53mph Dirk Auer.

Boneman's Daughters

This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingBoneman's DaughtersCenter Street (April 14, 2009)byTed DekkerABOUT THE AUTHORTed is the son of missionaries John and Helen Dekker, whose incredible story of life among headhunters in Indonesia has been told in several books. Surrounded by the vivid colors of the jungle and a myriad of cultures, each steeped in their own interpretation of life and faith, Dekker received a first-class education on human nature and behavior. This, he believes, is the foundation of his writing.After graduating from a multi-cultural high school, he took up permanent residence in the United States to study Religion and Philosophy. After earning his Bachelor's Degree, Dekker entered the corporate world in management for a large healthcare company in California. Dekker was quickly recognized as a talent in the field of marketing and was soon promoted to Director of Marketing. This experience gave him a background which enabled him to eventually form his own company and steadily climb the corporate ladder.Since 1997, Dekker has written full-time. He states that each time he writes, he finds his understanding of life and love just a little clearer and his expression of that understanding a little more vivid. Dekker's body of work encompassing seven mysteries, three thrillers and ten fantasies includes Heaven's Wager, When Heaven Weeps, Thunder of Heaven, Blessed Child, A Man Called Blessed, Blink, Thr3e, The Circle Trilogy (Black, Red, White), Obsessed, Renegade, and Chaos.ABOUT THE BOOKWould you kill an innocent man to save your daughter?They call him BoneMan, a serial killer who’s abducted six young women. He’s the perfect father looking for the perfect daughter, and when his victims fail to meet his lofty expectations, he kills them by breaking their bones and leaving them to die.Intelligence officer Ryan Evans, on the other hand, has lost all hope of ever being the perfect father. His daughter and wife have written him out of their lives.Everything changes when BoneMan takes Ryan’s estranged daughter, Bethany, as his seventh victim. Ryan goes after BoneMan on his own.But the FBI sees it differently. New evidence points to the suspicion that Ryan is BoneMan. Now the hunter is the hunted, and in the end, only one father will stand.If you're an avid Dekker fan, and would like wallpaper and counters for your blog, go HERE.You can listen to an audio clip HEREWatch the VIDEO:If you would like to read the first chapter of Boneman's Daughters, go HERE.

Minimums Definitely Required

I dont usually delve into the conservative quarter of the blogosphere, because whenever I do, I stumble across something like this that makes me despair for the future of the human race& The basic premise: Maryland is soon to enact a new law - supported, surprise surprise, by Wal-Mart, Target, and Sears, among others - that will allow retailers to sue suppliers who have been forcing minimum-retail-price agreements on them. Chad, it seems, doesnt quite understand, as he puts it, the need for government to regulate certain aspects of business. Or, as he puts it, all that stands between greedy suppliers having their way with Wal-Mart and their customers is the powerful hand of government stepping in to outlaw such practices? Heres a hint: it really has nothing whatsoever to do with the suppliers, Chad. Minimum-pricing agreements do serve the suppliers interests, to be sure, but they exist primarily for one reason: to level the playing field between big businesses like Walmart and smaller, privately-owned family businesses. In a lot of areas, those minimum-pricing agreements are pretty literally all that are keeping small family businesses afloat. Walmart, being the good capitalists that they are, would very much like everyone who lives near one of their stores to shop there, and arent afraid to use fairly malicious tactics to ensure that long-term goal by forcing the competition out of business. Suppose Walmart opens a new store in a small town with a popular, family-owned lawnmower dealership and small-engine-repair shop. Lawn mowers are basically commodity items; a Lawnmaster 120XE is a Lawnmaster 120XE, no matter where you buy it from. Suppose Lawnmaster has set the 120XEs minimum retail price at $149.99; thats the lowest Walmart and the family business can sell it for, and even if they do so, theyll still turn a profit. (Im unaware that any manufacturer has ever set a minimum retail price below wholesale cost; doing so wouldnt make any sense.) Its an even playing field for everyone, and Walmarts success or failure in the local lawnmower business is going to have to ride on the success of their customer service and other related intangibles. Worst-case scenario, everyone in town has the same prices on the 120XE; more likely, the Walmart stops carrying the 120XE there and goes with the GrassKutter 1000, a Chinese-made mower with a 30-day warranty and that can be sold for a much lower price, like $89.99, and tries to compete apples-to-oranges on raw price alone. Without that minimum pricing agreement, however - or if Walmart is able to sue their way out of the agreement - theres absolutely nothing stopping them from selling the 120XE mower for, oh, $74.98. Sure, they will lose money on every mower they sell, but they can - and happily will - absorb it as a loss leader in the long-term because such a tactic will quite quickly force the small family shop out of business. And then, once theyve eliminated the competition, you can bet the price of that mower will climb back up past $149.99. Remember - minimum pricing agreements have nothing whatsoever to do with the wholesale price the retailer pays. If Walmart doesnt like the price someone is charging them, theyre already free to, as Chad so eloquently puts it, tell them to go pound sand. That doesnt change - all that changes is Walmarts ability to sell that product at uncompetitive and unsustainable low prices. Competition is good, because it eliminates monopolies, de-facto or otherwise. The new law in Maryland has nothing to do with preventing greedy suppliers from having their way with Wal-Mart and their customers; its all about big retail giants crushing the independent competition and screwing, in the long run, the customer. Here in Minnesota, theres a law on the books that forces businesses to sell gasoline at a minimum mark-up per gallon. (Something like nine cents, I think, but I could be wrong.) The law exists entirely because some big chain box stores, especially in small communities, used to sell gas, as well, and did so at ridiculously low, below-cost prices. (Often as part of some sort of gimmick - spend $25 on merchandise and save $0.25 per gallon on gas, or something like that.) Independent gas stations couldnt compete with the loss-leader tactics of the big stores, and went out of business by the dozens. Government meddling with the markets? Or simply government leveling the playing fields? Well, here in Minnesota, your view on that probably depends on whether or not your car runs on ethanol or diesel fuels, which the big box stores generally didnt sell. Likewise, with the hypothetical lawnmower prices above, you might think that Walmart should be free to charge whatever they want, and if the family-run business fails, well, thats just market forces at work, right? You might think that - right up until the day your lawnmower breaks, and you discover Walmart not only doesnt do small-engine repairs, they just forced the only place within a hundred miles that did out of business. Obviously, Walmart thinks you should just buy a new mower& from them, naturally, since theyre the only game in town. The only people who benefit from this new law in Maryland are big businesses like Walmart and Target. Everyone else - from small-business owners to average working-class Joes - gets royally shafted. Whats not to get? Copyright

Cooking Tips for Broiling a Chicken

For decades, broiled chicken has been the meat of choice for those on low-fat and low calorie diets. Unfortunately, broiled white chicken has also acquired a reputation for being bland, rubbery and dry.That's a real shame, because chicken - especially white meat chicken - is one of the most versatile proteins available. All it takes is a bit of knowledge about how to broil (or grill) chicken so that it stays moist and flavorful and you will find that chicken tastes great even without all the sauces and gravies.How to Broil Chicken That Melts in Your MouthOne of the most important things to keep in mind about chicken white meat is that it has little fat of its own. The fat is all in the skin. While that makes it relatively easy to cook chicken with almost no fat, it also means that chicken white meat is prone to becoming very dry when cooked without the skin. Want to avoid dried out broiled chicken breasts? Here are some tips for broiling chicken that will be moist and delicious.1. If fat is not a concern, broil breasts with the skin on, and turned toward the heat source. For broiling, start with the skin side down, and then flip chicken pieces halfway through. Broiling breasts with the skin on will not appreciably increase the fat content of the meat as long as you remove the skin before eating it.2. If using skinless breasts, rub them lightly with olive oil or marinade before broiling. Experiment with flavored olive oils to find flavor combinations that you like. Or, brush breasts with Italian dressing - or spray lightly with cooking spray to give them a light coating.3. Precook chicken breasts in chicken stock before putting them under the broiler. They will start out infused with extra moisture and flavor, and spend less time drying out under the broiler.4. Use an herb rub to crust the chicken on the outside. You will a get browned, crusted outside and moist, tender inside.5. Your heat source should be about 5 to 6 inches away from the top of the chicken for best broiling.6. Flavor chicken meat with herbs, salt and spices before broiling.7. Preheat the broiler for 9 to 10 minutes before putting the meat in. If you try to broil chicken in a broiler that is not preheated, they will dry out before they cook through.8. Keep your eye on the chicken while it is cooking. If edges are cooking too quickly, rearrange the pieces on the pan or adjust the heat.9. Conversely, shield the thinner edges of chicken breast with foil to prevent them burning before the rest of the chicken is cooked.10. Flip chicken when top side is browned. Since breasts will not all cook at the same rate, keep an eye on the chicken so that you can remove breasts when they are done and prevent them from drying out.11. Use tongs to turn chicken. Do not pierce with a fork or juices will escape, leaving chicken dry and stringy.12. Brush top side of chicken with marinade, barbecue sauce, Italian dressing or flavored olive oil after turning. A light basting will refresh the moisture and infuse flavors into the meat.Broiling a Whole ChickenGenerally, whole chicken is roasted, often after being stuffed with forcemeat of some kind or other. However, a whole chicken can be cooked under the broiler for a very different taste. You just need to flatten the chicken before cooking. Follow these directions for flavorful broiled whole chicken.1. First, butterfly the chicken2. Remove the backbone: Using a heavy knife or kitchen shears, cut close to the backbone from neck to tail on each side of the bone, and then remove it.3. Flatten the chicken: Spread the chicken skin side up on your table or counter, and bang the breast with your fist to break the collar bone and some of the ribs.4. Fold the wings to either side of the shoulders.5. Cut a slit in the skin at either side of the breast tip.6. Insert the tips of the drumsticks through the slits in the skin.7. Brush the chicken with olive oil and spices. Or use flavored olive oil.8. Put chicken skin side down in broiler pan - not on a rack.9. Broil about 5 inches from the heat for five minutes.10. Brush the chicken with oil and spices and place back under the broiler.11. After five minutes baste again, using the juices in the pan, and place back under broiler for five minutes more.12. Baste chicken, and then sprinkle with salt, pepper and spices and turn skin side up.13. Broil and baste skin side for fifteen minutes more, basting every five minutes to ensure meat remains moist.14. Chicken is done when juices run clear yellow from pricked drumstick.Stephanie Larkin is a freelance writer who writes about cooking tips and tips for the home, often discussing specific products such as the Nu Wave Oven.

