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The Origin EON-11s is an Impressive Gaming Machine Masquerading as a Netbook

The bigger the gaming laptop is, the more powerful it is. At least that's been the experience I've had in my gaming laptop-reviewing career. A bigger chassis means more bells and whistles, better heat management, and a larger, more vivid display.

I've equated smaller size with sacrifice, so when Origin PC first unveiled the EON-11s, an 11-inch portable gaming machine and one of the more affordable units they offer, I was impressed by the engineering but skeptical of its capabilities.

Now that I've spent a couple of weeks caressing its keys with my own hands? I'm impressed. And a little squinty.

When I compare the form factor of the EON-11s to a netbook, bear in mind that I've not been testing out a system with one of the fancy new molded panels Origin PC is so very proud of. Instead, my review unit came with the basic Origin panel, a flat black textured number that really does enhance the illusion that this is the sort of machine you could pick up for a couple hundred bucks at Wal-Mart.

The Origin EON-11s is an Impressive Gaming Machine Masquerading as a Netbook

When a real customer purchases an 11-S they are given the choice of three molded colored panels, seen above, for no additional charge. What's the difference? I'd say it's the difference between someone swiping the unit or handing it in at the counter when you accidentally leave it at Starbucks. Some appreciate the flash; I'm perfectly fine without.

The Origin EON-11s is an Impressive Gaming Machine Masquerading as a Netbook

EON-11 Review System Specs

  • Intel Core i5-2520 Dual-Core Processor (2.50GHz), 3MB Cache
  • 8GB DDR3 1333MHz1
  • 750GB SATA 3.0Gb/s, 7200RPM, 16MB Cache HDD
  • Single 2GB GDDR3 NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M w/ Optimus 1.2 Technology
  • Wi-Fi Link 802.11A/B/G/N Wireless LAN Module with Bluetooth - Up to 300 Mbps
  • SAMSUNG USB 2.0 External Slim Portable Blu-ray Writer 6X BD-R/8X DVD+/-R/24X CD-RW
  • CyberLink PowerDVD 12 Ultra - 3D Blu Ray
  • 1 Genuine MS Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit Edition
  • 1 Year Part Replacement and 45 Day Free Shipping Warranty with DVD image and Lifetime Labor/24-7 Support

Total Configured Price: $1429

Starting Price $999

The simple back panel of my unit nicely accentuates the no-frills interior of the EON-11s. It's got a perfectly capable 11.6" HD 1366x768 display; a plain vanilla keyboard of the limited variety often found on, say, a netbook; a textured two-button touchpad that melds nicely with the base; and that's pretty much it. The power button is a black square of plastic with a blue accent light.

They've managed to cram quite a few ports onto the sides of the unit, aided by the fact that there's no internal optical drive on the unit. That sacrifice allowed engineers to fit two USB 2.0 ports, three USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI out, a VGA port, a sport for a network cable and the obligatory headphone and microphone jacks. To load my copy of Diablo III on the EON-11s I used the optional Samsung portable USB Blu-ray writer.

Indeed, only the Origin logo beneath the display betrays the fact that this is anything other than a limited-power budget notebook. It even has the battery life of a netbook, easily running for five or six hours during non-graphics intensive work, thanks to NVIDIA's Optimus Technology.

The true power of the EON-11s lurks beneath this unassuming exterior. Configurable with up to an Intel Core i7-3612QM quad-core processor with up to 16GB of memory and a standard 2GB GDDR3 NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M handling video, Origin can pack a lot of power into this tiny package.

My review system wasn't quite all that. Mine came outfitted with an Intel Core i5-2520 dual-core processor and 8GB of RAM. While not the most robust configuration, at $1429 (including the external Blu-ray writer and software) the price is nowhere near as outrageous as one would expect from such a miniscule machine.

The Origin EON-11s is an Impressive Gaming Machine Masquerading as a Netbook

And really, who needs the highest configuration when you can run Diablo III at the highest settings at frame rates approaching 60 frames per second? You? Well then you should probably go for the highest configuration then. Just saying.

All in all, the EON-11s handling gaming tasks far better than I expecting. Battlefield 3 ran at a nice clip, barely dipping below 40 FPS on High (Ultra ran between 20 and 30). Tera, my current MMO poison of choice, barely blinked when I set the graphics to max.

The only feature of the 11s that performed to my lowered expectations was the display. A smaller display means smaller text; smaller text means UI adjustments, holding the laptop up to your face, squinting, or possibly having your glasses prescription updated. That's not so much a problem with Origin's display as it is my eyes, though I would have loved a panel with a wider viewing angle — distortion comes quickly when tilting the screen or turning it left to right.

And the sound, well. It's good enough for a laptop with two tiny speakers on the underside of the unit. It positively sings with headphones on. I'm sure you can find a pair somewhere.

Alienware's recent discontinuation of its M11x line of compact laptops would seem to indicate that the market for a compact and capable PC gaming system just isn't there. If it was a factor of price, then the EON-11s is in trouble — a starting M11x runs $999, $200 more than the lowest-end Alienware machine. The discrepancy makes sense, as Origin PC is its own company and Alienware is a Dell subsidiary, but it's still a difference.

However, if a market does indeed still exist for tiny laptops that can play Diablo III, Origin PC's EON-11s has the market sewn up. Not only is it a powerful little bugger, it's available with options that don't mark you as a target for the hordes of gaming laptop thieves I'm convinced roam the streets of America.

Special thanks to Origin PC for sending an 11 inch laptop in a two foot-by-two foot crate than I now have to screw back together for the trip back.


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It's an ancient Mazatec secret passed down verbally from video editor to video editor: If you want your game to be a smash hit, end your trailer with something roaring. It can be an alien, a dragon, a balrog, a T-Rex, whatever; as long as it's roaring, you'll move a minimum of 20 million units, guaranteed.

Video editors like me know the sheer dramatic power that roars hold. But it's not just roaring! There are many different flavors of "Trailer Roar-Out" (Or TRO, as it's known in the biz). Here are just a few examples you can use to spice up the trailer for your multi-million dollar game trailer:

  • Monster roars, then eats the camera.
  • Monster roars at hero, who then does something badass like takes out a sword/gun/chainsaw/lightsaber/BFG.
  • Monster (usually, but not always, a dragon) roars, then breathes fire at the camera, only to reveal title of game. Excellent transition!
  • Giant monster slams on the ground, the trailer cuts to black and a roar is heard. What happened? You'll have to buy the game to find out!
  • Trailer ends, then just when you think everything is safe -BAM!-: Monster roar. Bet you didn't see that one coming!
  • Hero and Monster run at each other at full speed while Monster roars, weapons drawn. Hard cut to black just before impact.
  • Hero, who is also a monster, roars and attacks other Monsters/Heroes/Hero-Monsters.

See? So many ways to spice up your trailer using roars! Now that the secret is yours, remember me when you're diving into a giant pool full of money, Scrooge McDuck style.

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Earlier this spring, Conan O'Brien and Andy Richter goofed around in a Halo 4 voice recording booth, talking about loading crates. The duo are appearing in the game as a special Easter Egg. YouTube user GameFrontDotCom has a quick walkthrough on how to find them and hear their dialogue.

You can hear more of their dialogue in the original post from this past spring.

In case you missed it, here is Kotaku's Halo 4 review.

Conan O'Brien and Andy Richter Load Boxes [GameFrontDotCom@YouTube via GameFront]


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Children have accidentally crawled into crane games before, so why wouldn't there be a cat in one? And look how comfy the animal is, just sprawled out on those soft, plush toys.

Still, I do hope someone got the cat out—and not by using the claw.

Ganar un gato en máquina de peluches [tinchovm85@YouTube]


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Iron Fett? Boba Man? Yeah, Boba Man.

So special effects wizard Stan Winston has a school named after him, aimed at instructing whole new generations in the art of practical movie magic.

This image was posted on their Facebook page yesterday. As loathe as I am to entertain the prospect of fanfiction, a sexy drunk playboy bounty hunter is something that could totally work.

Iron Fett - Who's he hunting? [Facebook, via ALBOTAS]


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kottke.org posts about Airbnb

Airbnb's unfortunate logo charactersOct 27 2014

When the new Airbnb logo was introduced, the company caught a lot of flack from the internet because the logo resembled an odd combination of almost every sexual body part. I actually liked the logo right away and after a few months with it, the juvenile connotations have faded.

But you know what makes Airbnb's logo really really really look like a cartoonish vagina butt? Putting arms and legs and hats on the logo and animating it.

Airbnb Butt

Airbnb is sponsoring the NYC Marathon this year, and the logo characters were created for the event. Maaaaybe they'd like to rethink this?

Airbnb horror storyJul 27 2011

Airbnb is becoming a popular option for travellers looking for cheaper/homier places to stay and owners/renters to make a little dough on the side. But when you're dealing with people that you don't know staying in your house, things can sometimes go awry. Or very crazy:

They smashed a hole through a locked closet door, and found the passport, cash, credit card and grandmother's jewelry I had hidden inside. They took my camera, my iPod, an old laptop, and my external backup drive filled with photos, journals... my entire life. They found my birth certificate and social security card, which I believe they photocopied - using the printer/copier I kindly left out for my guests' use. They rifled through all my drawers, wore my shoes and clothes, and left my clothing crumpled up in a pile of wet, mildewing towels on the closet floor. They found my coupons for Bed Bath & Beyond and used the discount, along with my Mastercard, to shop online. Despite the heat wave, they used my fireplace and multiple Duraflame logs to reduce mounds of stuff (my stuff??) to ash - including, I believe, the missing set of guest sheets I left carefully folded for their comfort. Yet they were stupid and careless enough to leave the flue closed; dirty gray ash now covered every surface inside.

According to the CEO of Airbnb, they have been working with the police and supposedly a suspect is in custody.

