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Building a new house in Palo Alto

Building a new house in Palo Alto

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Mythbusters edition: Single-story vs two-story homes

When we started planning our house we never even considered a single-story home. We had long been told that in order to maximize square footage, you had to build up.  This seems to be conventional wisdom amongst real estate agents and old-timers in Palo Alto because we heard this over and over again and never thought to question it.

Fitting into the neighborhood is challenging.
Last month while trolling open houses, we fell in love with a beautiful single-story house for sale in Barron Park.  Coincidentally, it was around the same time we found out the Palo Alto Planning Department rejected our two-story home plans for "failing to meet the Neighborhood Compatibility for Height, Mass, and Scale guidelines."  The city planners sent us back 13 pages of comments and changes to make us more compatible with the neighborhood.  Their main objection was the height of our house--25 feet.  While the maximum allowable height in Palo Alto is 30 feet they wanted us to lower it to 24 feet to be more in line with our single-story neighbors.

Since we had to go back to the drawing board anyway, we decided to consider a single-story house.  At that point I started researching the pros and cons.  Much to my surprise, I found that you do not have to build a two-story house to maximize square footage in Palo Alto.

Reasons to build a single story house in Palo Alto

1.  You get *more* house with a single story
The Palo Alto's Zoning Ordinance Technical Manual located on the city's website states that the maximum allowable lot coverage is 35% of the lot size.  It goes on to say:  Allowable gross floor area is expressed by a ratio—the sum of 45% of the first 5,000 sf of the lot area plus 30% of any portion of lot area in excess of 5,000 sf.  Both taken together, this is consistent with what everyone was telling us about why you have to build up in order to get the maximum allowable floor area ratio.  When we started digging around more, we found this buried in section 18.12.040 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code:  Maximum site coverage for single story development is equivalent to maximum allowable floor area ratio.  For multiple story development, maximum site coverage is 35% of lot.

The code suggests that the 35% lot coverage limit only applies to two story homes.  Given the two conflicting documents I went to the city planning department to find out which document was correct.  I checked with multiple people and they all responded the latter--no penalty for a single-story.  I doubled checked and tripled checked, asking the question in as many different ways as I could until their eyes started rolling.   The myth that you have to "build up to max out" has been busted!  Not only that, by not building up, we would gain back 91 square feet because we wouldn't need to waste square footage on the stairs.

[July 2012 Update: If you'd like to see what I think is a perfect one story layout, check out this recent post: James Witt's Palo Alto dream house is for sale.]

 Barron Park ceiling envy
2.  Ceilings can be up to 16' high
One of the things we loved about the Barron Park house was its soaring ceilings.  Our original two-story plans had 9.5 ft ceilings on the first floor and 9 ft ceilings on the second floor.  The thought of lowering our house another foot was really grating on us.  With a single-story home, the ceilings can be up to 16 ft high.  Because you don't have a second story above it, you can vary the ceiling styles from room to room and you can install skylights wherever you want.  The result is an open feel with lots of natural light.  We loved the high vaulted ceilings in the Barron Park's great room, the sloped ceilings in the master and the ginormous glass patio doors.  The house made you feel like you were walking through an art museum.  Another benefit of a single-story home is that with 16' to play with you can put in plenty of attic space.  The only penalty for building ceilings higher than 16' is that the area above it gets counted twice when calculating total square footage.

3.  Rear set back exceptions
According to the Palo Alto Municipal Code, homes must conform to the 20 foot front and rear setbacks.  However, the city planner we're working with told me that they will make an exception for the rear setback of a single-story home.  She said that they will allow you to have a 6-foot rear setback for part of the house as long as the encroaching section is less than half the width of the lot.  I couldn't find this documented in any of the codes, so double-check this with your planner if you're thinking of taking advantage of this exception.  In certain cases (i.e. sustainability reasons), the planners may grant this exception for the first floor of a two-story home, as well.

4.  No public comment period
Single-story home plans do not have a public comment period.  Unlike two-story construction, neighbors cannot demand a public hearing and fight building plans they object to.  We didn't have any complaints about our plans from our immediate neighbors.  A distant neighbor wrote in saying he opposed all two-story construction.  The city planner politely informed him that two-story homes are permitted in our neighborhood.

5.  Quicker & less elaborate review process
All two-story construction in Palo Alto requires an Individual Review process.  The process looks at issues such as neighborhood compatibility, privacy and sunlight.  Neighbors can oppose your plans and request a public hearing, as well as appeal decisions made by the city.  The guidelines for this review process can be subjective depending on the whims of the planners assigned to your project.  This can be unpredictable and take months depending on how persnickety your planners and neighbors are.  In addition, there are application fees for this review.  Ours totaled $3907, not including the cost of having our architect negotiate the changes.  With single-story construction you get to skip this step.   There are no judgey reviews to determine whether your house conforms to the neighborhood standards.  As long as you follow the building codes, you can design whatever look you want and it'll be approved.  Had we opted for a single story home we could've saved at least 2.5 months and probably over $6000 in fees and changes.

Every city is different so before you decide what to build, talk to your city's planners to find out if there are significant incentives to go one way or the other.  In addition to these considerations, there are numerous pros and cons of single-story vs two-story living which we debated while trying to make our decision.

Single-story benefits
+ more options for ceiling heights & skylights
+ more possibilities for attic space
+ more living space since you don't need to spend square footage on staircase
+ safer for small children & easier for older/mobility challenged individuals/dogs
+ easier to evacuate in case of a fire
+ no noise from stairs & second story traffic
+ less bathrooms needed since all are on same floor
+ can combine mud room with laundry room

Two-story benefits
+ more expansive views from second-story
+ more yard area due to smaller footprint (in our case: 981 sq ft more yard)
+ distinct separation of public and private spaces
+ smaller foundation and roof area
+ upstairs bedrooms have more privacy
+ upstairs windows are safe to leave open
+ less roof to maintain, less distance for pipes and wires to travel
+ good exercise running up and down stairs everyday!

Cost of single-story vs two-story
While researching cost of construction, I found conflicting opinions.  Most of what I found online claims that it's cheaper to build up than out.  Online pundits argue that a two-story house is cheaper to build because it requires less foundation, rafters and roofing materials.  When I asked our architect, she said that in her experience, single-story homes are less expensive to build.  I also asked our general contractor for a guestimate and here's what he had to say:
If it's remodeling an existing home, then adding a single story addition is usually less expensive than adding a second story.  This is because adding a second story usually requires adding piers/foundation work under the existing structure to support the second story.  This can result in flooring and other finished surfaces getting opened up to make access to do the structural work, which is an added expense to repair or replace these finishes...
With a new single-story you might end up spending more on foundation and roofing cost, but depending how it's designed, the production rate of construction will be faster.  A second-story might have more construction challenges which will result in a slower production rate, and perhaps deeper foundation and added cost of stairs.  You might need scaffolding or special equipment to deal with the height issues, but overall, I'd have to say that new construction single-story and second-story homes are comparable in price provided they have the same quality finishes.
Since there wasn't an obvious difference in cost between a one-story and two-story house, we decided to look at resale value instead. [Update 8/2012: I recently asked my builder friend, James Witt if it was cheaper to build a single story vs a two story house and he said that the cost differential is close enough that it shouldn't drive your design decision.]

Building the American dream

When I asked our real estate agent for her recommendation she voted for the two-story home.  Her feeling is that people think that two-story homes are grander and worth more.  I tried to look for data to support higher resale value for two-story homes but couldn't find anything providing a direct comparison of dollar per square foot value.  In the absence of hard data, I did the next best thing...I had my research team turn to Hollywood in order to verify these claims.  Here's what I found:

The Cleaver's                                  The Brady's                                              The Cosby's

The Dunphy's
The Simpson's

Hollywood's portrayal of the all-American family has declared: Staircases = Family.  Surely, decades of American television cannot be wrong.  For generations, the portrait of a modern family home has centered around the staircase.  It's the quintessential image of the American dream.

Hollywood observations aside, my informal polling also suggested that families with younger children prefer the convenience of a single-story house, whereas families with older children value the separation of two-story homes.  After much consideration, we ultimately decided to stick with our original two-story floor plans.  Given the beautiful trees that surround the neighborhood, we decided we'd greatly value the serenity of the second-story views.  We also concluded that buyers in our neighborhood are more likely to be families with older children since our house is located next to one of the top high schools in the state.

