do. And this situation is the same for everyone.. So yes, I'm frightened for my brother; I'm worried for my brother."
Gov. Cuomo also praised his younger sibling, who continued to work Tuesday after the diagnosis, anchoring his CNN show from his basement.
"What a gutsy, courageous thing to do," Cuomo remarked. "And we talked about it and in some ways this can be very instructive to many people, because everyone wants to know what happens if you get coronavirus... So what's the positive? (He can) show the country what it means to have coronavirus. And that information can be helpful to people. That's why he did the show last night: 'OK, I have coronavirus but here I am, I'm doing my show. I didn't fall over, I didn't collapse, it's not a death sentence.' Kudos to him. My pop would be proud. I love you, little brother."
More:COVID-19 positive, Chris Cuomo talks about chest 'tightness;' Don Lemon tears up for friend

subset: commoncrawl


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Bridget & Adam | Prairie St. Brewhouse
My first conversation with Bridget was a bit hectic. Due to some unfortunate circumstances Bridget and Adam had found themselves without a wedding photographer. Luckily I was still available, and we talked about what was important to her and Adam in wedding photography. As we chatted a bit over the phone, I had the feeling that my style and personality were going to be a good fit for them. Since they live in Chicago, we agreed to meet a few weeks later when they were in town.
"We're having a whole bunch of pizzas and a whole bunch of craft beer for our reception meal." exclaimed Adam when we met.
Yep, now I was completely sure. This is a match, haha.
Bridget and Adam were married at St. Peter's Cathedral - Bridget's childhood church, in a ceremony presided over by her uncle who also happens to be a Bishop. After a very personal ceremony filled with Catholic traditions in was time for a few stops around town for portraits. The stifling unseasonable heat didn't allow us to be outside for long, but this crew made the most of it for a quick stop at Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens and a stroll across the temporarily closed Jefferson St. bridge.
Then it was off for that aforementioned pizza and beer and to celebrate the night away at Prairie St. Brewhouse with family and friends. Congrats Bridget & Adam, here's a look back!
P.S. - The Fujifilm Instax camera earns 1,000,000 bonus points.
Thanks Vendors!
Coordinator : London Ave Designs | Lori
Videographer: Matt Eickhoff
DJ: Luxe | Steve
Hair & makeup: RD Artistry | Cassie & Shantal
Officiant: Bishop David Kagan
Church: Cathedral of St. Peter
Reception: Prairie Street Brewhouse


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I can't believe it's been a year.
An actual year since I decided to stop just thinking about putting myself out there again. I missed blogging so freaking much for so long. But I was so worried about how I would be received in the blogging community.
Let's be honest, fam, my humor can be a little off and I swear way too much.
BUT, I'm so glad I decided to blog.
I have met COUNTLESS friends in this amazing community. I have spoken to authors and fangirled more times that I can count.
I've read SO many good books. Both from just being around Book Twitter and from recommendations from the beautiful people I call friends.
This last year has been crazy, tiring and rewarding and I am totally looking forward to another year.
I've read 208 books. Posted 229 blog posts. Decided to write a book. And got more support from this community than I have ever received in my life.
Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to comment, like, tweet me, retweet, be kind, supportive and just overall amazing. I couldn't of asked for a better little nook of the internet to spend my time in.
I love you all ❤


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Chorus by UVA and Mira Calix is an installation at The Wapping Project until the 18th July.
It's deceptively simple but powerful – lights and speakers on pendulums swing and illuminate, emitting building, swooping, harmonies of operatic chorus notes. You walk around and underneath it, but all the time it surround you.
The darkness of the old boiler house that The Wapping Project calls home becomes something like the engine room of a massive brick starship, or the sanctum sanctorum of a neo-Victorian occult engineering cult.
There are further echoes of scifi.
The chorus is aurally-reminiscent of the Ligeti-soaked startup sequences of Kubrick's stargates.
The deserted Victorian infrastructure that the piece inhabits is a Nigel Kneale set, the Hobbes Lane of Quatermass & The Pit, or the oozing walls of The Stone Tape.
It's a hauntological intervention, an architecture made of immaterials, a ghost-box of sorts; a real, working, time machine and a wonderful excuse to head to Wapping.


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Twitter had a meeting yesterday to talk about how big it was. But what really came across was that while Facebook and Google+ value your identity, Twitter doesn't care who you are, as long as you've got something to say.
Google Facebook and Twitter now all have similar products. But Twitter CEO Dick Costolo (somewhat inadvertently) made it clear yesterday that while all three have social networking features and make money from ads, they are in fundamentally different businesses.
At a very basic level, Google+ and Facebook are in the identity delivery business, and Twitter is in the information delivery business. That's a powerful distinction. It reflects a fundamentally different conception of what's more valuable: information or identity. It also gets at who is more valuable, advertisers or users.
Google and Facebook's social products are committed to a real names policy. Both can serve someone up to a network of peers or advertisers with some degree of certainty about identity.
Twitter takes exactly the opposite route towards building a network. You can be anonymous, or use a pseudonym, or even impersonate someone else (as long as you indicate that it's a parody). It will still connect you to others on its network, and allow you to both serve and receive data. And that's working well, for everybody.
Costolo unloaded some enormous numbers.Twitter has more than 100 million active users—that is a user who logs on more than once a month—and more than 50 million who log in daily. 40 percent of its active users don't tweet at all. They just log in to read. (In common parlance, they're lurking.) The ones who do tweet are sending more than 230 million tweets per day. It's big now. Very big!
What's more its about to make a bundle of money by rolling out promoted tweets (Twitter's term for in-timeline ads) to everyone, everywhere, regardless of whether or not they follow the company that's running the promotion. But something that was true from its very first days is still true today: it won't sell you, the user, to make a buck. Twitter understands that the things people say are often more valuable than exactly who they are.
Twitter's stated mission is to "instantly connect people everywhere to what's most meaningful." It's connecting people with information, not each other. "What's most meaningful" does not have to be a person. It can be a person, but it doesn't have to be. Nor does it have to remain the same thing. It could be a baseball game today, an Apple event next week, or an election next year. A revolution, news of a natural disaster, or simply updates from your child who lives three states away. It is essentially becoming a connecting tissue; an instant and variable information delivery mechanism.
That leaves room for identities to be fluid. Like Shakespeare's rose, Twitter cares less about your name than it does your words and actions. You may use a fake name, but you still smell pretty sweet.
To be clear, this isn't an altruistic thing. It's just business. "We're not wedded to pseudonyms," explained Costolo, "we're wedded to people being able to use the service as they see fit."
Sometimes that means using it anonymously. In some situations (think: revolutions in the mid-east, dissent in China, and of course releases by LulzSec and Anonymous) the flow of information is completely dependent on not verifying a user's identity.
So while Twitter will serve advertisers (it has to) instead of delivering identity or demographic information, says Costolo, it will deliver information-driven engagement. Twitter's going to target ads based on your interests—who you follow, and what you tweet about. It will look at the data you consume and produce. And because Twitter's ads appear in the timeline itself (hence the annoying term "promoted tweets") and as a part of that information flow, people actually seem to click on them.
This lets Twitter bill advertisers based on actions, rather than impressions. Rather than charging based on how many times an ad is shown, it will charge when someone actually does something interactive with the ad. When they click on it and follow through, or reply to it, or retweet it. And it means it can deliver value to advertisers without as much reliance on demographics. It can still sell contextual ads, without having to sell you.
And it seems to work. According to Costolo a recent ad campaign by Virgin America gave that company its fifth largest sale day ever. More impressive, a VW ad campaign had an engagement rate of more than 50 percent. In simple terms, more people acted on the ad than did not.
In short, Twitter doesn't care who you are, it's still going to serve you an ad. And oddly, that may be the most effective tactic of all.
Original photo by Shutterstock/Cucule
You can keep up with Mat Honan, the author of this post, on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+.


