text:
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
What Do You Mean, No One Needs 21 Versions of "Purple Haze"?
Of course, nothing could be further from the truth. For a man dead since 1970, he has an astonishing ability to continue to release product. On my DMDB web page for Hendrix, I spotlight nine collections of studio material released after his death and six live albums. These are just the most significant official releases.
I've long joked that the true sign of a great musician is an ability to make music from beyond the grave. The best dead stars all have this talent – Elvis Presley, John Lennon, Nirvana's Kurt Cobain, and Tupac Shakur. The late rap titan has even landed three posthumous #1 albums, a feat which, to my knowledge, has yet to be matched by any other performer six feet under.
Of course, the bigger commentary here concerns recording companies' crass efforts to turn the deceased's every grunt, croak, or belch captured on tape into gold. Perhaps nowhere is this greed better on display than via the handlers of Hendrix's catalog through the '70s and well into the '90s, before the Hendrix estate wrestled control back. The three studio albums made during Jimi's life are staples on best-of-all-time album lists; you won't see anything after he died showing up on these lists.
Still, record companies don't shovel out the product in steady streams if no one's dropping cash. Fortunately for them, there will always be lunatics and freaks willing to shell out the bucks for that never-before-released thirteenth take of "Insert Title of Obscure Album Track Here" because, after all, this is the one that included the producer barking out a couple orders to the formerly-living-and-breathing music maker before recording commenced.
It is here that I will attempt to both awkwardly distance myself from such behavior while simultaneously embracing it. In the aforementioned Facebook post, I confessed to having 21 versions of "Purple Haze." I don't mean covers of the song – I mean 21 versions all done by Hendrix. I didn't intentionally seek out that many; I just slowly accumulated them from picking up a live collection here, a box set of studio outtakes there. This is, by my own admission, behavior worthy of serious psychological evaluation. What can one possibly need with that many versions of a song?
Well, my friends, this is the distinction between the casual music fan and the gone-round-the-bend fanatic. Frankly, my completist tendencies rear their ugly head once an act crosses from the "yeah, I like them" to the "oh, I love them" threshold. My sanity goes out the window and I gobble up every scrap I can find like a vampire craving a blood smoothie. I have 33 CDs of Kevin Gilbert music; only ten are official releases and even those are obscure.
For some, such behavior is all about bragging rights. Maybe it's a Deadhead who can boast to possessing a rare bootleg of a long ago show or a Beatlemaniac who claims to have tape of the long-lost "Carnival of Lights" track. Sometimes it is just about "having it all." Once you have the thirty-something studio albums by Dylan, why stop?
For others, it genuinely is a musical journey in which they legitimately pick out the distinctions in 21 different versions of "Purple Haze." Maybe they can trace how the song first developed in the studio to how it transformed on the stage. Maybe they become enthralled with how Hendrix changes the guitar solo here and there.
Personally, I lack the musicianship to notice that the third take of some long forgotten album cut included a snare drum absent from the version released on the B-side of an obscure Scottish single. As for impressing others with individual acts in my collection, most people are in awe enough of the sheer total size to dig deep enough to notice that I have over six hundred Bob Dylan songs.
So why do I have 600+ Dylan songs and 33 Kevin Gilbert CDs and 21 versions of "Purple Haze"? Dunno. Just do. Stay tuned – numbers destined to change as quickly as the miles roll by on an odometer.
For daily doses of my musical obsession, check out Dave's Music Database Facebook page.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Consequence of Sound - Top 100 Albums of All Time
image from newmossrecords.com
Consequence of Sound's "Top 100 Albums Ever"
1. The Beatles: Abbey Road (1969)
2. The Beach Boys: Pet Sounds (1966)
3. The Clash: London Calling (1979)
4. Michael Jackson: Thriller (1982)
5. The Velvet Underground & Nico: Velvet Underground & Nico (1967)
6. Bruce Springsteen: Born to Run (1975)
7. Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon (1973)
8. The Beatles: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
9. Talking Heads: Remain in Light (1980)
10. Radiohead: OK Computer (1997)
11. Bob Dylan: Blonde on Blonde (1966)
12. The Rolling Stones: Let It Bleed (1969)
13. Led Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin IV (1971)
14. Pixies: Doolittle (1989)
15. Joy Division: Unknown Pleasures (1979)
16. The Who: Who's Next (1971)
17. Kate Bush: Hounds of Love (1985)
18. David Bowie: Hunky Dory (1971)
19. Marvin Gaye: What's Going On (1971)
20. Neutral Milk Hotel: In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (1998)
21. Van Morrison: Astral Weeks (1968)
22. The Beatles: The Beatles (aka "The White Album") (1968)
23. Public Enemy: It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988)
24. Neil Young: After the Gold Rush (1970)
25. Peter Gabriel: So (1986)
26. Johnny Cash: At Folsom Prison (1968)
27. Jimi Hendrix Experience: Are You Experienced? (1967)
28. Joni Mitchell: Blue (1971)
29. AC/DC: Back in Black (1980)
30. Bob Dylan: Highway 61 Revisited (1965)
31. Ramones: Rocket to Russia (1977)
32. Nirvana: Nevermind (1991)
33. Simon & Garfunkel: Bridge Over Troubled Water (1970)
34. U2: The Joshua Tree (1987)
35. Guns N' Roses: Appetite for Destruction (1987)
36. Stevie Wonder: Talking Book (1972)
37. The Police: Synchronicity (1983)
38. Pink Floyd: The Wall (1979)
39. Meat Loaf: Bat Out of Hell (1977)
40. The Beatles: Revolver (1966)
41. Patti Smith: Horses (1975)
42. Bruce Springsteen: Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978)
43. David Bowie: The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972)
44. Miles Davis: Bitches Brew (1970)
45. Nick Drake: Pink Moon (1972)
46. The Rolling Stones: Exile on Main Street (1972)
47. Dr. Dre: The Chronic (1992)
48. The Stooges: Raw Power (1973)
49. Black Sabbath: Paranoid (1970)
50. Prince & the Revolution: Purple Rain (soundtrack, 1984)
51. Sonic Youth: Daydream Nation (1988)
52. The Replacements: Let It Be (1984)
53. Bob Marley & the Wailers: Exodus (1977)
54. The Strokes: Is This It (2001)
55. Prefab Sprout: Steve McQueen (aka "Two Wheels Good") (1985)
56. The Who: Quadrophenia (1973)
57. Genesis: Genesis (1983)
58. Fleetwood Mac: Rumours (1977)
59. My Bloody Valentine: Loveless (1991)
60. The Band: Music from Big Pink (1968)
61. Green Day: Dookie (1994)
62. Wu-Tang Clan: Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (1993)
63. R.E.M.: Document (1987)
64. The Doors: The Doors (1967)
65. Arcade Fire: Funeral (2004)
66. Devo: Duty Now for the Future (1979)
67. Leonard Cohen: The Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967)
68. Lauryn Hill: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998)
69. The Smiths: The Smiths (1984)
70. The Beatles: Rubber Soul (1965)
71. Tom Waits: Rain Dogs (1985)
72. Red Hot Chili Peppers: Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991)
73. Radiohead: Kid A (2000)
74. Bob Dylan: Blood on the Tracks (1975)
75. Jay-Z: The Blueprint (2001)
76. Sigur Ros: Agaetis Byrjun (1999)
77. Cat Stevens: Tea for the Tillerman (1970)
78. Sly & the Family Stone: There's a Riot Goin' On (1971)
79. Bjork: Post (1995)
80. Paul Simon: Graceland (1986)
81. Neil Young: Harvest (1972)
82. Smashing Pumpkins: Siamese Dream (1993)
83. John Lennon: Imagine (1971)
84. The Who: Tommy (1969)
85. Michael Jackson: Off the Wall (1979)
86. Elton John: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)
87. N.W.A.: Straight Outta Compton (1989)
88. Nine Inch Nails: The Downward Spiral (1994)
89. Beastie Boys: Paul's Boutique (1989)
90. Refused: The Shape of Punk to Come (1998)
91. The Clash: The Clash (1977)
92. Pavement: Slanted and Enchanted (1992)
93. Parliament: Mothership Connection (1975)
94. Metallica: Kill 'Em All (1983)
95. Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here (1975)
96. Beck: Midnite Vultures (1999)
97. Elliott Smith: Either/Or (1997)
98. Led Zeppelin: Physical Graffiti (1975)
99. Talking Heads: Fear of Music (1979)
100. Kanye West: The College Dropout (2004)
Friday, September 10, 2010
VH1 – 100 Greatest Artists of All Time
image from vh1.com
This was originally posted on the DMDB Facebook page the week of September 6-10, 2010, when VH1 originally presented this countdown. The five segments and my commentary have been stitched together here as one piece.
September 10, 2010:
The countdown is over. For all its flaws, at least they put the Beatles at #1. They had so many people throughout the countdown singing the praises of Michael Jackson that I was afraid the gloved one was going to trump the Fab Four. Of course, rankings on a list such as this become almost silly to debate, but that would have been a crime! I would agree that MJ has had more impact on the music industry in the last 30 years than any other recording act. However, when one looks beyond 30 years, the title quickly falls to the Beatles or Elvis (sadly rated way too low at #8). All in all, there are some definite head scratchers here (Cheap Trick? Sade?) and the list should be called the "100 Greatest Artists of the Rock Era" or the "100 Greatest Artists of the Last 60 Years", but there are a lot of deserving artists here.
1. The Beatles
2. Michael Jackson
3. Led Zeppelin
4. Rolling Stones
5. Bob Dylan
6. Jimi Hendrix
7. Prince
8. Elvis Presley
9. James Brown
10. Stevie Wonder
11. Bob Marley
12. David Bowie
13. The Who
14. Nirvana
15. The Beach Boys
16. Madonna
17. Queen
18. Pink Floyd
20. Marvin Gaye
September 9, 2010:
Well, instead of continuing to whine about who isn't on this list, I'll celebrate my favorite moment of the countdown so far. The reason for making shows like this is to see someone like Run-D.M.C.'s Darryl McDaniel nearly in tears saying that Elton John saved his life. That's the power of music.
21. Bruce Springsteen
22. The Clash
24. The Velvet Underground
25. Chuck Berry
26. Neil Young
27. Aretha Franklin
28. Elton John
29. Radiohead
30. Aerosmith
31. John Lennon
32. Black Sabbath
33. Guns N' Roses
34. Tina Turner
35. Johnny Cash
36. Paul McCartney
37. Fleetwood Mac
38. Sly & The Family Stone
39. The Kinks
40. The Police
September 8, 2010:
