The Flight 1549 blame game

The Flight 1549 blame game (updated)

Thomas Lifson

It didn't take long for the warmists to blame the US Airways crash on global warming, which is, after all, deemed responsible for anything bad. Time Magazine, which was once widely read, sprang into action:

"While officials use radar and radio collars to track bird populations, habitat destruction and climate change have disrupted migratory patterns. Moreover, the populations of certain species of birds are increasing at rapid rates, thanks to changes in food supply. The Canada-goose population, for example, has grown 7.3% annually from 1980 to 2006. [emphasis added]"

Rush Limbaugh may have been the first person to point out that greenies have made the protection of birds (especially waterfowl) a major priority, and an increase in bird population is a goal they have achieved -- that may deserve blame for the crash, if anything is to be blamed other than an Act of God.

Greg Pollowitz of NRO did the legwork and discovered that none other than New York Senator Chuck Schumer boasted of being responsible for an earmark that increased the population of Canada geese right in the neighborhood of LaGuardia Airport, from which the doomed aircraft took off:

This issue came up in 2004 when Geesepeace was trying to save a flock of geese from Riker's Island (in the flight path of Laguardia) rather than have the geese killed:

"In this time of trouble in faraway places, the man-versus-fowl struggle brewing on Rikers Island may seem trivial. But its implications are dire for a certain flock.

On one side are geese, slender-necked and given to relieving themselves liberally, who like where they are living, a stone's throw away from La Guardia Airport. On the other is a worried band of federal officials who believe the geese are too close to planes carrying millions of passengers in and out of one of the nation's busiest airports.

History teaches that these things hardly ever end well - for the birds at least. Indeed, by the end of the day today, barring a last minute reprieve, 495 Canada geese will be on their way to an upstate slaughterhouse, Port Authority and federal wildlife officials said yesterday.

There's nothing in the New York Times archives between the 2004 slaughter and the crash yesterday, but I think an investigation into what was or wasn't done over the years to control the geese is in order. If environmental concerns overrode passenger safety then that's something that needs to be debated in light of yesterday's miracle."

Hat tip: Doug Powers

Update: Marc Sheppard has similar thoughts:

When word first broke that the remarkable Hudson River emergency landing of US Airways Flight 1549 was caused by a flock of Canadian geese, two thoughts immediately occurred.  

One - Somehow PETA would focus more on the agony of the geese that were sucked into both of the plane's jet engines than the safety of the 150 passengers and five crew members, perhaps even suing US Air and hero pilot Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger for animal cruelty.

And Two - Somehow, somewhere, global warming would be blamed.

Well -- no word yet from the animal advocates.

But their fellow greenies in the climate alarm department didn't disappoint, as the Time piece above notes.

Outstanding.

Perhaps after PETA figures out what to do about the freezing iguanas falling from trees in Florida, we'll hear the geese's side of the story.

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What's Happening Beneath Alaska's Mount Redoubt

What's Happening Beneath Alaska's Mount Redoubt

Mount Redoubt volcano in Alaska could erupt within days to weeks, say scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey, amazing the rest of us with their certainty.

Here's what makes them so sure: Magma rising toward the surface from beneath a volcano like Redoubt can cause earthquakes and other seismic rumblings. And seismic activity at Redoubt, which is 106 miles (170 km) southwest of Anchorage, has increased recently.

"If you're going to bring magma to the surface you've got to break rock, and every time rocks break at the subsurface beneath a volcano, that's an earthquake," said volcanologist Charles Mandeville of the American Museum of Natural History in New York. "They're recording a whole bunch of earthquakes almost continuously right now," he said, referring to scientists at the Alaska Volcano Observatory in Anchorage.

Ring of Fire

There are more than 40 active volcanoes in Alaska, many of which are situated on the Aleutian Islands in the Pacific Ocean or in the mainland Aleutian Range, geographically part of the same formation.

Redoubt's neighboring volcano Mount Augustine (located 177 miles, or 285 km southwest of Anchorage) last blew its top in 2006.

In fact, the Aleutian Island chain makes up the northern part of the Ring of Fire, which circles the Pacific Ocean and produces frequent activity along the coasts and interior regions of North and South American and Japan.
                                                                                                                  The Ring of Fire is considered one of the most volcanically and seismically active regions in the world.

The Aleutian Islands are themselves the result of volcanic activity, forming as the Pacific plate dives beneath, or "subducts," the North American plate.

More than 75 percent of the world's volcanoes lie along the Ring of Fire, where tectonic plates dive beneath other plates.