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SOUTH AFRICA – One team's turmoil has threatened its progression at the World Cup!
France qualified for the World Cup on a controversial call. Thierry Henry's double handball, which referees failed to see, saw France through to the tournament at the expense of Ireland. It seems only fitting that "Les Bleus" are falling apart and on the verge of being eliminated as many feel as though they never should have been included in the field of 32 teams.
France managed a lifeless and uninspired draw against Uruguay in their opening match which caused French legend Zinedine Zidane disappointment. French supporters called and clamored for something more in their next match against Mexico and what they got left much to be desired. France went out and got outplayed by the Mexicans and suffered a humbling 2-0 loss. That might have been the straw that broke the camel's back.
French striker Nicolas Anelka found himself on his way home Saturday evening after being thrown off the team by French coach Raymond Domenech. Anelka's expulsion was punishment for his profanity-laced tirade against Domenech following the defeat to Mexico.
A day after Anelka's expulsion, France's turmoil rose to the surface again. A training ground argument between French captain Patrice Evra and fitness coach Robert Duverne had to be broken up by Domenech. Immediately after, the team refused to train and proceeded to board the team bus as a protest for Anelka being thrown off the team. To make matters worse, team director Jean-/louis Valentin gave his resignation Sunday.
"It's a scandal for the French, for the young people here. It's a scandal for the federation and the French team," Valentin said. "They don't want to train. It's unacceptable."
"As for me, it's over. I'm leaving the federation. I'm sickened and disgusted," Valentin added, who walked away from the training field, got into a car and drove off.
After the fallout, Domenech read a letter from Evra and the players to the press saying that they were boycotting training in support of Anelka, who reportedly announced his international retirement after his dismissal.
With this much turmoil surrounding the French, it remains to be seen what kind of performance they will manage against host country South Africa in their upcoming match. Given the current state of affairs, it would come as a surprise if the French were to manage to qualify for the next round.
SOUTH AFRICA – One team's turmoil has threatened its progression at the World Cup!


text: Japanese teenager Yuzuku Hanyu survived two falls to emerge on top of a tense and error-ridden finale to the men's figure skating competition at the Winter Olympics in Sochi Friday. The 19-year-old had set a world-record score in the short program, but under pressure of expectation in the concluding free routine appeared to have blown his chances as he failed to land two jumps. However, there was drama still to come on day seven of the Games as three-time world champion Patrick Chan of Canada once again saw his dreams of Olympic gold crumble. A lackluster display littered with mistakes saw Chan fail to overhaul Hanyu, who was left as a relieved winner – Japan's first in the event as the country opened its gold-medal account in Sochi. He is the youngest winner of the figure skating competition at a Winter Games for 66 years. "I'm so proud of this feat as a Japanese," he said. "The Olympics is so wild and unpredictable. I've never been this nervous for a competition in my entire life. I'm upset with the performance I had, but I left everything I had out there." Read: Day seven as hit happened The 101.45 points Hanyu accrued in such incredible style Thursday gave him sufficient buffer to take the gold with a total of 280.09. Chan took silver on 275.62 points, but it will be little consolation with ultimate triumph within his grasp. Denis Ten of Kazakhstan won the bronze. Chan admitted he had felt the pressure in bidding for Canada's first gold of the Games. "We're all human. Even (snowboard star) Shaun White makes mistakes. Unfortunately, I made one too many," the 23-year-old said. Russia's main hope, Yevgeny Plushenko, had to pull out before the start of the short program after damaging his back in the warmup. Swiss upsets the odds Earlier Friday, the upsets continued in the alpine skiing competition as Switzerland's Sandro Viletta took the men's super-combined title. The 28-year-old had never won a medal in a major championship and had won just a single World Cup event. But his combined time of two minutes 45.20 seconds over the downhill and slalom runs gave him gold. "This is amazing – it's perfect, it's more than a dream come true. It's also a big shock. I didn't think I would come first," he said. Croatian veteran Ivica Kostelic finished second, 0.34 seconds behind Viletta, to claim his fourth Olympic silver and third in the combined. Read: 'I did it for Dad says slopestyle winner He was competing on a slalom course set by his father, who also coaches him. All the coaches of the top-15 ranked skiers go into a lottery to decide who will can lay out the course and Ante Kostelic won the draw. Italy's Christof Innerhofer followed his silver in Sunday's downhill by claiming the bronze medal. He had only praise for the course designer, despite finishing behind his son. "I thank Ante Kostelic for setting a good course," he said. Read: Farrington's halfpipe glory But defending champion Bode Miller never recovered after a disappointing downhill run and finished sixth while world champion and U.S. compatriot Ted Ligety trailed home 12th. The variable ski conditions may have worked against the favorites, as Ligety suggested after his disappointing performance. "They really make for funky results. You can see the results sheet so far. It's far from the World Cup result sheets," he said. "But we all have to ski and deal with it. There are no excuses." French hope Alexis Pinturault, like Ligety a dominant force on the World Cup, also finished outside the top 10. More Swiss success Double gold was also a strong theme on day seven of competition, with Dario Cologna making it a great day for Switzerland by winning the 15 km classic in the cross-country nordic skiing discipline. It was a successful defense of the title he won in Vancouver and followed his earlier triumph in the 30 km skiathlon in Sochi. Cologna came into the Games off the back of injury problems, and his performances have taken him by surprise. "It's amazing. I couldn't believe the first gold medal, after being injured, and now the second. It was the perfect race. I knew it would be hard and I was prepared for it," he said. Belarus gold double Darya Domracheva from Belarus made it two golds in three days with victory in the women's 15 km individual biathlon race. She took the bronze in Vancouver but stepped up to the top of the podium in Sochi, beating Switzerland's Selina Gasparin into second place, with compatriot Nadezhda Skardino in third. Domracheva took the women's pursuit title Tuesday on Tuesday and was in unbeatable form again, particularly in the shooting section of the competition. Belarus later picked up its second gold of the day as 34-year-old Alla Tsuper, competing in her fifth Winter Games, finally found her way to the top of the podium in the women's freestyle aerials competition. Tsuper had never finished higher than fifth in her previous attempts but with a total score of 98.01 she was flying high. Mengtao Xu of China took the silver, while defending champion Lydia Lassila of Australia won bronze. Tsuper took two years out to start a family but came back to competition better than ever. "I had a break for two years. I returned to the sport to have one more chance to have a medal. That was a dream," she said. Yarnold the new skeleton queen Britain continued its domination of women's skeleton as Lizzy Yarnold took the title won by compatriot Amy Williams four years ago. Former track and field athlete Yarnold held the lead from the first run Thursday at the Slanki Sliding Center and finished nearly a second clear of Noelle Pikus-Pace of the United States over four sessions. Elena Nikitina took the bronze for host nation Russia. "I don't think it's going to sink in for a long time," said Yarnold, who had to endure some nervous moments at the start of her final run. "It was a messy fourth run but I just relaxed and enjoyed it. I wanted to do myself justice and show the world what I could do."


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Click a program title for more information.
With as many as 50 dogs and cats available at any given time and over 1,300 animals adopted annually, we seek to promote no-kill alternatives through our innovative programs. All of the animals receive full medical and behavioral evaluations, and our staff works with you to help your new pet feel comfortable in it's new home.
Animal Rescue and Transfers
Our animals come from a number of places—overcrowded area shelters, surrenders from local families that can no longer care for their dog or cat, and rescue groups throughout the state. We focus on giving homeless, abandoned, and sometimes abused animals a second chance at a healthy, happy life with a caring guardian.
Rehabilitation & Training
While at Pets to Go, animals that have behavioral issues are retrained and rehabilitated to become better companions in their new homes. After the adoption, Pets to Go is always there to help with behavior consultations, "positive reinforcement" dog training classes, and any other advice an adopter may need.
Medical and Spay/Neuter Clinic
Pets to Go's on-site veterinary team assesses the health of each animal and provides appropriate treatment and vaccinations. In addition, we spay or neuter all the animals, so that more animals don't end up in shelters.
Volunteering and Foster Care
Pets to Go could not survive without the help of dedicated, caring animal lovers who generously volunteer at the shelter each week. From bottle-feeding motherless kittens, answering phones, and offering foster care to our special needs animals, our volunteers improve the quality of life for the homeless dogs and cats that are sheltered at Pets to Go. In an effort to give back, we also support high school community service requirements.
Continued Care
We can become the legal guardian of your pet in the event of your possible illness or death. Many times, pet owners can bequeath their animals to us in a will, and we'll make sure they find a wonderful new home.
Community Awareness
Pets to Go strives to provide a safe and healthy transition home to the animals we rescue and place. We hope our mission inspires others in the Springfield community to learn more about animal needs and how to care for and live with a healthy and happy pet. To this end, we regularly publish tips on animal safety and care. Our services—including the clinic and animal trainers—are available to community members.