Well, for all my bluster about this countdown's inability to hear a note of music that occurred prior to 1950, they've gone and done it! They've humiliated me and proven how off I am by reaching WAAAAY back, all the way to…1949. That's when Ray Charles (#43) first hit the R&B charts with the Maxine Trio and the song "Confession Blues." My sincerest apologies to VH1 for assuming they couldn't remember music from more than 60 years ago. Who knew they'd go so far back – to a whopping 61 years ago? What will they think of next? Ranking someone like, oh, I don't know, Sade, ahead of Little Richard? No! They'd never do that, would they?
41. Van Halen
42. Metallica
43. Ray Charles
44. Joni Mitchell
45. Al Green
46. Ramones
47. Jay-Z
48. Rage Against the Machine
49. Parliament-Funkadelic
50. Sade
51. Billy Joel
52. Beyonce
53. Little Richard
54. Public Enemy
55. Peter Gabriel
57. Iggy & the Stooges
58. Cheap Trick
59. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
60. Whitney Houston
September 7, 2010:
With another 20 artists counted down, there's still no sign of anything prior to 1950. I'm sure that's because Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, and Hank Williams are in the loftier rungs of the list, right?
61. Cream
62. Genesis
63. The Notorious B.I.G.
64. Talking Heads
65. The Doors
66. Justin Timberlake
67. Coldplay
68. Otis Redding
69. Tupac Shakur
70. Def Leppard
72. Janis Joplin
73. Van Morrison
74. The Cure
75. Rush
76. Run-D.M.C.
77. Lynyrd Skynyrd
78. Judas Priest
79. Eminem
80. Mary J. Blige
September 6, 2010:
Sigh. I love collecting lists – it is the reason for Dave's Music Database – but VH1's latest is the kind that leaves me shaking my head and rolling my eyes. VH1 started their countdown Monday night (9/6) that will go all week, one hour each night, revealing #1 on Friday. The list was created by compiling votes from more than 200 of today's music stars. I intend to blog in what is likely to be excruciating detail over my pet peeves regarding this list, but let me just say for now that I'd just about bet my entire music collection against names like Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, and Beethoven actually making this list.
Here's the list so far:
81. Abba
82. Steely Dan
83. Earth, Wind & Fire
84. Curtis Mayfield
85. The Band
87. George Michael
88. Bee Gees
89. Beastie Boys
90. Elvis Costello
91. Green Day
92. LL Cool J
93. Pearl Jam
94. Mariah Carey
95. OutKast
96. Journey
97. Pretenders
98. Depeche Mode
99. Daryl Hall & John Oates
100. Alicia Keys
Without going into personal opinions about who is here so far, I can't help but share the most shocking moment so far: John Oates no longer has a mustache. Suddenly, '80s pop music as I knew it has lost all meaning.
Resources and Related Links:
- DMDB Facebook post: VH1 – 100 Greatest Artists of All Time (September 6-10, 2010)
- DMDB blog post: The Greatest Artists of All Time…Or at Least Since 1950 (my commentary on the list)
- VH1: 100 Greatest Artists of All Time (Episode 214)
The Greatest Artists of All Time…Or at Least Since 1950
The reason I compile multiple lists and average them together is to weed out some of the idiosyncrasies of individual lists and offer up at least slightly more objective results. VH1's list suffers from the most gargantuan of the "greatest" list flaws – the absurdly, over-the-top "greatest of all time" claim. Really? All time, huh? Apparently if you look up "all-time" in the VH1 office thesaurus, it lists "last 60 years" as a synonym.
We won't even get into how most music lists are oblivious to artists who have recorded outside of the Western world and in any language other than English. Even my aggregate lists can't correct that problem. Sorry, Wei Wei. Maybe you have sold 200 million records – which out-distances the likes of U2, David Bowie, and Prince – but since the non-Chinese speaking world pretty much has no idea who you are, you don't exist.
Here's another pet peeve – to me, "artist" implies an individual performer while the more appropriate "act" suggests either an individual or group. That may be more a personal quibble over language, though, so we'll let it slide.
As long as I'm linguistically nitpicking, though, I'd also prefer a less inflammatory proclamation than "greatest." The word immediately invites scorn, begging boorish morons to unleash potty mouths on blogs, shredding all those deemed unworthy of a "greatest" tag and crucify the list for overlooking their personal favorites. While a simple title change will not dissuade haters from loudly (and poorly) trumpeting their completely subjective opinions as facts, can we at least go with a title like "The Top 100"? At least that heading implies that the data was gathered in some objective manner and that the list is merely a presentation of those who were the top vote getters.
But let's go back to that All Time = Last 60 Years point. The oldest act on the list is Ray Charles. His first chart hit goes back to 1951. If we include his work with the Maxine Trio, we can even go back as far as 1949. This means, roughly, that VH1 is unaware of the existence of music prior to the rock and roll era. At least a 1998 list also generated by the network acknowledged Robert Johnson, B.B. King, and Muddy Waters as well. The latter two date to the '40s while Johnson goes all the way to 1936. Still, that doesn't mean that VH1 actually knew these artists made music before 1950. After all, these are generally considered influential acts in the development of rock 'n' roll, so maybe VH1 also considers them part of the rock era.
Of course, VH1 just tabulated the results of today's current recording artists' votes, so really shouldn't be held responsible for the callous neglect by today's musicians of music made before they were born. That being the case, let me offer up a gentle reminder for the next go-round that there is actual documented proof of recorded music prior to 1950. One doesn't even need to dig through the vaults at the Library of Congress to find them. They are as close as one's Internet-capable device of choice. Here's a few acts to check out:
1900s: Billy Murray, Henry Burr, Byron G. Harlan, Arthur Collins
1910s: Al Jolson, Ben Selvin
1920s: Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Paul Whiteman, Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Dorsey, Guy Lombardo
1930s: Frank Sinatra, Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday
1940s: Nat "King" Cole, Hank Williams
These are just the most notable artists of the era of recorded music prior to the 1950s. Asking these musicians to explore the world before the existence of iPods, CDs, tapes, eight tracks, and phonographs would be roughly the equivalent of asking Sarah Palin to accept that creatures trolled this Earth more than 6000 years ago. Despite the evidence, we'll continue living in the odd musical vacuum that selects Cheap Trick and LL Cool J as greatest artists of all time while blissfully wandering through life unaware that Beethoven and Mozart ever walked the planet.
Besides, a simple name change to the list can forgive these omissions. Taking into account my other suggestions, how about re-christening the list "The Top 100 Acts of the Rock Era"? That would fix everything, now wouldn't it?
Well, not exactly. There are some significant acts from the last six decades who are overlooked. First off, back in 1998, even VH1 acknowledged Fats Domino, Buddy Holly, Miles Davis, Sam Cooke, Eric Clapton, the Byrds, Rod Stewart, the Supremes, and the Temptations. Now that a dozen years have passed, apparently these acts' contributions pale in comparison to the legacies of Sade and the Notorious B.I.G.
I'm picking on VH1 for all this, but these are not unique problems. Listmakers tend to make bold proclamations. Hey, it generates interest and let's face it, accurate titles like "VH1 Submits a Bunch of Ballots to People Who Make Music So That We Can Compile the Results and Present a Top 100 List of the Results Over Five Nights and Hopefully Make a Lot of Money Off Ad Revenues" just doesn't roll off the tongue.
Oh, well. Enough whining for now. I've got to get to work on the latest DMDB list. Coming soon: "The Latest Top 100 of All Time List Presented by Dave's Music Database in Hopes of Getting You to Become a Facebook Fan, Regular DMDB Reader, and Eventual Customer for the Slew of DMDB Books I Hope to Publish." Enjoy!
For daily doses of my musical obsession, check out the Dave's Music Database Facebook page.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Fifty Years Ago Today: Ray Charles hit the charts with "Georgia on My Mind" (9/5/1960)
image from amazon.co.uk
Ray Charles "Georgia on My Mind"
Writer(s): Hoagy Carmichael (music)/ Stuart Gorrell (lyrics) (see lyrics here)
First charted: 9/5/1960
Peak: 11, 3 RB, 24 UK (Click for codes to singles charts.)
Sales (in millions): -- US, -- UK, -- world (includes US and UK)
Radio Airplay (in millions): 6.0 Video Airplay (in millions): --
Review: Hoagy Carmichael, who critic Dave Marsh called "the most blues-inspired writer Tin Pan Alley produced," MAMA-225 co-wrote the song back in 1930 and was one of the first to record it. MM-159 With classics like "Star Dust" and "The Nearness of You" on his resume, Carmichael was adept at crafting standards. Jazz saxophonist Frankie Trumbauer was the first to chart with the song, taking it to the top ten in 1931. PM-502 Mildred Bailey, who is often closely associated with the song, TY-55 went top 20 with it in 1932 as did Gene Krupa in 1941 PM-502 with an arrangement sung by Anita O'Day. MA-225 Fats Waller and Frankie Laine also made important recordings TY-55 and the Righteous Brothers, Wes Montgomery, and Michael Bolton all charted with pop versions of the song. In 1978, it gave Willie Nelson his fifth country chart-topper and a Grammy for Country Male Vocal. James Brown and Gladys Knight also recorded notable versions. MM-159
However, it is Ray Charles' soulful version and double-Grammy winner – Best Male Vocal Recording and Best Pop Song Performance – which has become the most beloved and most successful. It was his driver, Tommy Brown, who suggested Charles record the song when he heard his boss crooning the song in the car. MA-225 The song fit perfectly on Charles' project at the time – an LP comprised of songs with place names in the titles. RS500
The song has been interpreted as being either about the state or a woman. While Charles was born in Georgia, neither Carmichael nor Stuart Gorrell, the song's lyricist and a New York banker, lived in the state. However, Carmichael had a sister named Georgia. SF The state of Georgia was happy to claim the song, though – they named it their official state song in 1979 and Ray Charles even sang it in the Georgia State Legislature. JA-62
Resources and Related Links:
Note: Footnotes (raised letter codes) refer to sources frequently cited on the blog. Numbers following the letter code indicate page numbers. If the raised letter code is a link, it will go directly to the correct page instead of the home page of a website. You can find the sources and corresponding footnotes on the "Lists" page in the "Song Resources" section.