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Taulborg Sentenced For Car Dealership Defraud

Jul 3, 2014

Credit Wasatch County Sheriff Department

A Wasatch County defendant who claimed to be a Park City police officer among other bogus identites, was sentenced Wednesday in Heber's Fourth District Court to pay fines and wear an ankle monitor for defrauding two local car dealerships. Rick Brough has more.


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3:20 pm
Tue September 17, 2013

First Variant of Boeing 787 Takes Off

The first addition to the Boeing 787 family has taken to the skies.

The 787-9 took off Tuesday morning from Paine Field, near the Everett factory where the plane was assembled.

Boeing spokeswoman Kate Bergman says the 787-9 is 20 feet longer and can seat 40 more passengers than the original 787-8, which carries between 210 and 250 passengers. The new version of the Dreamliner also can carry more cargo and fly farther.

Bergman says the 787-9 has 388 firm orders, which account for 40 percent of all 787 orders.

After flight tests and certification the first 787-9 will be delivered next June to the launch customer, Air New Zealand.


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Honoring the Fallen
8:49 am
Mon November 29, 2010

Lakewood Police murders remembered one year later

It was one year ago that four Lakewood police officers were gunned down in a coffee shop. Their assailant was Arkansas parolee Maurice Clemmons who was later shot and killed by a Seattle police officer. Today Governor Chris Gregoire will help dedicate a memorial to the slain officers at Lakewood’s police headquarters.

It was the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend, and Lakewood Police Sgt. Mark Renninger and officers Ronnie Owens, Tina Griswold and Greg Richards were about to go on shift. They met at Forza coffee shop to plot the day. Little did they know, Maurice Clemmons was plotting their murders.

Clemmons walked into the shop, approached the counter and then turned and opened fire. All four officers were killed.

A year later, Brian Wurts, president of the Lakewood Police Guild, says the department has yet to fill the positions left by the slain officers.

“Nobody’s beating down the door. I think that if you’re a family man or a family woman and you’re talking to your spouse about whether you want to get into law enforcement or not is you could be a firefighter, you could be all of these other things and make the same money and not wear a badge and be a target and that’s what changed November 29th,” said Wurts.

The murders resulted in several changes to the state's criminal justice system including a constitutional amendment approved by Washington voters earlier this month. It allows judges to withhold bail in certain cases.

Details of Monday's Memorial Service

Location:   Lakewood Police Department, 9401 Lakewood Drive SW

Time:           10 am

Pierce County Transit will be offering free bus service from Lakewood Towne Center to the Lakewood Police Department, with return service.

Shuttles run every 15 minutes, beginning at 8 am and continue through noon.

If you want to take the shuttle from Towne Center, you're advised to park in the lot behind Barnes & Noble and Target.

Lakewood Drive SW will be closed between 100th St. SW and Steilacoom Blvd. while the memorial dedication service takes place. The closure will affect Pierce Transit routes 202, 206 and Sound Transit route 574.

 All Day Food Drive

Lakewood Police are accepting donations of canned and boxed food, as well as baby food and formula and fruit juices (no glass items or home canned goods). The donation taken up in memory of the four slain officers. You can drop off those items at police department headquarters between 8 am and 5 pm today.

This post updated at 8:49 am, Monday


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Why are Seattleites anti-umbrella?

By Charla Bear

A lot of people in the “Rain City” take pride in the fact that “real” Seattleites don’t carry umbrellas. But, I walk around town with a portable roof over my head.

The result? I stay dry, my hair doesn’t get tousled, and I can use my iPhone while I wait for the bus. I also get dirty looks.

Granted, my umbrella isn’t small. I actually call it my yurt. That might have a little to do with it, but the reality is this region is anti-umbrella.

Why? Is it weather denial? Affinity for wet jeans? An attachment to rain jackets?

Gear heads

Don Patterson, of Bothell, calls his rainy day outfit-of-choice “typical Seattle wear:”

“Today I’m going with a little 300 weight fleece underneath my GORE-TEX outer shell.”

He says he doesn’t own an umbrella, never has – even though he’s a “relocated Californian.” To him, it’s just not the right piece of gear for the weather.

“It’s windy here quite often,” he says. “So, many times, the wind causes the umbrellas to turn inside out, making the folks quite fun to watch, but kind of ineffective.’

Weather realities

Let’s face facts, though. It definitely rains here. And often.

According to Komo News, Seattle ranks in the top five nationally with 226 cloudy days per year – behind Anchorage, Forks, Astoria and Olympia. And, we're in the top 20 with 140 days of measurable rain.

Yet, MJ McDermott, meteorologist for Q13 Fox, says our reputation for rain is a bit misleading.

“We just don’t get what we call that convective rainfall,” she says, “the convective precipitation where you get the big gigantic clouds that just drive rain into you. We get that stratus, that low lying gray cloud that just goes ‘puff.’”

Charlie Procknow teases Kelli Geiger about pulling out her umbrella on a typical winter day in Seattle. It was barely drizzling.  Photo by Charla BearIn fact, Seattle only gets about 37 inches of rain per year. As San Francisco-based WeatherBill, Inc. found, these are the cities with the heaviest rainfall:

  • Mobile, AL.: 67 inches average annual
  • Pensacola, FL: 65 inches average annual
  • New Orleans, LA: 64 inches average annual
  • West Palm Beach, FL.: 63 inches average annual
  • Lafayette, LA: 62 inches average annual
  • Baton Rouge, LA: 62 inches average annual
  • Miami, FL: 62 inches average annual
  • Port Arthur, TX: 61 inches average annual
  • Tallahassee, FL: 61 inches average annual
  • Lake Charles, LA: 58 inches average annual

So, McDermott hardly ever recommends an umbrella. Usually, she just suggests a hooded jacket.

“In fact, I had a producer once who came from Chicago who said, stop saying hooded jacket, it’s an umbrella,” she recalls. “And I said, have you walked around downtown Seattle? Have you seen anyone with an umbrella?”

Same weather, different culture

The quantity of rain can’t be the only reason people in the Puget Sound don’t carry umbrellas. I mean, London has similar weather and people there use umbrellas. Besides, plenty of locals here don’t like to get wet.

“I think rain is black girl’s kryptonite,” says Ziggy Toufessa, of Seattle.

She wears a pony tail and a floral headband, but a few drops can still annihilate her hair. Frizzy locks are not a good look for a hostess at an upscale restaurant downtown.

Yet even she refuses to buy an umbrella.

“It’s the culture,” she says. “Why do I buy two cups of coffee everyday when I can make it myself. I don’t know, I just do it.”

History of Seattle’s anti-umbrella attitude

Shunning umbrellas has been part of the region’s history for a long time.

In the winter of 1851, the Denny party sailed ashore at Alki Point, in what’s now West Seattle. One of the first things they encountered was rain, coming down in sheets, says Leonard Garfield, executive director of the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI).

He describes a drawing based on the settlers’ stories. It shows women cowering under bonnets and blankets.

“What’s missing from this tableau, is something that was available elsewhere in the US, and that’s umbrellas,” he says.

Besides, back then they were primarily used as parasols for the sun. The word umbrella stems from “umbra,” Latin for “shade” or “shadow.

Attempts to make umbrellas fashionable

Over the years, people have tried to champion the umbrella in the Northwest. In the late 1800s, there was Robert Patton, who everybody called, “The Umbrella Man.”

“He wore an umbrella as a hat, everyday of the year, regardless of the weather and became quite a recognized figure around town,” Garfield says.

So well known, The Seattle Times featured a caricature of him next to the paper’s weather forecast.

Still, umbrellas didn’t catch on.

Maybe they just don’t work with our sense of style.

Garfield says MOHAI has done exhibits on Seattle’s fashion history, but they’ve been very short exhibits.

“In Seattle, maybe we don’t have as much need to keep our hair dry or our clothes dry because we haven’t put quite as much thought into that as other people in other cities,” he says. “Going out and getting a little bit wet and a little mussed-up with the wind is not such a terrible thing in Seattle because the people who are going to see you at the other end are probably looking exactly the same way.”

Umbrellas are good for something

So, if people in the Puget Sound don’t use umbrellas for weather, accessories or, seemingly, anything else, how does a store that sells nothing but umbrellas survive here?

At Bella Umbrella, in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood, owner Jodelle Egbert says she sells about 30,000 umbrellas a year. About two-thirds of them are purchased online, though.

One of her in-person customers is Stephanie Carr. She lights up when she sees a black and white pagoda model with a purple handle.

Of course, since she’s a local, it’s not for her. It’s for her mom.

“My mom’s from the east coast,” she says. “She’s not a Seattle person.”

So perhaps people in the Puget Sound don’t rule out umbrellas entirely.  Apparently, they’re great as gifts for out-of-state wimps.

Web Extras:


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Skip Sub-navigation

Turning Point: Q&A with Barbara Biziou

Barbara Biziou, author of The Joy of Ritual and The Joys of Family Rituals, integrates her extensive knowledge of global spiritual practices, rituals, psychology, and business into her coaching and speaking practice. She is a Huffington Post blogger and has been featured in the New York Times,,, Harper’s Bazaar, and more.

Q Describe what you do in 15 words or less.
A I am a leading authority and master teacher of practical spirituality and global rituals.

Q Tell us about a turning point in your life.
A The death of my sister at the age of 24 changed my life and made me realize the importance and power of spiritual practice and ritual. Many years later, during a silent retreat with my then-teacher Brugh Joy, I discovered that I had a lot more grieving to do, and spontaneously created my first major rituals from this deep well of emotion and wisdom within me. Since that time, I have traveled the world studying with many indigenous cultures and teachers.

Q What do you love about teaching?
A I am one of the global wisdom keepers responsible for translating spiritual traditions into practical terms in our world. I love giving simple guidance, tools, and inspiration so that people walk away feeling empowered to create change in their lives. Each time I teach, I get to watch people light up and share their passion and uniqueness. I learn and feed off my students while creating a community of like-minded souls. I feel that we are weaving a basket of energy together that will support each one of us, and the planet.