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Story highlights
Wide-ranging theories abound in killings of prosecutors
Investigators also are looking at local cases
One includes former justice of peace tried last year
While speculation swirls around them, investigators in this north Texas county are leaving no stone unturned as they dig for clues into who killed two prosecutors.
Theories have included hits by grudge-holding drug cartels or by a white supremacist gang targeted by Texas and federal authorities last year.
Prosecutor gunned down outside Texas courthouse
CNN has learned that beyond those possible scenarios, tight-lipped investigators are looking at local public corruption cases in Kaufman County.
One example involves an official convicted last year.
Since the January 31 daytime slaying of chief felony prosecutor Mark Hasse outside the courthouse, authorities have pored through his case files.
Saturday night, hours after Hasse's boss, District Attorney Mike McLelland and his wife, Cynthia, were found dead at their home, investigators met at a local Denny's restaurant with the convicted official, his attorney told CNN on Tuesday.
Investigators took swab samples from Eric Williams' hand to test him for gun residue, attorney David Sergi said. CNN does not know what the results of those swab tests have revealed to investigators.
Sergi says his client voluntarily cooperated because he has nothing to hide.
Williams, a former justice of the peace, was convicted of burglary and theft by a public servant and was sentenced to two years' probation.
The probe into local cases shows investigators are looking at much more than possible cartel or Aryan Brotherhood of Texas connections to the cases.
They are looking through all the McLelland and Hasse case files to see if any red flags arise.
County Judge Bruce Wood said "literally hundreds" of investigators are working the case.
"I'm not sure what time frame we're on, but I'm confident that they will find whoever committed this crime," he told reporters Tuesday.
The investigation is starting from scratch, with no leads in the McLellands' deaths, CNN affiliate WFAA reported.


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At first glance, the New York City-based, semi-pro, twelve-member, all-female CAL group, Treble, does not seem that much different than other CAL groups. Its members rehearse once each week, perform at local venues and charity events, are active in the CASA community, and are passionate about contemporary a cappella music. Upon closer inspection, however, one finds a group that is not only built to deliver onstage but for longevity, that readily equates individual member happiness with group success, and that cares as much about the harmony in its music as the harmony among its members. This group of women just may have found the magic formula for creating a lasting post-collegiate a cappella group.
Formed in 1996 by a group of friends from Columbia University, the group prides itself on its tradition of building relationships alongside its repertoire. Its members will agree that this is a big reason Treble is NYC's longest-running a cappella group.
Keeli Davis, chair of the Outreach Committee, believes that investing in "social capital" goes a long way in keeping the group together and everyone happy. "We go out after every rehearsal to get food and drinks. We all put in a lot of time outside of Treble just to be friends…this is the best thing that's happened to me since moving to NYC."
Davis continues, "I think more groups need to focus on group health. Although not every person will be happy with every decision, people need to know that their opinions have been accounted for and heard. Keep members happy. Happy members sound better, plus you won't have to have auditions all the time!"
Whatever these ladies are doing is working. Their longest-standing members have been a part of Treble for seven years, while almost the entire group has been together for over five years. The group has also not had to audition any new member in the past two years even though it has received over two hundred inquiries during that same time period. Also worth noting is the fact that in the last four years, any members that have left the group did so because of relocation or large changes in their lives (having children or changing jobs) and not because of any personality or ideological conflicts.
Outreach Committee member, Nicole Martinez remarks, "Everyone is really invested and cares enough to stay involved through life changes. That makes a big difference in such a transient city."
Music co-director, Lily Szajnberg also credits the group's success to the type of women that belong. "Twelve working women just don't have time for drama," she asserts. She goes on to say, "This strong, supportive, fun network of women is an amazing thing to have in New York. We are the best of friends and help each other in all areas of life, even getting each other jobs!"
Perhaps the professional backgrounds of its members are what keep Treble running smoothly. The group chooses its leadership at an annual business meeting where all positions are voted on from the business manager right down to the person who buys the birthday cakes. Their song selection process is streamlined by using Google polls. Even their audition process is crafted to use their time efficiently.
Marketing Director, Carrie Brown, explains, "We don't waste time on people who just aren't qualified. We use a secret system with a cue that we give the director to say if we want an audition to keep going after the solo." Meredith Strang, Musical Co-Director acknowledges, "We just don't take anyone without prior collegiate aca-experience. Having a great audition pool allows us to do that." Martinez adds, "Knowing exactly what we are looking for during auditions keeps us focused so we don't waste time being distracted and confused."
Another thing Treble is conscious of during auditions is how a new member will fit into the pre-existing group culture. The group takes great pains to assure a person is not only a musical fit, but a social one as well. Strang elaborates, "Although our first audition is basic – solo, range test, sight reading, pitch matching – our callbacks are always slightly more social. We have had some jaw-dropping people audition for the group who just did not fit personality-wise. New members need to blend not only musically, but socially."
Brown attests, "Personality reigns supreme. No one sounds good when they aren't having fun."
And although the members of Treble love to have fun, when it's time for rehearsal, they get down to business. "The day before a rehearsal, the Musical Director sends out an agenda so people know what music to bring, if needed. We have a designated 'Sergeant-At-Arms' who will quiet us down during rehearsal and keep us focused if we start chatting too much. It's really helpful for that person not to be the MD. We also have a 'Sassy Scrivener' who takes notes on all music changes and business and she sends them out after," reveals Davis.
The group's no-nonsense rehearsal style has allowed Treble to identify and reinforce its musical strengths, while simultaneously compensating for its shortcomings. Strang discloses, "We have a really great bass section which is vital for a female group. We have two ladies who warm down to nice A2's and a good handful who can hit solid C3's (B3's on good days). We work on everyone's low range. I also think we have really nice tuning in the group and are able to sing difficult arrangements without a ton of in-rehearsal work. In addition to a solid bass section and generally strong lower range, we also have several excellent vocal percussionists, one of whom also beatboxes (yes, there is a difference!) In short, we disband assumptions that all-female groups have a 'tinny,' light sound - our group motto is sassy and bold, and our sound definitely matches that."
When asked if she thought it was more difficult to arrange for an all-female group, Szajnberg replied, "There is less of a difference than people would think. We arrange our ladies very low and keep the soprano parts at a minimum, though Meredith does that with co-ed arrangements as well. There certainly are some second octave notes that we can't use but we don't miss those much. Let's be honest, we know we can sing all those high notes but nobody wants to hear them - whether in a co-ed or an all-female group. Leave them for the shower!"
Although the group has had much vocal success, it still has difficulty (like most other groups) with planning performances. "We're all so busy with work that it's really hard to schedule gigs - sometimes we need to turn down paying and/or charity gigs. Even for the gigs we are able to take, we often have to re-work parts as we are usually missing a few members (trying to organize 12 women with full-time jobs, grad school schedules, and a baby is an art form in and of itself.) We end up learning several other parts in our repertoire so that we can pinch hit for any missing members. Sometimes, we just don't have enough ladies to cover the parts and we have to turn down gigs we would have loved to take!" relates Diana Wise, Treble's "Sergeant At Arms."
Even with having to turn down gigs, Treble usually finds itself with a full calendar. The ladies perform all over the metropolitan area, especially in New York City. They have sung everywhere from Lincoln Center to the Guggenheim, as well as at The Ronald McDonald House and in Central Park for "Make Music Day" and the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. They also have their favorite local bars such as Canal Room, Joe's Pub, Crash Mansion, and Parkside Lounge.
"We try to be flexible with choreography and staging so we can perform in a variety of places. Some New York City venues have some notoriously tiny stages, so we tone down the moves when needed," Davis shares.
Treble has had a lot of memorable performances, but the group consensus is that their favorite was when they traveled to Memphis to perform with fellow CAL group, DeltaCappella. Strang recalls, "They were incredibly gracious hosts and we loved traveling around Memphis as a group. Hello, Graceland! Several of us had traveled to SoJam and SingStrong, but this was the first time we had spent a weekend together as a whole group. It was a fantastic bonding experience for Treble and an exciting performance opportunity to sing for a whole new audience. We loved being able to help with the auditions for Riva and creating great new friendships with the DeltaCappella guys."
Treble has a busy performance schedule coming up in December with a friends and family concert, gigs at the local JCC, the Hunter College Hillel House, a private non-profit, and handful corporate caroling events and private parties. In January, the group is excited to sing at their very first wedding!
With their varied gig schedule, also comes the need for different styles of "stage costumes" to fit each venue. All of Treble's members agree that coordinating outfits is more important and trickier than most people think. The group has one member who is dedicated to putting together outfits for their gigs. She keeps in mind the group's handful of "go to" selections that members have in their closets and scours "look books" and color swatches to come up with perfect themes. They are quick to avoid the "black with flare" look that is associated with collegiate a cappella and want their look to reflect a "unique and professional" style, while still keeping in mind the type of show and venue, as well as everyone's individual style and body type. The ladies are quick to note that it is a lot of work, but very much worth the effort.
Securing all of those gigs takes a lot of time and energy. Treble has a designated five-person outreach committee responsible for marketing the group through social media, cold calls, and networking in general. They are always seeking new possibilities and are currently attempting to book additional wedding gigs.
With that much singing, someone is bound to take notice (and they have!) Treble had the honor of organizing and hosting the first annual VoCALnation, the first New York City CAL-sponsored a cappella conference in March of 2011. They were also nominated in the category of favorite CAL group for the 2011 ACA Awards. Because all of its members work full-time, however, the women concentrate not on winning awards, but on their vocal prowess, performing as much as they can, and just enjoying what they do.
Treble has been a stronghold of the contemporary a cappella community for a number of years now and its members' names are well-known among their peers. They suggest always sending a representative to SoJam and other CASA events when possible and attending other groups' shows to support your local a cappella community. Also, they recommend being active across the various social media platforms to keep your group in the loop. When asked, the ladies were very vocal about their love of the CAL community and the support that they have received thus far.
The a cappella community seems to have a mutual love of Treble – it largely financed their upcoming album which will be released sometime in the spring/summer of 2012. Although great pains were taken to assure the album was executed with technical precision and a professional sound, Treble had a fantastic time recording it. At the end of the day, the group feels that is what is most important. Szajnberg divulges, "We show up every week not because we're getting paid, not because it's glamorous, but because it's just f****** fun."
And who could argue with that?
About the author:
Jenn Fiduccia, North Carolina's CASA Ambassador, swears that a cappella music saved her life. Trapped as a political science/pre-law, yuppie-in-the-making at Boston College, she auditioned (on a dare) for the newly-founded BC Dynamics and quickly realized that if she did not pursue a career in music, she would most surely die of heartbreak (Fiduccia also claims a slight flare for the dramatic.) After two colleges and three different majors, Jennifer graduated from New York University as a vocal performance major with a concentration in music business. After college, Ms. Fiduccia spent her time as a professional soloist in the New York metro area singing with a number of vocal and instrumental ensembles, performing in various theatrical productions and appearing on several different recording projects. In addition, she worked for ten years as a Music Minister and Youth Minister in the Catholic Church, where she created and directed two different worship music ensembles. In 2009, Jenn left the great state of New Jersey (*fistpump*) for North Carolina (although she vehemently denies that the move was orchestrated to be closer to the SoJam a cappella festival.) She set up house in Wake Forest with her husband and four children and has since had a hand in founding and directing two different CAL groups in the Raleigh area. When she is not playing referee or chauffer, she takes pleasure in sipping wine on her front porch, going to Zumba class at the gym, and arranging nursery rhyme remixes for the kids.