This week we are resubmitting our two-story Individual Review plans to the city of Palo Alto.  We've lopped off a foot from the height of the house and incorporated other requested changes to the design.  We are now praying to the planning gods of leniency to bless our little Craftsman like the orangesicle dream house in College Terrace.  Just sayin'...

This charmer must have Jedi mind-tricked the city planners.

Friday, March 9, 2012

Pricing strategies & Palo Alto real estate: how to win in an insane market

Well fans, it's official... Linsanity has hit Palo Alto. This week a tear-down in our neighborhood on Georgia Avenue sold for 1.65M...a whopping 455K above the asking price with a total of 38 offers.  The frenzy has begun and boy are we in for an exciting season.

One of my favorite pastimes is scouting houses and observing sales trends around Palo Alto and nearby vicinities.  By Thursday at noon, the new listings for the week are up on MLS ready for review.  Inventory is low these days, so every new listing gets a quick scan with the noteworthy stats being house and lot size, location and price.  The pricing game is a fun one to watch and often baffling to the uninitiated.  When it comes to pricing strategies in the Bay Area, I've noticed there are two main approaches:

The "Price High and Wait" Strategy
Please sir, can I pay you some more?
This approach is typically used for high-end properties that tend to be the most expensive house on the block.  They're often bigger and/or newer than the typical neighborhood standards so they don't fare well when you try to calculate a price based on sales nearby.  Indeed, they are priced significantly higher than the estimated market value on Zillow or Redfin or any of the other real estate sites.  Selling agents often describe this approach as "testing the market"--which is a fancy way of saying, I'm waiting to see if a sucker will bite before I lower the price to something slightly less absurd.  These Richey Rich specials are easy to spot because you see the listing and immediately wonder what the seller is smoking and probably say to yourself, who in their right mind would pay that?!  And if you've ever uttered these words, you're not their target buyer.

1382 Forest:  You're not spending $4.4M, you're saving 500K!
Take for example a recent sale of a brand new house in Palo Alto at 1382 Forest Ave where the other homes on the block range from $2M to $3M:
Aug 2011 Listed:            $4,895,000
Feb 2012 Price reduced: $4,395,000 (-10%)
Feb 2012 Sold:               $4,400,000
This approach can require months of waiting and price reductions but it can ultimately pay off, since you only need one price insensitive buyer to take the bait.  Sometimes you get lucky and Facebook honcho Mark Zuckerberg decides to buy it (sans zip line and bat cave):

Don't include this in your comps:
Yuri Milner's $100M Los Altos mansion
Or better yet, you hit the megamillions jackpot and Russian honey badger Yuri Milner drops a cool 100M on your pad.  Honey badger don't care about resale value.  It just takes what it wants.  In the case of the Forest house, it was certainly worth holding out, the developer purchased the land in 2009 for $1,625,000 and likely made over $1M after all expenses.  By the way, one of the selling features of the house was that it was built on property once owned by Marc & Laura Andreessen.  Caché like this helps lure in honey badgers.
In lieu of staging the Georgia house, the
clever agent put up sexy comps instead

The "Under Pricing" Strategy
This list-low sell-high approach is by far the most prevalent strategy in Palo Alto where multiple offers are the norm.  The strategy works by pricing a house below or in some cases, well below market value to create a bidding war.  It's based on the premise that buyers will compete for a deal and the more mayhem and madness you can stir up, the higher the players will jump to win.  Using this strategy, homes sell lightening fast and often above market value.  Take for example the Georgia house which was listed at $1,195,000 despite the fact that recent comps would suggest its value to be approximately $1.5 million.  Here are the Georgia selling stats, courtesy of the listing agent:
List price:          $1,195,000
Winning bid:    $1,650,000
Offers:                38
Offers >$1.5M:    12
Offers >$1.6M:    3
The house was on the market less than a week and sold with a 14 day close.   The top 12 offers were all non-contingent and closing in 21 days or less.  And here's the kicker, half of these were all-cash offers.  And this was not an anomaly.  Check out some other February sales stats from Redfin agent, Brad Le:
  • South Palo Alto: On this $1.1m, ~1,100 sq. ft., 3 beds, 2 baths home, there were 16 offers. It went to an all-cash, no contingencies offer.
  • South Palo Alto: On a $950k, ~1,100 sq. ft., 3 beds, 1 bath property, there were another 16 offers, and more than one was all-cash. It went to an all-cash, no contingencies offer.
  • Menlo Park/Alameda Area: On a $1.2m, ~1,400 sq. ft., 3 beds, 2 baths home, the seller took a lower offer than the top, but it was an all-cash buyer with no contingencies and 3 free months of rent back.
  • Menlo Park/Flood Park Area: On a $1.2m, 1,890 sq. ft., 4 beds, 2 baths home there were eight offers, and it went to an all-cash, no contingencies offer.
Notice a trend here?  Whether it's spring fever, the Facebook Effect or the Asian mafia taking over the hood, these buyers are S-E-R-I-O-U-S and not messing with the Mortgage Nazi.  Stories like these are fueling the hypalicious headlines, making heads shake and eyeballs pop out of sockets everywhere.  A recent widely circulated blog post, Facebook Millionaires Are Already Driving Palo Alto House Prices Into The Stratosphere, reported that market has been driven up 30%-60% in the past 6 months according to the wishful thinking of an unnamed Palo Alto resident.  Don't you just love how media is made?

Fortunately, the Chronicle's more even-keeled James Temple countered with Palo Alto housing is hot, but not that hot citing a 9.6% increase according to DataQuick, a real estate market research firm.  My casual, albeit semi-obsessive, neighborhood watch supports the single digit increase.  In terms of sale prices, the market hasn't gone stratospheric yet (with the exception of the honey badger who doesn't care market).  Inventory is still extremely low.  As Temple pointed out, only 61 houses sold in January, so sample size and percentage points aside, the Palo Alto market is definitely a tight one where all-cash buyers are winning.

Sure, on an absolute basis the market is ridonkulous.  Nowhere else in the world do you have to have $1M+ in your pocket just to purchase a tear-down.  But it's also a city filled with honey badgers who help protect that investment.  If you can play in the market wisely, you can come out ahead with a winning investment.

Buying Strategies in a Competitive Market

1.  Find yourself a great real estate agent
I can't repeat this enough.  First off, this is one of the biggest investments you'll make in your life.  You want someone experienced helping you make smart decisions.  Secondly, in a competitive market a great agent is the difference between winning and losing.  Palo Alto real estate is an insider's game and the competition is fierce.  One of the reasons we won the bid on our house is because the selling agent knew our agent Erika and trusted that our offer was solid and wouldn't fall apart during escrow.  Before we made our bid, Erika stayed in close contact with the selling agent so that we knew exactly how many other offers we were competing against and the terms the seller preferred.  This helped us decide how aggressive to be in our bidding.  Also, Erika had sold several other homes in the neighborhood, so she was able to do smart comps and talk us through pros and cons.  Now that we have the house, Erika continues to keep us up-to-date on the market and sends me to relevant open houses where I can get ideas for how to design our new home.

Finding a good agent does not mean finding someone who makes you feel good.  In fact, if you're looking to buy in the Bay Area, a good agent will let you know it's not a cakewalk.  A good agent will educate you on the market and probably show you crap holes that you wouldn't in a million years ever consider buying.  The more you know about the market, the better your odds.  My husband says it's like the famous poker quote: If you can't spot the sucker at the poker table, it's probably you.  Don't be the bidder with less information and experience--you'll either lose the bid, pay too much or buy something you shouldn't have.  It doesn't matter if you feel like the real estate market needs to be disrupted.  Unless you want to pay Richey Rich prices, it's still an insider's game and hyperlocal.  A great agent will help you buy the right house for the right price and the right terms.