Need to vent

Mandeville, who has studied the Mount Augustine volcano, said that the Alaska-based scientists are reporting both more earthquakes and higher intensity ones at Redoubt in the past eight hours.

"The amount that the ground is actually shaking is increasing," Mandeville told LiveScience.

At this point, scientists from the Alaska Volcano Observatory are monitoring Redoubt around the clock. Redoubt rises to a height of 10,197 feet (3,108 meters).

To predict a coming eruption, scientists also watch for certain gases, such as carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide, emanating out of a vent along the volcano, Mandeville said.

"It's in a period that we call restlessness," said U.S. Geological Survey Volcano Hazards Program Coordinator John Eichelberger, in a recent podcast. "We expect an eruption in a matter of days or weeks. The strongest evidence for this is small earthquakes indicative of the movement of gas pressurizing the interior of the volcano."

Predicting what might come includes looking at Redoubt's past.

The volcano last erupted explosively nearly 20 years ago, beginning in December 1989 and lasting for months, sending ash plumes 40,000 feet (12,000 meters) into the air and causing engine failure in a 747 jet, which eventually landed safely. Ash also interrupted commercial air traffic into and out of Anchorage.

"The mud flows actually inundated an oil storage facility near Cook Inlet," Eichelberger said. "Barriers around the facility have been strengthened so again there is lessened risk, but this shows the kind of events that occur."

Why Redoubt erupts so explosively

From the most recent eruption of Redoubt, scientists identified certain types of rocks within the magma, finding the magma is made up of a lot of silica. Magma chockfull of silica is viscous (think warm, gooey taffy) and traps lots of gases.

Only when that magma gets to the surface, where pressure decreases, can that gas exit, similar to opening up a shaken soda.

"With those types of magmas you can get a very stiff rock foam rising to the surface, and the only way the gases can eventually come out when they encounter lower pressure is to literally blow the foam apart," Mandeville said.

Magma from the Hawaiian volcanoes like Mount Kilauea is typically basaltic, which contains much less silica and is much less viscous. That means gases can percolate out of the magma much easier, leading to calmer eruptions.

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Why Him? Why Her?

Why Him? Why Her?: Finding Real Love by Understanding Your Personality Type

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:
A groundbreaking book about how your personality type determines who you love

Why do you fall in love with one person rather than another? In this fascinating and informative book, Helen Fisher, one of the world’s leading experts on romantic love, unlocks the hidden code of desire and attachment. Each of us, it turns out, primarily expresses one of four broad personality types—Explorer, Builder, Director, or Negotiator—and each of these types is governed by different chemical systems in the brain. Driven by this biology, we are attracted to partners who both mirror and complement our own personality type. 

Until now the search for love has been blind, but Fisher pulls back the curtain and reveals how we unconsciously go about finding the right match. Drawing on her unique study of 40,000 men and women, she explores each personality type in detail and shows you how to identify your own type. Then she explains why some types match up well, whereas others are problematic. (Note to Explorers: be prepared for a wild ride when you hitch your star to a fellow Explorer!) Ultimately, Fisher’s investigation into the complex nature of romance and attachment leads to astonishing new insights into the essence of dating, love, and marriage.

Based on entirely new research—including a detailed questionnaire completed by five million people in thirty-three countries—Why Him? Why Her? will change your understanding of why you love him (or her) and help you use nature’s chemistry to find and keep your life partner.

Synopsis:
In this fascinating and informative book, one of the world's leading experts on romantic love unlocks the hidden code of desire and attachment. Until now the search for love has been blind, but Fisher pulls back the curtain and reveals how people unconsciously go about finding the right match.

Synopsis:
In this groundbreaking book, one of the world's leading experts on romantic love unlocks the hidden code of desire and attachment. Fisher pulls back the curtain and reveals how people unconsciously go about finding the right match and helps readers to use nature's chemistry to find and keep their life partner. 

About the Author
Helen Fisher, Ph.D., one of the world’s leading experts on the nature of romantic love and attachment, is the chief scientific adviser to Chemistry.com, a division of Match.com. She is the author of four previous books, two of which—The First Sex and The Anatomy of Love—were New York Times Notable Books. A research professor of anthropology at Rutgers University, she lives in New York City.
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Normal Adolescent Behavior

Normal Adolescent Behavior

Made: 2007

Genre: Drama

Stars: Kelli Garner, Amber Tamblyn, Ashton Holmes

Wendy and her close group of friends avoid the typical drama of high school relationships by spending all of their time together and engaging in sexual experimentation. But when Wendy falls for Sean, she is forced to choose between her feelings for him and her commitment to her friends.

