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There are more than 9,000 known grass species that grow on the earth, and many that have yet to be discovered. There are more grass species on earth than any other species of plant. Only about 20 different species of grasses are used for turf applications; however, these include hundreds of varieties. As you know, a turf is simply a population of grass plants that are mowed. So why are only 20 grass species used for turf when there are more than 9,000 grass species? A few of the reasons include: most grass plants will not tolerate close mowing; many grasses are only adapted to grow in specific climates; and we have not tried all 9,000 species to see if they would make a good turf. In this article, I will describe what it means to find a "novel" turfgrass, how it is accomplished and what new types of turfgrasses might be developed in the future.
To qualify as a new or novel variety, turfgrass must be distinct in some way from what is currently recorded by the U.S. Government. This sounds simple enough, but how different does is need to be is the real question. There are major differences between warm-season and cool-season turfs, many of which you can describe. Major differences also exist among zoysiagrass, St. Augustinegrass and bermudagrass (warm-season grasses), as well as among ryegrass, bluegrass and fescue (cool-season grasses). Grasses that differ in big ways (i.e., they look different), generally have many genetic or DNA differences between them. Quite simply, the reason one grass plant is different from the next is all due to differences in their DNA. What might surprise you is that grass plant DNA is mostly the same in all of the 9,000 species, and only a small fraction of the total DNA in a plant actually accounts for the differences among them. There are grass plants that differ by only one gene, and yet they behave completely differently. How can this be? Is one gene enough to distinguish one turfgrass from another? This may not seem important to you, but it is if you want to make sure the new turfgrass you are buying is really different from what was sold last year. For example, if I took the Kentucky bluegrass variety Merion and put a new gene into it — a dummy gene that did nothing to change the behavior of Merion — would it be new? Technically, yes; but it would not be "different" in terms of how it behaved as a grass plant. Simply put, it could be sold as "new" Merion, but it would be no better than the old Merion.
Is there a required minimum difference between the original plant and an improved grass plant before it can be labeled as "new"? Presently, the rules are not very clear. But the lawyers, not the turfgrass breeders, will probably decide what requirements a grass plant must possess to be called "new." Right now, in order for a turfgrass variety to be protected by law, much like an invention is protected by a patent, the variety must be morphologically distinct. Grass breeders evaluate and record many different measurements to convince government officials that their "new" grass is really different. However, all this is changing with the advent of GMOs (genetically modified organisms).
So how do you really determine if a "new" turfgrass is really different and better? Here are some guidelines:
- Look beyond the "new" name
A newly named turfgrass variety does not necessarily mean it is better than an older variety.
- Determine exactly what makes the "new" grass plant different
Consider the following traits: dwarfism, disease resistance and quality. Some fescues are marketed as dwarfs, and they are, when allowed to grow unmowed. But they are not when you mow them at 2 or 3 inches. Disease resistance can be measured, but it is difficult to do, so be skeptical of major claims of improvement in this area. Quality is a subjective trait, and evaluation programs often try to split hairs when ranking varieties. Ask yourself: Is a new turf rated 8.2/9.0 actually different than an old one rated 7.8/9.0? Remember: Statistics are used to test experimental data for differences, but statistics do not address the biological importance of the difference — that is up to people!
- Determine how big the difference really is between the old and "new" turfgrass
A difference can be very small and have no practical effect on how the grass behaves. Or it might even be totally unrelated to your need. For example, a grass with an increased level of ergot disease resistance would be both new and better to turf seed producers, but useless to turf managers.
- Do not focus on just one trait of a new grass
When a newly offered grass hits the market, it might have been changed in more than one way but marketed for only one trait. For example, it might be darker in color, but also more susceptible to leaf rust or summer patch. Be careful when you first look at GMO turfs. They will be different, and they will have an easily identifiable trait (e.g. herbicide resistance), but they could also be very susceptible to a disease like brown patch.
- Focus on the traits of turf that are important to you (and your customers)
Do not get caught by the lure of marketing. Understand the most important characteristics of the turf you want, and prioritize them. For example, if early spring and late fall color is most important, find varieties that offer this feature — new or old. Then take your second desired trait and find the top five or so in that category. When you do this for each of your desired traits, you will end up with a short list from which to select. You will be surprised to find that "new" varieties often fall out of your list. It takes many years to develop and test new varieties of turf, including their performance in the marketplace after they are initially offered.
There are a number of different methods that can lead to new grass varieties, but common to all of these is the fact that any change in a plant results from a change in the DNA. So how can the DNA of a grass plant be changed?
- Natural DNA changes
This has been the most important means for developing new turfgrasses. Remember those 9,000 grass species that I mentioned above? They are the work of natural DNA changes. These natural changes occur all the time, but most go unnoticed. It takes many years and many changes for nature to produce a new and better plant. Scientists and turf managers are still finding new grass varieties growing naturally. These are called clonal variants, and they are found all over the world. Keep your eye out for them in older turf areas, like cemeteries, roadways and older golf courses.
- Controlled breeding changes DNA
We are all familiar with the power of breeding, by virtue of corn, rice and soybeans that producer bigger and more nutritious grains. Controlled breeding means that a selected plant is forced to pollinate another plant. The limiting factor is that the two plants must be biologically compatible. For example, you can cross two ryegrasses, but not ryegrass and bluegrass. Breeding allows new grasses to be developed faster than would be developed in nature, and also with a greater degree of control over what characteristics the new plants will have. While it is faster than nature, controlled breeding takes 10 to 15 years and a lot of money to develop and test.
- Genetically Modified Organism (GMO)
This is a fancy way of saying "artificially inserting DNA into a plant that naturally did not have the gene." GMO technology also avoids some of the problems of incompatibility. Most of us think of GMO technology as a "space-age" method of creating new plants, but that is not the case. Yes, we do put the new DNA into a plant cell with "guns" and needles, but that is only the method of delivery. In fact, Mother Nature has been genetically modifying grass plants and most other forms of life for billions of years. For example, a virus can live in one plant and "pick up" a piece of the plant DNA. The virus is then picked up by an insect sucking on the plant, and deposited into another plant that the insect lands on and feeds on. The virus then delivers the new DNA to the second plant, and, voila: The plant is now a GMO. Aha! You think that the insect will only feed on the same type of plant? Not so! Most insects test and taste many different plants in order to find just the right one for feeding. In the meantime, they are depositing viruses all over the place.
The bottom-line for evaluating a "new" turfgrass variety is not how it was created, but what its characteristics are as a turfgrass.
In the coming decade, what will the new turfgasses be like, and where will they come from? Here are my top picks, in order of their predicted availability.
- Herbicide resistance
These will come mainly from GMOs, but some with slightly less tolerance will emerge through natural selection. The reason this type of plant will be developed first is simple: Herbicide resistance is controlled by a single gene; i.e., the DNA change is small.
- Heat or cold tolerance
These will come mainly from GMOs, but again, some will emerge from natural selection. Heat and cold tolerance are controlled by only a few genes, so changing a grass plant will be fairly straightforward, but not simple.
- Disease resistance
For many diseases, this will change slowly and through natural selection. The reason is that disease resistance is generally controlled by a number of different genes, most of which we have not identified. For example, summer patch, necrotic ring spot, and take-all patch all require multiple genes to confer resistance. This is more likely to have developed during the past billion years, so keep looking for natural clones. On the other hand, look for big, new changes against a disease like rust, which requires only one gene to confer resistance.
- Root-chewing insect resistance
This is a guess, but I believe that GMO technology could result in grasses that produce a nasty tasting chemical in the roots to deter insect feeding.
Caution! New and better turfgrass varieties will be produced, but this will take time. Beware of "overnight" miracle grasses or grass varieties that are ranked superior but are actually not any better than the industry standards.
Henry T. Wilkinson is professor of plant pathology at the University of Illinois (Urbana. III.).
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March 28, 2016
Why Your Water Could Be Worse Than Flint's
Our nation's water crisis requires radical solutions. MORE
Rebecca Solnit on Climate Change and How Political Activism Can Help Us Find Happiness
The longtime writer and activist discusses the hope found in uncertainty, her experience at the Paris climate talks, the role of the writer and more. MORE
By Dayton Martindale
Corporate America Is Just 6 States Short of a Constitutional Convention
If ALEC succeeds in rewriting the constitution to mandate a balanced budget, we'll be stuck with supply-side economics for at least a generation. MORE
By Simon Davis-Cohen
Act Locally
The Power of Black Lives Matter Is About To Be Tested at the Polls in Chicago
Kim Foxx is promising real criminal justice reform—if she's able to unseat State's Attorney Anita Alvarez on March 15. MORE
By Danette Frederique
Hillary Clinton Suggested Breaking Up the Big Banks Won't End Racism and Sexism. Is She Right?
Clinton's remark prompted a furious debate. Is there any truth to it—and why did she say it? Moe Tkacik and Amanda Marcotte debate. MORE
By Amanda Marcotte and Moe Tkacik
These New Co-op Apps Show How to Build Worker Power In the Age of Uber
In the apps of the "platform cooperativism" movement, workers share in the profits MORE
By Tom Ladendorf
In Bed with the Surveillance State: Laura Poitras' Intimate New Whitney Show
The filmographer best known for Citizenfour reveals the inside workings of our post-9/11 world MORE
By Liz Pelly
Why Donald Trump Sends a Chill Through My Muslim-American Body
Trump's anti-Muslim rhetoric is even more dangerous than it seems MORE
By Saqib Bhatti
Exit Signs
After Decades of Bigotry and Antipolitics, the GOP Got What It Deserves in Donald Trump
With Trump, the GOP is reaping what it sowed over the last seven years. But there's no time for schadenfreude: Trump is now everyone's problem. MORE
By Chris Lehmann
Terry Jones' 'Boom Bust Boom' and the Greedy Monkey Theory of Economic Collapse
In a new doc, Monty Python's Jones illustrates capitalism's tendency toward disaster MORE
By Eileen Jones
Two Upcoming Fims Not Coming to a Theater Near You
'Francofonia' and 'Cemetery of Splendour' are worth tracking down MORE
By Michael Atkinson
From the Old Country
Prime Minister David Cameron Is Right; the U.K. Should Stay in the EU
But its half-hearted participation must go. MORE
By Jane Miller
Hillary Clinton Won Super Tuesday, But Bernie Sanders Won the Future
The millennials have spoken, and they overwhelmingly chose Sanders' radical change over Clinton's incremental reform. MORE
By Joel Bleifuss
Past Present
The Truth About Donald Trump's Populism
What Matt Taibbi's overlooking: All fascists achieve and cement power in remarkably similar ways. MORE
By Rick Perlstein
No We Can't, Without a Revolution: Why Bernie Sanders Is More of a Realist Than Barack Obama
Without a political revolution, Sanders' agenda is sure to fail. And he knows it. MORE
By Darlena Cunha
A Progressive Case for Clinton
I am a progressive, I like Hillary Clinton and I do not feel remotely conflicted about that. MORE
By Sady Doyle
Back Talk
How Bernie Sanders Bridged a Generational Divide
The 74-year old Sanders has proved to be the anti-greedy geezer. MORE
By Susan J. Douglas
The Third Coast
In No Uncertain Terms, U.N. Calls Out U.S. for Lack of Reparations to African-Americans
40 acres and a mule won't cut it MORE
By Salim Muwakkil
The First Stone
The Morning After the Nomination: Will Clinton and Sanders Supporters Come Together?
On July 28, either Sanders or Clinton will accept the Democratic Party nomination. It will be up to their supporters to unite in November. MORE
By Joel Bleifuss