Q What are you passionate about right now?
A I am passionate about new discoveries in neuroscience that clearly show how our brains can continue to grow, learn, and change until the day we die. I am also passionate about the world's progress in respecting the wisdom of other cultures.

Q What do you do in your downtime?
A I love the beach, dancing, movies, and theater. I am inspired by a combination of nature, physical movement, and art, as well as the creative energy of downtown Manhattan, where I live.

Find out about upcoming programs with Barbara Biziou.


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Chris’ Saturday Evening Forecast

There’s a chance for a few more spot showers early tonight around the Northern Mountains and in the Northeast otherwise partly cloudy and warm overnight temps.

The hot temperatures return to much of the state on Sunday, but unfortunately so do the winds.    Now the wind won’t be too out of control, but strong enough to elevate the fire danger for tomorrow and Monday.  Most areas will have wind speeds from 15-25 mph with gusts from 35-45 mph.

Temperatures will eventually come back down to more seasonable highs, but not until mid to late week. provides commenting to allow for constructive discussion on the stories we cover. In order to comment here, you acknowledge you have read and agreed to our Terms of Service. Users who violate these terms, including use of vulgar language or racial slurs, will be banned. Please be respectful of the opinions of others. If you see an inappropriate comment, please flag it for our moderators to review.

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Oct 1, 2013

I have a confession.

I cannot resist House Hunters. And, of course, House Hunters International. They're not good. But I can't resist them.

The HoHun franchise, in general, involves a potential home buyer or renter — usually a couple, but sometimes a single person accompanied by a meddling parent or wary friend — seeking a new place. A real estate agent shows the buyer three places, and then the buyer, who was really hoping for something better, picks one.

On HoHun classic, people flit around someplace like Memphis or Philadelphia or Seattle (or similar cities in Canada), trying to find just the right home, by which they mean that it (1) is cheap, and (2) has everything. And by "everything," I mean that it's not at all uncommon for people to walk into a huge, gorgeous house and say something like, "Well, it's pretty nice, but it doesn't have the double vanity in the master bath." For those of us who grew up with the whole family sharing not only one sink but one bathroom, trying to sympathize with this predicament puts us in the mindset best summed up in the words of one Chandler Bing.

You only have to watch about ten seconds into this video before you hear this lady say "uuuuuuugh, pedestal sink" in the same way a lot of people would say, "uuuuuuuuugh, gallstones" or "uuuuuuuuugh, bankruptcy." The thing that makes the show feel like a trip through the looking glass is that it always seems like this is genuinely the biggest problem this person has at the moment. Immaculately maintained wall-to-wall carpeting, given the fact that all of these people always want cold wood floors everywhere, is a tragedy on par with ... I don't know, locust invasions.

And you can tell, a lot of the time, that they want things simply because they have been trained to believe that these are the things good houses contain. "Oh, it's an electric stove," snorts someone who almost definitely hasn't cooked anything more complicated than organic mac-and-cheese since the '90s. They love: gas stoves, gas stoves with six burners, gas stoves with eight burners, stainless steel everything, wood floors, walk-in closets, double vanities, wine refrigerators, large yards that don't require mowing (because small yards are low-class but yardwork is for other people), and mud rooms (but not actually getting muddy, because: gross). They hate: wall-to-wall carpeting, white/black/small appliances, overly ordinary sinks, inadequately fancy basements, unflattering lighting.

Oh, and don't forget — they love: thrift! They hate: overspending!

Of course, it's impossible to argue with them when they're looking out for The Kids or The Dogs. (This is common.) They'll say something like, "Weeeeell, this is very pretty, but if Hunter climbed up on the dresser in our bedroom and got the latch open, he could crawl right out onto the roof." Or, "I like it, but the yard is probably too slanted for Peanut and Clyde to really run around in."

The video of Pedestal Sink Pathos Polly there also quickly lays out the usual House Hunters conflict: she wants all her fancy stuff! He's worried about the money! Potato! Potahto! Blondie! Dagwood! Let's call the whole thing off. (By which I mean: the marriage.)

Of course, you can understand why she's unhappy and they have to move right now. Their townhouse has "only one living room." MAH HEAVEN, how have they made it this long? One living room! They have to put their Sophisticated Guests in the same room as their Casual Guests! Where do you put the fainting couch? How will they hold their annual Casino Night and Indoor Clambake if the bonfire has to be in the same room with the roulette wheel?

But HoHun's international flavor, when it focuses on Americans (which it doesn't always), really cranks up the privilege, and privilege is what drives this show and makes it sing. The people on the international episodes aren't just moving to a new city, but to a new country, which they usually want to be something like Epcot Center, international in feel and entertainment but requiring no adjustment on their part and no departure from routine. They want it quaint, but not different. They essentially want a reverse-Narnia situation where they live in an American home, but when they walk outside, it's France, or Australia, or what have you.

And as hard as it is to believe, they're often even more spoiled than the regular HoHun people.

I watched one the other day in which a young dating couple moved from Louisville to Brisbane, Australia because she found a job there. He apparently tagged along with the idea of living on the beach, but he didn't have a job (yet). When they arrived, they told the real estate lady that they wanted to live in the city, close to her work, but they also wanted to live on the Gold Coast on the beach.

It was sort of wonderful to see the agent try to figure out how to break it to them that this is a little like saying you want to live in Washington but also in Baltimore, or in Boston but also on Cape Cod. So they had to decide between him not living on the beach and her not spending three hours in the car every day.

She was not eager to commit to a potential 90-minute commute so that her boyfriend could lie around at the beach, so she suggested they could live near where work was and go to the beach on weekends (you know, like normal people do). He wasn't having it. He was sure that the commute was no big deal, compared to the ability to have a beer on the patio. Of course, it wasn't his commute. Jerk! Eventually, she brought him around by mentioning that he would probably have to get a job someday, and then he'd have to commute, too.

Now, that was a horse of a different color! (It also may have involved, in my fantasy, her informing him that if his plan was to go the beach and sponge off her, he could boomerang himself right back to Kentucky.) So they moved closer to the city. Of course, by then, I'd pretty much decided she should feed him to a kangaroo, so.

When they finally do pick a house, they always act as if they've been forced to accept a downgrade from living in Buckingham Palace to living in a storage shed behind their parents' house. "They didn't get the heated stone footbath Melanie really wanted," the voice-over will say sympathetically, "but they're hoping that the sixth bedroom can be renovated and made into a spa."

Television has a very, very complicated relationship with issues of class. With rare exceptions, it doesn't see poor people and both worships and demonizes rich people. The nice thing about House Hunters is the low, low stakes (especially with HGTV pretty much admitting that it's fake or part-fake). It will leave you with the warm and fuzzy feeling that they may have a wine refrigerator, but you have your dignity.

Copyright 2013 NPR. To see more, visit


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Photos of Marilyn Monroe’s last sitting for sale

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A rare portfolio of photographs from Marilyn Monroe’s last sitting is up for grabs to the highest bidder.

Freeman’s auction house in Philadelphia estimates the limited-edition portfolio of 10 photos, made from fashion photographer Bert Stern’s original negatives from his June 1962 assignment for Vogue, could fetch $10,000 to $15,000 when it goes on the block Sept. 10.

The photos will be on view to the public starting Sept. 6, said Aimee Pflieger, head of the century-old auction house’s photography division.

Stern, who died in June at age 83, took more than 2,500 photos of the Hollywood icon over three days at the Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles. The 20-by-20-inch portfolio photos are from the first day, when Stern and Monroe were alone before the arrival of a cadre of Vogue staffers, and project a feeling of spontaneity and playfulness that stands out from the others.

“He brought a turntable and speakers and three cases of champagne,” Pflieger said. “The feeling you get from the photos is they’re having a great time.”

Six weeks after her session with Stern, the 36-year-old screen siren was found dead in her home Aug. 5 of an apparent drug overdose. A half-century later, she remains one of the 20th-century’s most enduring sex symbols.

Stern’s photos were a sensation, partly because they were taken right before Monroe’s death and partly because they included the first nude photos of Monroe since 1949. Many of the nudes show the star posing with diaphanous scarves, paper flowers and pearls in bright but diffuse natural light that gives the photos a dreamlike quality.

“She was beautiful and untouched,” Stern said. “It was as though she were just beginning.”

Monroe is often described in the photos as projecting an aura of damage and desperation, but Pflieger disagrees.

“We project our own thoughts onto them when we look at them,” she said. “To me, they’re soft, beautiful, clutter-free images just filled with light … they give you a real sense of her personality and playfulness.”

Other Monroe photos are being auctioned the same day, including more from the personal collection of the portfolio owner, who the auction house said wishes to remain anonymous.

Also going on the auction block are nearly 100 photographs from the corporate collection of cosmetics giant Avon’s headquarters in New York City. The photographs are all by female artists from the 1910s to the 1990s — from the little known to the prominent Cindy Sherman and Louise Dahl-Wolfe — and focus on themes of beauty through the eyes of women.

Part of the proceeds from Avon’s auction will benefit the Avon Foundation, which advances efforts related to breast cancer research and combating domestic violence.

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LeBron James gives back to hometown and alma mater

AKRON, Ohio (AP) — NBA star LeBron James has kicked off another school year in his hometown of Akron with his foundation’s second annual “I Promise Family Reunion.”

The LeBron James Family Foundation event has evolved from a bike giveaway to an education initiative that includes nearly 700 students.

At his alma mater St. Vincent-St. Mary High School on Saturday, James welcomed a new class of third graders to the program. The students are required to complete a two-week camp over their summer vacation and then they become eligible to for new bike, helmet, a school uniform and backpack tags.

James told the crowd that it’s important for children to know how important they are to the future and that their dreams can become a reality.

James also outfitted the high school’s fall sports teams with new Nike uniforms and is building a new gymnasium that’s scheduled to be completed in the fall.