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Kentucky Hopes Website Will Track Medicaid Work Requirements
Kentucky became the first state with a work requirement for Medicaid, and now it has to do something arguably more daring: Build a mobile-friendly website that works.
This summer, the state will require many people who get taxpayer-funded health insurance to work or volunteer at least 80 hours a month. They hope nearly half a million people will use their smartphones to log their hours so the government can keep track of who is meeting the requirements.
It's the kind of government program that often draws disdain from small-government Republicans, but GOP Gov. Matt Bevin has embraced it as "a more efficient use of resources."
Government-run websites, however, are notorious for their glitches, including the disastrous federal rollout of HealthCare.gov in 2013.
Kentucky had its own problems in 2016 when a new system called "Benefind" — meant to consolidate all of the state's assistance programs — caused chaos when thousands of people received erroneous messages that their benefits had been canceled.
Kentucky officials say this time will be different. In January, they quietly began testing the new website with people who get food stamps. That federal program has similar work requirements in 20 Kentucky counties.
"It's gone extremely well, which is probably why you haven't heard of it," said Adam Meier, deputy chief of staff for Republican Gov. Matt Bevin who along with along with Kristi Putnam at the Department for Medicaid Services is overseeing the program's rollout.
Some health care advocates aren't so sure. The website is built by Deloitte, the same company that built Benefind.
"We all know that Benefind was a total train wreck," Democratic state Rep. Jim Wayne said. "I find it ironic that a governor who wants to cut red tape ... is now establishing all this red tape for working poor people and poor people with disabilities and poor people who are struggling to keep body and soul together."
Others worry that the state doesn't understand how some people use smartphones. Cara Stewart, of the Kentucky Equal Justice Center, said many of her clients do not have unlimited data and is worried they will have trouble logging their hours once their data is gone.
"I cannot figure out how this is purporting to make people healthier or a good use of resources," she said.
Meier said the state has had no problems with Deloitte. He estimates 80 percent of Medicaid recipients in Kentucky have a smartphone. While he hopes most people will use the website, he said people can also get help at the Department of Community Based Services, which has an office in every county. There they can get printed forms and mail them in.
Kayleeanna Hummell, an 18-year-old high school senior, said she will be Medicaid-eligible when she graduates this spring. She is just now learning about the work requirements, and said she's worried she will miss a step and lose her coverage.
"I'm definitely going to find a job," she said. "It's just the deadline thing is what scares me."
It's unclear how much the website and underlying technology will cost to build and maintain. Bevin first estimated it would save the state more than $300 million. But on Monday, Bevin told reporters the program "may arguably cost more."
"The intent isn't to try to save money from a budgetary standpoint," Bevin said.
Medicaid Commissioner Stephen Miller says the state has budgeted about $170 million to implement the Medicaid waiver, of which the state would pay $17.5 million. The federal government would pay the rest.
But Meier said that is an estimate, and state officials are "working to reassess" the cost.
In addition to tracking hours, officials say the website will let companies post job openings and nonprofit groups list volunteering options. And if someone does not log their hours, the state could send them a text message reminder.
"We're creating avenues and ways for people to be directed to the different opportunities that exist in the state already," Putnam said.
There are exemptions to the work requirement, including pregnant women, full-time students and others. Meier estimates between 100,000 and 130,000 will qualify for an exemption.


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Aerotruck | South Africa's Leaders in truck Aerodynamics and Bullbars
Aero Truck Durban
Aero Truck is the largest manufacturer of Truck Aerodynamics in South Africa. Aero Truck also manufacture a range of fuel saving truck accessories which include the following: Aero Kits, Windscreen Stone guards, Sleeper Cab Extensions, Wind Deflectors, Diesel Locking Caps, Headlight Protectors, Sleeper Cab-Overs, Seat Cover Protection, Spot Lights and Underrun-Side Protection Bars.
Aero Truck also manufacture and repair Tarpaulins, we provide Mobile emergency services carried out by our trained repair staff and this allows us to repair your damaged tarpaulin in your yard; saving you both time and money and letting your load get out of the yard and back on the road.
Business Name:
Aerotruck | South Africa's Leaders in truck Aerodynamics and Bullbars
Unit.1, 36 Alexander Road Westmead, Durban 3610Durban KwaZulu Natal 3610South Africa
031 700 9017 | 079 499 6237
About Durban
Durban ( DUR-bən) (Zulu: eThekwini, from itheku meaning 'the port'), nicknamed Durbs, is the third most populous city in South Africa after Johannesburg and Cape Town and the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal. Durban forms part of the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, which includes neighbouring towns and has a population of about 3.44 million, making the combined municipality one of the largest cities on the Indian Ocean coast of the African continent. Durban was also one of the host cities of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Durban was formerly named Port Natal due to its position as the chief seaport of South Africa, and its location on the Natal Bay of the Indian Ocean. Durban is a highly ethnically diverse city, with large Zulu, White, and Asian populations.
Neighborhoods in Durban, KwaZulu Natal
480 Smith Street, Addington, Autumn Hills, Beachwood Mangroves Nature Reserve, Bluff Nature Reserve, Brenell, Broadway, Cato Manor, Durban Central, Durban Metro, Durban Metro, Durban North, Durban Point, Durban South, Emerald Terrace
Things to do in Durban, KwaZulu Natal
Our Newest Profiles