2.  Plot the comps & use available info to make judgment calls
When you're bidding on a house in Palo Alto forget about the asking price.  It's irrelevant.  Instead take a close look at recent comps.  You want to look at similar homes in the neighborhood that have sold in the last year with special emphasis on the most recent sales.  This is something that an experienced agent should be able to do pretty easily and in some cases, s/he'll have access to sales info that hasn't been made public yet.  If you're lucky enough to be married to a crazy data geek strategic planner like my husband, you can plot these comps and build a predictive price model like so:

Comparables based on house size
Comparables based on lot size

Unfortunately, the strategic planner is hard at work on some other slopes (the kind in Tahoe) for a company-sponsored ski trip, so I'll have to do my best interpreting what I remember about the models.  The gist of it is to do one plot of comps based on square footage of the houses and another plot based on the square footage of the lots.  Your agent should help you select the appropriate houses to use as comps and remove any neighborhood outliers that will skew the model.  The light blue dotted line shows what the price should be based on the other comps, the dark blue dots show what the house actually sold for.

Because we were planning a tear down, we cared most about the size of the lot.  We used the first chart to decide what we'd have to pay to win it and the second chart gave us confidence that it was a good deal for a tear down.  My strategic planner delights in the fact that we paid below what his predictive models suggested we should for our home, however this model doesn't factor in seasonality.  More on this in #4.

In predicting a selling price, you can start with two estimates based on your comps: one from the house square footage chart and one from the lot square footage chart.  Generally, the house square footage is a better predictor of selling price.  There's less distance between the fitted line and the actual points.  With these two estimates in hand, this is where you have to make some judgement calls.  The Georgia house was a junker and not livable unless you like kitchens that look like a 1960's pizza parlor, choo-choo train wallpaper and a concrete court in the backyard (perfect for training the next Jeremy Lin!)
663 Georgia: $1.65M for the Lin!
In theory Georgia should have been discounted because all the other comparables were nice, livable houses, but because these properties were all bought for lot value, the condition didn't matter.  According to my husband's calculations, the Georgia house went for 5% above the prediction based on lot size, and 2% above the prediction based on house size.  Not totally crazy, just somewhat aggressive.  His recommendation is that if you want to be aggressive right now and win, bid 3-5% above the line to win, if you don't want to be aggressive, offer cash and bid the line to have a shot.  If you don't have all-cash, you will likely have to bid significantly higher to be in the running.

I'm going to refrain from commenting too much on his advice because in our wedding vows, I promised not to mock my husband's spreadsheet models.  What I will say is that his spreadsheet numbers often come out to be about the same as the ones that Erika gives us after tapping on her head a few minutes while pondering the current state of affairs.  If the market does start to see a dramatic shift upwards in the coming months, you may wind up using comps that have already factored in an additional 5% increase, so be careful not to get caught up in a rapid upswing.  A good agent will help you factor in common sense and market variables to these models.  After all, it's hard to get true statistical significance based on a sample size of 3 to 4 houses.

3.  Look for underappreciated properties
It's hard to find under appreciated properties in the Bay Area because everyone is looking for them, but you can get lucky sometimes if you and your agent are keeping a close eye on the market.  When I was looking to buy a home in Mountain View, I fell in love with a quaint little house in the downtown area.  It had fresh, pretty landscaping, was beautifully staged with the latest trendy paint colors and the glossy brochure bragged about how the house had been featured in Sunset magazine.  It was listed in my price range, so I got quite excited.  Meanwhile on the other side of town by Cuesta Park there was a house for sale in the same range.  The Cuesta house was a probate sale with out-of-town sellers who didn't realize the value of staging a home.  It was a no-frills offering.  The house was empty, the walls were barren, the landscaping dismal.  It was downright depressing.  I took one look at it and said, thanks, but no thanks...I want the Sunset magazine house.

My agent made me go back to take another look at the Cuesta house.  Imagine what it would look like staged, she instructed.  Look at the backyard and picture nice landscaping.  Erika predicted that the Mountain View buyers in my price range would be bidding on the Sunset magazine house and it'd go for a premium, while the Cuesta house would be ignored because it wasn't gussied up.  Indeed, she was right.  While the Cuesta house needed some work, it was in a better neighborhood and was an investment that I could easily add value to.  I ended up being the only bidder on the house and got it for the list price while the Sunset magazine house had numerous bidders and sold 50K+ above asking.

The lesson here is that when there's an "it" house of the week, take a look around at the other properties on the market.  While everyone is buzzing around the "it" house, there may be less competition than normal for other houses around town.  The week that the Georgia house was on the market, there was an awesome house for sale less than a mile away.  While 38 buyers were fixated on winning Georgia the other house only had 3 offers and sold to a buyer who was not paying all-cash.  Incroyable, no?

4.  Time the market
According to our agent, the slowest time of the year for the market is generally November through December.  This is when we were able to buy our house slightly below market comps.  Most people just don't want to move their kids in the middle of a school year, especially during the holidays.  The market picks up with more inventory right after Superbowl weekend and is hottest in the Spring to early Summer.   Our agent also says that election years tend to be good for sellers.  This year's biggest unknown is the Facebook IPO.  You can't go to an open house these days without hearing whispers about it.  Everyone's wondering about the mythical beast and how it'll affect housing prices.  Reports from recent sales indicate that there's more demand, more cash buyers and definitely more hype.  The IPO is rumored to be happening by mid-May, so a 6-month lock-up period would lift sometime in November.  If the Facebook Effect is real, the Fall may be a really good time to sell and a bad time to buy, which brings me to my last piece of advice, courtesy of the Gambler:

5. Know when to hold em', know when to fold em', know when to walk away, know when to run!
No one knows what the future holds.  They say the best time to buy is when you don't need to since it affords you the luxury of waiting for a great opportunity.  As soon as you have an inkling that you may want to buy and/or sell, talk to an experienced agent so that s/he can watch the market for you.  We were looking for over a year and a half before we ended up buying last Fall.  We were happy in our house in Mountain View but knew we would want to move in the next few years, so we kept an eye on the market.  A great agent waits for the right opportunity and doesn't pressure you to buy or sell when conditions aren't optimal.   A really great agent will educate you about resale value and talk you out of bad investment decisions.  I fell in love with several houses that our agent talked us out of because of location or price.   Don't get sucked into the emotion of winning a house.  Do comps and make calculated decisions, understand the neighborhood's pros and cons.  The market appears to be picking up, and as our agent pointed out to us after the Georgia sale, there are now 37 buyers in the market who just became a little hungrier to win.  If you think you may want to get in the game, you can get our agent's contact info here:  Erika will let you know when to hold, fold, walk away or run.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Need a land survey? Wade Hammond is your man.

A big fat yellow sheet of awesomeness.
After wasting $400 for a big fat yellow sheet of nothing, you can imagine I wasn't too excited to work with a land surveyor again.  However, I'm happy to report that I've found a winner.  I hereby present the Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence award to...drumroll, please...
Wade Hammond
Licensed Land Surveyor
Tel: (510) 579-6112
Wade was referred to me by our architect.  In less than a week start to finish, he provided a written quote, answered my questions, scheduled the job, finished the work and emailed the electronic files.  Here's what I like about Wade:
  • Uses email (hallelujah!) and responds F-A-S-T
  • Emailed a written quote outlining all services
  • Honest: didn't charge me more than he quoted
  • Offered a competitive price ($2400) with the fastest schedule
  • Efficient: completed the survey in one afternoon, emailed the electronic files that night
  • Follow up requests by our architect were responded to quickly
  • Clear communicator who doesn't ramble like Cliff Clavin
Here are the services Wade offers in Santa Clara, San Mateo, Marin, Contra Costa, & Alameda County:
  • Site plan surveys
  • Topographic surveys
  • Construction staking
  • Building location survers & certifications
  • Easements
  • Lot line adjustments
  • Boundary (property line) surveys
  • A.L.T.A. surveys
  • FEMA elevation certificated/MT-EZ Form
  • Legal descriptions
  • Story pole staking & certification
Here is our spiffy topographical survey.  It cost $2400 and was required by the city of Palo Alto as part of the site planning process.  It allows our architect to show how the new house will fit on the property along side the neighbors, within the setbacks, and away from protected trees and utilities.  It's a little hard to see at this size but here's what's included: buildings (simple footprint), elevations, trees/drip lines and neighbors trees/drip lines overhanging the property, curb, gutters,  fences, utilities, edge of  neighbors buildings, city of Palo Alto Benchmark, easements of record per tract map...and last but not least, a lot area calculation.  Here's a link for those of you dying to learn more about land surveying.