text:
Phone number: (07) 4637....
Business Info
Recommend This Business
The review system is a way for customers of this business to easily share their opinion. By sharing your experience with this business, you help other consumers find the right business for them! By leaving a review, you also earn STARPOINTS. Starpoints can be redeemed for cash or prizes like iTunes giftcards. Find out more about Starpoints here.
Some tips when posting a review: When writing a review, see if you can be as balanced as possible. What did you like, what didn't you like? Here are some things to think about - How was the customer service? How was the product or service quality? How was the price/value? Please also check and adhere to the editorial guidelines when posting a review.
Add your own review
Full Category Tree
Nearby Businesses within 5 km
- A 0.0 km Pizzazz Nail Bar
- B 0.1 km Beauty with Perfection
- C 0.1 km Pure Hair
- D 0.1 km Virginia's Relaxation Central
- E 0.1 km Amanda's Finishing Touch

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The produce at our local markets has grown and multiplied from a few sparse punnet baskets and bunches of herbs to tables creaking and groaning under the plenitude and abundance of Summer Harvest; farmers groggy and bewildered by the weeks of harvesting, packing, selling, counting and chatting with the locals. Speaking of local, have you seen this? It's a message I wish more people would take to heart and it comes from an unusual source; more proof that the message is sinking in to a larger audience and being picked up as a marketing tool by larger corporations. Nothing wrong with that, if you ask me. Let's get this voice out there a bit, yes?
I've taken a little hiatus, so to speak, from the blogosphere to concentrate on various little projects that have kept me out of trouble over the warmer months. The last week, however, I've been a captive to my kitchen, a large quantity of jamming jars and boxes and bags of fresh produce that I've been slowly turning into the most delicious, tempting, multi-coloured jars of preserves, pickles, chutneys and jams. I've gone through all my aprons, tea towels, wooden spoons and dish soap in an attempt to keep up with the seemingly never ending supply of this wonderful season's fruits and vegetables. I've stirred bubbling pots of sticky, syrupy jams until my arms have gone into spasm. I've washed utensils and sieves and strainers until my fingernails have become soft as jelly. And I've loved every hot, sweaty, sticky minute of it. I look at the mountain of red and purple and green jars growing larger and larger on the counter and think forward to the cold months coming too soon to meet us, and the joy we'll all get opening up those jars, Summer springing forth again like a surprise visit from an old family friend as we dip into the sticky, sweet, sour or bitter preserves inside. But more about that later. It's time for a little catch up.
While I have been absent in the digital sense, I've been far from quiet in the kitchen. In fact, as absent from or tired of I get of one thing or another, somehow I always have time for the kitchen. I find that the act of cooking in the kitchen metomorphosizes to suite my mood: from a comforting hug for a bruised or bitter soul to an outward expression of joy and happy energy, the kitchen shapes itself around my current mood, filling in the gaps, holding me upright, much in the same way as that personification of love, the ever supportive Mr P. And Stirring and seasoning and sieving my way through the last few months, I've made a couple share-worthy things:
Like a trio of Strawberry and Rhubarb concoctions not tried before in the Lick Your Own Bowl Kitchen:
Firstly, a Strawberry Rhubarb bread pudding made with an unopened, left over Panettoni from Christmas.
Then came a Strawberry Rhubarb Cookie Sandwich, using up a half batch of sugar cookie dough left in the fridge from a previous endeavor.
Finally, for a picnic with friends on the banks of Lake Ontario, celebrating Canada's Birthday, tartlets of Strawberry Rhubarb Mousse with a minted Strawberry Rhubarb Salsa.


text:
How to Have a Healthy Tailgate Party
Baseball and apple pie are integral pieces of traditional Americana, but when it comes to sports, you won't find a more rabble-rousing group (excluding, perhaps, Red Sox devotees) than football fans. And why not? Whether it's college or pro season, everyone's got their allegiances. The proof is on their DVR or in the 20 bucks they sunk into the office Super Bowl pool.
But the best part? Tailgating.
You don't need to know a snap from a lateral, the difference between a running back and a tight end, or how a two-point conversion works. All you need to do is show up in the parking lot with a side dish or a six-pack and get ready for some hatch-backed grilling. Thankfully, FITNESS has got you covered with lighter grill fare and snacking options, so you won't feel the need to turn down a helping of nachos. And as for the beer? Surprise — it's actually (sort of) good for you.
Get ideas for healthy snacks here
The Health Benefits of Alcohol
Consider this tailgate party your official fitness kickoff. We'll be rooting for you!
Grilled Meat
All-in-One Grill Recipes: Steak, Chicken, and Scallops
Whatever meat you're craving, it's here — complete with handy print-out shopping list!
Get our healthy and easy barbecue recipes
Low-Fat Bacon Melt Sandwich
Bacon melts deserve their own touchdown dance. Seriously.
Low-Fat Chicken Strips
Forget fried chicken fingers. With this baked homemade version, you'll get the same crunch with less fat and more fiber.
Grilled Lamb and Bulgur Burgers
These Greek-inspired burgers have bulgur to bump up the fiber from your usual beef fare, and the cooling yogurt-dill sauce and cucumber ribbons balance out the black-pepper zip.
Lean Lamb Kabobs with Mustard Glaze
A mustard and thyme marinade keeps the meat juicy on the grill.
Quick Kabob Dips
Mix and match your flavors with these three dips.
Smoked Spicy Chicken
Hickory or apple wood chips and ground New Mexico red chili pepper give your typical barbecued chicken a kick.
Vegetarian/Side Dishes
Our 8 Best Salad Recipes
From barbecue chicken chop salad to arugula-fennel salad with pear vinaigrette, bring a little class to the party. (Or at least balance out the fact that you're drinking Natty Light.)
Get our best salad recipes here
Pasta Coleslaw
Skip mayo-heavy pasta salads with this lighter side dish.
Sweet Potato Salad
Loaded with vitamins A and C, sweet potatoes give the classic side dish a healthy spin.
Warm Tarragon Potato Salad
Pump up your new potatoes with snipped tarragon, chopped radishes, and Canadian bacon (no, really).
Texas-Style Quesadilla
Loaded with veggies and cheese, this quesadilla will fill you up without the calories or post-meal coma of a steak.
Low-Cal Drinks
Low-Calorie Summer Drink Recipes
Sangria, margaritas, and mojitos — oh my!
Get our low-calorie summer drink recipes
Spiked Pomegranate Lemonade
Antioxidant-rich pomegranate juice may lower your cholesterol and prevent certain types of cancer — and in this drink, it'll only pack 136 calories.
Melon Margarita Ice
A twist on the classic margarita, whole fruit bumps up the vitamin count without pumping up the calories.
Sun Tea
The alcohol-free alternative when you're done with the beer bong.
Green Tea Mocktail
Boost your immune system and lower your cholesterol with this green tea (and alcohol-free) mocktail.
Salty and Sweet Snacks
9 Salty Snacks Under 100 Calories
Bad case of the munchies? 9 travel-friendly picks to tame it.
Low-Fat Homemade Nachos
Cheesy, gooey nachos — but low-cal and low-fat. You're welcome.
Low-Fat 7-Layer Chip Dip
Chips and dip are the yin and yang of tailgating, and we're suckers for a cheesy, meaty dip to complement crisp veggies and baked chips.
Baked Jalapeno Cornsticks
Maple syrup gives it a sweet edge, while minced jalapeno gives it the traditional kick.
Tofu Hummus
It's not just for vegans and the health-conscious set anymore. Tofu provides plenty of protein and gives a silky consistency to the hummus. Plus, you won't even taste the soy — promise!
Toasted Pita Chips with Yogurt Mint Dip
As much as we love salsa and guac, this yogurt-mint sauce is especially refreshing on a hot day.
Ultimate Snack Mix
A throwback to the classic Chex mix, this homemade version makes 6 cups — enough for everyone to get their own salt fix.
Peanut Butter Cookies
For 125 calories, each cookie — made with natural peanut butter — is enough of a sweet fix to bring even the manliest of football fanatics to his knees.
Fudge Thumbprints with Raspberry Filling
Chocolate and fruit in a cookie — what more could you ask for?
Fudgy Bittersweet Brownies
A portable, easy-to-make, and everybody-likes-them kind of treat.
Cherry-Oatmeal Squares
For the non-chocolate lovers.
Originally published on FitnessMagazine.com, August 2008.


text:
Photo courtesy of Houston Dynamo
HOUSTON – The Houston Dynamo have worked since Day 1 to build a presence in the Houston community. The club took another step in tying itself to its hometown on Wednesday, officially announcing the naming rights deal for BBVA Compass Stadium.
"We were able to find a Houston corporate citizen that took this as what it is, a very important new step on how to build this facility without the taxpayers having to take a risk," said AEG president and CEO Tim Leiweke at Wednesday's press conference.
BBVA Compass has a strong presence in the community, with 45 branches in Houston as well as one of their corporate headquarters located just miles away from the stadium. Its logo – which includes the Houston skyline – on the side of the city's newest stadium makes one more link between them and the Houston community.
That's exactly what the Dynamo have targeted when seeking out corporate sponsors.
"You want to do business with people in your community," said Dynamo president Chris Canetti. "You can look at our jersey sponsorship with Greenstar [Recycling Company], who is also Houston based. ... Those seem to be the best partnerships, where things can get accomplished and both partners can get the most return on their investment."
BBVA is no stranger to the soccer world, having made a significant investment on the game's global scale. It is the title sponsor of Spain's top flight, aptly named LigaBBVA, and has sponsorships with some of the world's top players including Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas.
Casillas recorded a video message to welcome the Dynamo to the BBVA family on Wednesday.
With the deal, the company is bringing that global name to the Houston soccer landscape and furthering their work to complete the stadium project. It's also helping the Dynamo fulfill a promise to the fans.
"[BBVA was] instrumental in us learning how to reach out to the Houston fans and fulfill the commitment we made when we first came here, which was that we were going to get you a new stadium," Leiweke said. "And [we'll] make sure it's one of the finest places for Major League Soccer in Canada or the United States."
With the naming rights deal complete and construction progressing well, the Dynamo are well on their way to keeping that promise. The fact that they cleared it with a corporation that embraces the game and has a large stake in the community makes this a complete win for the club.
"It really helps things come together when you get a great partner like BBVA to come in and actually back the stadium as well as the club and City of Houston," said midfielder Colin Clark.
The stadium is scheduled to host its first game on May 12, 2012.
Darrell Lovell covers the Houston Dynamo for MLSsoccer.com


text:
+ Reply To This
Results 1 to 1 of 1
- Posts
- 16
Amex platinum business pay with points devaluing in june
One of the best benefits of the amex platinum business card was the 50 percent rebate when paying with amex member rewards. This means that you could redeem flights on your primary airline and on all business class tickets for 2 cents per point. Given the major devaluation of many airlines own programs this benefit was in many cases better than transferring miles to airlines directly.
As of June, or if you received the card less than 1 year ago on your card anniversary the rebate will drop to 35 percent of the points you redeem meaning you will receive 1.56 cents per point in redemption.
So just to give a real example. If a flight costs 1000 dollars you will use 100000 amex points. Right now 50k points would be debated to you within 4 to 6 weeks.
Moving forward only 35000 would be rebated.