Cooking Tips for Broiling a Chicken

For decades, broiled chicken has been the meat of choice for those on low-fat and low calorie diets. Unfortunately, broiled white chicken has also acquired a reputation for being bland, rubbery and dry.That's a real shame, because chicken - especially white meat chicken - is one of the most versatile proteins available. All it takes is a bit of knowledge about how to broil (or grill) chicken so that it stays moist and flavorful and you will find that chicken tastes great even without all the sauces and gravies.How to Broil Chicken That Melts in Your MouthOne of the most important things to keep in mind about chicken white meat is that it has little fat of its own. The fat is all in the skin. While that makes it relatively easy to cook chicken with almost no fat, it also means that chicken white meat is prone to becoming very dry when cooked without the skin. Want to avoid dried out broiled chicken breasts? Here are some tips for broiling chicken that will be moist and delicious.1. If fat is not a concern, broil breasts with the skin on, and turned toward the heat source. For broiling, start with the skin side down, and then flip chicken pieces halfway through. Broiling breasts with the skin on will not appreciably increase the fat content of the meat as long as you remove the skin before eating it.2. If using skinless breasts, rub them lightly with olive oil or marinade before broiling. Experiment with flavored olive oils to find flavor combinations that you like. Or, brush breasts with Italian dressing - or spray lightly with cooking spray to give them a light coating.3. Precook chicken breasts in chicken stock before putting them under the broiler. They will start out infused with extra moisture and flavor, and spend less time drying out under the broiler.4. Use an herb rub to crust the chicken on the outside. You will a get browned, crusted outside and moist, tender inside.5. Your heat source should be about 5 to 6 inches away from the top of the chicken for best broiling.6. Flavor chicken meat with herbs, salt and spices before broiling.7. Preheat the broiler for 9 to 10 minutes before putting the meat in. If you try to broil chicken in a broiler that is not preheated, they will dry out before they cook through.8. Keep your eye on the chicken while it is cooking. If edges are cooking too quickly, rearrange the pieces on the pan or adjust the heat.9. Conversely, shield the thinner edges of chicken breast with foil to prevent them burning before the rest of the chicken is cooked.10. Flip chicken when top side is browned. Since breasts will not all cook at the same rate, keep an eye on the chicken so that you can remove breasts when they are done and prevent them from drying out.11. Use tongs to turn chicken. Do not pierce with a fork or juices will escape, leaving chicken dry and stringy.12. Brush top side of chicken with marinade, barbecue sauce, Italian dressing or flavored olive oil after turning. A light basting will refresh the moisture and infuse flavors into the meat.Broiling a Whole ChickenGenerally, whole chicken is roasted, often after being stuffed with forcemeat of some kind or other. However, a whole chicken can be cooked under the broiler for a very different taste. You just need to flatten the chicken before cooking. Follow these directions for flavorful broiled whole chicken.1. First, butterfly the chicken2. Remove the backbone: Using a heavy knife or kitchen shears, cut close to the backbone from neck to tail on each side of the bone, and then remove it.3. Flatten the chicken: Spread the chicken skin side up on your table or counter, and bang the breast with your fist to break the collar bone and some of the ribs.4. Fold the wings to either side of the shoulders.5. Cut a slit in the skin at either side of the breast tip.6. Insert the tips of the drumsticks through the slits in the skin.7. Brush the chicken with olive oil and spices. Or use flavored olive oil.8. Put chicken skin side down in broiler pan - not on a rack.9. Broil about 5 inches from the heat for five minutes.10. Brush the chicken with oil and spices and place back under the broiler.11. After five minutes baste again, using the juices in the pan, and place back under broiler for five minutes more.12. Baste chicken, and then sprinkle with salt, pepper and spices and turn skin side up.13. Broil and baste skin side for fifteen minutes more, basting every five minutes to ensure meat remains moist.14. Chicken is done when juices run clear yellow from pricked drumstick.Stephanie Larkin is a freelance writer who writes about cooking tips and tips for the home, often discussing specific products such as the Nu Wave Oven.

Global Uncertainties: Security for All in a Changing World Programme

Details of opportunities for fellowship funding from the UK Research Councils:
The cross-Council programme focuses on the nature and interactions of five global issues: conflict, crime, environmental degradation, poverty and terrorism, and their implications for various concepts and contexts of security and insecurity. Within this framework, this fellowship call focuses specifically on how ideas and beliefs of individuals, communities and nation states relate to these five global phenomena.
Fellowship applications under this call must address one or more of the following key research areas:
How do individuals and communities develop their ideas and beliefs about security and insecurity?
Why do some ideas and beliefs lead to conflict, violence or criminal activity? What lessons can we learn& that provide the basis for countering those ideas and beliefs that reinforce conflict, violence and crime?
How do issues around the cycle of knowledge production and use interact with the creation, management and resolution of insecurities?
How are risks and threats communicated, constructed, represented and received by key actors and communities, using different media and cultural forms for different audiences, including the use of language, images and symbolism?
Is there an acceptable balance between national security needs and the protection of civil liberties and human rights? If so, can one be secured? And how do we balance local needs against global responsibilities within a security context?
How should institutions with responsibility for different aspects of a broad security agenda, including security forces themselves, evolve to meet new risks and threats?
Its an exciting opportunity for researchers based in the UK, and the funding is also available to non-UK researchers looking for a chance to work at a UK institution:
Applications are open to both senior/professorial level researchers and to researchers at an earlier stage in their research career looking to achieve an international research leadership role during the period of the fellowship (minimum 3 years post-doctoral, or equivalent, research experience). Applications from leading overseas researchers seeking to conduct research on a relevant topic at an eligible UK research institution will also be welcomed. Applications from researchers who have not previously worked on security issues but wish to apply their expertise to research in this more broadly construed security agenda are encouraged.
The deadline for applications is 25th September 2008. Many more details, including FAQs [pdf] and a programme overview [pdf] via the ESRC website.

The Dating Showhand

Is dating no longer a journey of discovery?As time comes to lay claim to my youth and society sheds its pseudo exo-skeletal of conservatism in favour of liberal pursuits, I’ve come to realize that dating is no longer a passage of chance and discovery of partners, but instead, it’s now a deliberate display of limitations and flaws.Through time as my notoriety spreads and my face becomes increasingly familiar, I find a lack in the need for me to properly introduce myself. It’s gone from,“Hi, my name is Butterfly. I am an asshole, I have short attention spans, no morals and no emotions. Commitments irritate me and expectations crumble me. If you are fat and stupid, you will be laughed at.”To,“Hi, my name is Butterfly, but you already know me. Are we hooking up?”This was great for me because people already knew what to expect from me, and I always believed that honesty was the best foundation for any form of dating to be built on. It worked so well that 4 years on, I still remain single.Yet of late, women too, are no longer contented to taking a leap of faith. Instead, we weave in our shortcomings in parabolic quips and anecdotal instances. We comment on our flaws blatantly to sift the eligibles from the generic improbable. We now play out our flaws and expectations like a game of poker, waiting to see who folds up first.It’s almost like a filtering process where we say, “Here are my issues. Let’s date if you are fine by them”. And there I was thinking that contractual dates with a time expiry was something only I would propose. Then some time back, I found myself negotiating on dating terms.It all started when she whined about lack of eligible men who would break her mould of boring pencil pushers. This was over a glass of Bellini and I thought it was absolutely ridiculous that she was having a drink with me and yet I wasn’t even considered.I raised my hand in mock protest and questioned how she could ever have excluded me in her list when wit and humour played considerable catalytic nods in her choice of men.She: “That’s because you are a very confusing guy. I think you are a very nice guy, but I also think you are a player. Which are you?”On the one part, one testimonial of me sending a drunk friend home and not exploiting the situation -despite her having her hands all over me and her tongue very nearly in my aural orifices -, changed her perception of me. This was despite the fact that I explained that morals and chivalry had nothing to do with it, but only because she was drunk and I was worried she was going to chug on me.I have no restraints when it comes to kissing hot women, and promptly assured her that if the girl was sober, I would have fucked her. I do not have that much integrity to de-track the advances of attractive women.Me: “I’m definitely not nice.”Then almost as if a defense mechanism kicked in, we started a list of anti-dating campaigns that would make Cupid turn in his grave.She: “I’m not looking for anything long term, cos I’m leaving.”Me: “It sits well with me that commitment is not your thing.”At one point it spilled over to horoscopes, which I have no clue on as to the zodiac compatibilities because in my world, compatibility is measured in cup sizes, sex drive, dancing ability and choice of music.And it’s an unorthodox exchange because in conventional dating, the right approach would be to impress, compliment shamelessly and then throw in a good dose of deception. Oh, we all know half the shit people say while they are trying to court a person only stays true till after the honeymoon period ends. It’s called a relationship life-cycle.Yet, this has become strangely familiar to me. If I’m not keeping my distance and reminding people how much of an ass I can be, then it is them telling me how unpredictable and demanding they will be if we started dating.It works like this,Girl: “I need a lot of attention.”Me: “I need a lot of space and time alone.”Girl: “I need to know where my man is at all times.”Me: “I hate having to report to anyone on my schedule.”If I didn’t know better, I’d say we were made for each other. Whoever said relationships are built on differences is a moron and probably has a girlfriend with such enormous tits that it is solely sustaining the relationship.The day it sags to her knees is the day he is going to realize that, that was the dumbest quote in history. Topped only by that Subaru challenge winner years ago who when asked what was his secret to winning said, “I realized it’s not about mental determination. It’s about keeping your hands there”. Wow Sherlock, we never realized that.Has dating really degenerated into a state of being able to digest your partner’s flaws? Or is this just a disclaimer, to reject all future blames by simply saying, ‘I told you so’. We are taking out the joys and perils of discovery and injecting it with predictability and honesty.Hi, my name is Butterfly. And this is what I can offer..