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Expert in grazing issues earns recognition

Expert in grazing issues earns recognition

MAHOMET — Richard Hungerford Jr. spent the first part of his career in the West, becoming an expert on livestock grazing and resource management in the harsh climates and fragile environments of Texas, North Dakota and Nebraska.

Sixteen years ago, he moved to Champaign County and found a land that was quite different.

"When I first got here, I said, 'You can grow more grass here by accident than they can out West, in a lifetime,'" he said. "It's some of the best soil in the world."

Hungerford, a state resource conservationist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resource Conservation Service, was recently honored with the 2011 Distinguished Grasslander Award at the annual conference of the American Forage and Grasslands Council. The award recognizes individuals over age 55 who have worked extensively in grazing issues and resource management.

A native of southwest Texas — where "it's all pretty much range land," as he puts it — his interest was sparked by watching his father work with livestock.

After college, Hungerford joined the USDA agency now known as the Natural Resources Conservation Service. He helped educate farmers and ranchers about good grazing practices and developed grazing management plans — work he's still doing, 35 years later.

Since then, he's worked in North Dakota and Nebraska before coming to central Illinois in 1995. Although there's more cropland than pasture in this part of the country, "there's more (livestock) here than people realize," Hungerford said.

The premise of livestock grazing might seem simple to those outside the industry, but there's more to it than just setting a herd of cattle loose in a grassy pasture. Hungerford and his staff at NRCS help farmers develop grazing systems specifically tailored to their needs.

He can calculate how many animals can safely graze in a given area, taking into account soil types, varieties of forage and the livestock itself. His job is half education, half technical assistance.

One issue he focuses on is extending the grazing season — planting forage crops such as turnips that grow longer into the colder months, cutting down on the amount of feed that livestock require in late autumn, winter and early spring.

"If you look at livestock operations here in Illinois, 50 percent of (expenditures) are feed costs," he said.

There's a wide variety of forage options for Illinois pastures, from fescue to orchard grasses to legumes. He and his co-workers at NRCS also help farmers deal with invasive plants such as honeysuckle.

Hungerford said that grazing management is "not as complicated" here as in the West, because the comparatively gentle climate.

"It's more forgiving here," he said. In Texas or North Dakota, on the other hand, "if you do something wrong, it could take a lifetime to recoup."

Hungerford also encourages farmers and ranchers to rotate livestock from one pasture to another every two to three days to give forages time to renew themselves. The animals themselves are the best judge of when it's time to seek greener pastures, he said: "They'll tell you when it's time to move."

On his own farm, he grazes cattle and sheep in the same pastures. The sheep eat smaller plants like Kentucky bluegrass, leaving larger grasses for the cows. "The ideal thing is to get a uniform clip across the pasture," he said.

He said that central Illinois is a good place to raise livestock, but that the rich soil and high prices of corn and soybeans make farmers more likely to plant crops instead of pasturing animals.

Hungerford and his wife Becky raise cattle and sheep at his farm north of Mahomet.

"I've just got small acres," he said. "But I figured if I was going to talk the talk, I'd walk the walk."

He's also served with Cornbelt Fire Protection District since 2000.

He walks his pastures several times a week, noticing how the animals and the environment affect each other — the study to which he's dedicated his career.

"We all have to be stewards of the land," he said. "That's one thing I learned early in life."

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text:
Searchers find body of man who tried to rescue boy in Lake Erie

BERLIN TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- Authorities in southeastern Michigan have recovered the body of a 36-year-old man who disappeared after jumping into the water to save an 8-year-old boy.

Monroe County sheriff's Sgt. Brian Angerer say searchers found the body in Lake Erie off Estral Beach about 2:25 p.m. Saturday.

Sheriff Dale Malone says a woman called 911 Wednesday evening, saying her boyfriend and son were in the water off the beach in Berlin Township, about 30 miles northeast of Toledo.

Malone says the couple and boys ages 3 and 8 were on an unanchored boat. They're from Oakland County's Waterford Township.

He says the 8-year-old wore a life jacket and jumped into the water but couldn't return to the boat.

Malone says the man wasn't wearing a jacket. His name hasn't been released.


text:
Missouri Senate passes renewal of investor tax credit

7:48 AM, Apr. 17, 2013  |  Comments
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - The Missouri Senate has passed legislation to renew a tax break for investors in businesses located in low-income areas.

Senators voted 23-11 Tuesday for a bill that would extend the New Markets Tax Credit program for an additional six years. The program was scheduled to expire this year

The initiative rewards investors in private equity funds that help finance small businesses in areas with high poverty rates or lower-than-average family incomes.

Missouri is one of about a dozen states with similar programs. They all mirror a federal New Markets program, which is to allocate about $3.5 billion of tax credits this year

The Missouri legislation would allow $15 million of tax credits annually. The bill now goes to the House.

New Markets bill is SB112.

Legislature: http://www.senate.mo.gov

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Antioxidant Enzyme Systems

By Dr Ananya Mandal, MD

There are several enzyme systems that catalyze reactions to neutralize free radicals and reactive oxygen species. These enzymes include:

  • superoxide dismutase
  • glutathione peroxidise
  • glutathione reductase
  • catalases

These form the body’s endogenous defence mechanisms to help protect against free radical-induced cell damage. The antioxidant enzymes – glutathioneperoxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) – metabolize oxidative toxic intermediates.

These enzymes also require co-factors such as selenium, iron, copper, zinc, and manganese for optimum catalytic activity. It has been suggested that an inadequate dietary intake of these trace minerals may compromise the effectiveness of these antioxidant defense mechanisms. The consumption and absorption of these important trace minerals may decrease with aging.

Glutathione enzymes and system

Glutathione, an important water-soluble antioxidant, is synthesized from the amino acids glycine, glutamate, and cysteine. Glutathione can directly neutralize ROS such as lipid peroxides, and also plays a major role in xenobiotic metabolism.

Xenobiotics are toxins that the body is exposed to. Exposure of the liver to xenobiotic substances means the body prepares itself by increasing detoxification enzymes, i.e., cytochrome P-450 mixed-function oxidase.

When an individual is exposed to high levels of xenobiotics, more glutathione is utilized for conjugation. Conjugation with Glutathioone renders the toxin neutral and makes it less available to serve as an antioxidant. Research suggests that glutathione and vitamin C work interactively to neutralize free radicals. These two also have a sparing effect upon each other.

The glutathione system includes glutathione, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidases and glutathione ''S''-transferases. Of these glutathione peroxidase is an enzyme containing four selenium-cofactors that catalyzes the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide and organic hydroperoxides. Glutathione ''S''-transferases show high activity with lipid peroxides. These enzymes are at particularly high levels in the liver.

Lipoic acid

This is another important endogenous antioxidant. It is categorized as “thiol” or “biothiol”. These are sulfur-containing molecules that catalyze the oxidative decarboxylation of alpha-keto acids, such as pyruvate and alphaketoglutarate, in the Krebs cycle.

Lipoic acid and its reduced form, dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA), neutralize the free radicals in both lipid and aqueous domains and as such has been called a “universal antioxidant.”

Superoxide dismutase

Superoxide dismutases (SODs) are a class of enzymes that catalyse the breakdown of the superoxide anion into oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. These enzymes are present in almost all aerobic cells and in extracellular fluids.

SODs contain metal ion cofactors that, depending on the isozyme, can be copper, zinc, manganese or iron. For example, in humans copper/zinc SOD is present in the cytosol, while manganese SOD is present in the mitochondrion. The mitochondrial SOD is most biologically important of these three.

In plants, SOD isozymes are present in the cytosol and mitochondria. There is also an iron SOD found in chloroplasts.

Catalases are enzymes that catalyse the conversion of hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen, using either an iron or manganese cofactor. This is found in peroxisomes in most eukaryotic cells. Its only substrate is hydrogen peroxide. It follows a ping-pong mechanism.

Here, its cofactor is oxidised by one molecule of hydrogen peroxide and then regenerated by transferring the bound oxygen to a second molecule of substrate.

There are peroxidases that catalyze the reduction of hydrogen peroxide, organic hydroperoxides, as well as peroxynitrite. These may be of three basic types - typical 2-cysteine peroxiredoxins; atypical 2-cysteine peroxiredoxins; and 1-cysteine peroxiredoxins. Peroxiredoxins seem to be important in antioxidant metabolism.