text:
Combine low-tech materials with some high-tech components and build a completely Touchless 3D Tracking Interface. Explore capacitive sensing by using several panels of cardboard lined with aluminum foil. These panels, when charged, create electric fields that correspond to X, Y, and Z axes to create a 3D cube. With the aid of an Arduino microcontroller and some supplied code, movements inside the cube are tracked as your hand moves around inside the field.
For Weekend Projects makers looking for an introduction to Arduino, this is a great project to learn from. Once you've gathered all your parts, this project should only take a couple hours to complete – you'll be playing 3D Tic Tac Toe before the weekend is over!
Once your touchless 3D tracker is up and running, what you do with it is only limited by your own imagination! The original implementation of this project comes from media artist Kyle McDonald, who has suggested the following uses and applications:
- Make an RGB or HSB color picker
- Control video or music parameters; sequence a beat or melody
- Large, slightly bent surface with multiple plates + a projector = "Minority Report" interface
See all of the Weekend Projects posts


text:
I've been at lots of meetings since last week's "Good On Your Feet: Dynamic Speaking Skills" workshop in Washington, DC, and keep hearing "how did the workshop go?" I'll let the participants' feedback answer that question. Here's what they had to say about the workshop:
- "I feel more confident in my ability to give presentations--thanks!"
- "I found useful the Q&A response tactics and a pausing technique that I can use."
- "Most valuable: practicing with feedback from Denise and the other participants."
- "Most valuable for me were the graceful ways with Q&A, critiques, video recording and moving around (walking and talking)."
Now that one group is good on its feet, it's time for us to keep moving. Here are some new ventures and updates from The Eloquent Woman:
- The blog has several new features: If you only experience the blog through Facebook or an RSS feed, check out the blog home page to see the features that only appear there. This fall, I've added samples of the most popular posts in the right margin, so you can see what others are reading; a new point of entry to The Eloquent Woman's speaker resources store, stocked with the Kindles, books, gadgets, supplies and electronics I recommend for your presentations; and a new page about my speaking engagements and some of the topics on which I'm asked to speak.
- The "Step Up Your Speaking" workbook companion to last year's online coaching series of the same name is now in the editing stages. It's a guide that will help you take that 15-week program and apply it to improving your speaking, whether you're a beginner or need to advance your skills even further. Stay tuned for the workbook launch and ordering details.
- New workshops are coming: I'll be doing another "Good On Your Feet" workshop in early 2011 and will share registration details soon, as well as a workshop for "The Networked Communicator," also in 2011. With a focus on creating online profiles and using social media to advance your career, the session also will include information useful to speakers who want to promote their speaking gigs online.
Go here to subscribe to Step Up Your Speaking, my free email newsletter that looks at a different speaking topic in depth each month...then become a fan of The Eloquent Woman on Facebook and join the conversation with thousands of other women (and men) about public speaking skills and confidence.


text:
Elizabeth Truss MP for South West Norfolk
About this site
Welcome to Harling Parish Council's web site.
If you would like any information please contact the clerk - details below in "Contact Us". All emails should go to the clerk who will, if necessary, forward them on to individual councillors.
Queries about the website should be sent to webmaster(at)harlingpc.org.uk.
This website is intended for the distribution of and discussion about matters relating to Harling Parish Council, and as a more general virtual venue for non-Council news and views.
No guarantee of the accuracy of any part of this site is made. Except where otherwise stated the contents of this site shall not be interpreted as reflecting the views of Harling Parish Council, individual Councillors or any other entity.
Contact Us
Mrs K Filby (Clerk)
5 The Bailiwick
East Harling
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 01953/714656
Subscribe with your email
Councils for Harling
Other Councils
Other Organisations


text:
4 Smart microcars tipped over around Bernal Heights
San Francisco police are investigating an unusual crime spree after four people who live in and around Bernal Heights awakened Monday morning to find their Smart microcars had been rolled over by groups of vandals.
The first vehicle was found on its roof on the 200 block of Anderson Street around 1 a.m. Within minutes, another Smart car was rolled near Andersen and Ogden streets.
The third tipping happened a short time later near Bowdoin and Sweeny streets, while a fourth was discovered near Prospect and Coso avenues, said Officer Gordon Shyy, a police spokesman.
Shyy said the suspects were described as seven people in hooded sweatshirts.
All four cars had body damage and broken windows. Investigators were looking into whether the incidents represented a campaign against the tiny vehicles, which weigh just under 2,000 pounds, or were simply acts of vandalism.
Though car tipping has been uncommon in the Bay Area, there have been cases in other American cities as well as Canada and the Netherlands, where hooligans dumped at least one car into the canals of Amsterdam.
Kale Williams is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com Twitter: @sfkale


text:
About the Book
When the phone rings, and Kennedy Nash learns from her mother that her Great-Aunt Lillian has passed, she has no idea how her life is about to change. Kennedy comes from a long line of powerful witches who reside at Coventry Place, a small yet quaint town nestled in the scenic mountains of Pennsylvania. To tourists and outsiders, the residents of Coventry Place seemed normal…just another sleepy Pennsylvania town full of old houses, antiques, and old money. To the residents of the quaint little town, Coventry Place was something else; a refuge for the elite of the elite of witches, their familiars, and their husbands. That was until a young, dark haired beauty arrived and turned their world, and their lives, upside down when she unleashes her own brand of magic on the town's inhabitants. Nothing will ever be the same, not if Kennedy Nash had anything to say about it! (this book does contain strong language and sexual innuendos but no depictions of sex)
About the Author
A perpetual night-owl and lover of all things horror related, Hargrove finds inspiration in the most unlikely places. A penchant for research and a dedication to creating literary indulgences that the reader is unable to forget, Hargrove spends a great deal of time researching the larger than life characters of history to formulate characters unforgettable, despised, and strangely adored. She writes horror, dark romance, and paranormal in the Adult, New Adult, and YA categories. She recently paired with her long time friend, author Dorothy Dawson, (who is the author of the acclaimed Banesville Series) to write House at Whispering Oaks, their first dual novel together that is a Paranormal Clean Read. 2014 Author of the Year by Double Decker Books in Historical/Horror.


text:
Daily Caller Reporter Admits No Evidence For Anti-Holder Claims Highlighted By Article He Wrote
On August 12, Daily Caller reporter Matthew Boyle published an article trumpeting a book's inflammatory claim that Attorney General Eric Holder ordered raids against medical marijuana dispensaries in California in order to distract from the failed Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Operation Fast and Furious. But during an interview on NRA News last night, Boyle admitted that there was "not really any evidence" to substantiate the claim.
Boyle's article is largely a regurgitation of allegations made in an excerpt released from the forthcoming book Smoke Signals: A Social History of Marijuana - Medical, Recreational and Scientific, authored by Martin A. Lee. In fact, his article is so reliant on Lee's claims that quotations of the author comprise nearly two-thirds of the 708 word piece.
But on Monday, Boyle acknowledged on NRA News that "there is not really any evidence" to support Lee's claims, only "coincidental ... timing." Indeed, Lee's allegation that "The Justice Department green-lit a scorched earth campaign against medicinal cannabis in order to placate law enforcement and control the damage from the Fast and Furious scandal by deflecting attention to other matters" seems to be based solely on the fact that four federal prosecutors in California announced the raids the same day Holder sent a letter to Issa "defending his handling of the Fast and Furious affair."
Boyle has a long history of spurious and false reporting on Operation Fast and Furious. The Daily Caller was accused by Holder last year of ginning up a campaign to oust the Attorney General.
From NRA News:
CAM EDWARDS, NRA NEWS HOST: The media was basically ignoring [Fast and Furious]. They didn't want this to be a scandal. I don't know if I necessarily buy the argument that Eric Holder decided to, you know, go after medical marijuana dispensaries in California and crack down and launch this, you know, huge assault to distract from Fast and Furious. Does he have any evidence to back this up?
BOYLE: I mean he is using, basically, the coincidental same timing of everything that's going on at the same time. I mean it does kind of makes in sense in that there's only so many reporters in the mainstream media covering the Department of Justice. And if they've got a choice, "Ok we can cover that Eric Holder is going after medical marijuana dispensaries" or "Eric Holder is arming the Mexican drug cartels." Which one is the mainstream media going to pick? Eric Holder is enforcing the law. That's what they are going to pick. That's the storyline that they are going to cover because we all know that the majority of mainstream reporters are lazy and that they are not going to dig into the real scandals and the real stories that plague this Obama administration. And basically that's kind of where his argument makes a little bit of sense. But I mean he doesn't really have any more evidence other than essentially the politics of coincidence. And the timing all lines up. But other than that -- I mean we will have to wait and see when the book comes out, to see if there is any more real concrete evidence in there --
EDWARDS: Right.
BOYLE: -- but in the excerpt that was published this weekend, no, there is not really any evidence.
While Boyle said that "we will have to wait and see when the book comes out, to see if there is any more real concrete evidence" of Lee's claims, he did not explain why he chose to write a story on the allegations in the absence of such evidence.
The Daily Caller: Where "the politics of coincidence" are evidence enough to justify an article - as long as it targets the Obama administration.