PA-Sen: Cancer Research Website Really Arlen Specter Campaign Fundraiser - UPDATED!

Arlen Specter has been promoting a new website - www.SpecterForTheCure.com - which appears to be an effort to raise money for medical research. Take a look at the website for yourself and get a first impression of your own - and please share in the comments those first impressions as well as your thoughts after reading the below article. It turns out that the donations solicited by the website do not go to medical research - the donations go to Specter's re-election fund:
In two national TV appearances Sunday, Sen. Arlen Specter plugged specterforthecure.com - a website he said he launched to "put more pressure on Congress" to increase funding for medical research.
What Specter didn't say: The website is owned by his reelection committee, and contributions made there go straight to Specter's 2010 reelection campaign.
No one doubts Specter's commitment to federal funding for medical research. A survivor of two bouts with Hodgkin's disease, the Pennsylvania Republican-turned-Democrat is pushing a bill that would authorize $40 billion a year in baseline funding for the National Institutes of Health.
But critics say Specter's comments Sunday and the layout of specterforthecure.com itself obscure the fact that what looks like a solicitation for medical research is really just a campaign cash come-on.
"While it may meet the technical legal requirements, it's fair to say it's a bit misleading," said Meredith McGehee, policy director at the Campaign Legal Center, a nonpartisan campaign law watchdog.
As first noted by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's PoliTex blog, specterforthecure.com "appears at first glance to be a fundraising site for a reform movement to help Sen. Arlen Specter fund programs that will seek cures for major diseases."
Visitors to specterforthecure.com are greeted with a banner promising "A Giant Leap in Turning Cancer into Cures." While the homepage of most campaign Web sites feature a photo of the candidate, this one offers a picture of a woman with red tape over her mouth. The caption: "Red tape leaves medical research gasping for breath. It's time we let loose the winds of a cure."
The first several paragraphs on the site talk about the fight against cancer, autism, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and diabetes and discuss Specter's efforts to push through legislation increasing funding for research.
"It's time to unleash the cure," the site says.
There's a reference to "The Specter Record on Medical Research" at the top of the page, but there's not a word about Specter's reelection above the fold; that comes nine paragraphs in, after readers have scrolled down from a bit. And it takes 11 paragraphs before a reader would have any hint that the "Donate Now!" button displayed prominently at the top of the screen is for contributions to Citizens for Arlen Specter, the senator's campaign committee.
Sheila Krumholz, executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics, said the way the site is designed has "the trappings of a charitable organization" and that it would take a careful read to determine that the Web site is actually campaign-related.
"When you take a quick look, the focus is on finding a cure and it makes it look like a charitable organization," Krumholz said, calling such a site "not at all common" in online fundraising.
The article goes on to include an extremely weak defense from Specter's campaign manager, as well as a recap of Specter's references to the website on Meet the Press and Face the Nation over the weekend, where he encapsulated the references to the site in a context of medical research - not his re-election bid.
As the article mentions, there is one scant reference to Specter's re-election on the front page. Here is paragraph eleven of the twelve-paragraph message:
Become a member, today, of Specter for the Cure. Please contribute to Senator Specter's re-election Committee - Citizens for Arlen Specter. All contributions, of any amount, will be gratefully welcomed. Those who sign up to donate $10 each month for ten months, will receive members only information on the Senator's effort to transform medical research and accelerate cures.
The previous ten paragraphs are all about medical research - finding cures, not funding campaigns. So what do you think? Please share your impressions of the website in the comments.
I would urge Arlen Specter to make public exactly how much money he has raised through this website and contribute that sum from his campaign account to a real medical research organization like the American Cancer Society or the American Association for Cancer Research. I would also urge Arlen Specter to offer a clear disclaimer at the top of all pages of this website that this is a re-election campaign vehicle, to avoid the possibility of any further confusion. To do otherwise would feed into the perception that this website is just a disingenuous and cynical effort by Specter to line his campaign coffers by exploiting people's desire for medical research.
UPDATE: In the Politico story, Specter's campaign manager says:
But Specter campaign manager Christopher Nicholas said that no one could be "genuinely confused about where contributions to this website go," noting that language on the site specifies that contributions are meant for the campaign.
If no one could be confused, why did Specter's staff quietly change the website?!
That's right. Adam Green breaks the news: without comment, Specter's crew changed the message on the front page of the site, obviously in the wake of this story making the rounds, and clearly to tamp down criticism that Specter is trying to mislead people into contributing to his re-election campaign when the donors think that they are contributing to a medical research charity.
Before:
After:
All Specter's team did, apparently, was crowbar in at the beginning of the page the following paragraph:
In 2010, Arlen Specter will seek re-election to the United States Senate. With his unsurpassed record of support for medical research, helping to return Senator Specter to the Senate is a powerful statement on behalf of those suffering with disease. The purpose of this web site is to encourage support for Senator Specter's mission to improve America's health by helping assure Senator Specter's re-election.
So now we can't say that the site (any longer) disguises any mention of Specter's political campaign. However, BarbinMD's criticism is even more pronounced:
This sounds like a new twist on Republican fear-mongering about terrorism ... donate or people may die.
Without Specter's re-election, people will die. That's his message. He explicitly said as much about the recent passing of Jack Kemp, and that will be the theme of his campaign. To paraphrase P. Diddy's voter outreach effort, Specter is saying, "Vote for me or die!"
Ultimately, though, what is clear is that Specter is less concerned about the passing of any of your family members than he is about his own passing into irrelevance by losing his re-election bid.

Texas Rangers Team Report

INSIDE PITCH Center fielder Josh Hamilton continued his rehab assignment Monday with Class AAA Oklahoma City and could be back with the Rangers on Tuesday for the start of a six-game homestand. Playing for a second straight day against the Round Rock Express at the Dell Diamond, Hamilton grounded to second, doubled down the right-field line, struck out swinging and walked twice in five plate appearances. He also scored a run and was walked intentionally in the eighth inning with a runner on third. The Express broke a 5-5 tie in the ninth to defeat the RedHawks 6-5. Hamilton was placed on the 15-day disabled list on May 1, retroactive to April 27, with a strained intercostal muscle in his left rib-cage area. The Rangers have gone 9-4 in his absence. "I felt good again today," Hamilton said following the game. "My at-bats felt really good. I got to run around out there for all nine innings and it was hot, so I had the chance to really get my legs going. I thought I might be gassed with the heat, but everything felt great." In two games this weekend for Oklahoma City, Hamilton combined to go 2-for-5 with a double, three walks and two runs scored. He is scheduled to return to Arlington on Tuesday. He will be evaluated by the Rangers medical staff before a decision is rendered on whether to activate him or give him more rehab time.NOTES, QUOTESMLB is investigating a pitch that Chicago's RHP Bobby Jenks threw behind 2B Ian Kinsler over the weekend. After the Rangers hit six White Sox in the first five games between the teams, Jenks threw a pitch behind Kinsler and later admitted it was delivered with a purpose. The Rangers did not try to retaliate in the final game of the series on Sunday. It also isn't likely to be a simmering issue; the teams don't play again this season.3B Michael Young, who left Friday's game early with a stiff lower back, did not start either of the two games over the weekend. It left 2B Ian Kinsler as the only Ranger to start all 31 of the team's games.With Michael Young out for the weekend, the Rangers optioned OF Greg Golson back to Class AAA Oklahoma City and recalled INF Joaquin Arias to give the team some infield insurance. INF Omar Vizquel, who started in place of Michael Young at third for the first time in his career, entered Sunday with 2,669 career hits. He was eight hits shy of passing Luis Aparicio and becoming the all-time hits leader from Venezuela. Vizquel had an RBI double in the Rangers' win, giving him 898 RBI for his career.BY THE NUMBERS: .204 DH Hank Blalock's average for 54 at-bats with runners on base this season. He is hitting .309 with nobody on base. Blalock had a pair of bases empty homers on Sunday, but also popped up with the bases loaded.QUOTE TO NOTE: "When your bell cow has success with something, I think everybody is more willing to follow. You work fast and you throw strikes, you get your defense more involved. Good defense can make a medium pitcher a good pitcher and a good pitcher into a great one." Pitching coach Mike Maddux, on the overall success the starting rotation has enjoyed since RHP Kevin Millwood quickened his pace on the mound to start the season. Since then, the others have followed.ROSTER REPORT3B Michael Young said he expects to be ready to play Tuesday. Young missed most of Friday's game and all of the next two games with a stiff back after slipping on the infield at Chicago. RHP Scott Feldman, who has a 3.24 ERA in three starts this season, will face Seattle LHP Jason Vargas on Tuesday. Feldman is seeking his first win at home as a starter in more than a year. He beat Oakland on May 9 last year. Since then, Feldman is 0-3 at home as a starter. The Rangers are 1-10 in his home starts.RHP Frank Francisco, who has not pitched in five days, will look to inch closer to the Rangers' club record for consecutive innings without allowing an earned run. RHP Jeff Zimmerman (29 2/3 innings) holds the club mark. Francisco is at 27 1/3 innings over 27 appearances dating back to last August. In that time, he has allowed one unearned run and held opponents to a .117 average. MEDICAL WATCH: 3B Michael Young (back stiffness) left the May 8 game, and he didn't play May 9-10. He expects to be back May 12. OF Josh Hamilton (strained left rib-cage muscle) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 27. He played in rehab games for Class AAA Oklahoma on May 10-11, and he is expected to be activated May 12. RHP Willie Eyre (right groin strain) went on the 15-day disabled list April 23. He had begun the season on the DL with the same injury. RHP Dustin Nippert (upper back soreness) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on April 22. He began a rehab assignment with Class AA Frisco on April 11, but he strained a muscle in his side. RHP Joaquin Benoit (rotator cuff surgery in January 2009) went on the 60-day disabled list April 5. He is out for at least the first half of the season but could miss the entire year. RHP Eric Hurley (rotator cuff surgery in January 2009) went on the 60-day disabled list April 5. He is out for the year. ROTATION: RHP Kevin Millwood RHP Vicente Padilla RHP Brandon McCarthy RHP Scott Feldman LHP Matt Harrison BULLPEN: RHP Frank Francisco (closer) LHP C.J. Wilson LHP Eddie Guardado LHP Derek Holland RHP Jason Jennings RHP Kris Benson RHP Darren O'Day CATCHERS: Jarrod Saltalamacchia Taylor Teagarden INFIELDERS: 1B Chris Davis 2B Ian Kinsler SS Elvis Andrus 3B Michael Young INF Omar Vizquel INF Joaquin Arias OUTFIELDERS: LF David Murphy RF Nelson Cruz DH Hank Blalock OF Andruw Jones OF Marlon ByrdC Jarrod Saltalamacchia (forearm inflammation) was playing well in the Dominican Republic in December.