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This article was originally published in the November/December 1994 issue of Home Energy Magazine. Some formatting inconsistencies may be evident in older archive content.
| Home Energy Home Page | Back Issues of Home Energy |
Home Energy Magazine Online November/December 1994
Don't Throw that Window Out the Window!
There are many ways to retrofit a window. Most strategies involve replacing the glass, frame, and sash with double-paned low-E glass, and a new wood or vinyl frame and sash. Major manufacturers offer sash replacement kits so you can fit new glass and sash into an existing frame.
One retrofit method, however, is unique in that it involves replacing only the glass and tracks--both the original frame and sash are retained. There are several advantages to upgrading a window this way: it costs less, the look of the old windows is retained, and you don't have to throw away a lot of good lumber.
A window upgrade method designed by contractors Jim and Maisy Conachen of Canton, Massachusetts, uses a patented router guide system that they are commercializing with the help of the Department of Energy (DOE). The Conachens train other contractors to use the system, which they claim costs less than replacing the entire window.
To get an idea of how it works, take the example of an old wood-framed window with six divided lights (individual small panes of glass divided by wooden grillework, or muntins). The window technician first removes the sashes and all movable parts, and then installs tilt jamb-liners containing a new mechanical balance system. (These tilt tracks make the window open at an angle that allows for easier cleaning.)
The carpenter cuts and profiles the sides of the sash to fit the new tilt jamb-liners. The sash is then put in a router guide system (patented by the Conachens), to cut back the exterior side of the muntins and remove the glass. (The interior side of the muntins is preserved.) The router is used to widen the gap where the glass fits into the sash, and the new double-paned glass is glazed in (set into siliconized latex sealant). An exterior wood stop is fastened, and the muntins, now purely decorative, are attached. The interior muntin is from the original grillework; new matching grillework is installed on the exterior. The muntins are strengthened at the joints and can be made removable. Finally, the window is weatherstripped and reinstalled into the existing window frame.
Variations of this technique are used for other types of windows. Also, the homeowner may decide to do without the exterior grillework, or to have the contractor glaze the glass flush with the outside of the sash to reduce exterior maintenance. One application particularly well-suited for the Bi-Glass system is in renovations of historical buildings, since the original look and feel of the window is retained.
According to Jim Conachen, a contractor can retrofit six to eight windows per day. The technician brings the router system and other tools in a trailer or van and does all of the work on the window and sash at the site.
After using their Bi-Glass system for eight years, the Conachens received a grant in 1990 from DOE's Energy-Related Inventions Program for their router guide system. DOE gave them assistance and expertise on how to structure a commercialization effort. As a result, Bi-Glass offers a five-year technical license to companies who wish to use the system for an initial fee of about $19,000 and an ongoing license fee of $500 per month. Licenses are for existing companies who wish to add window retrofitting to other related services.
More than 4,000 windows have been converted in more than 350 homes in the New England area since 1986. Any type of glazing can be used, but so far about 90% of the retrofitted glass has been argon-filled and low-E coated.
Licensees are chosen by the Conachens, who will train only one contractor in a given region. The goal is to cover all areas of the country, says Jim Conachen, who doesn't assign territories, but tries to avoid overlap in areas served by licensees. Window upgraders already are operating on the East Coast from New England to Atlanta, Georgia, and west to Michigan and Texas. The Massachusetts-based team trains one to two licensees per week. The Conachens have also licensed the technology to a Canadian company, who will handle commercialization efforts in Canada.
According to the Conachens, a houseful of windows can be upgraded for about $125 per casement window or $200 per double-hung. Any style window with a wood frame can be upgraded.
While there is more labor involved in upgrading a window than in installing a new one, savings in material costs more than make up for it. Increases in wood prices may make window upgrades even more economical for those who want wood windows.
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By Ray Sanchez, Paula Newton and Laura Dolan
TORONTO (CNN) -- Toronto's City Council voted Friday to strip embattled Mayor Rob Ford of his ability to govern in an emergency and to appoint and dismiss committee chairs -- unprecedented moves aimed at reining in the controversial politician.
Despite admitting last week that he had smoked crack cocaine in a "drunken stupor" about a year ago, Ford has defiantly said he will not leave his job and vowed to challenge the actions in court.
"Obviously, I can't support this," Ford told council members, warning that the legal fight will cost taxpayers "an arm and a leg."
But, he added: "I perfectly understand where they're coming from. ... I would have supported what they're doing. I want to move on. I'm not mad at anybody."
The City Council meeting reflected the tragicomedic state of municipal affairs in Toronto, where police have investigated the mayor for smoking crack cocaine and other indiscretions. Some council members compared the move to strip Ford of his duties to a coup d'etat.
Councillor Anthony Perruzza said he understood the need to bring stability to the city but called Friday's action a "dangerous precedent."
"If you win an election for mayor, you are the mayor," he said. "That is the people's will. ... I don't want to use the word coup d'etat. That would be over the top."
The council chambers erupted with laughter.
The mayor's brother, Councilor Doug Ford, chastised fellow council members, saying they didn't have the "moral or legal authority" to strip an elected official of his responsibilities.
"It's not up to you folks to make this decision," he said, "it's up to the people."
Doug Ford repeated that statement Friday night on CNN, adding that the media had been unfair to his brother, because Rob Ford represented blue-collar workers of Toronto.
"He's admitted to his faults, and I just wish other politicians would come clean like Rob Ford has," Doug Ford told AC360.
He insisted that his brother did not have a drug problem.
"I want to be very clear here. Rob doesn't come to work and drink and he doesn't drink every single day. " Ford said. "But he does admit that he has excess of drinking at times and he's getting the medical support from a team of doctors and he's also gone on a pretty steady diet and exercise program. So we're confident that he's going to move forward."
Council actions "warranted and necessary"
Councillor John Filion said the actions were being taken "reluctantly" but they "sadly are both warranted and necessary."
The first of two motions, approved by a 39-3 vote, took away Rob Ford's ability to appoint and dismiss committee chairs, giving him less control over policy. In the past, the influential chairs followed the mayor's orders for fear of losing their posts.
The second motion, stripping Ford's power during an emergency, was approved 41-2 and is seen as largely symbolic since emergency response decisions are made collectively by the council. Filion said the city was fortunate Ford had not been impaired during a crisis.
"Council delegated those powers and council has the ability to take those powers away," City Solicitor Anna Kinastowski said at one point in the meeting.
Moments before the final vote, Ford said: "I would've supported what they're doing" if another mayor did what he did, "but since it's me, I have to support myself."
The meeting Friday could lead to more Monday, when the council says it expects to consider a motion to delegate duties not assigned by statute to the mayor. If approved, the motion would strip Ford of most of his duties.
Among other things, the motion calls for reallocating the operating budget of the office of the mayor to the city clerk, according the council's agenda published online.
'Today I acted on complete impulse'
While fighting for his job Thursday, Ford added to his growing list of missteps.
Early in the day, a scrum of reporters approached Ford to ask him about new allegations of drunkenness, drug use and the verbal and physical abuse of aides.
In the course of answering, he denied a female staffer's allegation that he sought to perform oral sex with graphic language of his own, stunning reporters.
Later in the day, he backtracked.
With his wife at his side, he went back before reporters to say he had been under "tremendous, tremendous stress" and was getting unspecified support from "a team of health care professionals." But he called the latest allegations "100% lies."
"When you attack my integrity as a father and as a husband, I see red. Today I acted on complete impulse in my remarks," Ford said. He took no questions from reporters, who shouted sharp inquiries at him as he entered the office.
"Mayor Ford, why should we believe you? Why would you subject your family to this?" one asked.
"What's the matter with you, Mr. Mayor?" another said.
Leave of absence?
The Toronto City Council voted 37-5 on Wednesday to ask Ford to take a leave of absence, and most members turned their backs on him when he addressed their Thursday meeting.
Even Doug Ford, who has been his brother's fiercest defender, conceded on CNN that his brother should take a couple of weeks off, to "let things cool down a bit."
TV show starts Monday
In another development, Canada's Sun News Network announced that the Ford brothers will begin hosting their own TV show on Monday.
The show, "Ford Nation," picks up where the two brothers left off on a talk radio show that ended its run last week, the network said on its website.
A headline on that site posed the question, "Canada's Ultimate Reality Show?" And it quoted Doug Ford saying, "Rob is like Howard Stern or Rush Limbaugh" and "You just never know what he is going to say."
"Mayor Ford seems to be in a no-holds-barred mode," the network said. "There is no filter. There is no careful treading."
Critics of Sun News Network have described its conservatism as "Fox News North," according to a story about its launch in 2011 by the Toronto Globe and Mail.
Ford threatens legal action
The mayor recently confessed to purchasing illegal drugs in the past two years, while he was in office. But he has steadfastly refused to step down, saying the voters of Canada's largest city should decide his fate in 2014.
The latest allegations surfaced Wednesday in more than 500 pages of court documents that police used to get a search warrant for Alexander Lisi, Ford's friend and occasional driver, whom police accuse of marijuana possession and trafficking.
Ford responded Thursday morning by threatening legal action against former staffers who claimed the mayor brought a woman appearing to be an escort to his office and drank alcohol while driving. The documents include police interviews with former staff members, information obtained from surveillance crews and cameras, and even an examination of the mayor's garbage.
Several staffers said they were asked to buy alcohol for the mayor of Canada's largest city. One incident described by a former staffer alleged that Ford, while driving, stopped the vehicle, guzzled some vodka, and drove on.
The allegations have not been substantiated by investigators, and Ford faces no criminal charges. He called the allegations "outright lies."
On Thursday, Ford also said the so-called "escort" wasn't a prostitute, but a family friend. He added that such allegations "hurt my wife."
"It makes me sick," he added. "I've had enough."
CNN's Paula Newton and Laura Dolan reported from Toronto, Lateef Mungin, Matt Smith and Chandrika Narayan reported and wrote from Atlanta. CNN's Ashleigh Banfield, Michael Martinez and Ray Sanchez contributed to this report.