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text:
Toronto Reservoir Waterfowl Report -
Waterfowl numbers Less than 500 geese seen on the reservoir today.
Water level Reservoir is 0.3' above conservation pool, Marsh at 54 hwy is mostly dry.
Hunting conditions Reservoir is open. .
Expected hunting success Poor-Fair
Comments Counts are done on a weekly basis and information will be posted immediately following counts. For other info. call 620-583-6783.


text:
Bonneville Phoenix Network
 KTAR News
 Arizona Sports
92.3 FM KTAR
Updated Jan 28, 2014 - 4:52 pm

Arizona Senate panel OKs millions in extra CPS cash

PHOENIX — The Arizona Legislature took its first step Tuesday toward
providing $6.8 million to allow the state’s child welfare agency to hire 192 new
workers right away, a key part of Gov. Jan Brewer’s effort to remake the agency.

But sharp questioning by Senate Appropriations Committee members showed Brewer
isn’t going to be allowed to overhaul the agency without strong oversight.

Members of the committee questioned her choice to head a remade Child
Protective Services agency, now called the Division of Child Safety and Family
Services, about how he intends to fill those positions, whether more outside
oversight is needed and whether more problems are yet to be uncovered.

Brewer pulled CPS from the Department of Economic Security earlier this month
in the wake of revelations about more than 6,500 uninvestigated child abuse and
neglect reports. The new agency’s director, Charles Flanagan, said he too has
been surprised at the problems he found within the agency.

“It has been shocking to me to see the things that happened that do not follow
the law and do not follow policy,” Flanagan said. “And one of those things is
the (uninvestigated) cases.”

An outspoken critic who has battled CPS as a foster parent, Sen. Rick Murphy,
R-Peoria, called the problems that have disclosed at the agency “the tip of the

“And I’m not comfortable giving (CPS) one more dime,” he said.

Murphy also pressed for outside oversight of the agency, and Flanagan said that
might be one of the recommendations he includes in a report he’s now preparing.

Brewer asked for the extra money for this budget year in addition to a $74
million request for the budget year that starts July 1. That request will pay
for a plan to remake Child Protective Services and beef up its resources to deal
with growing caseloads and revelations that thousands of cases went

The committee eventually approved the extra funding on an 8-0 vote. Senate Bill
1224 shifts $1.1 million in the current budget to the new agency and gives it
another $5.7 million. The bill now moves to the full Senate for consideration
after a routine review.

Brewer also wants $4.2 million for emergency child placement in group homes and
other settings and $5.4 million for family support services such as parenting
skill training and foster-care recruitment this budget year.

Senate President Andy Biggs said those requests aren’t likely to be taken up as
extra funding.

“In discussions with the executive, this was deemed to be the most pressing
issue,” Biggs said. “Some of the others might be able to be taken care of in
the normal budget process.”

In other special funding approved Tuesday:

_ The Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission was given nearly $1.4
million. The commission has been burning through cash defending Legislative and
Congressional maps approved in 2012 from court challenges.

One of those cases, a challenge by the Legislature of the commission’s right to
draw state district maps, was argued in federal court last week. Another,
brought by citizens including Biggs’ wife, challenges the congressional maps. A
full trial on that case was held last March by a three-judge panel, but the
federal judges have yet to rule.

“Constitutionally we are bound, in my opinion, to pay their attorney’s fees,
whether we like it or not,” Biggs said of Senate Bill 1220.

_ A $100,000 special appropriation to hire private lawyers to fight subpoenas
issued to current and former lawmakers about their communications concerning
2010’s Senate Bill 1070 also was approved. Senate Bill 1159 will pay to fight
requests for Legislative, personal and campaign correspondence from 21 House and
Senate members who supported Arizona’s tough immigration law. Biggs has called
the subpoenas a fishing expedition by the American Civil Liberties Union
designed to harass members who supported SB 1070.

Sen. Lynne Pancrazi, D-Yuma, joined other committee Democrats in voting against
the funding. “I think a better way to handle this would be to repeal SB 1070
and then this lawsuit would go away,” she said.

_ The committee also agreed to advance Senate Bill 1221, which would authorize
the Attorney General to defend against such subpoenas in the future.

Identical bills are making their way through the House, putting all four on the
fast track to the governor’s desk.

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text:
Feb 5, 2013
Originally published on February 5, 2013 1:07 pm

Grab a guitar, hit those three chords (A, D, E) and take three minutes to pay your respects:

Reg Presley, who sang Wild Thing with The Troggs in 1966, is dead. He was 71 and had suffered a series of strokes recently.

The band's website says Presley "died peacefully" on Monday, "surrounded by all of his family."

NPR's Neda Ulaby tells our Newscast Desk that:

Presley grew up in a small town called Andover, England, and never moved away. He went to trade school and kept his job as a bricklayer until after Wild Thing's success. The Troggs went on to score seven hits through the 1960s, and Presley toured with the group until just a few years ago.

Off the stage, Presley was not much of a wild thing. He avoided drugs and had been married for 47 years.

The Guardian offers "Reg Presley and the Troggs: the best songs in clips."

Copyright 2013 NPR. To see more, visit


text:
Kukla's Korner

Kukla's Korner Hockey

Foote & Fedorov Hope To Define Their Roles

from the Columbus Dispatch,

Last week, both acknowledged frustration with their Blue Jackets careers, and they shouldered some of that blame. But in the wake of front-office shuffling in the offseason, Foote and Fedorov vowed that different days lie ahead, both for their own careers and for the Blue Jackets’ success on the ice.

“I want to have more fun here,” Foote said. “I want to win.”

Fedorov put it another way: “I came to training camp excited as hell.”

read on

Filed in: NHL Teams, Columbus Blue Jackets, | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: columbus+blue+jackets, sergei+fedorov

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Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

From breaking news to in-depth stories around the league, KK Hockey is updated with fresh stories all day long and will bring you the latest news as quickly as possible.

Email Paul anytime at pk@kuklaskorner.com


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Kukla's Korner

The Malik Report

Fifteen minutes of Jiri Fischer waxing philosophical about the Red Wings’ player development model

I've been in and out of late, so some of the Red Wings-related scuttlebutt (Datsyuk staying, says Mike Babcock? I sure hope so) and prospect news (the Grand Rapids Griffins have a 2-1 lead on the Toronto Marlies heading into tonight's game via a 5-4 win on Wednesday evening, and Martin Frk's Halifax Mooseheads won the QMJHL title and will play in the Memorial Cup), but I would be terribly delinquent if I didn't post the following:

Red Wings director of player development Jiri Fischer spent 15 minutes speaking to WBBL's Huge Show about both the Wings and their prospects' development, discussing some of his points of emphasis for the team's prospects and the front office's plans regarding filling the hole left on its roster by Jim Nill's decision to leave the team to become the Stars' GM. This interview is more than worth your time as Fischer's thoughtful and eloquent delivery is jam-packed with hockey knowledge:

The most interesting part of the interview? The last couple of minutes involve the ways in which the organization is addressing its prospects' engagement in social media...Intriguing stuff.

Filed in: | The Malik Report | Permalink

What a great interview…thank you for finding and posting this, it’s not often I sit through an entire 15 minute audio clip but Jiri was well worth it. Very insightful and well-spoken.

Posted by Marisabel on 05/17/13 at 09:09 AM ET

OlderThanChelios's avatar

Young defensmen try to do too much.

As soon as he said that I knew he was going to mention how DK doesn’t try to do too much. If Smith can ever “internalize” that concept, he’ll be an excellent player. If he doesn’t, he’ll continue to get worse (which would be pretty hard to do right now).

Best part of the interview for me was Jiri’s observation about the way Lidstrom put peanut butter on his toast. That’s not only a great insight into Nick, but says a lot about the way Jiri took in everything around him as a player. Very cool.

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids, MI on 05/17/13 at 10:57 AM ET

The Meal's avatar

What else is Babcock going to say about his top player?  If #13 told him he was leaving but didn’t want to make a big deal out of his last season in Detroit, of course Babs is going to make the “zero percent chance” claim.

I hope it’s true, but hearing it from the coach doesn’t really hold any water for me.

Posted by The Meal from Longmont, CO on 05/17/13 at 11:17 AM ET

TreKronor's avatar

What else is Babcock going to say about his top player?

He’d say nothing if he felt otherwise.  It’s too early to be concerned, anyways.

Posted by TreKronor on 05/17/13 at 12:25 PM ET

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The Malik Report is a destination for all things Red Wings-related. I offer biased, perhaps unprofessional-at-times and verbose coverage of my favorite team, their prospects and developmental affiliates. I've joined the Kukla's Korner family with five years of blogging under my belt, and I hope you'll find almost everything you need to follow your Red Wings at a place where all opinions are created equal and we're all friends, talking about hockey and the team we love to follow.


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Heritage Highway Trail of Treasures

Date: October 4 - 6, 2013

Heritage Highway Trail of Treasures

1st Weekend in October
October 4th - 6th 2013
Flea Market/Garage Sale Event

Discover Miles of Treasures Along Nebraska's Heritage Highway!

A 14-county area spanning Nebraska's Heritage Highway 136 has organized a three-day event to promote our towns, our businesses and our people. There will be open stores, garage and yard sales, antiques to be found and much more.

Our Trail of Treasures Shopper Guide contains Vendors and Sponsors for each participating town. Vendor sites are mapped and listed within each town. Each Vendor listing provides a brief description of their "Treasures" and the times they will be open to assist you as you plan your route for each day. Official Vendor sites will be marked with our official Trail of Treasures signs.

- See more at: http://www.heritagehighway136.com/pages/trail-of-treasures.php#sthash.nqmjRVTm.dpuf


text:
Contact Us

Advice - Page 13

Annie’s Project Helps Local Farming Women Innovate in Central Missouri

Do you want to learn how to run your farm as a business?  Do you want to learn how to do a better job of marketing or how to pass the farm to the next generation?  Join Annie’s Project.

Read More

food donation box

10 Great Ideas for Donations to Your Local Food Bank

This time of year, food banks are working extra hard to keep their shelves stocked. If you're in a charitable mood, you might be wondering what exactly these charities are looking for in the way of donations. A recent thread on Reddit explored just that. Numerous commenters with experience either working at or patronizing food banks offered their thoughts on the best items to donate—and it's not just food, either.