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Modern romance -Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

New York, United States (2000 – present)

Yeah Yeah Yeahs is an alternative rock band formed in New York City in the late summer of 2000. The band consists of Karen Orzolek (vocals), Nick Zinner (guitar) and Brian Chase (drums). As of 2008 they have released two albums and three EPs. Their best known songs include “Maps”, “Y Control” and “Gold Lion”.

Their music melds genres ranging from new wave to art punk and garage rock using heavy guitars, synthetic sounds, and screaming, erotic, bluesy vocals. Karen Ois known for her energetic, animated stage presence, complemented by her outrageously colorful costumes designed especially for her by friend Christian Joy.

YYYs have recorded two studio albums: “Fever to Tell” and “Show Your Bones”, as well as three EPs: “Yeah Yeah Yeahs” EP, “Machine” EP and the “Is Is” EP, which features songs written during the “Fever to Tell” era that were not recorded until 2007. A new album, titled “It’s Blitz”, is expected in the spring of 2009.

Nick Zinner also plays in Head Wound City, a thrash metal supergroup with members of the Blood Brothers and The Locust, and has toured with Bright Eyes for their album, Digital Ash In A Digital Urn. Brian Chase has an active side project in the form of his improvisational band, The Seconds.

In 2005 Karen O collaborated with Kool Keith on the track “Teaser”, which was said to be on the porn film “Deep Throat vs. Lialeh” soundtrack, though this was never officially released. For the movie “Jackass 2”, she collaborated with Peaches and Johnny Knoxville to record a track entitled “Backass”. 

In 2007 she contributed vocals to a version of “Highway 61 Revisited” by Bob Dylan for the “I’m Not There” soundtrack. She also appears on the soundtrack of the forthcoming film adaptation of “Where The Wild Things Are”, directed by Spike Jonze.

In 2008, Nick Zinner and Karen O both appeared on the Tiny Masters of Today album, Bang Bang Boom Cake. Karen also directed the video for their song “Hologram World”.

Note: US hard core band YYY from the early 1980s tend to register on LastFM as Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs is an alternative rock band formed in New York City in the late summer of 2000. The band consists of Karen Orzolek (vocals), Nick Zinner (guitar) and Brian Chase (drums). As of 2008 they have released two albums and three EPs. Their best known songs include “Maps”, “Y Control” and “Gold Lion”.

Their music melds genres ranging from new wave to art punk and garage rock using heavy guitars, synthetic sounds, and screaming, erotic, bluesy vocals. Karen Ois known for her energetic, animated stage presence, complemented by her outrageously colorful costumes designed especially for her by friend Christian Joy.

YYYs have recorded two studio albums: “Fever to Tell” and “Show Your Bones”, as well as three EPs: “Yeah Yeah Yeahs” EP, “Machine” EP and the “Is Is” EP, which features songs written during the “Fever to Tell” era that were not recorded until 2007. A new album, titled “It’s Blitz”, is expected in the spring of 2009.

Nick Zinner also plays in Head Wound City, a thrash metal supergroup with members of the Blood Brothers and The Locust, and has toured with Bright Eyes for their album, Digital Ash In A Digital Urn. Brian Chase has an active side project in the form of his improvisational band, The Seconds.

In 2005 Karen O collaborated with Kool Keith on the track “Teaser”, which was said to be on the porn film “Deep Throat vs. Lialeh” soundtrack, though this was never officially released. For the movie “Jackass 2”, she collaborated with Peaches and Johnny Knoxville to record a track entitled “Backass”. 

In 2007 she contributed vocals to a version of “Highway 61 Revisited” by Bob Dylan for the “I’m Not There” soundtrack. She also appears on the soundtrack of the forthcoming film adaptation of “Where The Wild Things Are”, directed by Spike Jonze.

In 2008, Nick Zinner and Karen O both appeared on the Tiny Masters of Today album, Bang Bang Boom Cake. Karen also directed the video for their song “Hologram World”.

Note: US hard core band YYY from the early 1980s tend to register on LastFM as Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

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Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger

Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger

Notre Dame Football Player and Motivational Speaker

Against all odds on a gridiron in South Bend, Indiana, Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger in twenty seven seconds, carved his name into history books as perhaps the most famous graduate of the University of Notre Dame. The son of an oil refinery worker and third of 14 children, Rudy rose from valleys of discouragement and despair to the pinnacles of success. Today, he is one of the most popular motivational speakers in the United States. It took years of fierce determination to overcome obstacles and criticisms, yet Rudy achieved his first dream - to attend Notre Dame and play football for the Fighting Irish. As fans cheered RU-DY, RU-DY, he sacked the quarterback in the last 27 seconds of the only play in the only game of his college football career. He is the only player in the school's history to be carried off the field on his teammates' shoulders.