Walk It, Blog It Challenge: Week 2

what a great day that is! The Losing It In Lebanon walking group, which consists of my husband and myself until someone else in Lebanon is willing to walk with us, was successful considering it was our first week to walk as an official "group". Did it make a difference to walk as a group vs. just going for a walk? Not a lick. Was it fun to come up with a name for a walking group? You bet. Our goal with this week's walks was to keep training for the 10k set for this Saturday. So we did. We walked. We walked a lot. We *finally* made it to 6.2 miles, the exact number of miles in a 10k. The next walk we took....we went even further! Go us!!! It took about 1 hour 45 minutes. I'm not sure if that's good or not. I just know it's faster than what it took for me to finish last year's Flying Pig 10k. So I'm impressed with myself for keeping up with these huge walks, but the REAL test will be after the 10k on Saturday. Last year, I decided exercise was no longer needed in my life once the 10k was over. Isn't that the most hilarious thing you've ever heard? Oh, my sides ache from laughing and laughing about it. And my ass is a little wider from living through it. I'm now on a mad hunt to find a 5k to participate in this June just to keep me honest. Here are just a few pictures from this week's adventures with the Losing In Lebanon walking group. Though, I will add a quick P.S.. P.S., there's a shot I missed. I did not take a picture of the snake Kent saw. Here's how it went down. He said, "Whatever you do, don't look down.". Then I said, ".....whhhy?". And he said, "You don't want to know, Heather.". So I said, "....okay....". When he spoke it was in a really calm, low voice. That only means one thing. SNAKE!!!! So I took off running. And yes, I'm including that little jog in my "I ran some" this week part of my activity journal. It was effort, even it was due to a snake alert. Have I mentioned snakes are a major phobia for me? Sigh. Oh, and if you didn't notice, the two little cherubs on bikes are my kids. They rode their bikes while we walked. It was all good until we had to turn around and come home. That's about the time Riley's butt started to hurt (first bike ride of the season). She complained the ENTIRE way home. Note to self: 6.5 miles is too much for a first bike ride of the season for Ri. lol

Say what?

The other day, Politico ran an article noting that Barack Obama had carried the "affluent vote" - those voters making more than $200,000 a year - with 52% of the total and wondering breathlessly if, or more exactly when, his support among such influential people would collapse in the face of Obama daring to do what he said he would do during the campaign, such as raising taxes on those making more than a quarter-million dollars a year.There was a lot of tut-tutting about how "these voters are not being repaid for their support" and hand-wringing about the concerns and feelings of those such as couples making more than $250,000 who won't be able to deduct the sales taxes on new cars they buy this year on their 2009 returns. Amid all that comes this gem:“A person making $250,000 isn’t wealthy,” said Dean Baker of the Center for Economic and Policy Research. “They still have to work for a living.”And I have to ask: Who the hell are you people? What world do you live in? Where is this magical kingdom where being able to deduct the sales tax on your new Lexus or Jag is a matter for attention and the the definition of "wealthy" is, apparently, never having to work at all but just clipping coupons?* It sure as hell is no place I've ever been.According to US Census Bureau figures for 2006 (the most recent available), households with incomes of $175,000 or more were in the richest 5% of all American households. Of a little over 116 million total households, only 2.24 million had incomes in excess of $250,000 - that puts them in the richest 1.9% of Americans.And they're griping about how tough they have it? I don't care one whit that most of the households making that quarter-mill-plus are clustered at the lower end of that range. It still means their household income exceeds that of more than 98% of their fellow American households and they are making over five times the median household income. That's not wealthy?Put it another way: The article states that there were 4 million tax returns for earners of more than $200,000 in 2006. It also says that in that same year, there were 92.7 million tax returns filed. That means those $200,000+ earners were the richest 4.3% of filers; they made more than over 95% of the people who filed returns. Add the fact of those who didn't even have to file because they didn't make enough, and the percentage of those who they out-earned grows. That's not wealthy?Put it a third way: Look at this graph. It was from a letter sent out by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco in September 2007. It tracks the ratio of earnings of two different sets of income percentiles from 1967 to 2005. The meaning is not immediately obvious, so I'll explain. The dotted line represents the ratio of the 50th percentile income level to the 20th percentile income level. The ratio remained fairly steady at about 2.4:1 over that time: That is, the yearly income at the 50th percentile was roughly 2.4 times that of the 20th percentile and remained so over that 38-year period.The solid line is the ratio of the income of the 95th percentile to the 50th percentile. In 1967, that ratio was 2.6:1. Those at the 95th percentile earned about 2.6 times as much as those at the 50th percentile. But that ratio did not remain even roughly constant; it grew steadily until by 2005 it was 3.6:1. Simply put, in comparison to the rest of us, the rich, those at the 95th percentile, were getting richer. Pulling away. They were not just richer than the vast majority of us, they were getting more richer than the vast majority of us.Yet even the generally progressive Center for Economic and Policy Research is insisting someone making $250,000 a year "isn't wealthy," almost like they were just another working stiff. And that is pathetic nonsense which shows how distorted not only our economy is but our perceptions as well, as people making a quarter-million dollars a year "don't feel rich," apparently because they have costs to meet and bills to pay - without recognizing that the fact they can afford those expenses for things far beyond what most can have is what makes them rich. Yes, the rich "were disproportionately hit" by the banking collapse but they were also the ones who disproportionately gained over the preceding four decades and it never seems to register with them or with those who observe and fret over their condition that what they lost was more than most of their fellow citizens will ever have.Our sense of values is seriously, seriously out of whack.*The phrase "clipping coupons" is old slang for the activities of the idle rich whose income was derived from dividends and thus did not depend on their own work but on the labor of others. In his poem "Advertisement for the Waldorf-Astoria," Langston Hughes had these lines:Have luncheon there this afternoon, all you jobless. Why not?Dine with some of the men and women who got rich off of your labor, who clip coupons with clean white fingers because your hands dug coal, drilled stone, sewed gar- ments, poured steel to let other people draw dividends and live easy.

ATV Safety Workshop Sept. 13th 2008

Alachua CountyPublic Safety / 4-HATV Safety EducationWorkshopsFor youth ages 8-16Learn atv safety knowledge and skills in a fun, safe, fast paced classroom atmosphere!Mebane Middle SchoolSept. 13, 20089:00 am-3:30 pmTo register call 352-384-3106or email lsw@alachuacounty.usThere is no ATV riding in these workshops. This is not the state required certificationcourse for riding on public lands. The same safety information is presented in hands-on, dynamic activities without the actual ATV riding. This workshop is a good prep for the ASI ATV Ridercourse.Cost is $5.00 Free for 4-H and FFA members.Bring a lunch, snacks will be provided.For information on the state required certification course for ATV riding please contact the ATV Safety Institute at 800-887-2887 or at www.atvsafety.orgFor persons requiring special accommodations to 4-H activities contact (352)955-2402 or TDD/TYY (352)955-2406. Please call at least five working days prior to the program so that proper consideration may be given to the request. Upon request, for persons with print-related disabilities, this information is available in alternate formats. 4-H is for youth ages 5-18. Membership is open to all youth regardless of race, creed, color, sex, national origin, handicap or geographic location within Alachua County.