Read More

Category: Advice, Charities, News Tags: ,
Woman Resting on Beach - Credit- iStock - 178376981

Tropical Nights: Boots in the Sand Checklist – 5 Things Not to Miss in the Riviera Maya in Mexico

The Tropical Nights: Boots in the Sand adventure is rapidly approaching! To make sure you get the most out of the experience, we've provided this handy checklist of activities you shouldn't miss out on while you're at the Hard Rock Hotel in the Riviera Maya in Mexico.

Read More

Winter Weather Advisory
Winter Weather Advisory via Sedalia/Pettis County EMA Facebook

Winter Weather Advisory Issued For West Central Missouri Until Midnight

The National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill has issued a Winter Weather Advisory until midnight for West Central Missouri.

Read More

Alzheimer’s Support Group Comforts Sedalia’s Caregivers [INTERVIEW]

Here in our town, there's an often forgotten group of people who are giving their all each and every day for people they love.  The caregivers are the people who are standing strong every day to get things done and help the people who need the kind of help only a trusted companion can give.  Whether it's a relative, a friend, or an acquaintance, caregivers are important.

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Thanksgiving Ideas with Behka: Crock Pot Turkey

So, I'm not a huge cook.  I don't tend to have much skill in that arena. I guess it just doesn't come naturally to me.  I can do it, I just don't tend to do it on the regular, if you will.  I tend to pull out all the stops maybe once a year: Thanksgiving.  So here's what I might be doing, and you can let me know what you might do.

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Sedalia Weighs In on Thanksgiving Plans [POLL]

The other day I asked you guys what you'd be doing for your Thanksgiving. I put up a poll to ask if you were planning on throwing a big meal for your family, or if you were attending someone's dinner.

Read More

Crazy Car Accessories You Could Buy with the 105 Pounds of Cash

This Saturday (Nov. 9), I'm going to be hanging out at Mid-Mo Auto Sales on South Limit Ave. from 11-2 p.m. with the 105 Pounds of Cash. Come see me, say hi, maybe get yourself a T-shirt or a CD, and take a guess at how much money is in the jug. If your guess is the closest, you win the cash!

Since we'll be at Mid-Mo Auto Sales, you could stick with the car theme and use the money to buy yourself some sweet accessories for your vehicle. Might I suggest something off of my list of the Top Five Ridiculous Car Accessories?

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rain car

Don’t Be a Crazy Driver in Fall Rain Weather [OPINION]

Oh my goodness gracious, doesn't it seem like every time it rains here in Sedalia someone starts driving like they lost their freggin mind?  It seems like so many people just forget how to operate a motor vehicle when the weather changes just a littlest bit.  Today's been a bit soggy, and you know that fall rain is a little different than summer rain, or any other kind of weather.  So I thought I'd share a few things I've learned over the years.

Read More

Halloween Candy

Five Reasons You Can Eat Your Kids’ Halloween Candy Without Guilt [OPINION]

Okay, folks.  Halloween has come and gone.  Let's be real here: you know and I know that the candy is SUPPOSED to be for the kids.  But come on, now.  Just as well as I'm sitting here I know that you're not going to let that candy go to waste.  And I know it can be hard to look at those sweet, confused little faces when those kids ask, "Where's my candy?"

Read More

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text:
Acerca del autor

Michael Dreese
Blurbero desde enero de 2008
Nombre Michael Dreese
Mi sitio web
Ubicación Kreamer, Snyder County, Pennsylvania
Sexo Masculino
Mi biografía I'm a freelance writer and photographer based in Central Pennsylvania. My primary interests in photography are landscapes, wildlife, and macro subjects. I also enjoy experimenting with Photoshop and other image editing applications to further enhance the mood of the original photograph. To me the magic of photography is in the personal interpretation of a scene or subject and the successful communication of this idea to the viewer. Photography is not a casual hobby but rather an addiction!

Libros por autor


text:
News Release

For immediate release - March 19, 2012

Charles Todd to Appear in Lady Lake and Mount Dora

Charles Todd is a pen name used by the American authors Caroline and Charles Todd. This mother-and-son writing team is best known for a series of fourteen novels, set in post World War I England. The books deal with the cases of Inspector Ian Rutledge, a veteran of the European campaigns who is attempting to pick up the pieces of his Scotland Yard career. However, he must keep his greatest burden a secret: suffering from shell shock, he lives with the constant, cynical, taunting voice of Hamish MacLeod, a young Scots soldier he was forced to execute on the battlefield for refusing an order.

A Test of Wills was one of the 100 favorite mysteries of the 20th Century (The Independent Mystery Booksellers Association), received a starred review in Publishers Weekly and was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. The Confession, the latest Ian Rutledge novel, will be featured at the festival. “There’s both a pattern and a purpose to the superb historical mysteries produced by mother-and-son writing partners known as Charles Todd.”
— New York Times Book Review

Charles and Caroline have a rich storytelling heritage. Both spent many evenings on the porch listening to their fathers and grandfathers reminisce. And a maternal grandmother told marvelous ghost stories. This tradition allows them to write with passion about events before their own time. And an uncle/great-uncle who served as a flyer in WWI aroused an early interest in the Great War.

For more information about Caroline and Charles Todd and their work, visit

Festival Appearances
Friday, March 30 at 2:15 p.m.
Featured Author Charles Todd Lady Lake Public Library, Lady Lake

Friday, March 30 at 6:30 p.m.
Author Reception Lady Lake Public Library, Lady Lake

Saturday, March 31 at 1 p.m.
Writing Historical Crime Fiction with Caroline and Charles Todd W. T. Bland Public Library, Mount Dora

The complete schedule for the Festival of Reading including writing workshops and author events are posted on All programs are presented free to the public thanks to our sponsors Lake County Office of Economic Development and Tourism; SECO, HarperCollins Publishers; Raintree Books and the Florida Humanities Council.

Media contact:
Judy Buckland
PRogram Coordinator

« Back to Current News


text:
The Hockey News And Ken Campbell. Morons Or Worse?

First, read the article and don’t skip the comments.

Ken Campbell’s The Hockey News Article Previewing L.A. Kings & New Jersey Devils

Where do they dig these idiots up? This isn’t “East Coast Bias.” This is sheer stupidity. Do these fools even watch the games?

One more thing just for fun. Go back to the article. Look at the “address bar” where the url is placed. Notice something interesting? It states “2011-NHL-Stanley-Cup-Final-Preview.” So, they copied over last year’s article or the short bus geniuses over at the Hockey News are still a year behind.

Fuck them all. Straight to hell with their Devils.

Go Kings!

Update: Ready for this? They changed the article AND DELETED all of the comments that pointed it out. So, incompetence + coverup = The Hockey News. Here is a screen shot of the original article because I had a feeling they would do this.

Categories: L.A. Kings News

Tags: , , ,

31 replies

  1. Ok that guy is just an idiot. I think he hasn’t watched a single King’s playoff game since he said the “X factor” is going to be OT and the Kings have not played one game of OT. Did he forget about our last game to clinch a Cup berth or our series clinching win over the gaynucks. This guy has no credibility….even his analysis of the forwards is skewed. The Kings have had contributions from all lines and even though the Devils have some big names, the Kings are playing a solid 4 line game. Thanks for exposing me to this downright idiotic article now I have to go get more alcohol to purify myself.

  2. They say that the Kings haven’t played an overtime game during the playoffs………Um, WTF do you call that extra period we played against Vancouver, that ended with a single goal by Jarrett Stoll…….or what was that 17+ minute period in which ended in a single goal by Dustin Penner that sent the Kings to the Stanley Cup Finals.

  3. this guy’s an idiot… I enjoyed the extended third periods of Round 1 and Round 3 … wow… well it doesn’t matter, we know what our team brings to the ice, so maybe this will benefit us in the long run… Brodeur might be a legend of sorts, but come on, we have Doty and Kopidor…. We’re an epic team… GKG… Kings in 6…

  4. This guy is writing a fiction novel making up fantasy fabrications. Exactly, he is from another planet like an alien who invades and has no clue.
    How do people like this get even a paycheck for this trash?
    We are going to see more insane and distorted opinion articles. Yet what counts is that we know the Kings are strong and talented and hot to duplicate all over again what they have been doing since February.

  5. KEN CAMPBELL is the breed of hack which keeps the NHL firmly behind miniature golf in the consciousness of the public. These dog-ate-my-homework jackasses use the time difference to not do the SOLE JOB for which they were hired: to cover the NHL, not the Eastern Conference. Hopefully, shame can be a motivator. I double checked to make sure it wasn’t April 1st.

  6. uh im ken.cambell. uh i am an i-d-i-o-t. uh did i spell that rite. uh . did i mention that i am handing out FREE PASSES TO MY ASS? uh. i am hockey expert guy. ugh

    do they, ugh,
    make pills for stupidity like i have ugh,ugh. go east coast hokey teem(sic) ugh

  7. oh wate, i am sleeping now. ugh

  8. ugh. Devils are my boyzzz. ugh

  9. It’s a shame that the Kings didn’t win those two games in overtime that they won.

  10. … And to think, in the early ’90s, THN was considered the ultimate authority by so many Kings’ fans (including myself) – I had a subscription for four years because of how difficult it was to find in SoCal.

    How far they’ve fallen when their writers can’t be bothered to know much of anything that’s actually been going on for one of the competitors in the Stanley Cup Finals. And, what’s more, while the writer clearly has seen more of the Devils than the Kings, he managed to get the Devils’ OT record wrong, as well; saying they’re undefeated in OT when they’re not.

    I would have liked to do a point-by-point rebuttal to this story, but it’s impossible for me to take it seriously due to the basic and blatant errors in it. Terribly lazy and misinformed piece. What a shame.