Reviewed by , BA Hons (Cantab)

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Last Updated: Oct 31, 2012

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Eifert's stock still rising as NFL Draft arrives

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He could go Top 10 or end up with a playoff team

Thursday, April 25, 2013 - 4:48 am

Tyler Eifert will know his new home sooner or later Thursday, and it could be sooner than previously expected.

Two NFL Draft analysts with track records of insight, ESPN's Todd McShay and Yahoo Sports' Greg Cosell, have Eifert going to the Cleveland Browns with the sixth pick.

The No.6 spot is by far the highest Eifert, the former Notre Dame and Bishop Dwenger High School standout, is projected in a perusal of various media mock drafts.

“Conventional wisdom says (tight end) is not a position you take in the Top 10,” Cosell wrote.

Cosell went on to note that only two tight ends have gone that high in the last decade, both at No.6: Kellen Winslow in 2004 and Vernon Davis in 2006.

“Two things to keep in mind,” Cosell wrote, “(Browns coach) Rob Chudzinski was the OC in Cleveland when Winslow had 82 catches for 1,106 yards (the Browns won the AFC North that season), and new OC Norv Turner is a master at utilizing the TE, most recently Antonio Gates, but you can go all the way back to Jay Novacek with the Cowboys in the early 1990s.”

The NFL Network's Albert Breer pointed to Eifert this week as one of the players creating the most buzz as the draft neared.

Breer wrote: “A very clean prospect who will benefit from circumstances here: a) the value of tight ends has never been higher; and b) there aren't a lot of them in this year's draft. There seems to be far more of a league-wide positive consensus on Eifert than Stanford's Zach Ertz, which could lead to a team getting antsy and making a move for the Irish All-American.”

Beyond those observations, a look at mock drafts from various media outlets points to less-than-a-consensus on where Eifert will land.'s list of eight experts shows two analysts projecting Eifert to the New York Jets at No.13, two sending him No.26 to the Green Bay Packers, two to the Atlanta Falcons at No.30 and two to the San Francisco 49ers at No. 31. Another team mentioned as a possibility is the Dallas Cowboys at No.18.

“The Packers obviously could trade down with a team needing a quarterback, but some consider Eifert the top skill-position player in this class,”'s Josh Norris wrote. “His ability to catch the ball at its highest point is outstanding.”'s Bucky Brooks says the 49ers could get a steal with Eifert.

“The loss of Delanie Walker makes it imperative for the 49ers to find a tight end with the athleticism and versatility to complement Vernon Davis,” Brooks wrote. “Eifert is a terrific pass catcher with the size to create mismatches between the hashes.”

Sports Illustrated's Don Banks projects Eifert to go to the Chicago Bears at No.20 while writers have him going to the Jets, Falcons, 49ers, Pittsburgh Steelers (No.17) and Houston Texans (No.27).

The Miami Herald's Greg Cote expects the Dolphins to take Eifert with the No.12 pick.

“I have a hunch about Eifert,” Cote wrote. “Twelve is higher than his typical projection, but I am told GM Jeff Ireland and coach Joe Philbin are enchanted by Eifert, seeing in him what the Patriots have in Rob Gronkowski – somebody who can wreak havoc in the red zone and continue giving Ryan Tannehill all he needs to make it big. Eifert is too tall (6-6) for DBs to cover and too fast for most linebackers. If this choice is a big of a 'reach,' it's a calculated gamble that could hit big for the Dolphins.”

Eifert will await his fate from his family's home in Fort Wayne. A trip to New York, even though he had the chance, wasn't his style.

The sooner he finds out which team has selected him, the sooner his pro career becomes reality. He might not have to wait long.


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Appalachian begins “zero waste” commitment

BOONE—A “zero waste” commitment has begun at Appalachian State University with the goal of diverting 90 percent of all waste from landfill disposal by 2022.

The university currently diverts 40 percent of its waste annually from a landfill by recycling, reducing and composting.

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“Colleges and universities have adopted goals of 90 percent diversion when speaking of zero waste as there are certain items that become part of their waste stream that they have no control over,” according to Jennifer Maxwell, the university’s resource conservation specialist. The non-recyclable waste generally is related to items purchased off campus but consumed or used on campus and that can’t be recycled or composted because of the packaging. These become part of the waste stream as a result.

“As educators, it is important for Appalachian to make a commitment to sustainability initiatives such as zero waste in order to cultivate a cultural shift toward a more sustainable society. Through this commitment, we will bring about better awareness of consumption habits, become more mindful of reduction and purchasing decisions and increase our overall landfill diversion rates as a campus community,” she said.

As part of this commitment, single stream recycling and mini-bin waste collections initiatives will be implemented. These initiatives are a collaborative effort between the Office of Sustainability, Building Services and the Physical Plant.

Beginning March 11, single stream recycling will be implemented in all academic and administrative buildings on campus. Students and employees will now use recycling containers to mix all recyclables in one bin. Mixed paper, paperboard, books, metal, glass, and plastics No.1 through No. 7 will all go into one container.

“Being able to collect all these materials in one container will greatly reduce waste and collection costs,” said Maxwell.

Also beginning March 11, nine buildings will begin using the small mini-bin waste collection systems. Faculty and staff will be responsible for emptying their office recycling and waste containers into centralized sites in their building. “By emptying your own container you tend to think more about your consumption and the waste you produce. It’s a paradigm shift,” Maxwell said.

The initiative is being phased in across campus after recycling collection increased from six bags to 60 during a two-week test period in Raley Hall. The next phase of buildings will be during the summer, with the last phase occurring in the fall.

Goals of the zero waste initiative are:

  • Reduce the university’s impact on the environment
  • Increase awareness of personal waste stream
  • Reduce unnecessary and wasteful purchasing
  • Increase recycling revenues while reducing landfill fees
  • Increase effectiveness of waste handling and housekeeping processes
  • Educate students and community members in environmental stewardship

Part of the zero waste initiative includes institutional purchasing decisions that focus on reducing consumption and increasing recycling.

“Appalachian is a proven leader in sustainability, and the commitment to zero waste is an important next step for our campus,” said Linda Toth, a graduate assistant in the Office of Sustainability. “Understanding the responsibility we all have will be the key to success in reaching higher diversion rates, and becoming future role models in our careers and personal lifestyles.”

Learn more at http://zerowaste.appstate.edu.


text:
Tunisian troops killed in deadliest attack

2014-07-17 20:20
Jebel Chaambi mountains in southwest Tunisia near the city of Kasserine. (Paul Schemm, AP, File)

Jebel Chaambi mountains in southwest Tunisia near the city of Kasserine. (Paul Schemm, AP, File)

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Tunis - Assailants have killed 14 Tunisian soldiers near the Algerian border, the government said on Thursday, in the worst such attack in the army's history as it presses a crackdown on jihadists.

The attack took place in the Mount Chaambi region on Wednesday evening as the soldiers were breaking their day-long Ramadan fast.

The defence ministry said two "terrorist groups", a term used to refer to Al-Qaeda-linked jihadists, opened fire on twin army posts with machine-guns and grenade launchers.

Fourteen soldiers died, 18 were wounded and another went missing, making it the heaviest toll inflicted on the army since Tunisia's independence in 1956, the ministry's press office told AFP.

One of the assailants, a Tunisian, was killed in the fighting, and there were also Algerians among them, the army said.

But few other details have yet emerged about the armed group.

The ministry has previously insisted that militants the army has been hunting since late 2012 in the remote western border region are linked to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).

The army said nine of the soldiers had burned to death and vowed to wage "open war" on terrorism.

"These attacks cost us 14 martyrs. Five were hit by bullets and nine were burned ... when the tent they were in caught fire," after it was hit by grenades, the army's head of ground operations, Souheil Chmengui, told a press conference.

"This is open war. The war of a country and a people against an evil," he said, pledging to combat terrorism "day and night".

Persistent jihadist threat

The army's chief of staff, Mohamed Salah Hamdi, said it was unclear if the missing soldier had been killed, wounded or taken hostage.

President Moncef Marzouki declared three days of national mourning, while government spokesman Nidhal Ouerfelli condemned what he called a "heinous act".

The attacks came almost a year to the day after the bodies of eight Tunisian soldiers were found, some of them with their throats slit, after being ambushed in the western Kasserine region.