text:
Michael Jackson's brothers – Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Randy – will, in fact, be at tonight's "This Is It" premiere in downtown Los Angeles, Access Hollywood has learned.
Following weeks of speculation about whether or not the family would see the film, a source confirms to Access that they indeed will be at the event.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Michael Jackson's Funeral
Last week, Travis Payne, choreographer of "This Is It," told Access that Michael's children had seen a preview of their father's film while watching another movie and had asked to see "This Is It."
Additionally, Kenny Ortega, Director of "This Is It," told Access that Michael's brothers planned to attend a private screening of the film last week.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Michael Jackson's Children
"This Is It" premieres around the world at 12:01 AM Wednesday morning.
Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
VIEW THE PHOTOS: The Jackson Family
PLAY IT NOW: Meet The Team Behind Michael Jackson's 'This Is It' Magic
PLAY IT NOW: 'This Is It' Clip: Michael Jackson Teaches The Choreography
MORE ACCESS ON THESE TOPICS: This Is It - Michael Jackson - Michael Jackson's Children - Access Hollywood


text:
| 10.8°C Belfast
QPR have completed the permanent signing of Mali midfielder Samba Diakite from French side Nancy.
Diakite has agreed a four-year deal with the Loftus Road club having initially joined on loan last season.
The 23-year-old made nine appearances for Rangers last term, receiving a red card on debut against Fulham and scoring the winning goal against Arsenal.
QPR boss Mark Hughes told www.qpr.co.uk: "Samba was a real find for us in January, so we're delighted he's joined us permanently.
"He's a very accomplished footballer and he's made to measure for the Premier League.
"He's got good pace, strength and ability on the ball and he's going to be a great asset for us going forward. There's still so much more to come from him.
"He's only been exposed to the Premier League for a handful of games, so I'm sure he's raring to go and get back into the action again."
Diakite was equally pleased to seal the move.
"It's a dream come true to sign this contract," he said. "I loved my time here on loan and I couldn't be happier to join QPR on a permanent deal.
"It's a fantastic club to play for and the owners have great plans for the future - I am just delighted to be part of it. This is a really exciting move for me."


text:
An all-in-one security suite, McAfee Internet Security safeguards personal data, prevents viruses, stops unauthorized computer access, filters spam and blocks pop-up ads. The McAfee Internet Security software suite provides trusted PC and Internet protection so you and yours can enjoy surfing the Web, shopping, banking, e-mailing and instant messaging without a care.
Internet Security 2012 (3 User)$17.99
You Save: 74%


text:
by Ulrich Hiesinger, Ph.D.
Some years ago, Chestnut Hill neighbors successfully challenged an attempt to convert the historic Greylock Mansion (209 W. Chestnut Hill Avenue) into a large, intrusive medical facility. One result was a set of easements on the property – negotiated through, and now enforced by the Chestnut Hill Historical Society and Friends of the Wissahickon – that would forbid such future large-scale use.
Now we are faced with an attempt by the Green Woods Charter School to sweep aside those restrictive easements and existing zoning rules in order to expand their operations from the Schuylkill Valley Nature Center into Chestnut Hill. Green Woods describes its mission as serving as the "custodian" of the natural environment (a good thing), but they seem to have overlooked the equally crucial custodianship of our unique urban environment.
Their plan would drop into our neighborhood a much expanded physical plant accommodating a population of upwards of 700 students and staff, not to mention attending families. Here is no control on how even that number might grow.
Of course the Green Woods administration and, presumably, the seller would stand to profit by this plan. But the good intentions of Green Woods and others promoting this proposal are not at issue here. The issue is the devastating impact such a plan would have on the immediate neighborhood and the wider Chestnut Hill community.
West Chestnut Hill Avenue is already intolerably over-trafficked by innumerable school buses, heavy industrial trucks, and commuter cars. During times of heavy use – exactly when school days begin and end – it can become a nightmarish transit way to the suburbs that local drivers avoid if they can, as do many pedestrians. West Chestnut Hill Avenue cannot tolerate more traffic, noise, damaging vibrations, and dangers from speeders. And would it offer a safe venue for students? No.
Green Woods has prepared on its own elaborate plans for the facility while admittedly never bothering to undertake studies on its impact on the neighborhood through increased road traffic, needs for sewage, drainage, changes to the historically protected street frontage, etc., and other concerns too numerous to mention here. All of these considerations are being treated by Green Woods as an afterthought, yet they are precisely the consideration that should have earlier nipped these ill-conceived and disruptive plans in the bud.
We are informed by Green Woods that the Greylock site was chosen among four or five other possibilities.
If one reads the nomination document of 1985 by which the Chestnut Hill Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (portions available at http://www.livingplaces.com/PA/Philadelphia_County/Philadelphia_City/Chestnut_Hill_Historic_District.html) one finds that virtually every element of the Green Woods plan runs contrary to it.
Please join those who would urge the Chestnut Hill Historical Society, Friends of the Wissahickon and Chestnut Hill Community Association to do their part in upholding the protective easements that maintain the integrity of our historic district, and respectfully request Green Woods to find a suitable site elsewhere.
Ulrich Hiesinger is a near neighbor to the the Greylock Mansion


text:
It's no secret that this wasn't The Voice's best year, but thankfully the quality of the finalists was never compromised by this season's exorbitant changes. As we approach the finale, we'll soon be asked to choose between three — not four — artists: Team CeeLo's Nicholas David and Team Blake's Terry McDermott and Cassadee Pope.
So who has what it takes to win?
Photos: Christina Aguilera's biggest fashion flops
Nicholas David, Team CeeLo From the very beginning, Nicholas stood out from the crowd with his soulful rendition of "Stand by Me." And with Melanie Martinez and Amanda Brown out of the running, Nicholas is the only artist remaining who has proven he knows how to put a unique spin on (fairly overdone) songs, making them sound fresh and fun once again.
But Nicholas is so much more than his quirky style or sonorous croon. From soulful seductive to feel-good '80s cheese, the Minnesotta native has shown he can do it all. Though Nicholas is at his best when exposing the huge heart he keeps hidden under his beard and '70s swag. I'm not ashamed to admit that during Nicholas' performance of "You Are So Beautiful," CeeLo wasn't the only person with tears in his eyes.
Though Nicholas has my vote, I still struggle to imagine the type of music he'd make topping charts or selling out arenas. Then again, I never would have thought that opera singer Chris Mann would prove to be one of the most successful Voice alums, so maybe there is great hope for Nicholas' post-Voice career. Plus, Nicholas is the most endearing contestant remaining. But is liking someone as a person enough reason for them to win?
Photos: Everybody's posing nude! Check out Rihanna and other stars who've bared all
Terry McDermott, Team Blake Terry's probably been the steadiest competitor throughout the season, which also makes him the most predictable. Since his first blind audition where he sang the iconic "Baba O'Riley," Terry has tended to stick with what he knows — classic rock. But after a few weeks, I started to wonder if Terry had the same versatility as the rest of the artists. Thankfully, Blake came to the rescue with his fix-it for everything: a good ol' country song.
When Terry performed Blake's own song "Over," his vocal abilities were showcased in a way we'd never experienced before. Instead of a belting anthem, Terry slowed things down with the emotional ballad, giving viewers time to appreciate his vocal clarity. Though it wasn't Terry's best performance, it did serve as a huge turning point for the way he was perceived.
Then last week, Terry had his true breakout moment by taking on one of this season's most risky covers: "Let It Be."
In an interview with Wetpaint, Terry revealed he was the first person in the United States to perform the Beatles classic on television and boy, he did not disappoint! When covering a song as beloved as "Let It Be," artists often set themselves up for failure but Terry's risk paid off. The question then becomes: can he top it this week or will he simply resort to another predictable rock anthem ("Surrender" and "We Are the Champions" are still untouched this season, much to my pleasure)?
There's no denying Terry is a great talent, but I often find him a little boring. Do you think his vocal precision alone is enough to earn him the win or is he lacking the necessary artistry?
Photos: Hey ladies, put away your cleavage!
Cassadee Pope, Team Blake With her two-toned hair and pop-rock angst, Cassadee recalls the league of women who dominated the early 2000s music scene. While there's no denying she has the pipes to pull off songs like Avril Lavigne's "My Happy Endings" and Michelle Branch's "Are You Happy Now?" it was only when Blake pushed Cassadee out of her comfort zone that she truly started to shine.
In performing her first country song "Over You," Cassadee's teen angst was transformed into vulnerable sincerity and we were able to see her as her own artist for the first time. With the help of Blake, Cassadee never left her pop-rock roots behind, but went on to keep putting her unique spins on country tunes.
After her impassioned (and impressive) rendition of Keith Urban's "Stupid Boy," Blake explained why he kept pushing Cassadee in the country direction. "She has the ability to connect with a lyric like nobody else I've seen on this show," Blake said. "It's so perfect for you because nobody else on this show can do what you just did at that moment."
And call her Rebel Wilson, because Cassadee is pitch perfect!
Cassadee seems almost like a shoo-in to win at this point, but though she's made her mark doing country, Cassadee remains a pop-rock girl at heart. It then becomes unclear which direction she would take her music if she won. And while I love her country twists, if she returns to her Avril copy-cat ways, does Cassadee really deserve it?
Who do you think should win The Voice? And who do you think will win? Sound off in the comments below!
The Voice wraps up its third season Monday and Tuesday at 8/7c on NBC.


text:
Founded in 1935 and headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, Radiometer was a pioneer in blood gas testing, introducing the world's first commercially available blood gas analyser in 1954.
Today, Radiometer's products and solutions are used in hospitals, clinics and laboratories in over 130 countries, to provide information on the most critical parameters in acute care testing.
In fact, five samples are performed every second on a Radiometer analyser somewhere in the world. That's 300 samples a minute, 18,000 samples an hour, 432,000 samples a day. That's 157,680,000 samples every year tested on a Radiometer analyser somewhere in the world.
Global presence
- Direct representation in 30 countries
- More than 100 distributors cover the rest of the world
- Production/R&D companies in Denmark, USA, Switzerland, Finland and Poland
Radiometer is part of Danaher Corporation's (NYSE:DHR) life sciences and diagnostics platform, offering a broad range of analysers, consumables, software and services used to diagnose diseases and make treatment decisions in pathology labs, hospitals and other critical care settings.
Other life sciences and diagnostics companies owned by Danaher Corporation are HemoCue (part of the Radiometer Group), Beckman Coulter, Leica Microsystems, Leica Biosystems, Molecular Devices and AB Sciex.