  11. Where do I start with this fucking fuck sack.
    “His questionable hit on Rozsival” Questionable hit??? By who? great fucking reporting jackass, just copy and paste shit you’ve read. Fuck n hell, because someone said it was questionable means it IS questionable? Its like the political echo chamber, just keep repeating something that isn’t true over and over until it is presented as fact.

    Brodeur advantage over Quick? ok man.

    LA hasn’t played any OT games in the playoffs? You gotta just marvel at the fucking stupidity on display when a “writer” discredits everything they’ve written by making blatant errors in their reporting, demonstrating that they have no idea what the fuck they are talking about.

    Its the witness credibility thing and Scribe can attest to this. When someone gets on the stand and they lie once, their whole fucking testimony is worthless.

  12. total idiot. thank good for interwebs and sites like this to bring decent informed articles to us remote fans

  13. Sounds like spot on journalism to me. Don’t know what everyone is complaining about. He has a fact checker and everything.

  14. Ok that hack must have read these posts because he has now changed his article to omit the errant statements he made about OT. I’m guessing he hoped no one noticed since he didn’t even have enough class to put a retraction statement. Just pathetic. Keep writing your nonsense buddy just as everyone has this post season and we will post it to our walls for further motivation.

  15. There was a quick article on that said, ‘Devils will be the Kings toughest defensive challenge yet’…something along those lines. Right. When every single team the Kings have played so far all gave up less goals than NJ in the regular season. The Blues Gave up 44 less goals…44! I believe the Kings beat the #1,4 and 5 overall D’s in the first three rounds. All better than the Devils.

    If the Flyers made the finals, they’d be talking about how good their D and goalie are and the Kings should be worried. Doesn’t matter the team.

    Whatever these clowns can do to get on their knees and put that east coast cock in their mouths.

    • Not so fast my man. The Devils have a habit of congesting offenses. No? Think back as recent as the playoffs or as far as November’s 2-1 & 3-0 losses.

      Don’t think this will be a a walkover.

  16. That article is insane and I believe I read it post-edits…

    Isn’t the X Factor more likely to be one of the following:
    – Ricards
    – Gagne (Where would he go? 4th line?)

    Also, I don’t think we need an x-factor. We are rampaging in full beast mode. Kings in 5.

  17. I updated the article. They made the edit without a retraction and then deleted all of the comments that pointed it out and there were many. Wow.

    • I was the fourth comment on the page last night and posted over at JFTC about it. Woke up this morning to find exactly what you described. No retraction? Just terrible. My comment was incredibly tame – “The Kings haven’t played in OT and the Devils are 3-0? Gee, Ken, it’s almost like you haven’t been watching the games – and it was deleted.
      Total embarrassment for a once-proud magazine.

  18. Here was my reply under your reply:
    Who the hell are you to even think you know what you are talking about Sobby Bcribe? We all no Doty is a “Conn Smythe” candidate. I mean he has to be right? Why else would the Kings sign him for 7 million per season? That goalie Jonathan Bernier hasn’t had to be that good playing Columbus/Colorado and Anaheim before making the finals.
    NJ is getting scoring from all 4 of its lines and since LA just seems to be getting lucky, I mean they are only a month of so removed from the regular season, where they were the worst scoring team in all of the WNBA.
    Every goal scored by NJ has been an enormous one, while the goals scored by the Stars has just been regular goals.It’s pretty clear since Brodeur beat Vezina/Hart Trophy shoe in Lundqvist, this along with winning 3 of 4 OT games (something the Kings didn’t have to do) NJ will prevail in the finals.
    THN has become the Readers Digest of a dedicated hockey publication. I wouldn’t use this paper to line the bottom of my bird cage.

    How this guy can even think being lazy and obviously taking the same breakdown done last year and just replacing the team names and player names without getting caught is beyond me.

  19. Just think about this.

    You are a staff writer at THN. You were told by your boss to do a preview of the SCF. The boss would say that we need a high quality and in depth and thorough preview, with it being fair and balanced. Take your time. Do some research. Do some proof-reading. Give me the preview first. Lets get it vetted too. We don’t want to screw this one up. We want to have an outstanding preview that upholds the proud tradition of our publication and be appreciated and respected by our subscribers.

    The boss says in closing: Now go for it, and this is huge, and it better be well done!

    Okay, so you as a staff writer you do the logical research. You check stats. You read a variety of materials. You look at video. You read other publications. You hear the commentary by TV experts. You make phone calls to some league coaches, players, retired experts, but in any event, you make some phone calls and talk it over.

    Next, you want this article to be covering many important elements of information and analysis. You want to mention several of each team’s top players that were the keys to success. You would want to talk about any number of categories of stats. You want to talk about all the things professionally normal that go into a final conclusion.

    You take your time to get it done right and complete.

    Practically everybody on this board would take this really seriously and do a great study job before you would put your name on it for national publication. I know I would. Besides, the last thing I would want to do is write up a preview that all the NHL hockey players and hockey teams and experts would laugh at and find elementary school quality or worse.

    So, the end result here: THN was out to lunch, asleep at the switch, and let this elementary grade school review hit the wires and streets.

    Consequences: Letters to the editors with complants, cancelled subscriptions, redactions, retractions, cover ups, rationalizations, and then worse of all:

    Apology: If you were offended and hurt and upset, then, I would be sorry for that.

  20. Question? On The Hockey News site when I go to videos they only have Coyotes videos posted and nothing else? Am I missing something?

  21. I don’t think so. Look at jerk Ken Campbell and how he rants and raves how fantastic the Rangers are and will be to beat the Kings:

    So, once the Rangers lost, Campbell immediately switches over to the Devils as his favorite. Big hypocrite all that is.

  22. Good work Bobby.

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Rosario having ride of a lifetime on Orb

5/17/2013 10:30 AM
By By Richard Rosenblatt AP Sports Writer

BALTIMORE (AP) - Joel Rosario is on the ride of his life.

He is the nation's leading jockey and has been piling up victories in big races everywhere he goes. He won the $10 million Dubai World Cup with Animal Kingdom in March, then climbed aboard Orb and won the Kentucky Derby on May 4.

"It's amazing what's happening, can't believe it," he said from Belmont Park this week before heading to Pimlico, where he will try to guide Orb to victory in Saturday's Preakness. "I'm more excited than nervous. It's exciting to be there with a horse who has a chance to win."

Orb is the even-money favorite to beat eight rivals and set up a Triple Crown try in three weeks at the Belmont Stakes.

"That would be something," Rosario said. "I never thought, at this point, to have a chance like that. But we'll have to see first. Who knows how the [Preakness] is going to go?"

The 28-year-old Dominican left Santo Domingo about seven years ago and started out in California. He was a force from 2009-11, winning all six of Hollywood Park's riding titles, three Del Mar titles and two Santa Anita titles. He was among the leading jockeys but wanted more opportunities and better horses so he moved to New York last summer.

It took time to adjust to the different riding styles - jockeys in the East tend to be more patient than out West because the surfaces aren't as fast as they are in California. He also switched agents from Ron Ebanks to Ron Anderson.

"There were a lot of things to put together, and it wasn't easy right away," Rosario said.

Now that he's got it figured out, he's a wanted man - in a good way.

"You see a very confident, energetic rider, who in the last six to eight months has gotten to be one of the top guys in his profession," Orb trainer Shug McGaughey said. "He's learned more patience now, and it's showing."

It sure did in the Derby. It seemed there was no way Orb could make a winning run as the field turned for home, but Rosario waited for the right moment to ask his colt to make his move.

"I thought maybe we were too far back, but I knew [the leaders] were cooking and when he punched the button I knew we were going to be a factor," McGaughey said.

Rosario rallied Orb from 18 lengths back for a 2 1/2-length win in the slop at Churchill Downs. He was Orb's regular rider, but the Derby was the first time he had ridden Orb since the colt's allowance win in January.

John Velazquez rode Orb to wins in the Fountain of Youth and the Florida Derby because Rosario had other Derby contenders he was riding in Vyjack and Normandy Invasion. When McGaughey said he didn't think Orb would run in the Fountain of Youth, Rosario ended up on Vyjack. But when Velazquez committed to Verrazano for the Derby, it cleared the way for Rosario to get back on Orb.

"Johnny would have been just fine on him, but we were tickled to death to have Joel back," McGaughey said.

And why not? Rosario had a terrific first meet at Gulfstream Park, followed it by winning 38 races at Keeneland, and then rode five winners on opening day at Churchill Downs.

"The kid's riding with all kinds of confidence," McGaughey said.

And to think, the 5-foot-2 Rosario didn't even know about horse racing until he was 11. He always wanted to be a baseball player, and dreamed of a pro career. His favorite player was Sammy Sosa, and he roots for the New York Yankees - "especially against Boston." When he noticed his friends were getting taller and he wasn't, he decided baseball wouldn't work. That's when his half brother, Juan Jiminez, took him to a jockey school, and "I worked so hard to be a jockey."

"The track is where I live," he said. "I work every day, and try to do my best."

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December 21, 2011

Dear Military Service Member,

This essay can now be found in the 2012 edition of The Talking Stick. It received an honorable mention designation. I'm happy to have it there!

December 20, 2011

To be of the Earth

To be of the Earth is to know
the restlessness of being a seed
the darkness of being planted
the struggle toward the light

the pain of growth into the light
the joy of bursting and bearing fruit
the love of being food for someone
the scattering of your seeds
the decay of the seasons
the mystery of death
and the miracle of birth.

-- By John Soos

December 5, 2011

The Backcountry Journal

New Reader/Follower/Bookmark Alert, especially for those of you with a penchant for the outdoors:

Editor Ben Smith was kind enough to include my essay "Winter, Walking" in the early stages of The Backcountry Journal, a wonderful online composite of place-inspired words and images. There's great stuff here: hiking, fishing, hunting, exploration. Do hope you check it out. And hope you're enjoying the snow!


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“Wild About Movies” (TSRP)

WedJul 2

10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Breckenridge Public Library

Breckenridge, Minnesota

Got some free time? Come to the library! We will be showing an all-day movie marathon of animal themed movies plus popcorn! Stay for as many movies as you would like or have time for.