Since the 2011 revolution that toppled Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, Tunisia has been rocked by violence blamed on hardline Islamists who were suppressed under the former dictator.

The country has made tangible progress this year in terms of stability, and elections are due to take place in just over three months, after political turmoil in 2013 triggered by the assassination of two opposition politicians.

In January, after a tense standoff between rival factions, parliament finally adopted a new constitution and the ruling coalition led by moderate Islamist party Ennahda resigned, allowing for the formation of an interim administration of independents.

But the jihadist threat has cast a shadow over any political gains.

Battling jihadists

Four Tunisian soldiers were killed by a land mine in the northwest Kef region during an anti-terror operation earlier this month, a day after four soldiers and two policemen were wounded by a roadside bomb in the same area.

Last month AQIM, the global terror network's North Africa branch, for the first time claimed responsibility for recent attacks in Tunisia, including an assault on the home of the interior minister.

The May 27 attack on the home of Lotfi Ben Jeddou, in the Kasserine region, killed four security guards.

Officials insist it was a "revenge" attack in response to successes achieved by the security forces in their anti-terrorist campaign.

The authorities have designated Mount Chaambi and neighbouring mountain districts a closed military zone, and warned of the growing threat posed by "terrorist organisations" based there.

Since December 2012, Tunisia's security forces have been battling the jihadists hiding out in the Mount Chaambi and Kef regions, which both straddle the Algerian border, launching a series of major land and air operations.

Read more on:    moncef marzouki  |  north africa

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Cousin claims Zimmerman abuse, racism

2012-07-17 12:03

Multimedia   ·   User Galleries   ·   News in Pictures Send us your pictures  ·  Send us your stories

Miami – Florida teen shooter George Zimmerman and his family frequently made racist comments about blacks, says witness identified in court documents only as "Witness 9" in a claim bound to fuel the controversy surrounding the racially-charged case.

The woman, who is Zimmerman's cousin, also claimed Zimmerman began abusing her when she was six years old and he was about eight.

"He would put his hand under my pants, under my underwear," the witness said in an interview with investigators in the central Florida town of Sanford, where the February shooting took place.

In a voice tight with emotion, she said the abuse continued every time her family visited his, over a period of 10 years.

The release by prosecutors of the allegations of childhood molestation against Zimmerman drew an angry response on Monday from the murder suspect's lawyer.

"In her statements, Witness #9, who is George Zimmerman's cousin, alleges that Mr Zimmerman inappropriately touched her, beginning when she was six and Mr Zimmerman was almost eight, and that it continued on occasion until she was 16 and Mr Zimmerman was 17," read a statement from defence attorney Mark O'Mara, confirming allegations contained in an audio recording released earlier by prosecutors.

Vigorous defence

O'Mara filed a motion to block the release of the witness statements, but this was blocked by the judge last month.

The motion argued there was "substantial risk that public disclosure will lead to widespread hostile publicity which would substantially impair the defendant's fair trial rights".

Despite a plea to prosecutors on Monday morning not to release the documents until a separate motion calling for the replacement of the judge had been resolved, the prosecution proceeded with the public disclosure.

"Now that this statement is part of the public record, the defence will vigorously defend Mr Zimmerman against the allegations," O'Mara said.

The witness said in the interview that she had contacted police after the shooting because she was afraid Zimmerman "may have done something because the kid was black".

She said Zimmerman and his family, who come from a mix of Hispanic and white backgrounds, "always made statements that they don't like black people if they don't act like white people. They like black people, if they act white".

Wave of protests

An audio recording of the interview was released by the prosecution Monday, along with records of hundreds of Zimmerman's phone calls from jail.

The Martin shooting caused an uproar in the United States, mainly over the initial reluctance to press charges against Zimmerman, who insists he acted in self-defence under Florida's controversial "stand-your-ground" law.

Zimmerman, aged 28, told police he had been tracking Martin, whom he had viewed as suspicious, and shot and killed the teenager after being assaulted by him.

Witnesses reported seeing a scuffle but it is not clear who threw the first punch or what ensued.

A wave of protests spread across the country before police arrested Zimmerman six weeks after the shooting and charged him with second-degree murder.

Zimmerman has pleaded not guilty. He was released on bail earlier this month, but not before his initial bond was revoked after he was found to have lied about his financial situation.

Read more on:    george zimmerman  |  trayvon martin  |  us  |  child abuse  |  racism

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More than 25 000 flee volcano

2014-01-12 08:26
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Scores flee as Indonesian volcano erupts

Indonesia’s Mount Sinabung has erupted for the third time in a few months, covering nearby villages in ash and gray dust.

Jakarta - More than 25 000 people have fled their homes following a series of eruptions and lava flows from a volcano in Indonesia, an official said on Sunday.

Mount Sinabung on the western island of Sumatra sent hot rocks and ash up to 5 000m in the air "several times" on Saturday, National Disaster Mitigation Agency emergency response director Tri Budiarto told AFP.

"So far, 25 516 people have been evacuated. There's nobody now within a five-kilometre radius of the crater. We are urging those living within seven kilometres southeast of the crater to move too," he added.

Hot lava, which has been spewing from the volcano for the past two weeks, has flowed into a river and filled up valleys with pyroclastic material, he said.

"There were small secondary explosions when lava flows came into contact with the water, but there are no casualties so far. We are urging people not to carry out any activity in the rivers," he added.

Read more on:    indonesia  |  volcanoes

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text:
Where are 'Xena,' 'Hercules' stars today?

Published On: Mar 27 2012 04:56:28 PM CDT   Updated On: Mar 30 2015 01:00:00 AM CDT

With Lucy Lawless marking her 47th birthday over the weekend, let's see what she and her one-time "Xena" and "Hercules" co-stars are up to today.

Xena Hercules - Sam Raimi
34 / 36
Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons

Sam Raimi, who produced both series, is also the director of such films as the "Evil Dead," the "Spider-Man" movies, "Drag Me to Hell" and "Oz the Great and Powerful." He is also serving as an executive producer on "Ash vs Evil Dead" and directing the first episode of the series.

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LA CROSSE, Wis. -- -

If you're having trouble falling asleep, technology may be to blame.

Sleep doctors say the LED display on many TVs, computers, tablets and cellphone screens all project a display that stimulates the brain.

That's why it can be difficult to fall asleep right after using technology with such screens.

Doctors say your sleep can also be interrupted if you receive alerts from social media on your phone.

Now that kids have access to technology at young ages, a Gundersen Lutheran doctor recommends setting up guidelines to make sure it doesn't get in the way of a good night's rest.

"If parents could help by educating their kids on the importance of sleep and then as a family decide that sleep is a priority, then you can make decisions on whether or not you want to limit use of media devices at night and during sleep time," said Dr. Ivy Andersen with Gundersen Lutheran.

Dr. Andersen recommends keeping all computers, TVs and other technology out of the bedroom.

She said it's a simple way to make sure kids are able to get a good night's rest.


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MADISON, Wis. (AP) -

A western Wisconsin historical site is set re-enact an early 19th-century battle this summer.

Villa Louis, a historical mansion in Prairie du Chien, is planning to re-create the War of 1812's Battle of Prairie du Chien. The battle took place on July 17, 1814, when U.S. and British-Canadian soldiers clashed on what is now the mansion's west lawn.

The event will feature two narrated re-enactments, one on the evening of July 13 and the other on the afternoon of July 14, as well as a living history camp.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children between the ages of five and 17 and $8.50 for students and senior citizens.


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Belpre chamber celebrates growth, recognizes businesses

November 16, 2012

BELPRE — The Belpre Area Chamber of Commerce celebrated the culmination of 2012 with about 200 community leaders, citizens and business owners at the 75th annual dinner Thursday in St....

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Officials close bleachers at Stadium Field

November 17, 2012
By MICHAEL ERB ( , Parkersburg News and Sentinel

PARKERSBURG - Wood County Schools has shut down Parkersburg High School's Stadium Field grandstands following an engineering report that said the bleachers were not safe to use.

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05/06/10 — LOUIS TANN SR.

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Died May 2, 2010

FAISON -- Louis Tann Sr., 85 of 934 Warren Road, died Sunday at Wayne Memorial Hospital.

Funeral will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. at Moses Chapel Disciple Church of Christ. Burial will be in Cobbs Cemetery.