Fish shape dress

Wingnut DeMint’s Anti-Dem Specter “Spin”

And you guess it - I also posted here.)I’m sure you’ve read, as have I, a variety of explanations as to why Arlen Specter switched from a U.S. Senate Repug from PA to a Dem, but I have to tell you that the one from Specter’s former party colleague Jim DeMint may be the biggest stretch of all.As TPM tells us here…(DeMint) attributes the non-viability of the Republican party in states like Pennsylvania to the fact that voters have fled "forced unionization" in the northeast for the safety and comfort of the southern motherland.("the southern motherland" - tee hee...)I would say that that type of non-thinking has led the party to its current state of near collapse, particularly in the northeast, as kos tells us here.Well, maybe instead of criticizing all of us in the Keystone State for allegedly driving out those Repugs voters with our nasty unions and prevailing wage law, DeMint should pay more attention to his own backyard, as it were, particularly given this story which tells us…According to the Economic Research Service, the average per-capita income for all South Carolina residents in 2006 was $29,767, although rural per-capita income lagged at $27,004. Estimates from 2007 indicate a poverty rate of 19.2% exists in rural South Carolina, compared to 13.8% in urban areas of the state. Data from 2000 finds that 29.1% of the rural population has not completed high school, while 21.8% of the urban population lacks a high school diploma. The unemployment rate in rural South Carolina is 7.7%, while in urban South Carolina, it is 5.3% (USDA-ERS, 2008).Also, this tells us that “about 4.6 percent of the population of South Carolina currently lives at or below the poverty level, despite working 40 or more hours per week, compared with the national rate of 4.1 percent” (not sure of the exact time periods for some of these numbers, but they are fairly recent and do not paint a pretty picture).And here’s a WaPo update providing even more bad news…On Day 88 (of the Obama presidency), the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that South Carolina had set a record for its highest unemployment rate in state history, at 11.4 percent. Greenwood's unemployment is 13 percent -- more than twice what it was (in 2007).Also, South Carolina has no state minimum wage law, making it easy prey for the Walton family and other corporate vultures; this tells us that the company with the yellow smiley face settled a lawsuit for wage nonpayment dating back to 2000 nationwide, including in The Palmetto State (I have to admit that the state did create this rather interesting tourism promotion, though).But anti-unionism is as natural as breathing for DeMint; as noted here, he blocked a Democratic attempt to implement one of the 9/11 Commission recommendations that would have “require(d) that all containers on U.S.-bound vessels be screened in foreign ports for radiation, and all cargo loaded onto U.S. airliners be screened for explosives”…see, the “problem,” as far as DeMint is concerned, is that the bill would have allowed the Transportation Security Agency screeners to unionize.I would say that a union would have been able to provide for at least some of the residents of Greenwood, SC, were they to join through their employer (the town was profiled in the WaPo story); I’m sure Councilwoman Edith Childs, also profiled, could convince DeMint of that fact if she had the opportunity.But of course, DeMint would have to admit that she and her issues even exist at all (I would guess that that’s part of the reason why DeMint hasn’t even cracked the 50-percent incumbent approval mark, as Nate Silver notes here, with DeMint defending his seat next year – looks like the incumbent is only one credible Democratic challenger away from being retired from public life…we can only hope).Update: I meant to note this earlier concerning this notion DeMint is trying to propagate that all workers in PA are unionized; as noted here, "Union density in Pennsylvania rose from 15.1 percent in 2007 to 15.4 percent in 2008. In 2007 there were 830,000 union members in Pennsylvania among 5.496 million employed workers. In 2008 the number of union members increased to 847,000 among a workforce of 5.504 (million) employed workers."

What Are The Causes Of Food Poisoning

What Are The Causes Of Food PoisoningFood poisoning is more common in areas with poor sanitation or living conditions (often occurs in community feasts, cooked and served under unhygienic conditions or food stored under such conditions for several hours). Most cases of food poisoning are from common bacteria like Staphylococcus or E. coliWhat Is Food PoisoningFood poisoning refers to poisoning that occurs due to eating foods contaminated with toxins or poisonous substances secreted by some bacteria. Contaminated food or water infected with or carrying micro-organisms can food poisoning. Improper cleaning and washing of fruits and vegetables, and improper cooking of food can also cause food poisoning.What are the Symptoms of Food PoisoningFood poisoning generally occurs within 2 to 3 hours of eating or drinking infected food or water. However it may also occur earlier or later. The symptoms include nausea or a feeling of vomiting, vomiting, pain in the abdomen and diarrhoea. Other symptoms are fever, cold sweats, weakness, headache and dehydration.Types of Food Poisoning1.Bacterial food poisoning - Here the micro organisms called bacteria are responsible.The food material may contain the pathogenic bacteriae or their toxin and will be ingested along with the food.2.Non bacterial food poisoning - Due to the presence of toxic chemicals like fertilizers, insectisides, heavy metals and ect.Since bacterial food poisoning is common it is discussed here.3.Bacterial food poisoning - All bacteria are not harmful.There are some pathogenic bacteria which secrete toxins and cause clinical manifestations.These organisms enter the human body through food articles or drinks.How Food Poisoning Occurs1.Presence of bacteria in the water.2.The raw materials for the food may contain toxins.3.Premises where the food is prepared may contain micro organisms or toxins.4.Food handlers may have some infectious diseases.5.Some animals like dogs,rats may contaminate the food.6.If prepared food is kept in the room temperature for a long time and heated again can make a chance for food poisoning.7.Purposely some body mixing toxins in the food.Some Common Bacterial Food Poisonings1.Salmonella food poisoning - There are three different varieties of salmonella bacteria.(salmonella typhimurium,salmonella cholera suis,salmonella enteritidis) These bacteria are present in milk, milk products and eggs. Symptoms of this food poisoning include nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Fever is also common.2.Botulism - This is the dangerous type of food poisoning caused by clostridium botulinum. The spores of these organisms are seen in the soil and enters the human body through pickles and canned fish ect.Compared to other food poisonings here vomiting and diarrhoea are rare Mainly the nervous system is affected.The symptoms starts with double vision,numbness with weakness.Later there will be paralysis with cardiac and respiratory failure ending in death.3.Staphylococcal food poisoning - It is caused by staphylo coccus aureus. These organisms usually cause skin troubles like boils and eruptions.It causes mastitis in cow.Through the milk and milk products it enders and causes gastroenteritis.There will be vomiting,abdominal cramps with diarrhoea.4.Closteridium food poisoning - This is caused by closteridium perfringens.They are present in stool,soil and water. They enter the body through,meat,meat dishes and egg ect.If food articles are cooked and kept in room temperature for a long time and heated again before eating can result this food poisoning.Symptoms include vomiting ,diarrhoea and abdominal cramps.5.Bacillus cereus - The spores of these organisms can survive cooking and causes enteritis. Diarrhoea and vomiting is common in this infection.How to Investigate Food Poisoning?1.Examine each and every person affected.2.Water sample should be tested.3.Kitchen, store room and food samples should be examined.4.The cook and food handlers should be questioned and examined.5.Samples of vomitus and stool of all victims should be tested to identify the bacteria.How to Prevent Food Poisoning1.Only purified water should be used.2.Hygiene should be maintained by all persons keeping contact with food.3.Workers should use masks, cap and gloves during cooking and serving.4.Sick individuals should not come in contact with food materials.5.Kitchen and premises should be neat and clean.6.Utensils should be washed with soap and hot water.7.Should not keep the prepared food for a long time in room temperature.8.All food materials should be kept in closed containers.9.Animals like dog, cat, rat ect should not come in contact with food materials.10.Vegetables should be washed before cooking.11.Meat should be fresh and should be purchased from recognised slaughter house.Paul Hata is active in various community programs aimed at providing education,health and jobs to all.Paul has over 10 years experience in managing a multi-million dollar advertising company.Access 1000s of affordable healthcare here - EarlyPlanet.com and TradePlanets.com

Pretty Mantis Pumpkin Patch!

My sister is CORRRRECT!!! I need to post a picture of my munchkins on my blog!Since the temperatures dropped nearly 40 degrees yesterday, the fall chill whispered in my ear...... GO PICK PUMPKINS!!!So off we went to the Faux Pumpkin Patch! There is only one REAL patch in Las Vegas... and it is at the far extreme end of town and is only open during the mornings hours. So we went to the KMart shopping center pumpkin patch instead.To our delight... the pumpkins had just arrived and were not picked over yet. We selected a nice plump pumpkin and a taller oblong pumpkin. When Shaela picked up a cute pint size pumpkin, it had a bonus gift! A little praying mantis was perched on it! She still calls this bug a 'Pretty Mantis' and I don't want to correct her... it's just too cute!Shaela - 5Devin - 7 (for 7 more days)Dominic - 9Mommy - Angels don't AgeStampingly Yours & His, Shauna! www.StampinglyYours.stampinup.net Ask me about Stampers Six!!!

Girl show her rich

3 x "wandering albatross"

Mais uma vez o Manila cria o contexto para mais um projecto....começamos a delinear o que irão ser 3 Albatroz de grande porte com quattro fins a pensar nas esquerdas da cabeça do preto...the next 3 wandering albatross 1x9'2, 2x 9'4...experimenting diferent widths and outlines flows...quattro fins to shred the northest point break of PortugalManila and Kikas unpack the prototype that we made at my placeManila starts to correct all the shit that i made... and lies saying: " oh you just made one little mistake" lol...anyway his skill made our blank/bottom prototype into a believable formnão adianta, por mais que olhemos para o monitor não há forma de termos bom tempo para umas merecidas surfadas... We can search all we want but the weather has been shit and so the waves for the last 15 days...oh well back to foam...