subset: commoncrawl


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Portsmouth will wear a special one-off football kit for this Sunday's FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur. In what is definitely their biggest game of the season, plus it's at Wembley, Pompey will wear a new kit designed and manufactured by Kappa — the company that will be Portsmouth's kit supplier next season.
Goalkeeper David James will also be wearing a special shirt — which is hot pink. Bloomin' hell!
Portsmouth's deal with Kappa is a five-year deal.
Share your opinions about the new kit in the comments section below.


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by Ashley
Colorful Peacock Costume Photo 6 of 7
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This homemade costume for women entered our 2014 Halloween Costume Contest.
A word from Christina, the 'Colorful Peacock' costume creator:
The inspiration for my costume came from my love of vibrant colors and beautiful detail. What better costume to capture that than a peacock? I had this crazy idea to convert my wedding dress into... Read more »
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Sept. 30, 2008
PHILADELPHIA – Brad Lidge tried to forget the slider he hung to Albert Pujols almost three years ago. Most wouldn't let him.
Since surrendering the high-profile, game-winning homer in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series — temporarily sidetracking Houston's eventual trip to the World Series — Lidge's closing career seemingly entered a downward spiral.
After a combined 14 blown saves and a 4.37 ERA over the next two seasons, which included losing his closing job for stretches, the Astros dealt Lidge to the Phillies in November 2007.
In a classic example of a player seizing a fresh start, Lidge converted 41-of-41 save chances in 2008, and returned to be one of Major League Baseball's elite closers. For his efforts, the sport's only perfect regular closer earned National League Comeback Player of the Year honors.
Named on 22 of 30 ballots submitted by MLB.com writers, Lidge received 12 first-place votes, seven seconds and three thirds, totaling 53 points. Chicago closer Kerry Wood, who overcame years of arm injuries, finished second with 34 points. He received six first-place votes, six seconds and four thirds.
Cleveland's Cliff Lee easily beat New York's Mike Mussina to capture the American League Award, receiving 24 first-place votes and two seconds.
With his new team, Lidge recorded his first save with the Phillies on April 7, sealing a win against Cincinnati. He didn't allow his first earned run until May 13 — in his 18th appearance. Prior to that, Lidge had allowed just eight hits while striking out 18 in 17 innings.
Saves seemed to pile up with ease for Lidge, with few exceptions. One of those came on June 6, when he tried to protect a 4-2 lead. With two outs and runners on second and third, he surrendered a two-out single to Atlanta's Yunel Escobar. Josh Anderson scored, but Shane Victorino gunned down Gregor Blanco at the plate, preserving the win.
"The force was with us," Lidge said after that game.
The force remained with him, especially on Sept. 27, the day Philadelphia clinched the NL East Division.
Lidge raced in from the bullpen, again with a 4-2 lead. He surrendered a run and had the bases loaded with one out against Ryan Zimmerman. The Nationals third baseman rolled one up the middle, but shortstop Jimmy Rollins turned it into a sterling 6-4-3 double play.
"This season's been a grind," the 31-year-old Lidge said as he stood in the Phillies' clubhouse, soaked with champagne and wearing a gray T-shirt that proclaimed Philadelphia champion of the NL East. "Nothing's been easy."
Most of the time, Lidge just made it look that way.
Ken Mandel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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This article was written by Mark Mazzetti, Ashley Parker, Jane Perlez and Eric Schmitt.
WASHINGTON The American arrested in Pakistan after shooting two men at a crowded traffic stop was part of a covert, C.I.A.-led team collecting intelligence and conducting surveillance on militant groups deep inside the country, according to American government officials.
Working from a safe house in the eastern city of Lahore, the detained American contractor, Raymond A. Davis, a retired Special Forces soldier, carried out scouting and other reconnaissance missions as a security officer for the Central Intelligence Agency case officers and technical experts doing the operations, the officials said.
Mr. Davis's arrest and detention last month, which came after what American officials have described as a botched robbery attempt, have inadvertently pulled back the curtain on a web of covert American operations inside Pakistan, part of a secret war run by the C.I.A.
The episode has exacerbated already frayed relations between the American intelligence agency and its Pakistani counterpart, created a political dilemma for the weak, pro-American Pakistani government, and further threatened the stability of the country, which has the world's fastest growing nuclear arsenal.
Without describing Mr. Davis's mission or intelligence affiliation, President Obama last week made a public plea for his release. Meanwhile, there have been a flurry of private phone calls to Pakistan from Leon E. Panetta, the C.I.A. director, and Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, all intended to persuade the Pakistanis to release the secret operative.
Mr. Davis has worked for years as a C.I.A. contractor, including time at Blackwater Worldwide, the private security firm (now called Xe) that Pakistanis have long viewed as symbolizing a culture of American gun-slinging overseas.
The New York Times had agreed to temporarily withhold information about Mr. Davis's ties to the agency at the request of the Obama administration, which argued that disclosure of his specific job would put his life at risk. Several foreign news organizations have disclosed some aspects of Mr. Davis's work with the C.I.A.
On Monday, American officials lifted their request to withhold publication. George Little, a C.I.A. spokesman, declined to comment specifically on the Davis matter, but said in a statement: "Our security personnel around the world act in a support role providing security for American officials. They do not conduct foreign intelligence collection or covert operations."
Since the United States is not at war in Pakistan, the American military is largely restricted from operating in the country. So the Central Intelligence Agency has taken on an expanded role, operating armed drones that kill militants inside the country and running covert operations, sometimes without the knowledge of the Pakistanis.
Several American and Pakistani officials said that the C.I.A. team with which Mr. Davis worked in Lahore was tasked with tracking the movements of various Pakistani militant groups, including Lashkar-e-Taiba, a particularly violent group that Pakistan uses as a proxy force against India but that the United States considers a threat to allied troops in Afghanistan. For the Pakistanis, such spying inside their country is an extremely delicate issue, particularly since Lashkar has longstanding ties to Pakistan's intelligence service, the Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence, or ISI.
Still, American and Pakistani officials use Lahore as a base of operations to investigate the militant groups and their madrasas in the surrounding area.
The officials gave various accounts of the makeup of the covert team and of Mr. Davis, who at the time of his arrest was carrying a Glock pistol, a long-range wireless set, a small telescope and a headlamp. An American and a Pakistani official said in interviews that operatives from the Pentagon's Joint Special Operations Command had been assigned to the group to help with the surveillance missions. Other American officials, however, said that no military personnel were involved with the team.
Special operations troops routinely work with the C.I.A. in Pakistan. Among other things, they helped the agency pinpoint the location of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the deputy Taliban commander who was arrested in January 2010 in Karachi.
Even before the arrest of Mr. Davis, his C.I.A. affiliation was known to Pakistani authorities, who keep close tabs on the movements of Americans. His visa, presented to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in late 2009, describes his job as a "regional affairs officer," a common job description for officials working with the agency.