Born in Sampson County, he was the son of the late Ernest and Daisy Barksdale Tann.

Four children survive.

Visitation will be held Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. at Garris Funeral Home Chapel.

Published in Obituaries on May 6, 2010 1:46 PM


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West London terrorised by ‘trick or treat’ interpretive street dance gang

Families across the London borough of Ealing were left paralysed with fear and unable to turn on their lights or open their curtains over the weekend for fear of attracting a visit from a group of synchronised trick-or-treaters who performed complex dance interpretations of ‘Double-dip recession’, ‘Losing your job’, and ‘House repossession’ on their gravel drives if not given appropriate treats.

JoJo D, the leader of the street dance group, who call themselves Straight Up, said: ‘Just as people’s fears have changed, so too must trick-or-treating, and interpretive street dance was the obvious medium.’

Other routines that confronted residents of the affluent, leafy suburb with what truly haunts them included ‘Your skill-set is utterly worthless, you are seen as a joke among your colleagues at work’ and ‘The value of your pension has been significantly eroded, and your retirement will be spent in monotonous poverty’.

One Ealing resident came home from a pilates class to find her husband sitting on the hall floor, hugging his knees and sobbing ‘make them go away…just…make them go away’, and many other households gave the dance troupe not just all their Haribo, but anything else they wanted from their houses to stop the body-popping poppets from reminding them of their barely suppressed nightmares with their carefully choreographed body movements.

JoJo D said that their recently devised breakdance versions of ‘Food price surge and population growth leads us to have to eat insects’, and ‘China offer to bail out Eurozone a clear signal that we’ll all be speaking Mandarin in 10 years’ also sent home-owners into choking panic attacks of terror.

As for next year, JoJo D says they are already working on some new material including ‘We know you shagged your mate’s wife’ and ‘The contents of your hard-drive are known to the police’.

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Posted: Oct 31st, 2011 by Golgo13

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Some of Hottest Cars at the Geneva Auto Show

This year's Geneva auto show has its share of hot concept cars, including sleek vehicles from Lamborghini and Infiniti. Topless cars and female models feature, too, through 18 March. (March 7)

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Six LI women star in Bravo's 'Princesses: Long Island' reality series

Casey Cohen of Casey Cohen of "Princesses: Long Island." Photo Credit: Bravo

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Six young women from Long Island who were living at their parents' homes during 2012 will make their reality television debut on June 2 in the Bravo series, "Princesses: Long Island."

The cast includes Amanda Bertoncini, 27, Great Neck; Joey Lauren Brodish, who goes by Joey Lauren, 30, Freeport; Casey Cohen, 28, Jericho; Erica Gimbel, 29, Old Westbury; Chanel "Coco" Omari, 28, Great Neck; and Ashlee White, 30, Roslyn.

The show filmed at venues including the Wearhouse women's clothing boutique in Great Neck, where Bertoncini's mom, Barbara, works; Aura salon and Steven Dann shoes in Great Neck; and Sugar social club in Carle Place.

Bravo confirmed the women's identities, but wouldn't divulge any other information. The show is being billed as a docu-series about the women's pampered lifestyle, family dynamics and personal lives.

The stars were prohibited from answering questions due to contractual agreements with Bravo. "No comment right now," said White, reached by cellphone. "But I thank you very much for reaching out." Calls to other cast members weren't returned.

However, here is some information Newsday has unearthed:

Bertoncini is a 2004 graduate of Great Neck South High School. She has launched "The Drink Hanky," a patterned piece of material to wrap around a cold drink at a club. According to its website, the Hanky protects against condensation and prevents the user's hand from getting cold.

Brodish has worked as an editorial assistant for Page Six magazine at the New York Post and, according to her Facebook page, is founder and chief executive of Kissamint, which makes products for the mouth such as breath freshener and dissolvable breath strips.

Cohen now lives in New York City, graduated from New York University in 2011, and works at 1 OAK NYC, a Manhattan nightclub, according to her Facebook page.

Omari is a 2002 graduate of Lawrence's Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway. She studied broadcast journalism at Northeastern University and has done video interviews with celebrities.

Gimbel graduated from The Wheatley School in Old Westbury in 2001. According to her resume at Star Search casting, Gimbel has performed at the Sid Jacobson Jewish Community Center in East Hills, knows tap, jazz, ballet and hip-hop, and can perform Spanish and French accents.

White is an aspiring events planner; her company, according to her LinkedIn page, is called Ashlee White Events. She attended Hofstra University, where she was Pan-Hellenic president. "Princesses" filmed her 30th birthday party at Sugar.

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Souper Bowl VI: The results

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Sullivan's Quay Restaurant & Bar is a Port Sullivan's Quay Restaurant & Bar is a Port Washington mainstay. Photo Credit: Handout

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The dish on Long Island's restaurant and food scene.

Souper Bowl VI, the sixth annual contest of Port Washington’s best soups, was played on Saturday and both the Judges’ Choice and People’s Choice awards went to Sullivan’s Quay for its coconut-butternut squash soup. “People were practically swooning,” reported Bobbie Polay, executive director of the Port Washington Chamber of Commerce, which organized the event.

The winning soup is a frequent special on Sullivan’s Quay’s menu where, according to the restaurant’s manager Catherine O’Neill, it is always a big hit. “That’s why we decided to enter it,” she said. Starting tomorrow night — and into the foreseeable future — you’ll be able to order it every day ($6, bowl; $4, cup).

Souper Bowl’s Judges’ Choice runners-up were the tortilla soup from Main Street Bakery & Café and the chicken-noodle soup from Frank’s Pizza. The runners-up for the People’s Choice were the potato-leek soup from Sweet Comfort Bakery & Café and the tortilla soup from Main Street Bakery & Café.

Sullivan’s Quay (pronounced “key”) is at 541 Port Washington Blvd., Port Washington, 516-883-3122.

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Car fires reported in North Bellmore

The North Bellmore Fire Department was called to The North Bellmore Fire Department was called to an Olympia Road home in North Bellmore just after 3 a.m. for a reported car fire in the driveway. Firefighters arrived to find a Mercedes-Benz station wagon engulfed in flames and a Ford near it on fire as well. The fire was brought under control in about 20 minutes. (Feb. 13, 2013) Photo Credit: Paul Mazza

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Nassau County's Arson / Bomb Squad is investigating two burning cars found on Olympia Road in North Bellmore early Wednesday.

A police spokesman said the two cars -- a 2000 Mercedes and a 2008 Ford -- were reported on fire at about 3 a.m.

The area is south of the Southern State Parkway and west of Bellmore Road.

The North Bellmore Fire Department extinguished the fires, he said.

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Rev. Hope Johnson conducts ministry of racial justice in Garden City

The Jamaican-born minister of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Central Nassau is the realization of a welcoming community created in this largely white suburban congregation. Videojournalist: Barry Sloan (Feb. 2, 2014)

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Steve Forbes: We're in a "serious recession"

Reported by Chrish - October 7, 2008 -

Repeated segments in the loop of talking points this morning 10/07/08 on FOX and Friends were slams at CNBC's Jim Cramer, who yesterday advised viewers who need cash liquidity in the next five years to get what they need out of the stock market now,this week. The Friends urged viewers to remain calm and unemotional (that's a switch!) and to sit tight; Gretchen Carlson even said that she personally was getting back IN to the stock market to show her faith in the economy. (Ignore that emotional pseudo-patriotic response to an ongoing financial crisis and the apparent hypocrisy, why dontcha. They're gettin' kinda panicky over there.)

The "stars" of FOX's floundering sister FBN were all over the place - Charles Payne, Alexis Glick, Jenna Lee, and heavy-hitter Steve Forbes, as the Friends heavily promoted the channel. The chyrons did a lot of the work, telling viewers that stern father Bush says everything will be alright in the long run, and Americans just need to be patient.

Steve Doocy repeatedly called Cramer a "nitwit" and "nutty," and Carlson said if you listen to him, you might think we're in a whole heckuva lot of trouble! (This is along the lines of the first couple of years we monitored FOX and had a category for "Happy Iraq." Now we have "Happy Economic Crash.") But the chyrons reminded viewers to "Stay Cool! Don't sell everything!" Doocy ridiculed Cramer some more, and Carlson wondered if some people on teevee just say things to get noticed. (Ann Coulter, anyone?) Doocy solemnly held up the cover of the NYPost (sister Murdoch-owned company, same messaging, not identified as such) that read "Economic Crisis: The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."