text:
A not so typical night at Ohm (ex-Shift) / Berlin
Saturday 12 April 2014
Start: 22.30
OHM Gallery, Köpenickerstr. 70, 10179 Berlin
► LAPIEN aka METROPOLIS (Soul People Music, Field Records, Sequencias, Parallel)
► abstract Live Set, made especially for this night.
► YANNICK ROBYNS (Wanted Berlin, Parallel)
► spaced out Dub & Funk
► MAREENA (Tresor, Parallel)
► oldschool Elektro & Breaks
►We are happy to be back at the new OHM (Ex Shift) for our second edition of Parallel OFF!
Electronic music, yes, but not as typical as our 4 to the floor club nights.
Drop over and join the dancefloor for the special sets from Mareena, Yannick Robyns and Lapien aka Metroplis.
►Join us on Facebook:
►Join us on Resident Advisor:
►Parallel OFF. a not so typical night.


text:
Bill Cosby stormed his way onto Jimmy Fallon's show Monday night, and went straight into the audience before dropping on the stage motionless as he asked The Roots to audition as his funeral band ("Pitiful!" he snapped after the song).
He also wandered into the crowd last week on "The Tonight Show," though the bit proved longer, odder – and funnier – the second time around.
Even at age 76, Cosby's still honing his act as he hits Comedy Central Saturday for his first standup TV special since 1983, before there was a Comedy Central. The 2009 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor winner's TV return comes a day before PBS airs the ceremony celebrating the latest Twain honoree: Carol Burnett. The shows offer a weekend double serving of comedy comfort food, just in time for the holidays.
U.S. & World
The specials, to differing extents, are less about nostalgia than enjoying some new laughs via a couple of old-school comedy contemporaries who, like Twain, cleverly mined humor from carefully studied observations of fellow humans.
Cosby's a master storyteller, as he first showed in his 1960s standup days (most memorably in his imagined conversation between God and a skeptical Noah), in his 1970s cartoon series "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids" and, of course, in 1980s on "The Cosby Show." His career has endured thanks to far more than his hardiness – Cosby taps into shared experiences, finding both gentle and pointed (if never profane) humor in the everyday.
Burnett also discovered different ways to tap into absurdity – and tug at her ear – starting as a young musical-comedy performer in the 1950s. She's best known for "The Carol Burnett Show," the last great network variety program, where she famously wore Scarlett O'Hara's curtain dress with the curtain rod still in and made a then-nearly 40-year-old reference fresh. Burnett could seamlessly mix poignancy with the silly, no more so than with her Eunice character, a loser with dreams who could pack an "All-in-the-Family"-like episode into a laugh-out-loud skit.
Burnett's show, which began in 1967, offered parody and music on Saturday night before there was a "Saturday Night Live," which eventually eclipsed her program as an edgier alternative.
Still, her influence stretched to the late-night comedy crowd – guests on Sunday's Twain special include former "SNL" players Tina Fey (the 2010 Twain winner), Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph and Martin Short, who may be the most Burnett-like performer working these days. The ceremony also offers a chance to see the 80-year-old comedy legend reunited with her former co-stars Vicki Lawrence and Tim Conway, who now is as old as his shuffling old man character, but far more mobile.
Cosby and Burnett are mobile enough for far more than mere victory laps. Burnett appeared on "Glee" as Sue Sylvester's Nazi-hunting mother a couple seasons back, and guested on "Hot in Cleveland" in June. Cosby recently revealed plans for a sitcom comeback, and is touring with his new standup routine.
He might be cracking wise about death on Fallon's show, but the only thing about his standup special that's not a joke is the title: "Far From Finished." Check out a clip below:
Hester is founding director of the award-winning, multi-media NYCity News Service at the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism. He is also the author of "Raising a Beatle Baby: How John, Paul, George and Ringo Helped us Come Together as a Family." Follow him on Twitter.


text:
+ Moore's Stone Crab Restaurant and Marina celebrates 45 years
Moore's Stone Crab Restaurant turns 45 Wednesday, Nov. 21.
That might not sound that old, especially on Longboat Key.
But the restaurant at 800 Broadway is the oldest restaurant on the island that is still under original ownership.
To celebrate, the restaurant will offer throwback prices to the 1970s for all-you-can-eat stone crab, along with select other meals beginning Nov. 26 and continuing for two weeks, although exact prices haven't been set.
In honor of its birthday, the restaurant recently gave its dining room a makeover with fresh paint, carpet work and new stone crab and sea turtle wall-hangings.
Co-owner Alan Moore reports that the first month-and-a-half of this year's stone crab season has been good.
"It's very good," he said. "It's much better than last year."
+ Cannons Marina receives its 14th Admiral's Circle Award
Cannons Marina won its 14th Admiral's Circle Award from Grady-White Boats.
The award is given to dealerships that achieve a substantial amount in retail sales for the model year while also achieving customer satisfaction index scores of more than 9.25 on a 10-point scale.
"We are so honored to receive an award like this," said David Miller, owner of Cannons Marina, in a prepared statement. "It just proves that we're doing a good job. We love what we do and enjoy coming into work every day. We make sure that we give our customers the best service possible and offer them the best products available, like Grady-White."
+ AMI Outfitters opens on Pine Avenue
AMI Outfitters opened in October in the historic Sears Cottage at 505 Pine Ave., on Anna Maria Island.
The men's clothing store provides gear for kayaking, fishing and Nordic-walking with a focus on sustainable clothing, such as bamboo/organic-cotton blends from TASC. It also carries some women's clothing and accessories, such as Nomadic Traders and ChicoBags.
Owner Steve Traves began his career in retail as the manager of Mountain People, in Idyllwild, Calif., which grew to become the Eagle Creek travel gear company.
The Cortez resident went on to enjoy a 30-year career in architectural and outdoor photography before semi-retiring from photography and multimedia development and returning to retail.


text:
HedgeCo News - Over 200 guests attended the 2011 HedgeCo Spring Networking Event on the evening of the 22nd. Celebrating the end of winter, there was food, drink and networking with other members of the alternative investment community.
"I enjoyed everything about the HedgeCo spring networking event." Craig S. Aronoff, Managing Member at Victor Securities said, "You chose the perfect location, and had a very impressive turn out! The attendee list had a perfect mix of funds, allocators and service providers."
A mix of investors, hedge fund managers, and other industry professionals came together at the Aspen Social Club in New York to enjoy a night of sharing ideas and meeting new contacts.
Recognized as having the largest attendance for any type of event in the hedge fund industry, the HedgeCo Networking Events have quickly become the top destination for generating new business and meeting new industry contacts.
The 2011 HedgeCo Spring Networking Event event was sponsored by American Airlines.
Alex Akesson
Editor for HedgeCo.net
HedgeCo.Net is a premier hedge fund database and community for qualified and accredited investors only. Membership in HedgeCo.net is FREE and EASY. We also offer FREE LISTINGS for Hedge Funds!


text:
The Most Unbelievable / exciting till my blood pops out / this is why im a die hard cricket fan !!
I stayed up from 8 pm Nz time till 5 a.m nz time to watch the India vs S.A game since im one of Indias hardout supporters along with NZ ..
The most exciting cricket match ive got to see in ages, i really should have taped it
India won the toss and opted to bat , they started of well , with sehwag hitting 10 runs of the first over , back to his original self , but at Indias 42 ganguly got out Laxman didnt help much and Tendulkar got run out a mistake which was mostly his fault ... Sehwag getting out for a brilliant 59 of 58 R.Dravid came in and supported well scoring 49. But the run rate soon started to drop , Y.Singh came in supported really well and scored 62 good support at the end from kaif scoring 19 of 21 ... India reached a total of 261/8 while at one stage they looked to reach 300 , everyone thought they would atleast reach 280 after such a good batting start..
S.A;s bowlers didnt do well early on but go through later in the stages in preventing more runs from leaking... best bowlers were
Pollock 9 0 43 3
the rest were pretty.... shocking
S.A comes to bat , and i predicted that Gibbs , Kallis and Rhodes would be the danger men for India . The first wicket for S.A went for 14 . Smith got out to a Brilliant catch by Yuvraj Singh of Z.Khan.
As i predicted Gibbs went on to smash 116 of 119 lot of good running between the wickets , but he got retired hurt real soon , Rhodes and Dippennar didnt stay for long going out for 1,0 respectively, my other predicted danger man kallis was a danger to India right till the end , working wel with Gibbs first and then boucher he was a pain for India scoring 97 of 133 balls a rather slow rate...
Indias bowlers
A.nehra bowled crap like he did all tournament , dispose him off like they did to agarkar thanks..
Z.Khan he is a whole different thing , did well in england , and is doing really well here too , playing the "mcgrath" part for India reducing the run rate and bowling tight at a good length
Khan 9 2 27 1 match winning performance
other well supporting bowler
Harbajan Singh
10 0 37 2
good job mate..
Okay the last over was where the tense moments started. S.A needed around 21 of 6 balls , some would say an easy feat some would disagree , there were a lot of team talks on who would bowl , Khan couldnt use up his last over cause he just bowled the 48 , so it was agreed that Sehwag the Indias saviour for first match and 2 match bowled , 1st bowl 6!!!!! , i was pissed of ! ofcourse and it was none other than Kallis himself ... that cheeky.. Now Sehwag already had one wicket , he had picked up the crucial wicket of Boucher earlier...2nd ball dot ... 3rd ball OUT ! Now it was said even though 15 was to win , if S.A tied at 14 they still go through because of wickets at hand .... When it was Out ...I was Like Wohooo Wohooo its all over India won .... But realized that a silly extra and few sixes or 4;s could kill a victory .... Easily , look at dillon if u want proof . 4th ball 2 runs , 12 to win of 2 balls ! Still possible ! Klusener was the man in i thought he was gonna smash some umpire or persons head of with his thick as bat and his big frame ... 5th ball 2 runs !! i jumped up with Joy , ERRRR game over S.Africa ... nah thats just being a fool now,, Last bowl Klusener gets out ... of sehwag
Sehwag hits 50 earlier and bowls at death taking 2 crucial wickets ....
Why Does India need Sachin ?
Answer : When It can have 2 ?! :O :O
S.Africa i give then Total Respect they played awesome cricket, restricting India to a total which could have been worser .... They batting chasing really well and could have won it , not taking oppurtunities was a mistake ! Oh well they didnt have a full strength squad , almost did but still have a lot of problems to sort out before the World Cup
India played well , should have scored higher given the oppurtunity , again good play from the youngsters in the team . Great bowling from Khan , always delievers when asked , the only thorn was Nehra who couldnt bowl anything like him to support him , Kumble bowled utterly crap too.,......
India needs to go another level higher to win the cup , but after the shows they been putting up in the ICC who knows what can happen
India in Final
To play Winner of Game between Australia vs Sri lanka ! another game to closely follow
My biggest post yet :D
Until later
Good Night


text:
Holy god.
I don't ask much, but if you only get one thing from this song, get the dynamics. 1969 was a good year for dynamics. There is soft and there is loud and there is everything in-between. I miss that.
Walk On By
From Hot Buttered Soul
RIP Isaac.