In 1993, TRISTAR Productions immortalized his life story with the blockbuster film Rudy. Written and produced by Angelo Pizzo and David Anspaugh, the award-winning team who brought us Hoosiers, the critically acclaimed Rudy received "Two Thumbs Up" from Siskel and Ebert and continues to inspire millions worldwide.

Today, a highly sought after motivational speaker, Rudy entertains international corporate audiences with a unique, passionate, and heartfelt style of communicating. He reaches school children, university students, and professional athletes with the same enthusiasm, portraying the human spirit that comes from his personal experiences of adversity and triumph. His captivating personality and powerful message of "YES I CAN" stays with his audiences forever. Rudy shares the speaking platform with great leaders and speakers including President George Bush, First Lady Barbara Bush, Peter Lowe, Joe Montana, General Colin Powell, Christopher Reeve, and Zig Ziglar. Rudy's opening remarks receive thunderous applause and standing ovations from audiences of 200 to 20,000 people who emotionally chant RU-DY, RU-DY! A few of Rudy's media appearances include: People Magazine, Sports Illustrated, US Magazine, Readers Digest, Inside Sports, The 700 Club, NFL Films, CBS Goodmorning, ABC Good Morning America, NBC Talk Live, Regis and Kathy Lee, Montel Williams Show, and Entertainment Tonight.

In addition to his motivational speaking, Rudy has co-authored several books including: Rudy’s Insights for Winning in Life, Rudy’s Lessons for Young Children, and Rudy & Friends, and has produced the Dream Power tape series.

He has recently established the Rudy Foundation, whose mission is to help children of all ages around the world reach their full potential. The Rudy Foundation develops and supports programs that positively impact the lives of children cognitively, emotionally, physically and spiritually. The Rudy Award Program was created by the Rudy Ruettiger Foundation to recognize children who make an outstanding, exceptional effort to do their personal best everyday, overcome obstacles, set goals, stay on track to reach their Dreams and build the qualities of Character, Courage, Contribution, and Commitment into their lives everyday. The Rudy Award is about a child's heart, will to change, and desire for self-improvement.

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Greg Valentino - World's Biggest Biceps

Greg Valentino - World's Biggest Biceps

Greg Valentino has the world's biggest biceps! Greg Valentino has been bodybuilding since the age of 14. One day Greg Valentino said to himself "Well I'm not going to get any taller so I'm going to get wider". That's when Greg started out his quest for the biggest bicep muscles in the world. Greg Valentino has been working his huge bicep muscle for over 30 years now! So how much can Greg bicep curl? A whopping 300 pounds!

The last measurement of Greg Valentino's arms put them at over 28 inches...and still growing! Greg trains heavy. Not only does he focus on his biceps and triceps but he can bench 550lbs on a decline. Greg Valentino is certainly a strong man all over. Obviously Greg has been taking steriods for quite some time. He admits this in his regular column in the Muscle development magazine. His column is called "Ramblin Freak, the biggest bicep muscles in the world".

You can read all about how to build big biceps on this site. We have loads of bicep building articles written by experienced trainers and bodybuilders. We also have bicep workouts that have been designed by our team and (if followed strictly) will help you build bigger and stronger biceps.

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Anna Faris & Chris Pratt Couple Up

Anna Faris & Chris Pratt Couple Up

The House Bunny star Anna Faris and her boyfriend, actor Chris Pratt, grab lunch and shop together in Hollywood on Wednesday (January 28).

The 32-year-old funny woman is currently lending her voice to the upcoming animation, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, which is based on a children’s book of the same name.

Chris, 29, was most recently in Bride Wars with Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway. He also had guest-starring roles in The O.C. and Everwood.

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TV Diner friends represent at blood drive

TV Diner friends represent at blood drive

(NECN: Billy Costa, Dedham, Mass.) - For the fifth year in a row, the American Red Cross Blood Services - Northeast Division and New England Cable News are joining together to reach out to patients in need by increasing the blood supply and raising awareness about the ongoing need for blood donors. 

Jose Duarte, chef/owner of Taranta in the North End, is joining in on the efforts, along with Cecilia Rait, owner of the Beacon Hill Hotel and Bistro.