Forbes joined them later in the second hour and reiterated that "in the market, emotions are your enemy" and advised all to ride out the roller-coaster. He thought Cramer's advice was "incomplete" and gave some investing 101 advice of his own, sorta - but too late for the current crisis - he told people what they *should* have done already.

But now that the bailout "rescue package" has passed, the markets "finally noticed... that we're in a recession, a very serious recession. When the credit markets started to tighten, that was going to effect the real economy. We're in a recession, Europe's in a recession, Asia's slowing down. So the markets are finally waking up to it."

Welcome to reality, FOX cultists. The reality-based community has been aware of this growing crisis for months - this did not happen overnight - even as FOX analysts commentators pundits journalists blowhards
have been in loud denial for a year.

Forbes recommended actions by Paulson and the SEC, and then "something Reaganesque - a big across-the-board tax cut." Democrats and editorial boards would go "kablooey," but it worked for Kennedy and Reagan, it could work now. There's that miracle tonic again - is there anything tax-cuts can't solve?

Deficits don't worry him (his family is solvent ad infinitum, why should they?); what he wants to see is the credit flowing again. More of the same, please.


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Dad lessons for Father's Day

4:39 PM, Jun. 13, 2013  |  Comments
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On Mother's Day, I asked you, my dear readers, to send along some of the life lessons taught you by your mothers. As Father's Day approaches, I ask the same favor from you about your dads.

I received this response after Mother's Day from M., of Wading River, NY.:

"I've been meaning to write this since Mother's Day. It applies to Father's Day, as well. My parents came to live with us when they were in the 80s. Four generations under one roof was challenging at best, and heart wrenching at worst. My dearest mother often said 'A kind word when I am alive means more than all the tears and flowers when I am dead.' I don't believe these were original words, but 13 years after she has gone, I still shed tears for all the opportunities I missed to say a kind word. We spent seven years together and I believe we were blessed. The days were difficult and sometimes trying, but I will treasure the good times."

RABBI GELLMAN: I agree. We so often underestimate or overlook the importance of a simple kind word to our parents. Their sacrifices so often go unappreciated or worse--appreciated but unthanked. This is why I am such a big fan of Mother's and Father's Day, which are, let us be honest, mostly the creation of the flower/candy/necktie/shirt/socks/golfball industries. Still, behind the commercial hype, there's the simple yet noble opportunity to thank the people who gave us life. So please don't let Father's Day pass without including a kind word to your father.

I have not been able to do this for the last six years, since my father, Sol Gellman, died. Dad taught me to treat strangers with special kindness. Dad was always striking up conversations with workers and passersby. This embarrassed us, his children, and I'm proud to have embarrassed my children the same way.

Before EZ Pass, my kids would scream at me as we approached the toll booths into New York City: "DAD, FOR GOD'S SAKE, PLEASE DON'T TALK TO THE TOLL GUY!" Their pleas did not help. I always talked to the toll taker as a simple act of kindness, but also as an act of honoring the life lesson of my father.

There is, however, a spiritually dark side to Mother's Day and Father's Day. They both presume that we all had loving, adoring, supportive, nurturing parents and that's sometimes not the case at all. I receive many e-mails from readers who have not been blessed with parents like mine. Some have grown up in abusive homes and some have grown up in homes with absent parents.

Their questions are usually about how they can possibly observe the commandment of honoring your father and your mother. My response is to first ask them to be as spiritually generous as possible when judging their parents. Many parents love their children without saying so. Many parents teach without words, and many parents are simply doing the best they can without possessing the parenting skills necessary to raise children effectively. The fundamental fact remains, however: With all of them, we would not be here without them.

I also often urge unhappy, complaining children to take a closer look at Asian families and families from other traditional cultures where parental respect is more ingrained and expected. I know such cultures have a danger of authoritarianism. I know that they may tighten the leash on their children a bit too much, but there's something to be said for this way of constructing families. They teach responsibility, duty, modesty and respect and all of these are good things to teach in a culture that often teaches selfishness, arrogance, and disrespect.

The point is that what you think was wrong with your parents is not always what was wrong with them. It could be what is wrong with your view of them.

One of my favorite rabbinic sayings is from the ancient rabbi Shmuel bar Nahmani, who taught, "We do not see the world as it is. We see the world as we are." So my prayer for us all - not just on Mother's Day or Father's Day, but every day - is to find a way to love our parents as they are.

And then there's my favorite life lesson story of all time:

A Cherokee Chief said to his grandchildren, "Two wolves are fighting inside me. One wolf is fear, anger, and envy. The other wolf is kindness, courage and love. The same two wolves are fighting inside each of you." One child asked, "Grandfather, which wolf will win?" The old chief said, "The wolf that will win is the wolf you feed."

Happy Father's Day

Feed the right wolf

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The hot topic: Temperatures

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AS the graph here demonstrates, winter temperatures have clearly been increasing bit by bit since the mid-century (a pattern that is actually echoed across the seasons).

This reporter had previously drawn up the table above last year for another news agency, using old-fashioned pen-and-paper and a century’s-worth of data from the Met Office.

But although the winter of 1963 was the coldest overall, the lowest temperature ever recorded in Northern Ireland was actually -18.7C on December 24, 2010 at Castlederg.

So what is going on?

Dr Julian Mayes, a forecaster for the private weather agency MeteoGroup,said: “For the last five years, we’ve had a bit of a question mark. We’ve had a retreat from some of that warming, that peak of warmth.”

For example, that since last October, the weather has been about 0.7 of a degree Celsius colder than would be expected against the 30-year average for that time of year.

“But if you compare it to the winters of the mid-20th century, it’s exactly on average,” he said.

“It looks as though there is a local pausing in warming in north-west Europe.”

But he added that north-west Europe is hardly the entire world, and that “global warming is continuing just as strongly.”

Asked to sum up whether there really is truth in the anecdotal belief that winters just aren’t as cold as they used to be, he said: “There was certainly truth in that in the 1980s, 1990s and until 2009. The main trend was towards, warmer, wetter winters. Since 2009 four winters… have been colder than average.

“It may be an interruption to the warming trend. Certainly over the decades winters are generally, they have become, milder. (But) in the last five years we’ve seen a return to temperatures more typical of the childhoods of the older part of the population.”

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Rangers’ Kris Boyd delighted with first goals of the season

Rangers Kris Boyd celebrates his side's first goal against Clyde

Rangers Kris Boyd celebrates his side's first goal against Clyde

Kris Boyd picked the perfect moment to score his first goals in his second spell at Ibrox – celebrating with a hat-trick on Monday evening on what was his 31st birthday.

The striker was honest enough to acknowledge he could have scored more.

“It was great to get off the mark – it’s been a long time coming. I should have had more – I missed chances.”

It was no surprise when Kris was named sponsor’s ‘Man-of-the-Match’, having scored a hat-trick. Many however felt that the accolade should have gone elsewhere – including Boyd himself.

“As far as I’m concerned, Lewis MacLeod was the ‘Man of-the-Match’ – he and Lee McCulloch were fantastic in midfield. Lewis is a great talent – he caused Clyde all manner of problems, but like any youngster he needs to apply himself and work hard. He’s enjoying his football and is level-headed which is massively important.”

It was generous praise and there was more.

“Fraser Aird gave us widt; he got into areas that helped the strikers with regards to coming in off the touchline and taking part in the game. He wasn’t just standing out there. It was the same with Lewis, who was brilliant when he moved into the middle. He took the game by the scruff of the neck and took it to Clyde. He created numerous chances and got himself another couple of goals.

“That’s what you want from your midfielders. You want to see them running beyond strikers and taking part. Overall it was a great performance.

“Clyde might be part-time, but we knew we had to put on a performance. It was a joy to play tonight. It was a good team performance and everybody wanted the ball. When you score so early it helps.”

There was an honesty and frankness about the former Kilmarnock man as he reflected on the first three games of the new season, games which failed to yield any goals either for himself or fellow striker Kenny Miller.

“Kenny and I have struggled to get on the ball but that’s not down to the other nine players. Our movement could have been better too but Nicky Clark has come in and done really well.”

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