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Sunday, August 30, 2015

Articles tagged: Referees

Referees Punished for Wearing Pink Whistles to Support Breast Cancer

Here’s a new guideline that sports leagues should learn to follow: rules are rules unless you’re wearing something to raise cancer awareness. Why a group of referees would be punished for wearing pink whistles to raise awareness for breast cancer is beyond me.  Unfortunately, it happened in Washington. According to, one hundred forty-three Pacific…Read More

Referee Bill Spooner Sues AP Writer Jon Krawczynski for Makeup Call Tweet

Minnesota Timberwolves beat reporter Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press is being sued by referee Bill Spooner for tweeting something deemed defamatory. During the second quarter of a T-Wolves-Rockets game, Minnesota coach Kurt Rambis complained about a call. Krawczynski tweeted “Ref Bill Spooner told Rambis he’d ‘get it back’ after a bad call. Then he…Read More

Rutgers Screwed by Referees at End of St. John’s Game (Video)

The screw job was in at the end of the Rutgers-St. John’s Big East tournament game Wednesday afternoon in Madison Square Garden. That video via Mock Session shows how awful the officiating was at the end of the game. Not only did the player step out of bounds with 1.7 seconds left, but he threw…Read More

Challenge Flags: Best Recent Idea in NFL

This series is sponsored by Captain Morgan. Make your Holiday legendary with Captain and Cola. Join the party on Facebook. Our sponsor, Captain Morgan, assigned LBS with a difficult question: what was the best sports idea we could think of recently? Well after watching the way the Chargers-49ers game changed last night because of one…Read More

Lions Robbed of Win in Controversial Call

Some people were predicting a breakout season for the Detroit Lions this year and maybe even a playoff appearance. I was expecting a turnaround for the Lions too, and getting a road win over the Bears in week one would have been an excellent start to the season. If only a bad rule did not…Read More

NBA Refs Have A Long Way to Go

It isn’t easy to be an NBA official in the aftermath of the Tim Donaghy era.  Whether you’re an honest, hard-working ref who gives his all every night or not, your judgment and morals are guaranteed to be questioned by fans, players, and coaches night-in and night-out.  A lot of times they don’t deserve it. …Read More

SEC Officials Miss Call on LSU Interception by Patrick Peterson

Several SEC games have been marred by poor calls from the officials. To me, the worst case was in the Florida/Arkansas game, where the conference admitted they screwed up the calls that went against the Hogs to help the Gators. The storyline that has been prevalent throughout the season continues to take center stage as…Read More

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Emiliano Salinas on violence in Mexico

This 12 minute TED talk, in Spanish with subtitles in English and other languages, is worth listening to. Mexico is a wonderful country that is suffering because of the demand for illegal drugs in the USA and Canada.

In this passionate talk from TEDxSanMigueldeAllende that’s already caused a sensation in Mexico, Emiliano Salinas, son of former president Carlos Salinas de Gortari, confronts the current climate of violence in Mexico — or rather, how Mexican society responds to it. He calls on ordinary citizens to move from denial and fear to peaceful, community-based action. This is the first talk posted on TED.com that was delivered in a language other than English. (It has English subtitles by default. Translated by Carolina Montero and Sebastian Betti.)

A civil response to violence: Emiliano Salinas on TED.com“, 27 June 2011.

Recorded at TEDxSanMigueldeAllende, November 2010 in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Duration: 12:17.

HT: Dr Andrew Willmore

This violence will not stop until consuming countries decide to decriminalize the possession and use of drugs.

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Athlete’s Corner: Nike and NCSA gives high school athletes exposure
By Jason Lewis (Sentinel Sports Editor,
Published March 15, 2013

The 40-yard dash is one of many tests that scouts look at to determin a players athletic abilities.  Photo by Jason Lewis

The 5-10-5 shuttle drill shows how well an ahtlete can move his hips, and how quickly he can start, stop, and start again.  Photo by Jason Lewis

Jason Lewis Jr, Fairfax wide receiver

The vertical jump test is not just about how high an athlete can jump, it is shows explosive power.  Athletes who hit the weight room and do squats, deadlifts, power cleans, and other explosive movements usually do well in this test.  Photo by Jason Lewis

Nike Sparq combine evaluates high school football players and NCSA provides vital information to be recruited to college.

By Jason Lewis

Sentinel Sports Editor

The recruiting game is drastically different from what it was years ago, and the athletes who know that have an advantage over those who do not.  Athletes in all sports can make a name for themselves during the offseason and catch the eye of college recruiters by attending camps and clinics, and by taking advantage of the internet.

That is where Nike and the NCSA comes into play.  This past Saturday at Cerritos College, Nike held one of their many Nike Sparq combines, where they tested athletes in the 40-yard dash, agility shuttle, and vertical jump.  The numbers from those tests alone do not mean that an athlete can play football at a high level, but it is a good indication of who has the best shot of playing at a high level.

These tests tell the athletes where they are now, how they compare to other athletes who are also trying to obtain college scholarships, and which areas that they need to work on to make themselves more appealing to college scouts.

“We’ve been doing these deals for 17 years, so have a lot of data on a lot of really great athletes,” said Jay Matthews, who is with Nike.  “We can tell them what percentiles that their overall scores fall in.  Using those percentiles they can identify their strengths and what we call opportunities to improve their ratings.”

In football, the faster and more explosive athletes usually have an advantage.  At the Nike Sparq combine, the players can see where their strengths and weaknesses are, and they can adjust their training accordingly.

Matthews pointed out that the data compiled is just one piece of football, and that a player’s greatest chance of obtaining a scholarship will be by playing great on Friday nights during the fall and winter.  But using the Nike Sparq combine is a barometer, and it is one thing that the college scouts use.  That is one way that Randy Taylor, Director of Recruiting at the NCSA, sees it.

“It’s an opportunity for these athletes to put measurable, the 40, the shuttle, and the vertical, online so college coaches have an opportunity to evaluate those numbers in line with the height and weight, and see if those athletes fit those specific numbers that they want,” Taylor said.  “It’s the first step in the recruiting process.”

The NCSA is one of the premier athletic recruitment websites, where high school athletes can create a profile and it makes it easier for college scouts to keep track of players from around the nation.

At the Nike Sparq combine, Taylor spoke to the parents and gave them a lot of valuable advice.

“It starts early,” Taylor said.  “There are already two 8th graders that have been offered football scholarships.  That’s the class of 2017.  The recruiting process starts early.  Ninth grade English is just as important as 12th grade English.  The college coaches are always evaluating athletes.  If you know that the coaches are starting early, then you have to start being a better prospect early.”

In the past it was the high school football coaches who made the call for athletes to get recruited, but things are different today.

“It’s not that you can’t rely on your high school coach, it’s that you shouldn’t rely on your high school coach,” Taylor said.  “It’s not their job.  It’s your job as the high school athlete to get yourself recruited.  The high school coach will help as much as they can, as much as their budget allows.  Do they have video editing, all the things that you have to have to help a young athlete, male of female, get recruited?  Sometimes those coaches don’t have that.  Maybe they’re old school and they do things a certain way.      That may not be what’s needed these days for recruiting.  Or they have many other athletes, and they teach a class, and they have their own families.”

Taylor recommends that players get evaluated by a third party service, such as Nike or the NCSA, and that they obtain as much video as possible.  At the Nike Sparq combine, college recruiters can  easily obtain those numbers, and the recruiters will trust the source.  As for video, Taylor believes that is of great importance for any athlete trying to get to the next level.

“They have to understand how important video is,” Taylor said.  “We say video is king, because you cannot be recruited without a great highlight video.  The highlight video will get a coach to watch game video, so a video is like a calling card.  It’s your first impression, and it is a lasting impression.”

Taylor does give one warning.  When going to a combine or any type of event that includes testing, be prepared.  Bad times or results can hurt an aspiring athlete, so athletes need to train hard before they are tested.

High school athletes that want to enhance their chances of being recruited need to work hard, do well in school, and promote themselves.

Categories: Athlete's Corner
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Jimmy Winkfield: The last of an era
By Tony McClean (Black Action Sports Network)
Published May 10, 2010

Jimmy Winkfield

Jimmy Winkfield: The last of an era

The last Black jockey to win the Kentucky Derby became an international star due to American racism

By Tony McClean,

Black Athlete Sports Network

NEW HAVEN, Ct. (BASN) — Today, we take a look back at one of greatest African-American jockeys with the story of Jimmy Winkfield. Born on April 12, 1882 in Chilesburg, Kentucky, Winkfield began his racing career in 1898.

He went from being the youngest of 17 in a family of sharecroppers, to racing for $8 a month and eventually, $1,000 a race.

His racing stats show him winning back-to-back Kentucky Derbys (1901 on His Eminence, and 1902 on Alan-A-Dale). He was also the last Black jockey to win a Kentucky Derby.

After being blacklisted for breaking a contract with one horse owner, Winkfield accepted an offer to race in Russia, where he became a big star again. But as the Bolsheviks and the Communists rose to power in 1917, the sport suffered from its association to wealthy and aristocratic owners.

Winkfield led some 200 jockeys, trainers and owners to Poland. Many of the people involved in the move survived only by eating their horses along the way. Before leaving Russia, he won the Emperor’s Purse, the Moscow Derby twice and the Russian Derby three times.

In Germany, Winkfield won the Grand Prix de Baden. In Poland, he won the Poland Derby twice and in France, he won the Prix du President de la Republique. Winkfield would also train a horse that won the Grand Prix de Paris.

After his first two Kentucky Derby wins, Winkfield would lose his third Derby attempt. The sport of racing began to decline in the public eye due to anti-gambling movements and financial hard times.

To no surprise, some white jockeys resented the choice mounts and big money earned by successful Black riders. Races became combative including several riots between Black and White jockeys in Chicago.