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While you count down the days until you see TSwift rock brown hair on the big screen in The Giver (just 5 weeks away!), you can try China Glaze's cool new nail colors inspired by the book-turned-movie!
If you don't remember the book, The Giver is basically the original dystopian novel. The main character, Jonas lives in a society where there's no color, but when he turns 12, he becomes the next receiver of memories, opening his world to bold, new colors. China Glaze's Giver-inspired collection includes a mix of both bright colors and pretty neutrals that evoke feelings from the book-turned-movie, like Community (brown), Boundary of Memory (black with gold glitter), and Capacity to See Beyond (bright aqua). The colors are perfect for summer AND fall, and each bottle is $7.50 at Ulta and Sally Beauty stores.
What are you wearing on your nails? Tweet @seventeenmag your #ManicureMonday look, and we'll retweet our faves!
More From Seventeen
The Giver Star Odeya Rush Dishes About Life On Set With Taylor Swift—Plus, See The Brand New Trailer!
See Taylor Swift in the Trailer for The Giver
The Coolest Nail Looks and Designs!


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Ching Ching Imported Baby Blue Horse See Saw
Ching Ching Imported Baby Blue Horse See Saw
- DURABLE AND SAFE – Stringent testing and high quality natural materials
- Marine-grade rope and lockable carabiners ensures that your little one will swing securely. The bucket swing seat is deep and comfortable, and backed by warranty & support.
- FUN AND HANDS FREE – Take a seat and watch your baby, infant or toddler swing and grin as they enjoy wind in their hair and engage in exploring the sensory wooden toys while you catch-up on cooking, set it up at an outdoor picnic, on a swing set in the park, or for a few minutes to catch your breath from the busy day and watch the kids swings.
- A GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING – A thoughtful present to buy for holiday celebrations, baby showers or infant and toddler birthdays from friends
- Family and grandparents alike. Show them that you care with a quality present that's guaranteed smiles. Gift wrap option available!
- COMFORTABLE AND CLEVER – It can also be removed to make extra seat room as your little one grows bigger
- Rest easy knowing you've made a smart investment that will be long lasting.
- EASY TO ASSEMBLE AND MACHINE WASHABLE – Very portable with simple setup taking a matter of minutes! No special tools required
- Easy to understand assembly instructions included
What's In The Box ?
- 1 × Ching Ching Imported Baby Blue Horse See Saw
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Have any card freely selected, signed and returned into the deck. The magician then removes any card from the deck. A GENUINE hole is punched through the incorrect card. Next a tag is passed through the hole and tied so the card is fastened to the tag, NO FAKE TAGS etc. IMPOSSIBLE Magic!
The spectator takes hold of the tag as the card is returned to the deck.
The spectator never lets go of the tag.
The deck is spread and the spectator pulls the tag from the deck.
The card FASTENED to the tag is now their SIGNED CARD!
This can be given away as a souvenir, the tag is permantley fastened to their card.
Complete with gimmick and tags (any tags) PLUS DVD WITH ROUTINE, FULLY DETAILED EXPLANATIONS PLUS BONUS IDEAS AND TIPS.


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Laws, Regulations and Annotations
Business Taxes Law Guide – Revision 2023
Underground Storage Tank Maintenance Fee Law
Revenue and Taxation Code
Division 2. Other Taxes
Part 26. Underground Storage Tank Maintenance Fee Law
Chapter 4. Collection of Fee
Article 5. Miscellaneous
Section 50138
50138. Remedies. (a) The amounts required to be paid by any person under this part, together with any penalties, shall be satisfied first in any of the following cases:
(1) Whenever the person is insolvent.
(2) Whenever the person makes a voluntary assignment of the person's assets.
(3) Whenever the estate of the person in the hands of executors, administrators, or heirs is insufficient to pay all the debts due from the deceased.
(4) Whenever the estate and effects of an absconding, concealed, or absent person required to pay any amount under this part are levied upon by process of law.
(b) This section does not give the state a preference over a lien or security interest which was recorded or perfected prior to the time when the state records or files its lien, as provided in Section 7171 of the Government Code.
(c) The preference given to the state by this section is subordinate to the preferences given to claims for personal services made pursuant to Sections 1204 and 1206 of the Code of Civil Procedure.


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(662) 728-6232
(24 hours)
1901-B East Chambers
Booneville, Mississippi 38829
On 12/9/2013 Alicia Young, 44 was arrested and charged with Possession of Stolen Property. This charge stems from an joint investigation between the Prentiss County and Alcorn County Sheriffs Depts. A house located in the edge of Alcorn County was burglarized and numerous items were taken. Investigators developed information that led to a search warrant at Young's residence on CR 8380 . A trailer load of stolen merchandise was recovered from Young's residence. Her bond was set at $10,000. Young was re-arrested after Investigators and Agents from the Mississippi Department of Corrections went to Young's residence two days later to arrest Young's boyfriend Keith Allen Dotson on an MDOC violation, for Aiding and Abetting a Fugitive. Her bond has been set at $5000.


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Cubs win 5th in a row, top D-backs 7-2
Scott Hairston and Matt Garza kept the Chicago Cubs on a roll.
Hairston hit a grand slam and Garza got his first victory of the season and the Cubs extended their winning streak to five games by defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-2 on Friday.
Alfonso Soriano had a two-run homer and Cody Ransom added a solo shot for the Cubs, who scored all their runs on homers and have won five straight for the first time since winning seven in a row from July 31-Aug. 6, 2011.
The Cubs are still in fourth place in the NL Central, but they've shown signs of a turnaround.
Starting with a comeback 5-4 win last Sunday at Cincinnati that ended a six-game skid, Chicago has outscored opponents 36-12 and has a plus-11 run differential, which is seventh-best in the National League.
"We're playing catch-up to everyone else but the fact of the matter is it's still a long season," Cubs manager Dale Sveum said.
"You've seen it before when teams can win 15 in a row, 14 out of 16 something like that and all of a sudden before you know it you're right back in it and starting to have a lot of fun."
The Cubs had plenty of fun Friday, and the win looked similar to their three victories over the White Sox when they outscored their rivals 24-6.
Hairston's grand slam was the second in two games for the Cubs and was the highlight of a five-run third off Arizona starter Wade Miley (3-5).
Pitcher Travis Wood hit one on Thursday in a win over the White Sox. It also gave them grand slams in consecutive games at Wrigley Field for the first time since Jim Hickman and Burt Hooton did it Sept. 15-16, 1972, against the Mets.
"I think confidence has a lot to do with it," Hairston said. "The weather's getting warmer and the wind's blowing out. It makes you feel better as a hitter."
Garza (1-0), who was also making his first home start of the season, bounced back from his previous start, when he gave up four runs in four innings last Sunday in Cincinnati.
In his third start of the season since coming off the disabled list with a strained back muscle, Garza pitched seven innings and allowed two runs and six hits while striking out four for his first victory since July 15 of last season.
"I'm pumped to get it out of the way. Yeah, it's huge," Garza said. "But just glad I kept this thing rolling."
Things didn't go nearly as well for Miley and the Diamondbacks.
Soriano gave the Cubs a 2-0 lead in the first with a two-run home run. On a 1-1 pitch, Soriano hit a high drive that was helped by the wind blowing out. The homer was Soriano's 378th of his career, tying him with Diamondbacks third base coach Matt Williams for 66th all time.
The Cubs then scored five runs in the third on Hairston's grand slam and Ransom's solo homer to cap the inning, which equaled their fourth inning against Texas on May 6 as Chicago's biggest of the year.
One year after winning 16 games and finishing second in NL Rookie of the Year voting, Miley continued to struggle, going seven innings and allowing seven runs and seven hits. He's lost four straight decisions and has given up 22 earned runs over his past four starts.
"Pretty frustrated. But you gotta take those four innings, I feel like that's more me. I gotta move on from there," Miley said. "Throw the other stuff behind me, quit thinking, get the mental stuff out of my head and just go pitch, you know, compete."
Miley's tough start was the second in a row for Arizona, which has lost four straight on the road. On Thursday, Brandon McCarthy lasted 2 2-3 innings and allowed nine hits and six runs in a 9-5 loss to the Rangers.
Arizona manager Kirk Gibson wasn't focusing on how Miley helped save a taxed bullpen, just the seven early runs.
"Well, we're not here to save our bullpen, we're here to win games," Gibson said. "He didn't throw the ball very good, made some mistakes."
The Cubs capitalized. Combining the offense with the effective starting pitching and a defense that helped Garza, including a catch by Hairston against the ivy on a Paul Goldschmidt drive in the first, Chicago had another easy win.
"It was a great team effort today, through and through," Hairston said.
NOTES: Soriano's home run was his 18th in his 145th career at-bat against Arizona. ... Garza went 0 for 3 at the plate to keeping Cubs pitchers at 19 RBIs in May, the most by a pitching staff during one month in NL history. ... The announced attendance of 24,645 was the smallest of the season at Wrigley Field. ... The umpiring crew at Wrigley Field also worked Thursday's Royals-Cardinals game in St. Louis that ended at 3:14 a.m. Friday. ... Before Friday's game the Diamondbacks placed 3B Eric Chavez on the 15-day disabled list with a strained oblique he suffered Thursday at Texas. Arizona also activated utility man Willie Bloomquist from the DL after missing two months with an oblique strain. ... Saturday's pitching matchup is the Diamondbacks' Ian Kennedy (2-3, 4.70) against the Cubs' Jeff Samardzija (3-6, 2.85).