Linux Foundation takes over Stewardship of Intel's Moblin OS

It's said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but I guess being the kind of organization that people love to leak news about might be the next. That seems to be the case with the Linux Foundation, which for the second time in a matter of weeks has seen an enterprising reporter scoop the opposition (and our own internal planning) by releasing a story ahead of our planned schedule. Who knew that an open source foundation could attract paparazzi?Last time, it was Steven Vaughn-Nichols announcing our acquisition of the Linux.com site, and this time it's the New York Times (no less) announcing a day ahead of time the fact that the Linux Foundation has taken over stewardship of Intel's Linux-based Moblin mobile operating system. If you've been following the mobile space for awhile, this is news worth noting, on which more below. First of all, what exactly is Moblin? There are several answers to that question. Competitively: Along with Google's Android, Nokia's Symbian and the LiMo Foundation's Limo, Moblin is one of the major Linux-based contenders to control the mobile space. That space includes (in ascending order of form factor) phones, network devices and netbooks. Important note: not all of these systems was originally intended to cover the full mobile space (Moblin, incidentally, was). Architecturally: The Moblin Architecture is designed to support multiple platforms and usage models, ranging from Netbooks to Mobile Internet Devices (MID), to various embedded usage models, such as the In Vehicle Infotainment systems. The central piece of the architecture is the common layer that we call Moblin Core, a hardware and usage model independent layer that provides one uniform way to develop such devices. Underneath Moblin Core, sits the Linux kernel and device drivers specific to the hardware platform, and above Moblin Core are the specific user interface and user interaction model for the target device. (Read more here.) Developmentally: Historically, Moblin had been under the roof, as well as the control, of Intel. Now, Moblin's further development will be hosted by the Linux Foundation (more details on this tomorrow, when LF issues its own press release)That said, why move Moblin to the Linux Foundation, and why now? The following can be found in the Times piece:“This is a departure for Intel,” said Jim Zemlin, the executive director of the Linux Foundation. “This is a company that has the resources and internal staff to create innovative technology on their own. They obviously see Moblin as a strategic platform.”...Mr. Zemlin is thinking that broad interest in Moblin could help spur the sales of Intel’s Atom processors, which the company has aimed at netbooks for now and all types of small devices including phones, cars, refrigerators and elevators in the future.“It’s so hard to figure out when the next big thing will happen,” Mr. Zemlin said. “By opening it up to many people as possible, you increase your odds of participating in whatever turns out to be big.”With Moblin in the Linux Foundation, the four Linux-based mobile OS systems become more comparable from an "openness" perspective, although important variations beyond the length constraints of this blog entry remain. Android was launched by Google, but is now hosted by the Open Handset Alliance. Symbian was launched by Ericsson, Nokia, Motorola and Psion through the joinly owned Symbian, Ltd., but Nokia later bought its other partners out, and the participation of other developers is today welcome via the Symbian Foundation. Similarly, the LiMo Foundation was formed by six initial partners, with additional members joining later. So while the degrees of control vary from organization to organization, it makes good sense for Moblin to be hosted in a neutral environment as well. That control won't switch 100% day one, just as it didn't in any of the organizations noted above when the management changed. That's not surprising, because, as someone who's big in software once said, it is, after all, all about developers. Or, as noted by Jim in the Times piece:Intel will maintain strong control over the software since it employs the top Moblin developers. But that could change over time as outside developers show interest in the software. “As people earn their stripes, it will open up,” Mr. Zemlin said. As you might expect, Jim (and Intel's Doug Fisher) have been giving a lot of interviews today as the news has spread, including to Eric Lai, over at ComputerWorld. Details from that interview include the following:...The Moblin open-source project already has "thousands of active developers," including an undisclosed number of Intel employees, says Doug Fisher, a vice-president in Intel's software and services group. Under Intel's management, Moblin developers already had the freedom to port the OS to ARM or Nvidia's Ion, Fisher said. However, judging by a search of the Moblin.org site, no such projects exist today. While a "big percentage" of Moblin's developers are Intel employees, Zemlin expects that to change. "Intel gets that the most successful open-source projects are those that governed judiciously, where code is based on merit," he said. Zemlin cited the OpenOffice.org project that has been criticized by IBM and outsiders for Sun Microsystems Inc.'s continued strong grip as "a specific and good example ... of what they [Intel] are trying to avoid." Feature-wise, Zemlin touted Moblin's power efficiency and lower price against Windows XP and Windows 7. Against Android, Zemlin points out that the smartphone OS only runs on ARM processors, and ARM-based netbooks have yet to ship.Needless to say, things will continue to be extremely active and dynamic in the mobile space, and in particular in the Linux-based mobile space. Clearly, a great deal of strategic commitment, an enormous number of dollars, and a great deal of hype are being lavished on this new space - and why not, with more or less a billion platforms per year (and rising) to be sold for the indefinite future, and plenty of the OS landscape still up for grabs?While, as always, I'm not speaking for the Linux Foundation, on a personal note, it's been fun being involved in the pre-planning of this, and it will continue to be interesting to be part of the action as the fun continues.That's all for now. After all, the press release won't be out until tomorrow.For further blog entries on Open Standards and Open Source click heresign up for a free subscription to Standards Today today!

Spicy Chicken Stew Noodle Soup

Spicy Chicken Stew Noodle Soup 1 package rice noodles 8 cups water 2 TB vegetable oil 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 yellow onion, chopped 1 whole chicken, cut into large pieces or bite sizes chunks 1 TB Oriental beef spice powder 1 TB soy sauce 2 TB fish sauce 1/2 tsp. salt 1 TB sugar 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, optional 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper 1 can (8 oz.) Hunt’s tomato sauce 3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1" pieces 1 taro root, approx. 2 lb., peeled and cut chunks bite sizes 8 cups waterBring 8 cups water to a boil, in a large pot. Add noodles to boiling water and cook till it tender. Pour cooked noodles in a colander, rinsed under cold water, drained and set it a side. Preheat a large soup pot. When soup pot is hot, add oil, garlic, onion and chicken, stirs. Seasoning meat with Oriental beef spices, soy sauce, fish sauce, salt, sugar, cayenne powder and black pepper, stirs well. Add tomato sauce, carrot, taro root and water, stirs, simmering until chicken meat and taro root tender. Serve hot with noodles, rice or hot crusty Italian or French bread.TO SERVE WITH NOODLES: Place some cooked noodles in a bowl and pour hot spicy chicken stew over noodles. Serve immediately along with fresh bean sprouts and sweet basil leaves.

Dragonfly.

Spanning the State: "It Won't Be Long, Me See Me Love"

A long-standing war between the music industry and the broadcasting industry may have its final battlefield here in Oregon. Sort of: Jack Ely, the singer whose 1963 version of "Louie Louie" still makes the rounds on oldies radio, lives with his wife in a mobile home on a horse ranch in Oregon. Ely says they share $30,000 a year from her teacher's pension and his Social Security checks. They are paying down a mortgage. So sometimes it bothers Ely, 65, when he hears his voice singing "Louie Louie" on the radio or in sports arenas, knowing he's not getting paid. "It gets played twice a day by every oldies radio station everywhere in the world. And I get nothing," said Ely, who recorded the song with the Kingsmen before getting drafted by the U.S. Army and leaving the band. "I got one check for $5,000. That's all I ever saw from the sale of 'Louie Louie.' " Since the advent of radio in the 1920s, songwriters have made a little money every time their tunes are played on stations in most industrialized countries. The six children of "Louie Louie" songwriter Richard Berry today share more than $100,000 in royalties every year. But performers like Ely don't get a dime. Songwriters get their cut through ASCAP/BMI. But performers don't, meaning that Jack Ely doesn't make a dime, no matter how many toga parties dance to his classic performance. Radio stations, through their lobbyists in the National Association of Broadcasters, have managed to drive back every legislative and regulatory attempt to change the situation. And with the recording industry taking a beating these days--CD sales are down, and digital online sales aren't coming close to making up the difference--performers the recording industry are especially motivated to get a piece of the ad revenue their songs create for the stations. [T]he music industry thinks it can win. In the last two decades, recording companies have secured royalties from other formats: Internet radio, satellite radio and music channels on cable TV services. Mitch Bainwol, the chairman of the Recording Industry Assn. of America, says he's prepared for a "multiyear" fight. The bill has the support of the Judiciary Committee chairman, Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.), and is set for final revisions this month before possibly being sent to the House floor for debate. And it's the radio stations--who, to be fair, are also having a tough time of it these days--who are the holdouts: The recording labels have already made inroads. In the late 1990s, they won the right to collect royalties for performers when songs are played on satellite, Internet and cable radio. A body called SoundExchange collected $151 million for performers from those formats in 2008. Meanwhile, there's a more fundamental reason why this cobbled-together arrangement of labels and stations--with the performers themselves floating out on the edge somewhere--is a poor state of affairs, and Jack Ely himself recently gave his take on it, with a radical solution: In the early '60's when I was recording, records were thought of as a tool to help promote live performances. The live performances were the main revenue stream and the records were just promotional tools to get people to come see the shows. Somewhere this mode of thinking got turned upside down. Consequently in years hence, record companies, producers, et. all, have made recordings, hoping to profit from the sale of those recordings alone, regardless of whether or not the artist could ever pull it off live. [...] The suggestions that recordings are produced today just to sell recorded music is all backwards and the sooner the record companies and producers and artists figure this out the sooner they will all quit sniveling over the fact that the entire world is freely sharing their music digitally and isn't willing to stop; and in fact will do anything to circumvent their efforts to get paid for the recordings alone. The days of producers and musicians putting bands together just to get a recording deal so they can get paid by the record company for a product that usually never even gets released; those days are over. [...] The solution is to give the world all the free music it wants, but to give the recording entity, whether it be a record company or a producer, or whomever, a cut of every live performance. That will do at least two things and maybe more that I haven't even thought about yet. First it will give everyone involved in the recordings a source of revenue (pay day) for all their hard work of producing and promoting the recordings. Second, it will weed out all the so-called "recording artists" who couldn't, in a live venue, perform their way out of a paper bag.