The Celebrate the Gift of Life campaign will run throughout the winter months and holiday season, when blood donations are often critically low. 

Click here for more information and to find a donor center near you.

Every day, there are thousands of patients in hospitals who rely on the generosity of volunteer blood donors so that they can receive the treatments they need. Across the United States, a blood transfusion is needed every two seconds. The only source of blood is a healthy volunteer donor. Each unit of donated blood has the ability to help save the lives of up to three patients in need. Donated blood is used to help accident victims, trauma patients, transplant recipients, and those receiving treatment for life-threatening illnesses.

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David Osmond Brings Family's Musical Legacy To 'American Idol'

David Osmond Brings Family's Musical Legacy To 'American Idol'

Donny and Marie's nephew tells touching story of his battle with multiple sclerosis.

This year's "American Idol" has already seen the passing of the torch from Jason to Michael Castro, the first legacy to make it to Hollywood. But during the Utah auditions that aired on Wednesday night, the program got what might be its first bona fide über-ringer, David Osmond. 

The Provo, Utah, native is the son of Alan Osmond, the eldest brother of the squeaky-clean Osmond singers, best known for their tight harmonies, wholesome family values and the "Donny & Marie" variety show of the 1970s. 

David Osmond, 29, began performing with his family at age 4 in a barbershop quartet and has appeared in the Broadway touring version of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," as his uncle Donny's understudy. According to his Web site, he's recorded albums as part of the Osmonds: 2nd Generation band with brothers Michael, Nathan and Douglas and has been working on his solo debut for several years. 

The soul-patch-sporting David, one of Alan Osmond's eight children, won the judges' hearts with his bright smile and a version of Take 6's "Something Within Me." His calm, cool audition impressed the judges, but Simon Cowell worried that "if you think you're contemporary, you're going to make a huge mistake, David ... massive mistake, because that will not work." And Paula Abdul wondered if he would be able to shine as a solo artist after singing multi-part harmonies for so many years. "You need to start thinking of yourself as one solo artist," she said. But, seeing his potential, the judges voted him through. 

One of the most dramatic parts of Osmond's story was the revelation that, like his father, he suffers from multiple sclerosis, which had confined him to a wheelchair until just before his audition last summer. In the three years he's had MS, it has sometimes made him unable to sing or play guitar. And while Osmond knows it could strike back at any time, he told host Ryan Seacrest that he was feeling good and strong during the audition process. 

"It's like a roller coaster," he said of the disease that attacks the nervous system. "It has a remittance and a relapse. It's very likely that MS ... could flare up, and I could go back to that wheelchair." 

Osmond said he feels his dad with him at every step, and father and son shared a touching moment when a weepy Alan Osmond said, "He's got a challenge and he's whipping it, because he's tough ... and he's not doing it because he's an Osmond." 

"So genuine," judge Kara DioGuardi said after David celebrated getting his Hollywood pass with his large, adoring family.

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David Osmond, the first to be given a ticket to Hollywood in Wednesday's audition show

American Osmond

Donny Osmond may or may not be on "Dancing with the Stars" this year (he told Bonnie Hunt he was in for this spring, and told "Entertainment Tonight" he wasn't).

But one Osmond making a hit reality series is David Osmond, the first to be given a ticket to Hollywood in Wednesday's audition show from Salt Lake City. The Osmonds were the first musical family of Salt Lake at least until David Archuleta was runner up last year, and the families are so big the chances were good one would finally audition for "American Idol."

But David, who actually has a good voice, is son of Alan Osmond, oldest of the original brothers act. He's suffered from multiple sclerosis, and so has his son, who was in a wheelchair a year ago but is standing now and making through his audition, singing a spiritual song from Take Six. 

There were lots of religious songs sung in Salt Lake, and a few of them got through. The weirdest song selections were from the 17 year old senior class president who first sang a Train song and then did "an old soul song" from Raffi. You know, that old soul man, Raffi.

The audition shows are starting to wear out their welcome. You only see a handful of people actually trying out in the hour now, and they are either obviously terrible or sail right through (whether they're great or merely mediocre. There's been a lot of mediocre ones going through because they like their personalities). 

Glad there's only one more audition show to go. And that one, on Thursday, will meld together both the New York auditions and the ones in Puerto Rico.

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Welcome to OsmondMS.com!                      

Help is on the way!

Thanks for being concerned with my health!
Yes, I am still taking SF-1019 and hope to help get this out to the public ASAP. Several people have been made better with it! 