According to that application, Mr. Davis carried an American diplomatic passport and was listed as "administrative and technical staff," a category that typically grants diplomatic immunity to its holder.
American officials said that with Pakistan's government trying to clamp down on the increasing flow of Central Intelligence Agency officers and contractors trying to gain entry to Pakistan, more of these operatives have been granted "cover" as embassy employees and given diplomatic passports.
As Mr. Davis is held in a jail cell in Lahore the subject of an international dispute at the highest levels new details are emerging of what happened in a dramatic daytime scene on the streets of central Lahore, a sprawling city, on Jan. 27.
By the American account, Mr. Davis was driving alone in an impoverished area rarely visited by foreigners, and stopped his car at a crowded intersection. Two Pakistani men brandishing weapons hopped off motorcycles and approached. Mr. Davis killed them with the Glock, an act American officials insisted was in self-defense against armed robbers.
But on Sunday, the text of the Lahore Police Department's crime report was published in English by a prominent daily newspaper, The Daily Times, and it offered a somewhat different account.
It is based in part on the version of events Mr. Davis gave Pakistani authorities, and it seems to raise doubts about his claim that the shootings were in self-defense.
According to that report, Mr. Davis told the police that after shooting the two men, he stepped out of the car to take photographs of one of them, then called the United States Consulate in Lahore for help.
But the report also said that the victims were shot several times in the back, a detail that some Pakistani officials say proves the killings were murder. By this account, Mr. Davis fired at the men through his windshield, then stepped out of the car and continued firing. The report said that Mr. Davis then got back in his car and "managed to escape," but that the police gave chase and "overpowered" him at a traffic circle a short distance away.
In a bizarre twist that has further infuriated the Pakistanis, a third man was killed when an unmarked Toyota Land Cruiser, racing to Mr. Davis's rescue, drove the wrong way down a one-way street and ran over a motorcyclist. As the Land Cruiser drove "recklessly" back to the consulate, the report said, items fell out of the vehicle, including 100 bullets, a black mask and a piece of cloth with the American flag.
Pakistani officials have demanded that the Americans in the S.U.V. be turned over to local authorities, but American officials say they have already left the country.
Mr. Davis and the other Americans were heavily armed and carried sophisticated equipment, the report said.
The Pakistani Foreign Office, generally considered to work under the guidance of the ISI, has declined to grant Mr. Davis what it calls the "blanket immunity" from prosecution that diplomats enjoy. In a setback for Washington, the Lahore High Court last week gave the Pakistani government until March 14 to decide on Mr. Davis's immunity.
The pro-American government led by President Asif Ali Zardari, fearful for its survival in the face of a surge of anti-American sentiment, has resisted strenuous pressure from the Obama administration to release Mr. Davis to the United States. Some militant and religious groups have demanded that Mr. Davis be tried in the Pakistani courts and hanged.
Relations between the two spy agencies were tense even before the episode on the streets of Lahore. In December, the C.I.A.'s top clandestine officer in Pakistan hurriedly left the country after his identity was revealed. Some inside the agency believe that ISI operatives were behind the disclosure retribution for the head of the ISI, Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha, being named in a New York City lawsuit filed in connection with the 2008 terror attack in Mumbai, in which members of his agency are believed to have played a role. ISI officials denied that was the case.
One senior Pakistani official close to the ISI said Pakistani spies were particularly infuriated over the Davis episode because it was such a public spectacle. Besides the three Pakistanis who were killed, the widow of one of the victims committed suicide by swallowing rat poison.
Moreover, the official said, the case was embarrassing for the ISI for its flagrancy, revealing how much freedom American spies have to roam around the country.
"We all know the spy-versus-spy games, we all know it works in the shadows," the official said, "but you don't get caught, and you don't get caught committing murders."
Mr. Davis, burly at 36, appears to have arrived in Pakistan in late 2009 or early 2010. American officials said he operated as part of the Central Intelligence Agency's Global Response Staff in various parts of the country, including Lahore and Peshawar.
Documents released by Pakistan's Foreign Office showed that Mr. Davis was paid $200,000 a year, including travel expenses and insurance.
He is a native of rural southwest Virginia, described by those who know him as an unlikely figure to be at the center of international intrigue.
He grew up in Big Stone Gap, a small town named after the gap in the mountains where the Powell River emerges.
The youngest of three children, Mr. Davis enlisted in the military after graduating from Powell Valley High School in 1993.
"I guess about any man's dream is to serve his country," his sister Michelle Wade said.
Shrugging off the portrait of him as an international spy comfortable with a Glock, Ms. Wade said: "He would always walk away from a fight. That's just who he is."
His high school friends remember him as good-natured, athletic, respectful. He was also a protector, they said, the type who stood up for the underdog.
"Friends with everyone, just a salt of the earth person," said Jennifer Boring, who graduated from high school with Mr. Davis.
Mr. Davis served in the infantry in Europe including a short tour as a peacekeeper in Macedonia before joining the Third Special Forces Group in 1998, where he remained until he left the Army in 2003. The Army Special Forces known as the Green Berets are an elite group trained in weapons and foreign languages and cultures.
It is unclear when Mr. Davis began working for the C.I.A., but American officials said that in recent years he worked for the spy agency as a Blackwater contractor and later founded his own small company, Hyperion Protective Services.
Mr. Davis and his wife have moved frequently, living in Las Vegas, Arizona and Colorado.
One neighbor in Colorado, Gary Sollee, said that Mr. Davis described himself as "former military," adding that "he'd have to leave the country for work pretty often, and when he's gone, he's gone for an extended period of time."
Mr. Davis's sister, Ms. Wade, said she was awaiting her brother's safe return.
"The only thing I'm going to say is I love my brother," she said. "I love my brother, God knows, I love him. I'm just praying for him."


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This video was shot while Allen was still with the Sonics, but for Ray fans it's a great look into his life and preparation to the game.
To check out the full index of Celtics videos and mixes click here.
This video was shot while Allen was still with the Sonics, but for Ray fans it's a great look into his life and preparation to the game.
7 Responses so far.
FLCeltsFan says:
I love these videos. Thanks for posting them. Ray is a class act.
The NBA needs the SuperSonics back in the league. Get rid of Sacramento or the Clippers sheeit
I have been following Ray since his Uconn days. What's not to love about this guy? Sweetest shot in the league and he works hard at his craft. Not only that but he is one of the most intelligent guys in the league versus some of these guys who use big words incorrectly trying to sound smart (lebron).
I can never get enough of Ray Allen. He is just the epitome of class. His mom did such a wonderful job of raising a good man. His work ethic beats none. He's clearly someone who is focused on the job at hand and a true leader in that everyone around him wants to be a better player. He has his priorities straight when it comes to his family. He's been blessed with so many gifts and those who know and love him must be so proud of his accomplishments. I know if I was his mom I'd be so proud to call him son. Glad he's wearing the green.
Ray Allen is BIG in the Philippines
Thank you so much for posting this. This has gave me so much motivation to work on my shot, I feel like i need to 4-5 hours a day now instead of 3
awilliam028 says:
Mann, Ray Allen is a humble player. I don't care what anyone else says. Dude deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. Great player and he has a great character.