Winkfield eventually tallied over 2,600 racing victories before retiring in 1930 and becoming a horse trainer. During World War II, he returned to South Carolina and worked at an Aiken horse farm, but went back to France in 1953 and lived there till he reached the age of 93.

In 1961, some 60 years after he first rode to Derby victory, Winkfield returned to Louisville for the race and still found recognition and respect elusive. Though he had been invited to a pre-Derby dinner at Louisville’s Brown Hotel, it was still segregated.

The doorman wouldn’t allow Winkfield and his family inside. They were eventually given some seats near the back of the hall, but nothing as far as recognition of his presence was done.

Jimmy Winkfield died on March 23, 1974 in Maisons-Laffitte, France.

Winkfield’s supporters were pushing for his admission to the Thoroughbred Hall of Fame, so he can join two other African-American jockeys (Isaac Murphy, Willie Simms) already honored there.

Finally on August 9, 2004, Winkfield was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. His daughter Liliane Winkfield Casey received the award from historian Edward Hotaling in Saratoga, New York.

Categories: News (Sports)
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Remembering Resistance and Revolution: No Corporate Corner of History for Haiti
By Dr. Maulana Karenga (Columnist)
Published January 27, 2011

The life-and-freedom-affirming spirit of the Haitian Revolution still haunts the historical memory and current mind of those whose imperial lust for monopolized wealth and racial domination has not diminished over the centuries, but rather has found varied forms in which to clothe, camouflage and express itself. They are determined to make the Haitian people pay for having the audacity to dare and win freedom, to boldly assume and exercise the right to be free without consent, especially from one’s oppressor, and to defeat four European armies using instruments of daily work and life, and weapons they seized from the enemy’s own hands and armories.

In doing this, they placed a signature event in the history of the human struggle for freedom, an enslaved people defeating their enslavers and establishing a republic in the name of Haitian and human freedom. And for this the imperial powers and their allies conclude, they cannot be forgiven. Thus, taking up the imperial gauntlet for White supremacy, as it has done repeatedly throughout history when European empires are overthrown, the U.S. invaded and occupied Haiti (first in 1915-1934) imposed sanctions, propped up political and military dictators, and overthrew the legitimate democratically-elected government of President Jean Bertrand Aristide, kidnapped him, forced him into exile and blocks the exercise of his constitutional right to return to Haiti without conditions of any kind.

Today, it is clear that the U.S. is the dominant power in Haiti and plays a role similar to that it played in the first occupation, restructuring the country to its advantage, clearing space for greater corporate exploitation, sidelining the government and denying it the resources, monies and capacity to rebuild its institutions to serve the people. France and Canada co-sign these arrangements for their own historical and current imperial fantasies and faulty rationales. But again, it is the U.S. and U.S. corporations that are in control and benefit most.

In the year since the massive earthquake of January 12, 2010, in which up to 300,000 people lost their lives, and countless homes, livelihoods, businesses and government buildings were destroyed, the U.S. has been the major decision-maker for the reconstruction and recovery of Haiti, constantly dismissing and excluding Haiti’s meaningful participation. Moreover, in terms of profit, a recent AP investigation found that American corporations received a $98.40 return from every $100 of Haitian reconstruction contracts given out by the U.S. government.

Furthermore, the Interim Haitian Reconstruction Commission, which decides how and where to spend monies donated to Haiti for reconstruction, is controlled by the U.S. and has met only four times. Also, there are only 12 Haitian members out of 26 of the IHRS, co-chaired by Bill Clinton. And they recently registered a complaint of their marginalization in the process with the real decisions being made by the executive committee composed of Clinton, the PM Jean-Max Bellerive and U.S. State Department employee for USAID, Gabriel Verret. From the beginning of the response to the disaster, the U.S. took control of the country, directed resources to international non-governmental organizations rather than the Haitian government and thus, structured its weakness and incapacity to rebuild its institutions and serve the people.

The promised aid of billions of dollars have not arrived and that which has arrived has gone to corporations and international relief organizations, not to the government for institutional building and rebuilding. The NGOs and corporations with their lucrative contracts have decided to hold the money and use the interest on the money to invest in Haiti. Their aim is for long-term organizational advantage not immediate and urgent service to the people. Thus, approximately one million people still remain in temporary camps and an estimated 170,000 people are infected with cholera and 4,000 killed when a strong program of health care, clean water and sanitary conditions could have checked the epidemic early.

The recent election in Haiti which was endorsed, financed and monitored by the U.S. and its international allies, associates and representatives, was rightfully denounced and rejected as illegitimate and rife with fraud. And indeed, how could it be otherwise with its tacit acceptance of the coup d’état by the U.S., France and Canada; its exclusion of the largest party in Haiti, Parti Lavalas; its fraudulent lists; the thuggery against the people; the non-participation of 3/4 of the voting population; and the rejection of the election by the majority of candidates themselves.

Clearly, the return of Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier can only add chaos and confusion, harm to the people, and damage to the country and democratic prospect. It is certainly a classic case of U.S. hypocrisy, contradiction and cold-blooded disregard for the will of the Haitian people to allow its former client-dictator to return and at the same time block the constitutionally guaranteed right to return of the democratically-elected President of Haiti, Jean Bertrand Aristide.

The imperial powers thrive on division, confusion and vulnerabilities of all kinds. There is no fear of a divided and confused people; that is why division and confusion must be fostered among them. There is no fear of the hireling who is ever-ready to be rented, bought or leased for life; that is why the incorruptible and committed must be captured, killed, discredited and done away with by the oppressor in various ways. And there is no fear of the willingly enslaved and oppressed who assume a servile posture and position during the fight for freedom and even after its achievement; that is why the enslaver and oppressor must control the mind, break the will and make the enslaved and oppressed see freedom in oppression, liberation in enslavement, and usefulness to the dominant group as the best and only way forward.

Whatever use the U.S. has for Duvalier, it suggests desperation to import a discredited dependent with such a history of blood, brutality and horror on his hands. But the people of Haiti will not be bamboozled or coerced into a corner of corporate history to which the U.S. would assign them. They will continue to demand self-determination, decisive participation in the reconstruction of their own country and the restoration of democracy, the return of their democratically-elected President, Pres. Aristide, and the rightful and full participation of Lavalas.

And we must support them in these struggles and the struggles to hold accountable the NGOs, international governments and funding institutions; to remove the occupation forces under UN and U.S. auspices; establish security, governmental capacity, economic development, agriculture, health care, water and reforestation projects; and to frame and foster a new society in the interest of the Haitian people and human history on a whole new level.

Categories: Dr. Maulana Karenga
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Las Vegas Sun

August 30, 2015

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Thomas & Mack Turns 25:

No. 10: Holyfield, Lewis set gate record

Heavyweights put fans in the T&M seats, leave them wanting more

Click to enlarge photo

A poster for the heavyweight title fight between Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis is displayed inside the Thomas & Mack Center.

Special section

Editor's Note: In conjunction with the 25th anniversary of the Thomas & Mack Center's opening on Nov. 21, 1983, the Sun is celebrating the building's colorful history with a top 25 countdown - to No. 1 on Nov. 21, 2008 - of the biggest events held inside the arena located on UNLV's campus.

Evander Holyfield’s biggest storyline obviously came at the hands (make that mouth) of Mike Tyson, but the “The Real Deal” Holyfield had several other interesting bouts that didn’t require plastic surgery on his ear.

One of the biggest, at least financially, came against Lennox Lewis in Las Vegas at the Thomas & Mack Center.

The pair’s first meeting — a bout in New York that ended in a controversial 12-round draw, despite a large contingent of fans and experts feeling Lewis won — created a big buzz for the rematch in Las Vegas.

The unification of Holyfield’s IBF and WBA heavyweight titles, along with Lewis’ WBC title and the vacant IBO belt only fueled the hype machine surrounding the American-British showdown.

And fight fans paid to see it. More than 17,000 packed the Mack on Nov. 13, 1999, creating the largest gate of $16.8 million in the sport’s history, at the time.

But whether those thousands of fans got enough bang for their buck is another matter. Lewis’ trainer, Emanuel Steward, said not so much.

“That was no superstar performance," Steward said, after Lewis' unanimous decision.

“It was disappointing to me. Lennox didn't do what I was hoping he would do, which is fight smartly and win by knockout."

Lewis still landed enough punches, 195 blows to Holyfield’s 137, to gain scores of 116-112, 117-111, 115-113 from the judges.

"It don’t get any bigger than this. Now I’ll go down in the history books forever," said Lewis, who became the first undisputed heavyweight champ since Riddick Bowe in 1992, and first undisputed heavyweight champion from England since Bob Fitzsimmons in 1897.

Holyfield said he wasn’t so certain of the decision.

“I thought this was closer than the first fight," Holyfield said. "The fight went the way it did and the result was left to the judges. It's up to the people if they want me to continue. We'll see. I could walk away at any time."

While last year’s Oscar De La Hoya-Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight overtook Holyfield-Lewis as the top grossing fight of all-time, there was plenty to remember about the biggest fight in Thomas & Mack history.

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Southern California -- this just in

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State lawmakers plan review of gas pipelines and safety standards after San Bruno explosion

September 10, 2010 |  6:12 pm

California lawmakers said Friday that the San Bruno explosion raises questions about whether the state is doing enough to regulate gas pipelines and enforce safety standards and now plan a legislative review of state programs.

"This horrible accident is a wake-up call that California needs to do more to protect the public and meet the highest safety standards," said Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima), chairman of the Senate Energy Committee.

Padilla's panel and the Senate Public Safety Committee will hold joint hearings in the coming weeks to review issues raised by the deadly explosion.

One concern that will be addressed: reports that some residents in the San Bruno neighborhood complained about smelling gas in the days before the explosion, and whether "if they had been responded to differently might this have been prevented?'' said Bill Mabie, Padilla's chief of staff.

Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), chairman of the public safety panel, said his office has already been in touch with federal investigators.

"We intend to work closely with them and others to ensure that we develop the necessary reforms to prevent another disaster like this,'' Leno said.

-- Patrick McGreevy in Sacramento