I am always trying new things though! 
First, I stay positive and have prayer often.
I have a testimony that my Savior knows me and is guiding me!
We must trust in HIM, and HE will guide our paths! That's how I found this treatment.

But, I must also stay active physically! I'm trying. I had my hormones checked and am taking Higher doses of Vitamin D. It definately is helping me. Also with Testosterone cream, the hair on my arms and chest is returning! Check with your HORMONE Doctor/specialist. 

I have also discovered Natural Foods and Essential Oils that have been used since the days of Christ. We are going to endorse them with a company called, "BE Young". Intro at: http://thefamily.com/store. I have seen them work! You might want to check them out. 
Get your life Eternally bound! God's work is to bring to pass the Immortality and Eternal life of Man! Jesus died for us giving everyone Immortality. Eternal Life includes making good choices with our desires to live forever. Everyone should make Eternal decisions! That's why we have Temples so we can even marry Eternally! Check it out!

But, Faith comes with more than a feeling. It requires a Decision! I decided that I may have MS. But, MS does NOT have me!
Hope this works for you!
.
Alan 

 
Yes, Jesus is "The Way"! ...The ONE who will Bring us Together! 
He is the ONE, He is The Way!" 
(The album will be coming soon called: "THE WAY". )

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Phils Fish Market and Eatery

User Reviews for Phils Fish Market and Eatery

Mixed bag. 

I thought this was a pretty cool place and it is certainly popular. However, my wife got very sick from eating the blackened scallop entree. The place is partially outdoors so the flies were swarming. The men's bathroom was disgusting. Even though I enjoyed my dungeness crab and liked the concept, I would have to advise against dining here. The popularity of this place may have overtaken it's ability to address health and cleanliness issues. 
Pros: the seafood eatery concept
Cons: cleanliness

Location is great.

Phil's is a fun place to eat. Steps from the beach and some good grinds. They are a tad bit pricey for food and the have reduced there menu in the last couple of months for reason's still not explained. It's a good place for a hour break if your driving up and down the coast. It's about 20 minutes from Monterey and 35 minutes from Santa Cruz. The best time to eat is during the week when the tourism is rather lower then the weekend when it is high. When done eating walk out to the beach and enjoy the sights of the ocean and the peace of the beach. Cafeteria style dining and some intresting dishes and you can bring your own wine. Have fun and enjoy.

Great Seafood.

I always stop at Phil's on my way up to Santa Cruz. . . . Being a creature of habit I get the same thing every time: 3 orders of fried clams, 2 orders of clam... 

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Monarch Butterflies: Flying Jewels

Southwest Monarch Tagging and Migration Research - and 2008 Field Work Dates

Summer and Fall are the seasons to look for Monarch butterflies, those lovely "flowers on the wing" seeming more like artworks than insects. If one is perched on a flower in your garden grab your binoculars and look closely at a rear wing. Do you see a tiny blue tag? Write down the tag number and report your sighting to Boyce Thompson Arboretum! BTA education Coordinator Chris Kline and a crew of volunteers began sticking tiny blue tags on the wings of hundreds of Monarch butterflies prior to releasing the insects. Would you believe tags have been recovered as far afield as Mexico City?

"Four years ago our small cadre of Arizona State Parks volunteers began sticking tiny blue adhesive tags on the hindwings of Monarch butterflies, which were subsequently released in hopes of sightings, recoveries and a mapping project to better understand the delicate insects' migration," said Kline. "More than 3,000 marked monarchs later, the most far-flung recoveries have come back from Mexico City!" 

  Kline directs education programs at Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park and he invites all who are interested in butterflies to learn more on the guided Saturday butterfly walks June 28, July 26, August 23 and September 27 at 9:30 a.m. These walks typically last about two hours, exploring Arboretum collections which include the Demonstration and Hummingbird-Butterfly, Desert Legume and Herb Gardens. Butterfly walks and other guided weekend nature tours are included with regular Arboretum daily admission of $7.50, or $3 for ages 5-12

Research continues this summer and fall, with training sessions and field work and field work planned across Arizona: from the cool higher elevations of Springerville to the Canelo Hills, Santa Cruz County, and eastwards to the the Blue River boundarylands near New Mexico off state route 191 below Hannagan Meadow. For those who really want to be immersed in lepidoptery (the study of butterflies), Kline also seeks volunteers to assist with monarch training and tagging sessions. Participants are responsible for their own travel arrangements; the following field trips are scheduled: 