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Well, yesterday's game may go down as the least satisfying 22-point win of the Richt era. I don't approve of fans booing college players, but I have to admit I didn't cringe like I usually do when the boos rang out during the course of that horrid 5:30 stretch that ended the first half. I know it was hot as Hades (I was even more uncomfortable than I felt at the 2010 Arkansas game), I know the opponent was a MAC squad coming off a 3-9 season, I know about the suspensions and the injuries and I know the game plan was as vanilla as you could possibly expect with this coaching staff… but, still, that hardly justifies the complete lack of interest the team showed then. I'd describe their effort as mailing it in, but that would be an insult to mail carriers everywhere. It might be more accurate to call it a postal strike.
That all being said, it's worth saying this: these Dawgs are a talented bunch. A C-minus effort still got them a win by more than three touchdowns. And while the game was closer at times than it ever should have been, there really never was a point when the outcome was in question. I don't think you can say as much for your Florida Gators this morning.
Now, on to what I saw.
- The opponent. Give Buffalo coach Jeff Quinn a lot of credit. His team's effort was better than Georgia's. His preparation was faultless. He knew what kind of game plan to expect and did a good job of gearing towards it. On offense, the Bulls were able to move the ball as long as they were able to stay out of second-and-long and third-and-long situations. They ran the ball effectively and their quarterback took advantage of man coverage to bust a few scrambles. On defense, they clearly confused the offensive line with some fronts and sets. They also gambled on deep coverage – and got away with that for a while until Murray's accuracy improved. They didn't have the talent to win, but they had the effort to avoid embarrassment.
- Special teams. I said before the season that if Georgia was able to elevate its special teams play from awful to merely competent, it would be a big key to improving the team's chances this season. Yesterday gave me a lot of hope that Georgia can do that. Special teams were solid across the board. Morgan showed some jitters with his first extra point and field goal attempts, but finished 6-6 on his PATs and hit his other field goal try nicely. Kickoffs were as drama-free as I could have asked (boy, do I like the new kickoff rules). Barber showed a powerful leg and got terrific hang time – and, no, the 30-yard return was not the result of him out-kicking his coverage. They've added a new wrinkle with Erickson's pooch punts and all landed inside the 15. Swann had a nice punt return. And all of that's before I even get to the story of the game…
- Todd Gurley. Yeah, it was a mighty damned impressive debut. Three TDs, 100 yards rushing and a 100-yard kickoff return will do that for a true freshman. Buffalo had enough of him, too, as witnessed by the Bulls kicking away from him as the game progressed. The only troublesome notes sounded were from him cramping up a little (although he came back to knock out that 55-yard TD run) and his pass protection, which, to be honest, left something to be desired, as he whiffed on a guy who sacked Murray. If he's not anointed the starter for a while, that'll be why.
- Running backs. The rest of the group weren't bad. Marshall is quick and looks like he has good vision. He should have caught Wooten's pass on the trick play, though. Malcome ran hard before he got hurt and he and Samuel clearly know what they're doing in pass protection better than the rookies do, which is no surprise. Run blocking from the fullbacks was acceptable – and, man, does Quayvon Hicks look like an impressive physical specimen.
- Offensive line. I ain't buying the post-game happy talk, at least not entirely. These guys were coddled by the coaches' game plan. Georgia played a ton of I-formation, max-protect. Lynch didn't have a pass thrown to him that I can remember because he stayed in to block. Still, pass protection broke down enough to see Murray sacked several times. Run blocking was more workmanlike than dominant. I'm not convinced Gates is any more a true left tackle than Glenn was, but as I'm also not convinced that Theus is ready to handle pass protecting Murray's blind side, that's where Gates will stay for a while. I will say that I thought the unit as a whole looked more cohesive as a group than I expected, so they may very well grow into the job as the season progresses. Overall assessment: work in progress.
- Receivers. No Brown, no Mitchell, but I thought this group looked pretty good. It was good to see Wooten return to action with, among other things, a beautiful catch on Murray's best-thrown ball of the day for a long TD. King had a pretty good day and if his quarterback had been on earlier, it would have been bigger.
- Aaron Murray. He didn't come close to his preseason 70% completion goal and most of the fault for that lies on him. He had no touch on the deep ball early in the game and thus wasn't able to cash in on what Buffalo was offering him from its defensive sets. He got caught a couple of times waiting for a receiver to come open. He also locked on to a target now and then, most notably when he missed seeing a wide open Michael Bennett on a go route that the Bulls completely failed to cover. And he missed Samuel on the game's one 344-Fullback call, damn it. On the plus side, he did manage to get untracked as things progressed. As I mentioned, that TD pass to Wooten was a gorgeous throw. And, notably, Murray didn't turn the ball over, even when the game was at its sloppiest moments.
- Mike Bobo. Hey, he wasn't bad. He wasn't going to show much (although Georgia ran the toss a lot more than I expected, especially with Gurley) and it was clear he has concerns about his offensive line. But he still got close to 500 yards of offense without a turnover. I'll take that.
- Defensive line. I expected domination, to be honest, and I got less than that. Maybe it was the heat. They had some good moments, but not as many as I was counting on seeing. It looks like I'll still keep hoping that Cornelius Washington turns into a monster, because it hasn't happened yet. Saw some good stuff out of Jordan Jenkins, though, when he lined up on the line.
- Jarvis Jones. I expected domination, to be honest, and I got that. Even if Buffalo seemed to spend the entire first half on offense locating Jones and running every play away from his side.
- Linebackers. Ugh. They played much of the game as if they had somewhere else to be. Herrera was okay, but Robinson and Gilliard looked slow Ogletree can't get back soon enough.
- Secondary. They were fine in pass coverage, but much of that was due to Buffalo posing little deep threat. Run support wasn't anything special, except when Shawn Williams was involved, of course.
- Todd Grantham. If anything, he showed fewer cards than Bobo did. But I doubt he was expecting the lack of effort he got from his troops in the first half. He did get their attention at halftime, though, as the Bulls punted on their first five possessions of the second half. If it's any consolation, he's probably more upset by the defense's play than I am.
Sure, it's a win. By better than three touchdowns. But with a little tightening of the screws, it should have been by nearly twice that. And if there's something to worry about, it's the lack of focus, something we were assured all through the preseason was not a problem. What bothers you – and what better bother Mark Richt this week – is that the natural reaction will be that it will self-correct due to the step up in class with this week's opponent. Sorry, but after what I saw yesterday, I wouldn't take anything about this team's mindset as an automatic. Does this team have the talent to beat Missouri? Absolutely. But it's not going to happen with another C-minus effort.