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DENTON, Texas (AP) Shawn Long scored 27 points and Bryant Mbamalu added 19 on Saturday night and Louisiana Lafayette defeated North Texas 80-76.
Elfrid Payton scored 14 points to go with nine assists and three steals for Louisiana-Lafayette (3-5, 1-1 Sun Belt).
North Texas (3-5, 0-1) got 23 points from Chris Jones and 11 points from Jordan Williams.
Mbamalu connected on five 3-point shots, including one that gave Louisiana-Lafayette a 59-57 lead with 9:26 left in the game.
North Texas and Louisiana-Lafayette went back and forth down the stretch. Steven Wronkoski hit a 3-pointer with 1:16 left to give Louisiana-Lafayette a 73-71 lead.


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Apple maps is unreliable, half-baked, and down right frustrating. But how does it actually stack up against the competition in real life? Reuters pits Apple's solution up against Google Maps in a head-to-head race on the ground in Hong Kong, and the results probably won't surprise you.
The guy using Apple Maps was given longer routes, wrong directions, and in some cases, was told to go a dangerous route. Chances are, you've probably experienced some of these issues if you've been using iOS 6 navigation yourself. The video is a good example of some of the many problems with Apple's breaking up with Google, and you could probably guess which app won. [Reuters TV]


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Winchester 270 Win. Short Mag 140 Grain Supreme AccuBond Combined Technolog
Winchester provides several styles to match your shooting needs. The Fail Safe delivers unique bullet expansion, deep penetration and consistent performance. Ballistic Silvertips combines proven Nosler Ballistic Tips with a patented Winchester Lubalox coating for the ultimate in extreme range performance. The Accubond CT is a polycarbonate tipped bullet with a heavy tapered jacket bonded to a lead alloy core for controlled expansion and high weight retention. Also has a Boattail base and a Lubalox coating.
SPECIFICATIONS:Mfg Item Num: S270WSMCT Category: AMMO CENTERFIRE Caliber :270 WSMBullet Type :AccuBond CTBullet Weight :140 GRMuzzle Energy :3184 ft lbsMuzzle Velocity :3200 fpsRounds/box :20 Rounds Per Box, 10 Boxes Per Case


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In a position paper published today, InternetNZ (Internet New Zealand Inc) has expressed concern about governments legitimising the suspension of Internet services that are "contrary to its laws, to public order or to decency." Concerns have also been expressed about a proposal that seeks to impose the legacy telecommunications economic model of "sending party network pays" to replace the well established and proven "accessing party pays" of the Internet. These concerns are in addition to governments seeking greater control of Internet governance and international networks.
InternetNZ's position paper is on the upcoming review of the International Telecommunication Regulations (ITRs), objecting to proposals that would see the Internet included as regulated subject matter.
The ITRs are an international treaty administered by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) – a UN agency. Designed to set regulatory standards for international telecommunications, they date from 1988 and are being revised to take account of major developments in the technological landscape since then.
InternetNZ opposes the inclusion of any Internet-related function in the ITRs whatsoever. Internet governance should be determined by open, multi-stakeholder processes and neither the UN nor governments via the ITU should have the power or ability to assume its control.
A recent OECD report has noted that, "Operating in a highly competitive environment, largely without regulation or central organisation, the Internet model of traffic exchange has produced low prices, promoted efficiency and innovation, and attracted the investment necessary to respond to rising demand."
InternetNZ believes that a proposal put forward by ETNO (European Telecommunication Network Operators' Association) to impose a legacy telecommunications model is rent-seeking and will reduce access to online information and services, particularly for developing and remote countries.
Proposals by certain ITU Member States also pose a threat to free speech online and seek sanction for the measures they take within their own national boundaries. InternetNZ objects to such a move as human rights, including free speech, should apply online.
Pleasingly, ICT Minister Amy Adams announced at last week's NetHui South event in Dunedin that the New Zealand Government is opposed to the inclusion of the Internet in the ITRs, suggesting that existing Internet governance arrangements are satisfactory.
InternetNZ Chief Executive Vikram Kumar welcomes Minister Adams' announcement and encourages all those with an interest in the ITRs to read InternetNZ's position paper.
Kumar says if the Internet is included in the ITRs, the open precepts upon which the Internet was built will be shaken to their very core, and the global innovation and development that the Internet has enabled will be suffocated.
"Quite simply, the ITU is the wrong body to be involving itself in Internet-related issues. It should step back and retain its focus on areas where it has provided value in the past," he says.
InternetNZ's position paper is available online at http://tinyurl.com/cwp2gx6.
The ITRs are being reviewed next week in Dubai by Member States of the International Telecommunications Union. The voices of the community and civil society are largely excluded.


text:
This isn't a real post, it is just an observation.
I am sitting here watching the first episode of 666 Park Avenue and the lead actress claims to have her masters in Historic Preservation. At first I think this is pretty awesome, after-all she wants to convince the owner to keep the historic features, and he actually agrees! Now me, I'm going to write an HSR (historic structures report) and possibly push rehabilitation tax credits or at least recommend the use of the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation. What does she do? Go to the library…. Historic Preservationists are now library sciences majors… This isn't entirely fair as a lot of preservationists (myself included) spend a lot of time in libraries, archives, SHPO offices and historical societies doing research but I'm a bit disappointed that a show with a budget like this wouldn't at least take the time to find-out what a preservationists really DOES before they go making claims.
Still, isn't this beautiful? Some basic googling tells me that this is the Ansonia on Broadway (not Park Ave) but there WAS a Drake Hotel on Park Avenue (until fairly recently), and I've included a picture of it below, but I think I may want to do a more in-depth post on this lost treasure and the Ansonia later, so more to come!
Happy Sunday!


text:
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text:
bring (one) up for (something)(redirected from bring her up for)
bring (one) up for (something)
To mention or suggest someone for something in particular, such as a position. The recruiter brought up John for the position, but I prefer a different candidate.
bring someone up for something
1. to suggest someone's name for something. I would like to bring Beth up for vice president. I will bring up Beth for this office if you don't.
2. to put someone's name up for promotion, review, discipline, etc. We brought Tom up for promotion. The boss brought up Tom, too.