text:
Here's How To Tell Your Dad You Have Sex With Cars
The title of the TLC show 'My Strange Addictions' pretty much gives away the fact that things are going to get really weird during its half hour.
So we weren't even all that shocked when 27-year old Nathaniel copped to having an uncontrollable urge to make sweet, sweet love to his 1998 Chevy Monte Carlo, which he had named Chase.
However the show was still able to up the cringe factor to 11 by having Nathaniel confess his paraphilia, including the gory details of 'rubbing' and 'masturbation,' to his father.
Pops took it well, in demeanor, although you can tell he was hurting. He blamed himself. He hadn't been around enough when Nate was a boy, and those baseball catches they never had may have pushed his flesh and blood to seek erotic release in the curves of a two door American coup. Nathaniel told Dad not to be to hard on himself. It wasn't his fault. The two — who had been estranged in the past — seemed to become closer as a result of confession.
After the touching moment, Nathaniel couldn't resist the urge to stick his own dipstick into the car's oil reserve.


text:
It's been a while since I've fired up the Big Green Egg, and not to mention, my blog. I have no excuses. Just pure laziness. Oh, actually, I do have one excuse. I've been cheating on my blog with my newly upgraded and sexy ukulele. She's a beautiful, solid koa wood concert ukulele, made in Hawai'i. She is definitely bright and sassy! We've been playing The Muppet's Rainbow Connection together. I wonder what we'll play next?
I finally got the creative itch to cook something on the Big Green Egg. My original goal was to smoke a brisket on July 4th, but I just never got around to buying the brisket. This time I wasn't going to let laziness or my ukulele get in the way. I bought an insane amount of meat yesterday in preparation for grilling and smoking today. Today was a good day.
Smoked Brisket
For dry rub:
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 tablespoon cayenne
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground sage
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 teaspoon cumin
7-8 pound brisket, fat cap trimmed to 1/4 inch
Wood chips, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes
Remove the brisket from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature, about one hour. Pat the brisket dry with a paper towel. Rub the dry rub over the brisket until well coated. Set aside.
Heat the Big Green Egg (or smoker of your choice) until it reaches a stable temperature of 225 degrees F. Add the wood chips when the coals are hot. Place a disposable drip pan underneath the brisket. Cook the brisket, fat side up, until the internal temperature is 150 degrees F (about 1 hour and 15 minutes per pound). Baste the brisket with a few sprays of apple juice after 3 hours on the smoker to keep it moist.
Remove from the smoker, and wrap tightly with foil. Cook at the same temperature until internal temperature is 185 degrees F (about 3 to 4 hours).
Once the brisket is done, put the brisket in an insulated ice chest lined with aluminum foil. Close it for at least one hour for the juices to redistribute. The meat will hold its heat for hours in the chest, and the brisket will become even more tender. I do not suggest leaving the brisket in the cooler for more than 3 hours to prevent bacteria growth.
When ready to eat, slice against the grain and serve.