Monarch Field Trip Dates

* Jacob's Lake August 12-15 
* Springerville August 16
* Canelo Hills August 30 ( again September 14)
* Hereford September 6
* Blue River October 2-4
* Hualapai Mountains October 15-17
* Perkinsville October 18
* Sonoita November 1
   
  "The focus of this year's work is two-fold: first, we want to explore the edges of the state better, hence trips to the Blue River, Hualapai Mountains, 
and Jacob Lake. Secondly, we want to learn more about the travel corridors these insects use within the state. Our training events are free, but I do ask 
that participants have a serious interest in being a part of the Southwest Monarch Study project either through tagging monarchs, looking for tagged 
monarchs, or monitoring milkweed populations for monarch caterpillars," said Kline. On past trips participants have camped together at Forest Service group 
use sites, or arranged to stay at "Butterfly Friendly" bed-and-breakfasts in Southern AZ such as the Portal Peak Lodge and the San Pedro River Inn near Palominas. "The Inn has a wonderful sunflower field where we will spend most of our time," said Kline. "Wear shoes that can afford to get wet! Also bring a butterfly net if you have one, your camera, drinks and snacks. I expect there will be several monarchs flying at this time, but these are wild animals so I can't make any guarantees!"Sierra Vista has a variety of hotels about ten miles away; there are also nearby campgrounds in the Huachuca mountains, and the San Pedro River Inn."

The photo at right shows Mr. Kline holding a Queen Butterfly, a smaller variety of butterfly commonly mistaken for its larger relative the Monarch. Tina Faust's glorious closeup image (above at right) shows a Monarch.

                                                            "The Southwestern Monarch Migration Research Project is an example of citizen science, with schools and butterfly enthusiasts trained to tag and release Monarchs to assist with migration research," said Kline. "Santa Cruz and Cochise Counties boast some of the best monarch habitat in Arizona."

HOW DO WE TAG?

  "How do we tag? Of course, the first step is to catch the little buggers, which is easier said than done," said Kline. "The tag is a circular adhesive label, 5/16 of an inch in diameter. On the tag is printed a tag number and an email contact address. The tag is placed on what is called the discal cell, located on the underside of either hindwing. Out of habit, I generally tag the left hindwing. We then record data before we let the monarch go, including the butterfly's sex, tag number, and general condition of the monarch. Then the monarch is released. We also record location - by GPS coordinates if we can get them - and what the monarch was doing when we caught it. Last year we learned a lot about the nectar sources that monarchs use as they travel through the state. This year we will be watching patches of thistle, sunflower, and rabbitbrush very closely," Kline added. 

WHY DO WE TAG?

  "Why are we doing this? At this point, very little is known about monarch butterfly migration through the southwest US and northern Mexico," said Kline. "What little is known is based largely on flimsy evidence and anecdotal observation.... like 'I was in Guadalupe Canyon and saw a monarch fly over the fence into Mexico'. Who knows, two hours later that monarch may have flown back into the US and proceeded on to California! As far as I know, we are the only tagging program currently in the southwest."

WHERE DO THEY GO?

  "It has been accepted in the scientific community that Monarchs living east of the Rocky Mountains migrate to the Transvolcanic Range around Mexico City," said Kline. "Monarchs living west of the Rocky Mountains generally migrate to the coast of California. Arizona's placement below the Rockies begs the question: Do our Monarchs go west to California, south to Mexico, or do they stay in Arizona? At the present time, the scientific community is unsure where southwestern Monarchs migrate -- or if they migrate at all. It is possible that they find Arizona to be home sweet home throughout the year because of the relatively mild winter climate in many parts of the state."

  "According to currently accepted migration theory, monarchs west of the Continental Divide migrate to California, east of the Divide to Mexico. I 
suspect this theory is wrong since all three of our long-distance recoveries have been in Mexico, not California. There is a growing movement that believes monarchs west of the divide and roughly east of a line from Boise, Idaho to Yuma, AZ actually migrate south through Arizona to Mexico. But three recoveries do not provide enough contradictory evidence, hence the reason we continue to tag."

  The Southwest Monarch Study hopes to fill in gaps in the scientific knowledge of the migration of Monarch Butterflies in Arizona. With the help of 
volunteers, we hope to expand our tagging in Arizona. We will then track the butterflies by mapping where and when the tagged Monarchs are recovered. 
Hopefully, over time, we will be able to gather enough evidence to challenge the currently accepted theory. It's a challenging project, and one which has united Boyce Thompson Arboretum with the Desert Botanical Garden and also schools throughout Arizona. Teachers and classes have participated in tagging field trips, and are helping raise awareness of the project in hopes of spurring reports of sightings and tag recoveries.