text:
Friday, April 17, 2009
Rules Don't Apply?
From reader "CS," an Orange Line rider.
I recently descended the stairs to the Orange/Blue lines platform at Metro Center. There, I found a DC police officer eating something (cookies/crackers, couldn't tell) right out in the open. Eating and drinking in the system really tees me off, so I approached the officer, and the following exchange occurred:
Me: What kind of message does it send to the rest of us if the police are eating down here?
The cop: The police are starving.
Me: I don't see anything in the rules that says, 'Unless you're starving.' How do you think it looks to the rest of us?
Cop: I don't know.
Me: Pretty lousy, don't you think?
Cop: [Says nothing].
Whereupon I walked away. I think the officer did stop eating, though.
I've also seen Metro employees violating the eating/drinking rules, too. If the authority figures don't act correctly, what kind of example does that set for riders?
We all know how Metro GM John Catoe stresses cleanliness above all else.
Other news:
Live chat with Metro's planner
22 comments:
- Michael said...
Was the officer inside the paid area? The no eating/drinking rule is only once you've crossed a faregate. It sounds like it was.
Bad example I agree.
- April 17, 2009 at 9:18 AM
- Anonymous said...
It's a stupid rule anyway. Double or triple the fines for littering or whatever, but get off the backs of people who actually take care of their trash/mess.
- April 17, 2009 at 9:59 AM
- Anonymous said...
Its not a stupid rule, its a great rule that keeps the system cleaner. Even the responsible people who would take their trash with them are not going to get out whisk broom or a mini vac to get rid of the crumbs they drop when they eat, or the little bit of liquid that sloshes out when they are taking a sip on bouncing train. And I really don't need anyone spilling their coffee on me during the morning commute. Even if there is a stronger anti-littering enforcement, they aren't going to catch people who merely spill a little. The no eating/drinking rule establishes a nice clear line of what is acceptable and what is not.
Cleanliness on metro isn't perfect, but things would be a whole lot worse if people could or drink down there.
- April 17, 2009 at 2:33 PM
- Anonymous said...
I've seen Redline employees with Starbucks and when I complained to Metro Management I got the runaround.
The rules don't apply to employees.
- April 18, 2009 at 10:36 AM
- sps said...
@anon 2:33, Have you spent much time commuting in NYC? I'm not accusing, I'm curious. I spent the better part of the last 3 years up til Sept 08 doing so. If you haven't, I'd like you to justify your claim that a rider with a coffee in hand would obviously spill it all over you on the subway (I'd really like an explanation if you happen to be a VA resident, where one can still smoke in a restaurant or bar, which doesn't need an accident to cause annoyance).
You may make the argument that the NYC subway is dirty and therefore my question is moot; however, by doing so you'd ignoring the obvious: the NYC subway is open 24/7, 3/4 of a century older than WMATA, and over 4x as large.
Food and drink was never a problem for me or the people around me while I was in NYC. Littering is a problem, but of course, if that's your argument, then perhaps you'd like to ban eating and drinking on the streets, too.
Cleanliness is not godliness and having an uber-clean metro is the least of WMATA's concerns. However, considering most of the week the metro is closed for almost 1/3 of everyday, I think they have plenty of time to clean up the crumbs.
- April 19, 2009 at 4:39 PM
- Jon - The DC Traveler said...
I think the stained carpet on many Metro cars is proof that people with coffee and other drinks can and do spill. It just make trains look grungy.
As to Metro employees eating on trains or while on duty is shameful.
It's another example of the old situational power rule -- they do it....because they can.
- April 19, 2009 at 8:47 PM
- Unsuck DC Metro said...
We accidentally rejected this comment. Sorry ANON.
The NYC subway is dirty, grimy, and an aesthetic eyesore. It may be open 24/7 and older than the DC Metro, but that doesn't excuse the litter all over the stations and platforms. I, personally, am happy with the no eating/drinking rule on our trains and I wish more Transit Police would enforce this rule. While it may be inconvenient to some, the rule does help keep the system cleaner of trash. Unfortunately not everyone picks up after themselves and with Metro already facing a budget shortfall, they cannot afford additional cleaning crews.
- April 19, 2009 at 10:25 PM
- Ron Holzer said...
Thank you for posting the story "Rules Don't Apply?"
Metro takes its no eating or drinking law in the Metro system seriously. Food and drink attract rodents and increase the amount of litter and trash left on trains, buses and in Metrorail stations. Some of that same litter and trash is responsible for track fires that cause delays in the Metrorail system.
Nobody wants to sit in a sticky seat or have a beverage spilled on them. Spilled food or drinks also can result in a customer slipping or failing in a bus, train or inside a station.
The Metro Transit Police Department has an authorized strength of 450 sworn police officers who have jurisdiction and arrest powers throughout the 1,500 square mile transit zone that includes Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. They are responsible for a variety of law enforcement and public safety services on the Metrorail and Metrobus systems. Transit police regularly patrol buses, trains, 86 Metrorail stations and their parking lots, and other Metro facilities such as bus garages and rail yards. Their top priorities are protecting Metro riders and employees, looking for criminal or suspicious activity, and crime prevention.
As you can see, enforcing Metro's no eating or drinking laws is just one small part of a transit police officer's duties, and at times a lose/lose situation for us. You may recall the negative publicity we received from several instances of our enforcement actions. While these incidents have not slowed down our enforcement, we feel that peer pressure is our best weapon to combat the problem.
Should you ever see a Metro employee eating in the system, we hope you would point out to them that it is against the rules as the writer did to the DC (and not Metro, we're happy to say) police officer. You also have the option of reporting that employee to our customer service department – you can do this on-line with our Customer Comment form at http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/contact_us/ridercomment.cfm or by calling our Customer Assistance Line at 202-637-1328.
In 2008, transit police issued 584 written warnings and 52 citations for eating or drinking. So far in 2009, transit police have issued 104 written warnings and 14 citations for eating or drinking. It is much more common for police officers to give verbal or written warnings to customers, especially during tourist season, when more people who might not be aware of the rules are using the system. Transit police issue written warnings most often to juveniles who aren't old enough to receive a citation.
Typically, police officers issue citations for eating or drinking as a last resort for blatant violations or people who refuse to comply with an officer's request. And just to be sure you know, Metro does not get any money from the payment of a citation. That money goes to the jurisdiction in which the citation is written.
In addition to police enforcement, Metro has taken a number of steps to increase awareness about these laws. New signs that alert Metrorail riders of prohibited items in the Metrorail system were placed at all Metrorail station entrances in December 2008. (See http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/news/PressReleaseDetail.cfm?ReleaseID=2388.) Similarly, we have increased announcements in trains and stations on this same topic.
This summer we expect to launch a reinvigorated effort, including a marketing/educational campaign that will use humor, to discourage eating and drinking in the Metro system.
- April 20, 2009 at 2:05 PM
- Transportgooru said...
Ron Holzer,
Thanks for your kind response and as a metro rider I am happy to know that Metro takes such violations seriously.
BTW, I wonder what is the action you have taken against this particular "violator" in your system (by now you probably have figured out who that officer was on that particular day at the specified location)? Would you be kind enough to articulate what the public can expect from Metro after such a violation is reported to you in the future? One thing is for us to know that you and the management staff at METRO love to hear from us about such rule violations happening in your system but wouldn't that be nice to know what happens after such a complaint is received? Would you be kind enough to open up your reprimand/redressal process via a customer complaint tracking system on the Metro website?
That way, we can formally file and track our complaints rather than to call and waste your time. I am sure Metro loves transparency in its operations, which also includes customer complaints., right?
- April 20, 2009 at 3:25 PM
- Anonymous said...
for the transportgooru: that's kind of an unfair comment to make toward ron holzer. i don't understand how in the world mr. holzer could possibly pinpoint the suspected dc police officer, considering the dc police do not regularly patrol metro stations.
and the violation was not reported to metro but to a blog not officially associated with WMATA. mr. holzer is not obligated to act on a "third party report."
nevertheless, i applaud mr. holzer for at least being responsive to a comment made on a website that has nothing to do with WMATA's official website. it shows WMATA is at least making a proactive effort in trying to stay in touch with the common masses that care to share their personal experiences with public commuting in the DC metro area.
i find your comment to be pretentious and unrealistic and would encourage you to use your articulate nature for more constructive purposes.
- April 21, 2009 at 10:13 PM
- Anonymous said...
I APOLOGIZE if my comment doesnt fully relate to the principal article,but
after becoming a visual witness of the previous statements made by the various bloggers on this page, i would like to make a request to the public in order to understand the INTENSITY of the violation i made as i rode the metro:
Violation : EATING POTATO CHIPS AND DRINKING A SODA.
Im a high school student, and after school is over i head to community college, therefore my time is highly limited and the only opportunity i have to consume food through out the entire day is on my way from high school to college. Im a 17 years old and im a responsible teen, my social status doesnt allow me to purchase my own personal vehicle of transportation THEREFORE i ride metro, my intentions were not negative in any manner, however my citation is near and i dont know how to explain this to the judge...
Thank you for your time.
- May 8, 2009 at 11:41 PM
- Anonymous said...
I can understand the no eating/drinking rules on trains, esp. the Red Line, that disgusting mess. But enforcing these on the platforms, in my opinion, is taking it a step too far. Drinks should be allowed. Food bans make sense, it leaves much more of a mess. but I bring water with me a lot because I heat up easily, and Metro stations can cook during hot weather. I _always_ clean up after myself, and I haven't seen much littering at all.
- June 5, 2009 at 12:57 PM
- Anonymous said...
It's a ridiculous rule. NYC actually sells food in their system. It has a "real" quality to it, plus it vastly superior in it's mission - getting you to where you are going. The DC area seems a lttle too precious and prissy for my tastes. I want Metro to WORK, period. Point A to point B in an efficient manner.
- July 24, 2009 at 11:53 AM
- Anonymous said...
It's not a ridiculous rule. There is a real cost involved. Extra custodial services and car cleaning, etc. Not to mention the rodents and insects food draws.
Also, no one mentioned the fact that it's a "no eating or drinking" NOT a "you can't bring food or drink into the sytem" rule. You can CARRY food and your starbucks without penalty. So, the next time you see an employee carrying a starbucks cup...as long as they don't actrually drink it, they are not breaking the rules. That goes for your fellow customers as well.
Stupid, huh?
- August 9, 2009 at 9:12 AM
- Anonymous said...
well the rules said no eating or drinking because 85% of the public leave cups, bags, food, drinks etc on the bus or property then turn around and say how dirty metro is none any one can tell me you seen one metro employee leave trash???????????
- August 18, 2009 at 6:26 PM
- Unknown said...
There are plenty of back rooms, outdoors, and places for officers to go and eat. If they don't know where these places are they can wake up a station manager and ask them. They would be more then happy to tell them where they are.
- October 1, 2009 at 12:40 PM
- Stephanie said...
The signs need to be larger. On almost every train I ride and see someone eating/drinking on, I don't actually see any sign other than the tiny little one on the metro map. Yes, there are signs as you pass through turnstiles, but once on the train, the signs aren't always very visible. I know the rules, but a tourist might not.
I almost sat on someone's banana peel the other day. Some people are just gross.
- October 20, 2009 at 9:19 AM
- Anonymous said...
the transit police does a great job with the number of officers they have on the streets. these officers have to deal with robberies,theft,lost property,fights,disorderly people ,etc Its not hard to see they need more officers. as far as eating on the train it not on the top of their list.
- November 22, 2009 at 5:46 AM
- Anonymous said...
Back in the 80's the metro police stripped searched a woman after she was caught eating and earlier this decade they arrested a poor teenage girl. I think that deterred a lot of folks from eating and drinking on subway.
- December 11, 2009 at 2:09 PM
- Anonymous said...
@Anon May 8, 11:41
I suppose that means you don't eat breakfast nor lunch. Maybe that's not based on socio-economics but rather your own choice. Last I checked most schools provide lunch (for pay) and have programs to support those that can't easily afford the meal.
Anyway, as stated earlier you can have food and drink you just can't be consuming each while in the station or on the train.
Lastly, I once came across an elderly lady on the Dupont Circle platform who was smoking!!! Now THAT is bold. Bravo Granny Black-Lung!
- December 12, 2009 at 3:48 PM
- peruser said...
Do the "extra custodial services" for cleaning up extend into Metro parking areas as well? The reason I ask is the inordinate amount of cigarette butts on the sidewalk. Might metro BAN smoking on Metro property? What a concept for those of us who don't smoke and don't want to even smell cigarettes. The property would be cleaner as a result. Furthermore, secondhand smoke is a REAL health risk factor, and if you can smell it, you've been exposed. Might someone argue that in allowing smoking on property, even if not in the station proper, Metro allows, by omission, risks my health. I'll get off my soap box now.
- January 14, 2010 at 8:36 AM
- Anonymous said...
get over it, people. wtf. let people eat if they want to eat and get over your power trips.
- July 29, 2010 at 12:13 AM