text:
The Right and Wrong of Native Grasses
The surge of interest in using ornamental grasses in landscape designs has recently shined the spotlight on some of our best native grasses. These cold-hardy, drought-tolerant and low-maintenance plants are now being used in a wide variety of settings, from large prairie meadows to native grass gardens. The benefits include no need for irrigation, fertilizers, fungicides or insecticides, and few, if any, herbicides.
There are hundreds of grasses native to the prairies, meadows and woodlands of the high-rainfall areas of the Midwest and eastern United States. A few stand out as being the most ornamental, longest-lived and adaptable to a variety of growing conditions. Many of these grasses can be readily established from seed, and all can be installed as transplants. Most grow in sunny situations of at least a half a day of full sun, but some do best in moderate shade and many will grow in very difficult soil conditions. There is a native grass for practically any situation.
|Latin Name
|Common Name
|Soil Conditions
|Andropogon gerardi
|Big bluestem
|Clay, loam, sand Dry to moist
|Full sun to light shade
|Panicum virgatum
|Clay, loam, sand Dry to moist
|Full sun to light shade
|Sorghastrum nutans
|Clay, loam, sand Dry to medium moist
|Full sun to light shade
|Spartina pectinata
|Prairie cordgrass
|Clay, loam, sand Moist to wet
|Full sun
The tall grasses (5 to 8 feet tall) are best used where you desire a strong architectural element, and as a backdrop for short grasses and other plants. Switchgrass, reaching 5 to 6 feet tall, is commonly used in "New American Garden" plantings, popularized by Wolfgang Oehme and James von Sweden. Switchgrass stands up better over winter than all other native grasses, and provides excellent winter cover for wildlife. Indiangrass is particularly showy in the fall, with brilliant golden plumes of seeds. Big bluestem turns bright red in the fall, and is distinctive for its three-parted "turkeyfoot" seedheads. Prairie cordgrass sports long, graceful leaves, and is excellent for stabilizing wet streambanks, shorelines and other moist soil situations.
The short grasses (1 to 3 feet tall) are at their best when planted in foreground situations where they can really show off. Prairie dropseed is considered by many to be the most elegant of all the native grasses of North America, with its fountain-like emerald green leaves flowing out from a tight clump. The crimson fall color of little bluestem is stunning, planted in small groups or in large meadows. Blowing in the wind, a field of little bluestem bears a striking resemblance to waves on the ocean. It thrives on dry, sandy soils, but is not recommended for clay.
Broomsedge, a close relative of little bluestem, is an excellent grass for planting on nutrient-poor, acid clay soils (down to a pH of even 4.0). It puts on a fall color show similar to that of little bluestem. Side oats grama is best known for its low growth habit (2 to 3 feet) and its ornamental seedheads. This is an excellent grass for planting on extremely dry soils and can tolerate heavy foot traffic and close mowing (down to 1 inch).
|Latin Name
|Common Name
|Soil Conditions
|Andropogon virginicus
|Clay, loam Dry to moist
|Full sun
|Bouteloua curtipendula
|Side oats grama
|Dry to medium
|Full sun
|Chasmanthium latifolium
|Northern sea oats
|Clay, loam Medium to moist
|Full sun to full shade
|Diarrhena americana
|Clay, loam, sand Medium to moist
|Light to medium shade
|Schizachyrium scoparium
|Little bluestem
|Sand, loam Dry to medium
|Full sun
|Sporobolus heterolepis
|Prairie dropseed
|Loam, sand Dry to medium
|Full sun
Northern sea oats produces fabulous glittering seedheads in the fall that are distinctive from all other native grasses. It prefers light to medium shade in a damp to medium soil, and is excellent for planting under the dappled shade of oaks, hickories and ash trees, as well as on the woodland edge. Beakgrass is a grass that occurs naturally in moist woodlands and river bottoms, but thrives in good garden soil in semi-shade. The deep green glossy leaves of beakgrass make it distinctive, and it looks great when planted in a mass.
There are an increasing number of selections of native grasses becoming available on the market. Some of the best cultivars include:
Broomsedge (Andropogon virginicus): Silver Beauty.
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum): Campfire, Cloud Nine, Dallas Blues, Heavy Metal, Northwind and Shenandoah.
Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans): Sioux Blue.
Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium): The Blues.
Prairie cordgrass (Spartina pectinata): Aureo-marginata.
Many new varieties of native grasses are now being offered by various nurseries across the United States. Trials involving different cultivars, including little bluestem, big bluestem and prairie dropseed, are bringing new ornamental grasses to the marketplace.
There are two methods for establishing native grasses: transplanting or direct seeding. Transplants typically mature in the year you install them, and are best used in high visibility areas where you require instant results. Direct seeding typically requires two to five years to reach maturity, depending upon the species. Transplants are far more costly than seeds, with an average installation cost between $1 per square foot using small plugs, up to $10 per square foot using gallons*.
The cost to establish one acre of prairie meadow from seed, including wildflowers, ranges from 7 to 12 cents per square foot, depending upon the composition of the seed mix and the cost of site preparation. A prairie meadow seeding consisting of only native grasses, with no prairie wildflowers, can cost as little as 2 to 3 cents per square foot, assuming extensive site preparation is not required.*
The first step to successful establishment of native grasses, using transplants or seeds, is to prepare the site properly prior to planting. You must completely eliminate all existing perennial weeds. This may require a full year or possibly longer, depending upon the vegetative cover you'll have to remove. Old fields that have grown up to perennial weeds can take up to two years to prepare. Some of the most difficult perennial weeds to eradicate include Canada thistle, Canada goldenrod, quackgrass, Johnsongrass, horsenettle, bindweed and mugwort, to name a few. You must eliminate these aggressive, pernicious weeds prior to planting or seeding. You can accomplish this using the appropriate herbicides for a full growing season, at intervals of every six to eight weeks. Do not allow the weeds to go to seed during the site preparation process, as this will only worsen the situation. Regular, repeated sprayings are required for full weed control. If perennial broadleaf weeds are present, you will need to apply the appropriate combination of broadleaf herbicide with a strong solution of Roundup for the first two applications. In situations where pernicious perennial weeds are present, you may need a second year of treatment prior to planting.
Turfgrass is easy to kill using a single application of Roundup in the fall or spring, or by smothering it with black plastic for two to three months during the growing season. You can also remove turf using a sod cutter in preparation for planting. If perennial weeds are present in the sod, you will likely need to perform repeated applications of Roundup for a full growing season. If you decide to smother weedy turfgrass, you should do so for one full growing season. A sod cutter typically will not completely remove the roots of perennial weeds, and you should use this method only on weed-free turf.
Once you have eliminated all perennial weeds, you may amend the soil, if necessary. Heavy clays and dry, sandy soils benefit greatly from the addition of organic matter, such as composted leaves, grass clippings, manure and mushroom compost. You should mix the composted material into the upper 6 to 12 inches of soil, the primary rooting zone of most grasses. Some native grasses have roots that can extend more than 8 feet into the soil. It is not recommended that you use peat moss, sawdust and wood chips, due to their tendency to consume the nitrogen in the soil.
Work compacted soils to well below the zone of compaction to break up the soil that would otherwise impede the infiltration of air and water into the soil, preventing proper root development.
When seeding native grasses on large areas, it is not cost effective to add organic matter to the soil. With careful attention to the soil conditions, you can select the best native grasses to grow on even the most hostile clay soils and dry, sandy soils. For instance, little bluestem thrives in poor, dry sand, while big bluestem and switchgrass do great in terrible clay soil. By selecting the right grass for the right situation, you'll rarely have to add soil amendments.
|Latin Name
|Common Name
|Seeding Rate for Solid Stand
|Optimal Seeding Date
|Andropogon gerardi
|Big bluestem
|8-12 lbs. per acre
|Andropogon virginicus
|8-12 lbs per acre
|Panicum virgatum
|5-8 lbs. per acre
|Sorghastrum nutans
|8-12 lbs. per acre
After you've properly prepared the site, you can install transplants in much the same way you would any other perennial. You can control weed germination at the time of planting by applying a pre-emergent herbicide after you've installed all the plants. Never apply pre-emergent prior to planting, as the herbicide may end up in the planting hole, causing clubroot in your grasses. Mulch with 3 inches of clean straw or shredded bark to help keep weeds at bay. A combination of pre-emergents and mulch will result in a virtually weed-free planting in the first year. Once the grasses are well established in the second year, their dense fibrous roots help to exclude weeds, making the planting truly low maintenance.
You may have to pull the occasional weed or dig out of the grass bed from time to time. If broadleaf weeds become a problem, you can control them by using the appropriate selective herbicide, such as 2,4-D, dicamba or MCCP. Of course, one of the goals of the native grass garden is often to reduce or eliminate herbicide use, so alternative weed control methods are often preferable. The best management technique (and often the most fun) is to burn the grasses back to the ground in spring. You may choose to allow native grasses to stand over winter for their ornamental effect and to provide winter cover for wildlife. After that, you can either burn them or cut them back to the ground in early to mid-spring. Make sure to take the necessary precautions if you are burning your grasses. This includes having a ready source of water on hand to keep things in control (a hose is usually sufficient in small areas). Always make sure that the area you are burning is not near other flammable materials, such as wooden structures, vinyl siding (which has a very low melting point) or other readily combustible vegetation.
Direct seeding native grasses is more complex than installing transplants in a garden setting, but can yield outstanding results at a fraction of the cost. Controlling weeds prior to seeding is absolutely essential to success. Proper selection of grasses that are best suited to the site conditions is also critical. Select only those grasses that are known to grow in your soil conditions. A plant that might thrive in the garden with a little help may have only a slim chance of surviving when direct seeded into a soil to which it is not adapted.
|Latin Name
|Common Name
|Seeding Rate for Solid Stand
|Optimal Seeding Date
|Bouteloua curtipendula
|Side oats grama
|8-12 lbs. per acre
|Schizachyrium scoparium
|Little bluestem
|8-12 lbs. per acre
|Sporobolus heterolepis
|Prairie dropseed
|8-12 lbs. per acre
|Fall, early spring
The majority of the native grasses mentioned in this article are warm-season grasses, meaning that they grow best in warm temperatures. Most grow best in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 8, although a few go into Zone 3, and others into Zone 9. The best time to plant warm-season grasses is in mid-spring. Most warm-season grasses will not germinate until the surface soil reaches a temperature of 70 or 80°F. Unlike cool-season turfgrasses, fall or early spring seedings are not recommended for warm season grasses.
Fall seeding of warm-season prairie grasses behave as dormant seedings, with germination occurring the following spring. Warm-season grasses typically exhibit lower germination rates when seeded in the fall, compared to mid-spring seedings. Therefore, fall seeding is not recommended, except for prairie dropseed, which does best when planted in early spring, or as a dormant fall seeding. Planting prairie dropseed after May 15 in the Upper Midwest typically results in poor germination. Northern sea oats also prefers cooler soil temperatures for germination, and is best seeded in early to mid-spring.
All of the native grasses mentioned in this article grow in well-drained loamy soils, with the exception of the moisture-loving prairie cordgrass. Certain native grasses thrive in difficult soil conditions and can be used to solve landscape problems where soil amendment is not an option. Some of the toughest natives for growing on difficult sites are listed in Tables 3 (page C8) and 4 (above).
The general rule of thumb when you're seeding native prairie grasses is to plant 40 seeds per square foot. The seeding rates listed above vary from 25 to 60 seeds per square foot. You should use the lower seeding rates only for mid-spring seedings on well-prepared sites (except for prairie dropseed, which you can seed in the fall). You should use the higher seeding rates when planting on difficult soils, for fall dormant seedings or in areas that have a history of heavy weed growth and where you anticipate a lot of weed pressure.
If you'd like to establish a mixture of different grasses, simply divide the solid stand seeding rate for each grass by the number of species you'll plant together in the mix. The resulting seeding rates for each grass will provide an even mixture of the desired grasses. Exceptions to this rule are big bluestem and switchgrass, which tend to be aggressive. It is a good idea to reduce the seeding rates of these grasses if you use them in a mixture, especially with the shorter grasses. You can increase the seeding rates for the shorter grasses in the mix to make up the difference.
Northern sea oats, beakgrass and prairie cordgrass are somewhat more difficult to establish using seed, or require specific growing conditions. Direct seeding for establishment of these is not recommended.
You can plant native grasses mechanically using specialized seeders on large areas of a half acre or more, or by hand-broadcasting on small areas. The two types of seeders that work well for planting native grasses are a no-till drill-type seeder and drop-type seeder, outfitted with optional "grass brushes."
The no-till drill seeder works well for seeding into firm, smooth, dead sod. The no-till feature prevents bringing up weed seeds when you're preparing the seedbed, resulting in lower weed densities. The drop-type seeder requires loose soil, and is recommended for sites you've already worked up during site preparation.
Most native grasses grow slowly and require two or more years to reach full development. Annual and biennial weeds are often a problem in the first two years, but you can control them by mowing. Keep weeds mowed to a height of 6 inches early in the first year and at 12 inches later in the year if the native grasses grow higher than six inches tall. Mow just above the tops of the native grasses. This prevents the weeds from smothering the smaller grass seedlings. Expect to mow two to three times in the first year. Do not allow the weeds to grow over 12 inches tall before mowing, or the mowed material can smother the small seedlings.
In the second year, mow in early June at a height of 12 inches. This will knock back annual and biennial weeds. Many native grasses will begin to grow vigorously in the second growing season, and some may flower (side oats grama and Canada wild rye often bloom late in the second year). If weeds continue to be a problem later in the second year, mow again just above the tops of the prairie grasses. A flail type mower works best, as it chops up the material so that it dries rapidly without smothering the smaller grass seedlings below. Rotary mowers often lay down the cuttings in piles, which can smother the young prairie plants.
You can control many weeds using selective herbicides, if desired. You can use broadleaf herbicides to control non-grassy weeds in native grass plantings. Plateau (imazapic) herbicide will control most broadleaf weeds, as well as many cool season perennial grasses, such as quackgrass. Plateau is labeled for use on most warm season grasses, such as big and little bluestem, broomsedge, Indiangrass and side oats grama. Warning: Plateau kills switchgrass, so never use it in plantings that contain this grass.
The easiest method of managing warm-season native grasses is to burn them off in mid-spring. This removes all the old debris to make way for new, fresh growth. It also helps prevent invasion by trees and shrubs, and controls unwanted cool-season grasses such as quackgrass, bluegrass, bromegrass and fescue. Wait until mid-spring to burn, after cool-season grasses and weeds have begun active growth (when they are 4 to 6 inches tall). The fire will set back unwanted cool-season plants, while the prairie grasses remain dormant and unharmed underground.
If burning is not an option, mowing and raking the cuttings in mid-spring is a good alternative. The grasses should be cut as closely to the ground as possible, just after the first lawn mowing of spring. Mow the native grasses right down to the soil if possible, in order to do maximum damage to cool-season grasses and weeds. Rake the cuttings to expose the soil to the warming rays of the sun. This mimics the effects of fire, resulting in a rapid increase in soil temperature that favors the warm-season native grasses.
Native grasses can be an attractive, low-maintenance and cost-effective alternative to turfgrass and other higher-maintenance landscapes. The initial cost of seeding native prairie grasses is usually less than that of a lawn. They don't require an irrigation system and require few, if any, pesticide applications once the grasses are established. Prairie meadows composed of native grasses and wildflowers create stunning four-season landscapes that provide a home for birds, butterflies and many other forms of wildlife. The result is a relatively care-free, natural landscape composed of long-lived perennials that return year after year for decades to come.
The life cycle costs of prairie meadows and native grass plantings are among the lowest of any landscape when factored over the 20, 30 or more years that they will live. Cost savings include reduced labor, lower machinery costs and repairs, and the virtual elimination of fertilizers and pesticides. Native grasses make good ecological and economic sense. Expect to see these tough, yet beautiful plants used in an increasing array of landscape situations in the future.
*All costs include labor.
*All costs include labor.
Neil Diboll is president of Prairie Nursery Inc. (Westfield, Wis.).
Want to use this article? Click here for options!
© 2020 Penton Media Inc.