CW pinpoints narrow audience with possible 'Gossip' spinoff

Monday's Gossip Girl (8 ET/PT) flashes back to 1983 to set up a proposed spinoff centering on the turbulent teen years of Lily Rhodes. But CW executives probably wish they could flash back to the heady years of predecessor WB, a young-viewer magnet in its heyday a decade ago.CW, which replaced both WB and UPN in fall 2006, has struggled to build an identity, and only a year ago was the subject of industry speculation it might shut down.It survived, but in a retrenchment, it dropped wrestling its No. 2 show last fall, will stop airing comedies next season, and last week confirmed plans to pull the plug on its Sunday lineup, where it had never found an audience.With Next Top Model as its top series, CW is now laser-focused on a narrow audience: women 18 to 34. Shows such as One Tree Hilland Gossip Girl found buzz, if not ratings, by appealing to that crowd and setting trends in music and fashion. And a remake of Beverly Hills,90210 premiered strongly last fall, though its ratings have since dropped by more than 60%."We found that this was white space where (that audience) wasn't spoken to specifically, certainly not in the broadcast arena," says CW chief Dawn Ostroff. Yet only one in five of CW's viewers falls into that category, and CW like WB is still perceived as a network for teenage girls, the subjects of many of its shows.With on-the-bubble Privileged looking increasingly likely to survive, the Gossip Girl spinoff is one of six dramas being considered for three available time slots on the network's weekday lineup. Though a Hollywood website last week pronounced the project "dead," Nancy Tellem, a top executive at CW parent CBS, which owns the network with Warner Bros., says the show is "definitely still a contender."Producers have been asked for a spinoff since Gossip began in fall 2007, "but we only wanted to do it if it was an idea that stood on its own," says co-creator Stephanie Savage. "We didn't want to diminish Gossip Girl by taking any of the actors away, and we didn't want to shoot in contemporary New York City." Plus, says partner Josh Schwartz, there was always "the fear that spinoffs could be lame."But they zeroed in on the idea of doing an "origin" story about teenage Lily (Brittany Snow) and her wayward sister, Carol (Krysten Ritter), "a prequel where you could seed characters in one world and have them reappear in the future" in the other, Schwartz says.Juggling past and present the prequel and Gossip's prom in Monday's episode is "probably what they go through every week on Lost, but it was the single hardest hour of TV we've ever done."Other dramas vying for spots next season are a sure-bet reboot of 90210 spinoff Melrose Place; The Vampire Diaries, based (like Gossip Girl) on another teen book series; The Beautiful Life, about the "flip side" of life among glamorous models, designed as a Top Model companion; Light Years, about a teen who seeks out her biological parents; and Body Politic, about a young congressional aide in Washington. (CW's new schedule will be announced May 21.)Overall, CW's audience is small, averaging just 2 million viewers, down from 2.6 million last season. (Last month it ranked behind cable's USA, Fox News, Disney and TNT.) And among women 18 to 34, it claims just 400,000 viewers, down from 601,000 two years ago.Analysts say that the narrow programming strategy reduces chances for growth: With rival broadcasters' viewership all averaging 40 or older, "it seems like an opportunity to broaden to women and men," says Steve Sternberg, analyst at ad firm Magna Global USA.But Tellem says that the target audience is "very appealing to advertisers," and that the network has proved a "valuable launching pad for creating assets for CBS and Warner Bros.," enabling them to profit by selling buzzworthy shows overseas. CW series also are favorites on iTunes, streamed on the Web and watched on DVRs, so ratings "are not truly reflective of how these programs are being watched."Problem is, that extra viewing doesn't translate into financial success for CW. "What we're looking at is building our brand, building an audience and building a destination for women," Ostroff says. "How that gets monetized, everyone will figure out in the next few years."

Do I Really Need to Be on the Computer Now?

Two weeks ago, I tried a little social experiment in our house. I had realized that I was primarily using the computer for personal interests and hobbies (read blogging, digital scrapbooking, facebook, and unending games of Scramble) and that I was indulging in those interests during the day when I was suppose to be doing my work around the house. So I decided to see what would happen if I turned my computer off for the whole work week. I knew I had a few valid reasons to use the computer during the week but I tried to looked through my calendar and anticipate what I might need. I proceeded to print off the directions to a new park I was going to for a playdate, lesson plans I would need for working with the girls and my girl scouts, and phone numbers and addresses I needed for correspondence. I then actually powered down. I found myself sitting alot that week not quite knowing what to do with myself. But I also found myself responding much quicker when those around me asked for something. I didn't need, "just a second while I finish..." In all I enjoyed the week and felt much more productive. But I did also feel a little lonely and disconnected. It is amazing how the virtual connection is so important for those of use who are at home by ourselves for most of the day. Coincidentally, the topic of moms finding escape through the Internet is making the rounds this week. For more on the topic, check out:CNN's "Why Moms Are At Risk for Internet Addiction"TornadoChaser's "Moms Hooked - Internet Addiction"

Do I Really Need to Be on the Computer Now?

Two weeks ago, I tried a little social experiment in our house. I had realized that I was primarily using the computer for personal interests and hobbies (read blogging, digital scrapbooking, facebook, and unending games of Scramble) and that I was indulging in those interests during the day when I was suppose to be doing my work around the house. So I decided to see what would happen if I turned my computer off for the whole work week. I knew I had a few valid reasons to use the computer during the week but I tried to looked through my calendar and anticipate what I might need. I proceeded to print off the directions to a new park I was going to for a playdate, lesson plans I would need for working with the girls and my girl scouts, and phone numbers and addresses I needed for correspondence. I then actually powered down. I found myself sitting alot that week not quite knowing what to do with myself. But I also found myself responding much quicker when those around me asked for something. I didn't need, "just a second while I finish..." In all I enjoyed the week and felt much more productive. But I did also feel a little lonely and disconnected. It is amazing how the virtual connection is so important for those of use who are at home by ourselves for most of the day. Coincidentally, the topic of moms finding escape through the Internet is making the rounds this week. For more on the topic, check out:CNN's "Why Moms Are At Risk for Internet Addiction"TornadoChaser's "Moms Hooked - Internet Addiction"

Do I Really Need to Be on the Computer Now?

Two weeks ago, I tried a little social experiment in our house. I had realized that I was primarily using the computer for personal interests and hobbies (read blogging, digital scrapbooking, facebook, and unending games of Scramble) and that I was indulging in those interests during the day when I was suppose to be doing my work around the house. So I decided to see what would happen if I turned my computer off for the whole work week. I knew I had a few valid reasons to use the computer during the week but I tried to looked through my calendar and anticipate what I might need. I proceeded to print off the directions to a new park I was going to for a playdate, lesson plans I would need for working with the girls and my girl scouts, and phone numbers and addresses I needed for correspondence. I then actually powered down. I found myself sitting alot that week not quite knowing what to do with myself. But I also found myself responding much quicker when those around me asked for something. I didn't need, "just a second while I finish..." In all I enjoyed the week and felt much more productive. But I did also feel a little lonely and disconnected. It is amazing how the virtual connection is so important for those of use who are at home by ourselves for most of the day. Coincidentally, the topic of moms finding escape through the Internet is making the rounds this week. For more on the topic, check out:CNN's "Why Moms Are At Risk for Internet Addiction"TornadoChaser's "Moms Hooked - Internet Addiction"

34D

Will Russia and Georgia Go At It Again?

Last August, Russia and its neighbour Georgia had a short-lived squabble along their border that did not, by and large, go well for Georgia. The region was fairly uneventful during the winter, but now that warmer weather is upon us, might fighting flare up once more? A new paper out from the UK Defense Academy, entitled Provocation, Deception, Entrapment: The Russo-Georgian Five Day War (PDF!), suggests that such is a distinct possibility. Georgia isnt getting a lot of media coverage in the west, and when they do, its mainly about the countrys domestic political unrest. Less noticed is their aggressive territorial stance, as evidenced by the latest seizure of a Russian cargo vessel off their shore - the tenth such seizure this year. Theres no doubt that Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili would very much like a successful, victorious rematch with Russia, and sooner rather than later; amid domestic unrest, and ahead of potentially ugly opposition protests, its probably fair to say that his job as President depends on such a victory, as the crushing defeat Georgia faced last year seems to be one of the principal causes of domestic dissatisfaction with him and his administration. Starting a war to distract the populace from domestic troubles is certainly a cynical ploy, but hardly a new one. Given the state of affairs in Georgia, Saakashvili probably doesnt even need a military victory - a protracted conflict, and anything less than a August 2008-style crushing defeat, are probably enough to be spun domestically into a victory, of sorts. What, if anything, will happen between Russia and Georgia this year is anyones guess. What seems clear, though, is that the ball is very much in Georgias court

Olden cartoons

still one of their kind

A year ago today I was in Amsterdam, as my trusty this date in '08 link tells me; a great trip in which I celebrated my Mom's 75th birthday with our extended family there, made a number of important business contacts, and presented at and attended a Pathology conference in Toledo, Spain. In between I did a great number of things; visited Eindhoven and Groningen and Berlin, on business, toured the Berlin wall (wow...), and while in Spain I ended up clubbing in church. But the most interesting thing was that while in Holland I [re]discovered I am one of their kind. Which brings me to this post. I have thought about this idea (being one of the Dutch kind) often, since... I'd been to the Netherlands any number of times in my life, and had always felt, well, comfortable there, but it wasn't until last years' trip that I realized why. That land and society is of its people, it was created by them and for them, and suits them, and it makes sense that as one of them (at least genetically) it would suit me, too. Multiculturism is all very exciting, but people are different, as are their societies, and people are generally most comfortable in their own element. Perhaps not a revelation to you, but it was to me :) Ik ben echt wel Nederlands.