text:
Puig off and running in first taste of postseason
Rookie phenom ignites Dodgers' offense with electric energy on basepaths
ATLANTA -- No player in baseball runs to first base and rounds the bag after a single like Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig.
It's more of a mad dash down the baseline than a sprint, and once Puig touches the bag, he launches himself almost halfway to second base. If the batted ball looks like it can lead to a double, Puig scurries to second and rounds the bag in a frenzy looking to take another base. If he has to settle for a single, the rookie scampers back to first base with arms flailing and legs churning.
Sometimes, Puig will dive back to first base just because.
In some ways, these 90-feet scampers represent the essence of the ultra-talented, unpredictable and insatiable outfielder. Like Puig, they are extremely fast, aggressive and sometimes reckless, but they are also fun to watch and impossible to ignore.
On Thursday night, the Braves witnessed Puig's wild runs too many times for their liking in Game 1 of their Divison Series, and that's part of the reason why the Dodgers won, 6-1. But in the end, what was supposed to be a big day in the rookie's career -- his postseason debut -- turned out to be another normal evening in the eventful life of Puig.
This is how Puig plays the game, and it doesn't matter if he's playing in Cuba, in Los Angeles during the regular season or at Turner Field in October.
"I wanted to give the best I had against a very good pitcher," Puig said. "I treated it like another game in the season and prepared that way."
It showed.
Puig finished 2-for-4 with a run scored and two strikeouts. On defense, Puig doubled up Evan Gattis from right field in the second inning, when the Braves rookie drifted too far off of first base on a shallow fly ball off the bat of Chris Johnson.
During the regular season, Puig hit .319 with 19 home runs and 42 RBIs in 104 games. He had eight outfield assists but he also had five errors. Along the way, Puig became one of the most polarizing players in the game because of his brash attitude, and care-free style of play. He's also a strong candidate for the National League Rookie of the Year Award.
"A lot has been said about his craziness but I'll take that," Dodgers center fielder Skip Schumaker said. "He's aggressive in the outfield. He runs the bases extremely well. Does he make a few mistakes? Sure. But if you are that aggressive, why would you take it from him? He's an electric player and I love it."
Puig's presence was hard to ignore Thursday. He was loudly booed during pregame introductions and every time his name was announced prior to his at-bats. The stadium erupted when he struck out in the sixth and ninth innings.
But it was also Puig who notched the first hit off Braves starter Kris Medlen in the second inning. He proceeded to sprint to third base when the next batter, Juan Uribe, followed with a single to shallow center. Braves center fielder Jason Heyward didn't even bother to attempt a throw on Puig.
"I'm thinking I got to get to third base. I see the hit to the right of the center fielder and I thought I could make it," Puig said. "I did my job and I think he didn't want to commit an error, especially with a runner behind me."
The rookie eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Schumaker to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead and an advantage they would not lose. Puig hit another single, this time with two outs in the third inning, and he dashed down the line as usual but did not advance.
"It's great to have him on our team," Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis said. "He plays so hard and has such passion and energy. It's infectious."
The Braves might describe Puig's style a different way.
Later, Medlen hit Puig in the back with his first pitch during the outfielder's third at-bat in the fifth. Puig paused, looked toward center field, flipped his bat backward and jogged down the first-base line.
There would be no mad dash this time around. Puig struck out swinging in his final at-bat and spun in the batter's box before strutting to the dugout.
"He was doing his job out there. That's part of baseball," Puig said of being hit by a pitch. "You get hit and you go to first base and you do your job from there."
The Dodgers lead the series but there's still more work to be done. Don't expect Puig to change his approach in Game 2 on Friday at 6 p.m. ET on TBS.
"I play my game. I like to run and give the best I can," Puig said. "If people want to criticize, they can keep on criticizing."


text:
Registration Now Open for the CCS K-12 Digital Academy
Registration is now open for Columbus City Schools Digital Academy, a self-paced completely virtual option for students in Kindergarten through 12th grade.
Columbus City Schools Announces Reopening Recommendations
Columbus City Schools Superintendent/CEO Dr. Talisa Dixon and the Reopening Task Force presented recommendations on how best to safely reopen the District's school buildings this fall during the Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, June 30.
Attention CCS Students: Take Our Student Survey Today!
We need to hear from our Columbus City Schools students as we plan for the reopening of schools in the fall.
CCS Proposes New Academic Calendars For 2020-21 School Year
In preparation to reopen school buildings in the fall, Columbus City Schools proposed amended academic calendars for the 2020-2021 school year on Tuesday.
District Announces Plan for Student Belongings Pick-Up & Drop-Offs
Columbus City Schools creates plan for families and students to return school items and pick up belongings left at school due to state-ordered school closures and the COVID-19 pandemic.
CCS Online Academy Grading Guidance for 3rd and 4th Quarters
Columbus City Schools has established its PreK-12 grading system for the 3rd and 4th grading periods during this continued time of online learning.
Superintendent's Message: Schools Closed for Remainder of the School Year - April 20, 2020
Today, Governor Mike DeWine announced that all schools in the state of Ohio will remain closed through the end of the 2019-2020 academic year to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
Superintendent's Message to the CCS Community - April 6, 2020
Superintendent Talisa Dixon shares a message for the CCS community as the first week of the Online Academy begins.
Columbus City Schools Launches Online Academy
Beginning on Monday, April 6, the District will transform into a virtual learning organization with all of our educational resources and school-related activities online.
Columbus City Schools To Provide Students With School Email Accounts
Beginning April 6, 2020, Columbus City Schools is providing each student with their own school email account.
Important Information
Contact Us
Phone: (614) 365-5361
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
School Hours: 7:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Avalon Elementary School School
5220 Avalon Avenue
Columbus, OH 43229