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No army can win a war without water. (Dysentery took more lives in the U.S. Civil War than battle wounds.) That holds equally true for the war on poverty.
The current conversation this week about the War on Poverty is long overdue; especially welcome is a noisy clamor to raise the minimum wage. At the same time, families' budgets are burdened by the increase in basic living expenses.. An important front in the war on poverty is shrinking those expenses. Let's take a look at water.
An accounting might start with the nearly $500 average that US household spends on water. On top of that, figure in a family's share of the $14 billion that US households spend on bottled water—to some degree motivated by a lack of trust in public water. Then there's an important savings to take stock of – your reduced health care costs due to good quality water. With health care costs headed to the moon, that savings could be significant.
So upon first glance, the news released by the US Conference of Mayors spelling out increased municipal spending for water and sanitation seems highly favorable.
"The historical spending record clearly establishes local government as the dominant investor in public water, and by virtue of the investment also establishes local government as a critical water environment steward. Combined public water and wastewater investment is estimated to be $1.77 trillion from 1972 to 2010: $981.4 billion for water supply; and, $796.4 billion for wastewater systems."
While this investment in the water commons is terrific news the Mayors' report expresses, "A serious concern for local government is the disproportionate financial impact on families at or below the poverty level, … because user fees command a greater percentage of their annual incomes. This disparate financial impact is regressive."
The investment is also inadequate. The Conference of Mayors estimates that, "investment needs over the 20 year horizon (2008-2028) is likely in the range of $2.8 to $4.8 trillion." Most municipalities have already issued all the bonds they can without undermining their credit ratings so taxes and water rates have been rising to pay the costs.
The mayors support "the widely held view by Americans that water is a common good owned by everyone, and government should retain the authority to deliver it locally/regionally." Yet they note that water is becoming unaffordable, hampered by current rate structures, which they find antiquated. They call for "a fresh look at local affordability and national water policy."
How can we care for this commons and guarantee the right to water and sanitation without driving families deeper into poverty? An article in Forbes magazine raises the possibility of a Clean Water Trust Fund as a solution for how to raise the money more equitably. "In a 2009 study, the U.S. Government Accountability Office considered how to raise $10 billion annually for the fund and suggested that payment come from industries that profit from water or damage its quality, including those that make beverages, fertilizers and pesticides, flushable products, pharmaceuticals, water appliances and plumbing fixtures." Such a fund is supported by Food and Water Watch.
At the same time, enormous savings in the water sector are possible through innovation with green or natural infrastructure water recycling, permeable surfaces instead of channeling all storm water into waste water treatment, and using one grade of water for drinking and another for showers and other uses. Upstream watershed management – especially with water utilities at the helm – also holds great promise for large savings, as New York City has proven in its partnership with upstate farmers.
Worldwide, the links between poverty reduction, public health and access to clean and affordable water are even more dramatic. For the billions of people without clean water and sanitation, climbing out of poverty is even more daunting and unfair when they must care for sick children infected by tainted water.
Fifty years ago, it wasn't uncommon for water hoses to be used against anti-poverty and civil rights campaigners. Following in their footsteps, and taking a cue from the bible's Isaiah, we might try bending those hoses into clean, affordable water for all.
Daniel Moss is Coordinator of Our Water Commons (a project of On the Commons) and active in the Reclaiming Public Water Network. He has recently published a report on public water utility investments in water source protection and watershed conservation entitled "Urban Water Utilities and Upstream Communities Working Together".


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Message Board
Kenneth Grahame Message Board
Talk about the novels, new and used books that Grahame has written!
Author Grahame's Book Reviews
The Wind in the Willows
Kenneth Grahame, Secretary to the Bank of England in the 1890's, wrote two successful books about childhood ('Golden Age' and 'Dream Days') which were aimed firmly at adults. Then came 'Wind in the Willows', which caused a good deal of consternation as its dressed-up talking animals could be enjoyed on the child's level, but decidedly more so on an adult-and-child's level. How to comprehend this chimerical beast, destined as it was to become the true cla...


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Infinite patterns in Pattrn
June 25, 2012
Many users have been requesting the ability to see more patterns in Pattrn. So far, the list of latest, most popular, and search results have been limited to 50 patterns. Not anymore! In the latest update—now available on Google Play Store—all pattern lists are infinite and will load more patterns on demand as you scroll down.
This new update also features an important performance improvement on the lists. Pattrn now pre-fetches patterns beyond the visible viewport to bring an even smoother experience—hopefully you'll see less grey boxes. This is a work in progress, more improvements are planned.
In case you missed, you can now follow the latest news about Pattrn on Twitter and Google+. Enjoy!


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Jean and I both bought these pretty pink spring jackets with a military vibe (made in Italy) on our day trip to Snohomish, Washington. They also came is navy blue and grey. There are buttons on both edges on the front and no buttonholes.
Jean is wearing her jacket with a grey sweater and vegan knee-high boots. I'm wearing all black with faux leather and faux suede pants. Jean has also worn hers with grey jeans and I plan to wear my jacket with white jeans. These jackets look fantastic with blue jeans. (That's Alice the Cat)
Pink is my favourite springtime colour!
What's your favourite colour this spring?


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7.28am on 1st July 1916 was the first day of the bloodiest battle in British military history, the Somme. 19,240 British men lost their lives that day. Multiple offensives would continue until November 1916. Over the course of four months, more than a million men were dead or wounded.
We should not forget their sacrifice.
Poppies: Wave and Weeping Window: from Yorkshire Sculpture Park and Liverpool, St George's Hall, 2015.


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There are two main types of lighting: intra-cloud lightning and cloud-to-ground lightning.
Intra-cloud lightning is an electrical discharge between oppositely charged areas within the thunderstorm cloud.
Cloud-to-ground lightning is a discharge between opposite charges in the cloud and on the ground. Cloud-to-ground lightning can either occur between negative charges in the cloud and positive charges on the ground (a negative flash) or between positive charges in the cloud and negative charges on the ground (a positive flash).
Each cloud-to-ground lightning flash consists of one or more leaders followed by one or more return strokes. The leader is the initial step in the lightning flash and establishes the conductive channel that the electrical discharge (lightning) will take. There are different types of leaders. The most common type of leader is the negative stepped leader. Once a charged leader makes a connection with the ground, the return stroke occurs. The return stroke is simply the rapid discharge of electricity that has accumulated on the leader. We see this discharge as the bright flash of lightning.
Learn about Initiation of Leaders or return to Contents page


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Yiyun Li was featured in The New Yorker's 20 Under 40 Fiction Issue. Her story will appear later in the summer.
When were you born?
November 4, 1972.
Beijing, China.
Where do you live now?
Oakland, California.
What was the first piece of fiction you read that had an impact on you?
I did not grow up with many books, especially children's books. In second grade, a schoolmate lent me a copy of "The Arabian Nights"—we both thought it was a book for children—and told me I had three days to read it. Oh my, I had three wild days of reading, remembering so many vivid details without understanding any! It made me laugh so hard at the time; when I reread the book a few years ago, I laughed even harder.
How long did it take you to write your first book?
Ten months.
Did you ever consider not becoming a writer?
I was trained between the ages of twelve and sixteen as a mathematician and physicist, and my dream then was to become the Mme. Curie of China. I came to the States to pursue a Ph.D. in immunology, thinking my future was to be in medical science: B-cell–T-cell communication, or some autoimmune disease. Did I ever consider not becoming a writer—yes! Did I ever consider becoming a writer before I gave up my science career—no!
What, in your opinion, makes a piece of fiction work?
I don't know. This is an unanswerable question for me.
What was the inspiration for the piece included in the "20 Under 40" series?
I am working on a novel where the characters, unlike those in my first novel ("The Vagrants"), who were all trapped in a specific place and in a specific historical moment, seem to be constantly uprooting themselves—by emigrating, by changing names or lovers, by dying—from their own history. The story for the "20 Under 40" issue—as well as a few other stories I have written recently—seems also to be taking up that theme of leave-taking.
What are you working on now?
The novel of leave-taking, as mentioned above.
Who are your favorite writers over forty?
William Trevor and Tom Drury.