$14,890, 2006 jeep grand cherokee VIN:1J4GR48K16C281230

Kasper Chevrolet Buick 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee Price: $ 14,890.00 Interior Color: Medium Slate GrayTransmission: AutomaticCondition: UsedMake: JeepMileage: 59621Exterior Color: Bright Silver MetallicPrice: $ 14,890.00VIN: 1J4GR48K16C281230Body type: 4dr Laredo 4WDEngine: 3.7L 6-CylinderYear: 2006Stock No: KCBU2439Model: Grand Cherokee Have any questions about this vehicle? Call us at 866-727-0751 Features & Options Power Windows Keyless Entry Adjustable Pedals Intermittent Wipers Bucket Seats Power Door Locks Rear Reading Lamps Power Driver Seat Power Steering Brake Assist Full Size Spare Tire Power Tilt/Sliding Sunroof Pass-Through Rear Seat 4-Wheel ABS Air Conditioning Vehicle Anti-Theft System CD Changer Privacy Glass AM/FM Stereo Power Passenger Mirror Trip Computer Heated Passenger Seat Rear Defrost MP3 Player Adjustable Steering Wheel Luggage Rack 4-Wheel Disc Brakes Passenger Air Bag Cruise Control Aluminum Wheels Traction Control Power Driver Mirror Passenger Air Bag On/Off Switch Electronic Stability Control Cloth Seats Heated Driver Seat Variable Speed Intermittent Wipers Driver Air Bag Phone: 866-727-0751 www.kaspercar.com Click here to inquire about this vehicle 300 Milan Rd.Norwalk, Ohio 44857 ~~095fd2a8-d1c4-43e2-82e8-7886834ae006

"Shop The Perimeter of the Supermarket"? I Don't Think So!

Earlier today at my dentist's office, I flipped through a fitness and nutrition magazine and spotted the ever-prevalent food shopping tip -- "stick to the perimeter of the store; that's where the healthiest items are."Alright, time out. I disagree.While the perimeters of most supermarkets offer fresh and frozen produce as well as lean protein (ranging from chicken breasts to tofu to shrimp), there are plenty of healthy options waiting smack in the middle of all those aisles!Branding aisle shelves as "evil" is overly simplistic -- and inaccurate. After all, that is where you would find these nutrition all-stars:* Canned beans* Lentils* Nuts and seeds* Nut and seed butters* Olive oil* Plain instant oatmeal* Quinoa* Brown rice* Whole grain pastas* Spices (a great way to reduce sodium in your cooking!)* Canned tuna and canned salmonSo go ahead, check out what's on sale in aisle four. Just be sure to glance over the nutrition facts -- and take a peek at the ingredient list!

Common capital vs TCEFelix Salmon

This chart comes from today's WSJ, and shows the big difference between tier-1 common capital, which is the criterion that Treasury ended up using in its stress tests, and tangible common equity, which is the criterion everybody thought Treasury was going to use in its stress tests. And you can see why Wells Fargo, in particular, was livid about the switcheroo: Negotiations with Wells Fargo, where Chairman Richard Kovacevich had publicly derided the stress tests as “asinine,” were particularly heated, according to people familiar with the matter. Government officials worried San Francisco-based Wells might file a lawsuit contesting the Fed's findings. Remember that the numbers in the chart are as of year-end 2008, not the year-end 2010 figures used in the stress tests. But judging by where Wells is right now, it's 90 basis points short of the 4% common capital ratio, but only 10 basis points short of what everybody thought was going to be used: a 3% TCE ratio. Banks like Bank of America and PNC, however, clearly benefitted from the change: they're both short on TCE, but have much more than 4% tier 1 common capital. Why did Treasury switch from TCE to the even-more-obscure common capital metric? Quite possibly to help Bank of America and Citigroup get the amount of capital they needed to raise down to a number within the realms of possibility. After all, these tests were designed so that they couldn't be flunked. And that might have seemed a real possibility back when Treasury was still using TCE.

Blues Britannia on BBC4

BBC4 continues its love-in with all things British and musical with a new theme - Blues Britannia.Kicking off on Friday 1st May, the mini season offers up a new documentary called Blues Britannia – Can Blue Men Sing The Whites?, which looks at the British love affair with blues from the 50s to the 1970s. Contributors include Keith Richards and Bill Wyman (Rolling Stones); Paul Jones and Tom McGuinness (Manfred Mann); Chris Dreja (The Yardbirds); Phil May (The Pretty Things); John Mayall (The Bluesbreakers); Jack Bruce (Cream); Mick Fleetwood and Bob Brunning (Fleetwood Mac); Ian Anderson and Mick Abrahams (Jethro Tull); Dick Taylor (The Pretty Things); and jazz trombonist Chris Barber. The doc is in three parts - Born Under A Bad Sign focuses on the arrival of American blues in Britain in the late Fifties and the first performances here of such legends as Muddy Waters and Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee. Sittin' On Top Of The World charts the birth of the first British blues boom in the early Sixties, with groups like The Stones, The Yardbirds, Manfred Mann, The Animals and The Pretty Things, while Crossroads looks at the second blues boom of the mid-to-late Sixties. That's followed by a weekend of documentaries and concerts including Blues At The BBC, Blues On Later...With Jools Holland, and new films on Peter Green and Bobby Bland. The first of those looks the most interesting and follows directly after the documentary, with footage from The Beat Room and A Whole Scene Going from the Sixties, The Old Grey Whistle Test in the Seventies and The Late Show in the Nineties.Check out the BBC website for timings - them set that recorder.BBC Four website

More Random Referrer Phun

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St. Louis Cardinals Team Report

INSIDE PITCH The Cardinals' starting pitching, one of the club's strengths through April, has hit a snag in May, the rotation posting only a 5-5 record with a 5.88 earned run average. Interestingly, only Todd Wellemeyer, who will pitch Tuesday at Pittsburgh, has been immune to the starters' troubles lately. And he had been the weakest link in the season's first month. Wellemeyer has given up only four runs over his last 14 innings over his last two starts, both victories. On the other hand, Kyle Lohse, Joel Pineiro and Adam Wainwright have labored. Lohse, 3-0 in April, is 0-2 in May, having allowed 13 runs in his last 10 1/3 innings in two starts, both losses. Pineiro, who had been 4-0, has been better than that but has lost his last two starts while permitting five earned runs in 13 innings. And Wainwright, who had been 3-0, has given up 11 runs over his last 12 innings in two starts, one of them a loss. But Wainwright, after giving up four runs in six innings at Cincinnati on Sunday, has discovered a flaw while watching videos of his pitching last year and this year. Wainwright, with injured Chris Carpenter's help, detected that his arm was several inches more vertical than his arm slot was last year when he was 11-3. "I finally, absolutely know what I can do to pitch better," said Wainwright, who next is slated to pitch this weekend against Milwaukee.NOTES, QUOTESRHP Ryan Franklin suffered his first blown save of the season in his 10th save opportunity Sunday when he surrendered solo homers to SS Jerry Hairston Jr., and pinch-hitter Micah Owings in the ninth inning. Franklin hadn't been scored on in his first 13 outings. "I made two mistakes. In this ball park, you can't make too many mistakes," said Franklin.1B Albert Pujols, NL Player of the Month for April, had been nothing-for-11 before he homered in the fifth inning Sunday. Pujols had gone hitless in three straight games after a 4-for-4 game.BY THE NUMBERS: 4 Number of Cardinals rookies who have hit their first major league homers OF Colby Rasmus and INFs Joe Thurston, Brian Barden and Tyler Greene.QUOTE TO NOTE: "I'm lucky to be walking today." CF Rick Ankiel, after losing his balance and taking on the left-center-field wall at Busch Stadium.ROSTER REPORTRHP Chris Carpenter, on the 15-day disabled list since his second start of the season with a torn left oblique muscle, will throw his first bullpen session in Pittsburgh Tuesday night. "I'm really, really excited about getting back on the mound," said Carpenter, who hadn't given up an earned run in 10 innings. Barring complications, Carpenter is likely to be activated during the next home stand, perhaps next week to face the Cubs, against whom he is 7-3. LF Chris Duncan, who had 27 runs batted in last season before missing the last two months with a herniated disk in his neck that required surgery, already has 23 RBI. He is 12-for-30 (.400) with runners in scoring position and 8-for-17 with runners in scoring position and two out. OF Shane Robinson, whose first major league hit was a pinch double in the eighth inning Sunday in Cincinnati, will get his first start Tuesday night against Pittsburgh LHP Zach Duke. The right-handed Robinson, though only 5-foot-8, packs some power. 2B Skip Schumaker has a six-game hitting streak in which he has batted .455 (10-for-22), raising his average to .307 after it had sunk to .269. INF Brendan Ryan, on the disabled list with a strained left hamstring, will report to Class AAA Memphis on Tuesday for what is scheduled as a brief rehabilitation assignment. Ryan is eligible to come off the DL this weekend. MEDICAL WATCH: CF Rick Ankiel (sore right shoulder, head) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 5. INF Brendan Ryan (left hamstring strain) went on the 15-day disabled list April 30. He will start a rehab assignment with Class AAA Memphis during the week of May 11-17. RHP Chris Carpenter (torn left oblique muscle) went on the 15-day disabled list April 15. He is scheduled to throw a bullpen session May 12. Carpenter is likely out six to eight weeks. 3B Troy Glaus (right shoulder surgery in January 2009) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. He didn't heal as quickly as was hoped, and he may not play before July. LHP Jaime Garcia (Tommy John elbow surgery in September 2008) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. He likely will miss all or nearly all of the 2009 season. ROTATION: RHP Adam Wainwright RHP Kyle Lohse RHP Todd Wellemeyer RHP Joel Pineiro RHP Mitchell Boggs BULLPEN: RHP Jason Motte (closer) RHP Ryan Franklin RHP Kyle McClellan RHP Chris Perez LHP Dennys Reyes LHP Trever Miller RHP Blaine Boyer RHP Brad Thompson CATCHERS: Yadier Molina Jason LaRue INFIELDERS: 1B Albert Pujols 2B Skip Schumaker SS Khalil Greene 3B Brian Barden INF Joe Thurston INF Tyler Greene OUTFIELDERS: LF Chris Duncan CF Colby Rasmus RF Ryan Ludwick OF Shane Robinson