text:
It started with my first attempt at selecting the "right" Family Tree Maker Template
FTM2014 and Ancestry Member Trees
I shared that in the Evidence Explained Forum (links in the next blog post). I hadn't selected the right Template and was referred to the QuickSheets, also created by Elizabeth Shown Mills
The response to the posting in the Evidence Explained Forum brought forward the finer points of a Citation.
FTM2014 and Ancestry Member Trees - What Next
This is ALL GOOD. What an honor to have Elizabeth Shown Mills help this user of Family Tree Maker understand the art of a citation.
Also, I have seen several colleagues follow suit, using their genealogy programs to show their followers that same process.
+Shannon Thomas, a Legacy Family Tree has a blog post:
and my friend +Randy Seaver did a blog post for Roots Magic
Reality Check:
Clearly, I have the most "clean up" work in the area of a Citation using the Template feature. That is what I am going to discuss here.
I selected the Online Database, National Archives (United States) as the Template, as it provided the information that was needed for the Source information in the Reference Note. Details of that are in the Update blog post.
Since I may use other Public Member Trees (Ancestry Member Trees) in the future, I don't want to have to Remember what goes where and what I have to change. I have put those notes into the Source Template COMMENTs.
Here is the Edit Template Screen:
That is the large (I enlarged it here) box at the bottom of the Template Screen.
This is the part of the Comment that reminds me what goes into the Citation Detail field
Citation Detail:"[ Tree Name ]" family tree by [ tree name owner ] profile for [ name, ( [birth information - death information ] undocumented / documented data
This defines the Tree Name that is put into quotes; the text family tree by followed by the tree name owner; the text profile for and the information for the profile that I am looking for, with any information on that profile that will help identify which profile I am looking at. That is followed by either the data is documented or not. The brackets remind me to enter that data from the Profile.
The next step, because the Reference Note information is filled in by the Template and the Citation detail, that needs to be edited next.
From the Template Comments
This reminds me to change The National Archives from the hidden part of the Template to Ancestry.com and I am reminded to carefully Edit the URL piece of the Reference Note. Adding a space after .com and adding a colon and the date. I use 09 April 2014. That date format is a change for me, based on the Evidence Explained conversation.Reference Note:Change The National Archives to Ancestry.comPut the "accessed" date inside of the parenthesis (http://www.ancestry.com) with a ":" so that it looks like (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed ## Month YYYY)
The next step is the information that goes into the Citation Text field.
Couple of points here. I want the contact information here. Remembering that Ancestry.com has an internal email system I could put the tree owners, ancestry user name or I can spell out the name of the tree owner. That is what I have done here, because I know the tree owner. I did NOT include the email address in these screen captures, for obvious reasons, but it's in my file. I want the Citation Text to have the information needed to contact the tree owner.Citation textTree owner contact informationAncestry Member Tree of [ name ] if ancestry.com email is used or email addressCopy the updted Reference Note into this field in case the Reference Note has to be ResetCopy profile URL into the Web AddressNo check marks in Citation text or Web Address
That information and the direct link to the profile page is in the Web Address field but I do not want them in the Reference Note. The Evidence Explained documents so not call for the full URL. The Web Site, ancestry.com is sufficient.
The final note in the Comments:
If the public tree has documentation enter that into the Research Log and create a task to locate that source informationThat reminds me that IF the tree has documentation, I want to locate that information myself. I am NOT going to copy or download it from the Ancestry Member Tree. I want to look at it myself. So, I create a Research Log identifying any Source Information in detail, and create a ToDo list for that person to locate that source material.
The Reference note now looks like this:
"Public Member Tree", database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : 04 April 2014); "Cowan Mulliner Woodruff Kerr" family tree by Crista Cowan, profile for Richard Ridgway (b. 1679, Bucks, Pennsylvania - d. 1718, d. Burlington, New Jersey, USA) undocumented data
I'll do another blog post in more detail on the information that I gather from an Ancestry Member Tree.
Copyright © 2014 by H R Worthington


text:
Bangalore: P.V Deshmukh, Managing Director, MiG Complex, from HAL's Nasik unit, will assume charge as the Officiating Chairman of Defence Public Sector Undertaking - Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on 01st Nov 2011. In addition, he will continue to hold his current post of Managing Director (MiG Complex).
Ashok Nayak, after 38 years with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, will step down on October 31.
HAL, with its Corporate Office at Bangalore, Karnataka and its Production and Design Divisions at Hyderabad, Ojhar (Nasik), Lucknow, Kanpur, Korwa, Koraput and Barrackpore, has approximately 33,000 permanent workforce and a turnover of Rs.11,250/- crores.
PV Deshmukh was the Chief Guest on the occasion of Vigilance Awareness Week 2011, which is being celebrated this week. The Vigilance Department of HAL is committed to spread vigilance awareness in the Company and contribute towards its vision to become a global participant in the aviation sector. In order to achieve this, the Vigilance Department has taken several initiatives suo moto to spread awareness through the publication of in house magazine, Marg Darshan and a fortnightly bulletin V2 (Voice of Vigilance) which covers policy matters on material procurement, maintenance, works and manpower, etc. Regular education drives for executives and non-executives in core areas of procurement and dissemination of the initiatives of the Central Vigilance Commission to leverage technology for a transparent, impartial, fair and prompt action to fulfill its obligations towards all its stakeholders are a regular feature.
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Considering this god awfully long tag of mine wont be done before the end of this year, I might as well do the traditional year end recap post right now.. So. 2014. Wow holy fuck its almost over. When did THAT happen?! :/ This year was filled with all kinds of ups and downs, but like always, lots of learning happened.
You always have a choice, when you're letting others make the call for you, you are CHOOSING to let them take control.
I have never really talked about this publicly before, because I want to avoid drama, but after 3+ years of working in the animal welfare community, it finally came to a point where I threw my hands up in the air and said fuck this shit. This community is filled with the craziest, bitchiest… plain weirdest people I have ever known, and what bugged me the most was their refusal to listen to someone younger than them (read, me). Inflated egos, disorganization and politics - its all there. Like any other non profit sector I suppose, but this was just… unreal. I kept trying to not let it affect me, but full disclosure, it did. Badly. I do not like being hated for no reason (its not even the jealous-hate or the hate-your-guts-hate… its the I-truly-think-you-are-evil-hate!). My personal life which includes my friends, my guy.. is NOT available for flippant discussion. It made me irritable, upset and always so anxious. I don't like feeling that way, because I LOVE being happy and witty, spread joy and confetti all around… I'm that kind of a sing and dance person. So in totality, life sucked.
So I quit. And just to be clear, I quit the community, not my work. How can I ever abandon the responsibility of helping an animal in need? If I have motherly feelings for anything, its the fur babies.. and quite obviously, I can get fiercely protective about all of them. :)
Growing apart is sometimes a natural course of growing up. Accept it and move on.
This epiphany happened this year. Something I had felt bitterly upset about for years now - growing distance between me and close friends / family, I have known for more than a couple of decades. I kept trying to find… reasons, why it happened or why it was happening, until randomly one July day I realized that there is no reason. We all just grew up, and we are all very different people. I am glad that despite people drifting away, I still have some besties who have stepped in to fill the shoes… and life is okay. Nothing major broke, everything works fine, distance grew but bonds haven't been completely severed… they are just there. Keep calm and move on.
Every once in a while, get away from everyone. Switch off the internet, TV, phone. Disappear. Feels fucking brilliant.
I did this for two months earlier in the year, albeit for a study break (I did not do very well lol turns out I am… less smart than what I used to be with Math :P ). I ACTUALLY went off Facebook, people emailed to ask me WTF happened? Awww. :) Two whole months, it was awesome. I came back with the hugely appreciated 'Minions, I am back. :D' status and life got back to crazy haha.
Even the most confident people have their moments of weaknesses. Sometimes you need your friends to be strong on your behalf.
When I made the decision to quit, I was suddenly engulfed with this feeling of not knowing what to do next. I doubted EVERYTHING about myself, simply because I had been in the company of people who constantly put me down for so long. I have NEVER doubted myself - I was always confident in my abilities, and I knew exactly the kind of things I was good at, the kind of things I was okay at and the things I absolutely sucked at. It was always very clear. I had my life planned out, because I am that person who makes lists and thinks of 5 years into the future… and then suddenly one fine day, I woke up and I didn't know who I was anymore. Cardiac-arrest scary.
What do I do next? I wallow in self pity for a long time before Best Friend #1 calls me out on my irritated-ness and general bitchy attitude and we end up having a heart to heart where we practically break down all the problems to find solutions. Then Best Friend #2 tells me about how she believes in me, and how she tackled things when she was going through something similar. Then Best Friend #3 who didn't really have much advice to offer, simply sent me a stream of jokes and made references to our situational jokes to lift spirits. And so on. I feel like the luckiest idiot in the world to have these people care for me so much. I love you all itna saara. <3 p="">
Take a leap of faith. Life will work out, and even if it takes longer for it to work out, its OKAY. Its a new experience.
I had to redo resume for the first time in YEARS, and then I took up the next first fancy job I got offered. Haven't sold my soul to the corporates back, still in the NGO sector, still changing and saving the world yo! :D I feel lucky to be around people that really do want to save the world. :)
Do activities with your friends. Drinking yourself to a stupor does not count as a group activity. :P
I did beginners French with the guy and friends. We had SUCH A GREAT TIME. :D Also, makes for some pretty great FB updates lol.
Age is just a number. Or so I will have myself believe, okay?
I am not ready to consider that I am closer to 30 than to 23 (hitherto known as the heyday year). :/ On the bright side there is no one who has met me and guessed me to be above 25, which is both a blessing and curse, because on one hand, yay you think I look like a fresher, how cute, and on the other hand, aye! take me seriously, technically I am your boss! :P
Make time for doing what you like in life, and happiness will follow.
Truly the biggest lesson of em' all. Every time I have made time to do something that made me feel good, I have slept better, felt better, behaved better… just generally being a ray of sunshine for everyone around me. Such a happy thing to be no?
TV shows with the best soundtracks, are my absolute bane. Wait, make that TV shows in general.
I am such a TV show whore, its not even funny! …. :/ I am OBSESSED, someone needs to compel me to forget how to erm.. get these shows in the first place. (TVD reference haha, and no you may not judge me for watching this inane show, because Ian Somerhalder okay?). This may also be the reason why I do not read, write, have much of a life outside of my TV and my HDDs anymore. Ugh.
Much love,
P.S.: There were obviously a lot more learnings, but in the interest of time, reader sanity and dying laptop battery… :D
Now Playing: Unbreakable | Jamie Scott3>


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This is the Morning Shift, our one-stop daily roundup of all the auto news that's actually important — all in one place at 9:00 AM. Or, you could spend all day waiting for other sites to parcel it out to you one story at a time. Isn't your time more important?
1st Gear: BMW Boss Takes Swipe At Cadillac, Lincoln As Taxi-Makers
I love it when automakers take a swipe at each other. Like here at the Detroit Auto Show, where, as The Detroit News points out, BMW North America CEO Ludwig Willisch dismissed the new Cadillac ATS and Lincoln MKZ saying they're just not in the same league as the 3-Series. "We don't produce trucks, nor taxis or buses", said Willisch. "We don't produce sofas on wheels — and we don't take mass-market vehicles and rebadge them as premium." Willisch does know that the ATS is the only car currently being built on GM's new Alpha RWD platform, right?
2nd Gear: How Protectionist Is Japan? Very.
Bloomberg reports that Nissan's surpassed other carmakers in 2011 to become the second-largest importer of cars to Japan. Yes, that's correct — and just to make sure we're clear on just how protectionist the Japanese market really is, it's due to making a single compact car — the March — in Thailand. Yes, to become the second-largest importer of cars to Japan an automaker needs to bring in just over 50,269 cars. And Volkswagen, the top importer of cars, sells only a few hundred more. So, basically, this means, that out of 4.9 million cars sold in Japan, the top importers only bring in 1% of the cars sold. Compare that to the 384,947 cars Toyota imported here to the United States. In total, we imported over 6 million of the 13-ish million cars and trucks sold last year in the United States — over 40%. Hell, Toyota alone imported 384,947 cars! You know how many imported cars make up the 4.9 million cars sold in Japan? Around 231,000 — or 4.7%. Protectionism, FTW!
3rd Gear: Pininfarina Cambiano Four-Door Headed To Geneva
Pininfarina's unveiled the first official image of its new concept car making its world debut on March 6th at the Geneva Motor Show. It's a sport sedan they're calling Cambiano which, according to Babelfish, in Italian means either "they change" or "a thin sweater worn by Sergio Marchionne." Actually, it's named after the city where the Pininfarina headquarters is located. What we do know is the concept was "conceived with great attention to the environment, both as to the engine and as to the materials' choice." What does that mean? No clue, but wethinks it likely means "hybrid" or "electric" or "powered by hopes and dreams."
4th Gear: Kia cee'd Gets Refresh For 2013. Yay.
The little Kia cee'd's getting a refresh for 2013. All we have now is this one image that shows the little shitbox we don't get here. No amazing powertrain info. No thrilling 0-to-60 numbers. No nothing other than this one image. We're told we'll have to wait until the Geneva Motor Show for details, but for now rest assured it won't overly quicken the pulse.
5th Gear: Please Don't Let Ford Replace The Humvee With A Taurus
According to Bloomberg, Ford's leading a push by commercial-truck makers to challenge defense contractors for a potential $54 billion contract to replace U.S. military Humvees with blast-proof all-terrain vehicles. The Army and Marine Corps plan to open competition Jan. 20 in the second development phase for their Joint Light Tactical Vehicle. Truck manufacturers Ford, Navistar International Corp. and Oshkosh Corp. may take on teams led by defense companies General Dynamics Corp., Lockheed Martin Corp. and BAE Systems Plc that won the three first-stage contracts. While we know whatever they create will likely be F-Series-based, we're just praying to God that they don't try and make it out of a Ford Taurus. It's one thing to lie to consumers about capability, but please don't tell American troops about the off-road capabilities and durability of the Explorer, k?
6th Gear: The 2013 Porsche Boxster Is Longer, Wider, Lighter, Better
We'd just finished wiping the drool off our chins from the 2013 Porsche 911 Cabriolet reveal earlier this week at The Detroit Auto Show when ze Germans rolled out the all-new 2013 Porsche Boxster. Here's the one bit of information that didn't go live last night — The Boxster S has a starting price of $60,900 plus a $950 destination charge when it hits showrooms this summer next to the $49,500 (plus $950 destination) base Boxster. More »
⏎ GM has crisis ads ready if Volt fire controversy worsens. [USA Today]
⏎ In New York, vanity is taking a back seat. [Times Union]
⏎ Ford to reduce number of global platforms a year earlier than planned. [Detroit Free Press]
⏎ A Seismic Shift for the Subway: Closing Lines for Night Repairs. [New York Times]
⏎ Daimler and Google deepen strategic partnership. [Green Car Congress]
⏎ Kia Chooses Las Vegas, Not Detroit, for E.V. Debuts. [New York Times]
⏎ Toyota's Camry Under Siege With Unprecedented Competition. [Bloomberg]
⏎ GM's Cadillac Considers Smaller SUV to Compete Against BMW X3. [Bloomberg]
⏎ Obama touts Ford's job 'insourcing'. [Detroit News]
Today in Automotive History:
On this day in 1904, Henry Ford sets a land-speed record of 91.37 mph on the frozen surface of Michigan's Lake St. Clair. He was driving a four-wheel vehicle, dubbed the "999," with a wooden chassis but no body or hood. Ford's record was broken within a month at Ormond Beach, Florida, by a driver named William K. Vanderbilt; even so, the publicity surrounding Ford's achievement was valuable to the auto pioneer, who in June of the previous year had incorporated the Ford Motor Company, which would eventually go on to become one of America's Big Three automakers. [History]
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Formula 1 Store
Ecclestone holidays after paying $100m settlement
Formula 1 News - August, 2014
Aug.14 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone's bribery trial and charges have been officially dropped, after the F1 supremo lodged his controversial $100 million settlement with Munich authorities.After the deal was announced recently, the 83-year-old Briton had one week to actually pay the funds -- $99 million to the Bavarian state, and $1 million to a German children's charity."After the payment of the agreed amount to the recipients, the court ceased criminal proceedings", Munich spokeswoman Margarete Notzel confirmed to the German news agency DPA.Ecclestone is celebrating the end of proceedings by holidaying aboard his huge luxury yacht Petara off the Croatian island of Havr, the Daily Mail reported."The bottom line is it's been three and a half years of aggravation, travelling, meeting lawyers, and god knows what else, so it is good it is out of the way," the billionaire said.It is not yet clear what Bavaria will do with Ecclestone's millions, the largest criminal court settlement in German history, but minister president Horst Seehofer insisted: "We are certainly not breaking into cries of joy." comments powered by Disqus
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I bet you always thought that when Mario died in a Mario game, he simply magically jumped towards the screen. Little did you know that there were many grizzlier fates that could have befallen him.
This excerpt from the choose-your-own-adventure book Mario Brothers in: Double Trouble: Nintendo Adventure Book #1 posted to the Tumblr You Chose Wrong depicts one of the darker ways that Mario can meet his demise.
He runs into a Boomerang Bro. and whoops! Forgets that the boomerangs come back. (Well, almost always, anyway.) And with that, an unconscious Mario is tossed into a sack to be eaten later. Woah.
I loved CYOA books as a kid, and have always found there to be something distinctly chilling about the pages where your character would die. Something about the languid pace of reading, of following along with a description of how a spider ate you, or a witch threw you into a boiling pot, or you became a vampire or whatever… it's creepy. And yet awesome.
I think here, it's the fact that they toss Mario into a sack full of orange peels. What a weird detail! I always thought the Koopas were trying to keep Mario from getting to the princess; I never thought they would want to eat him. Yikes.
You Chose Wrong [Tumblr]