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The Mentalist: Seeing Red

The Mentalist: Seeing Red

EPISODE RECAP

A peaceful garden with a burbling fountain surrounded with various florae welcomes visitors to The Temple of Harmony. A sign introduces us to Kristina Frye, a psychic, who offers "psychic wellness" and "healing through clairvoyance." This tranquil scene is interrupted as one woman, Rosemary, bursts out of the door with a Kristina begging her to stay, warning her that she is in danger. Kristina assures Rosemary that she is only trying to help her but Rosemary refuses to stay and storms down the path. As Rosemary walks down the street, her phone rings. She looks at the number and with frustration returns her phone to her purse without answering it. Suddenly, with no warning, a car speeds up along the road and on to the sidewalk knocking down and killing Rosemary.

The CBI team assembles at the crime scene where they meet the lead detective, Marco Francis. Francis fills them in on the details of the crime. The victim is Rosemary Tennant, the wife of a prominent businessman with strong political connections. They have witnesses who saw what happened, paint evidence from the vehicle and a partial plate number. After the typical jurisdictional sparring, it is determined that CBI will lead the investigation. Rosemary had filed a missing persons report on her son, Travis. He is apparently a troubled teen. 

Kristina Frye approaches the group. She tells them that Rosemary was having a session with her when her deceased husband warned her that she was in danger. Kristina explained that she was the conduit for the spirit of Rosemary's husband. Patrick had been quietly observing the scene, however, he reacts to the psychic's claim with thinly veiled contempt. Lisbon watches their exchange with mild amusement and diplomatically asks Kristina if she could come to their office for further questioning. Kristina asserts that Patrick is misreading the situation. He smiles broadly at Lisbon, obviously relishing the thought of exposing Kristina for the sham he believes she is.

The next day, Jane, Lisbon and Van Pelt begin their interrogation of Kristina. Kristina states she has known Rosemary for three years. She has been meeting with her five to six times a week, as Rosemary felt lost after the death of her husband. She explains that people were taking advantage of Rosemary and as a result the relationship with her children, Travis and Clara suffered. When questioned further about this, she refused to share any more information, citing client confidentiality. Patrick's skepticism is apparent when he comments on the $3000 per week fee that Kristina was receiving and he challenges her motives. Kristina turns the questioning back on Patrick and begins to read him with remarkable perception. Patrick dismisses her insight and declares that the tragedy in his life is easy to research. Kristina is unfazed by Patrick's antagonism and asks to leave.

Later that day, Rigsby, Jane and Lisbon approach Rosemary Tennant's home. They meet Rosemary's house guest, Jeremy Hale. Hale is a photographer who has been living in the home for six months. He denies that they were lovers. Jane asks if it is all right if he looks around. Lisbon and Rigsby continue the questioning, talking about Rosemary's children and her will. Patrick calls down to the group to come upstairs. They find him in Hale's photography studio. They observe and comment on what a well-equipped studio it was. Jane suggests that Hale was the cause of the conflict between Travis and Rosemary; he argues that Travis left because Hale took over his room for a studio. Jane finds a small attic room that appeared to be Travis's new room. Jane continues to challenge Hale, suggesting that Travis left because of him. As Jane presses the issue, Hale becomes more and more defensive.

Back at the office, the team discusses the possible suspects and pool information that they have discovered. Family animosities and social parasites seem to present several possibilities. Rosemary's daughter, Clara, enters the office. Patrick says little during the interview but as always watches carefully. Clara expresses sorrow that her mother is gone and worries about her missing brother. She tells them that her mother changed after their father died. When she was away at school, Travis told her that people were taking advantage of her mother. Travis' behavior became erratic. She explains to them that Jeremy moved in when her brother started acting up. She describes him as scary and dangerous. Lisbon asks her where Travis is but she doesn't know. Jane asks her to put Travis' number into his phone. She tells him that Travis will not return his call but she complies. Patrick punches in the number and leaves a rather puzzling message on Travis' phone...

Patrick: (in a calm monotone voice) Hello Travis, you don't know me but my name is Patrick Jane. I'm a friend. I know you're in a little trouble right now and I want to offer you some peace of mind, but I don't know what peace of mind means to you. It's different for everyone. For instance, I like riding horses but would horses make you happy? I don't know. Why wouldn't horses make you happy? Around and round in your mind until you're sure and go to that place where you know you are happy and give me a call. You have my number.

Jane, Rigsby and Cho wait in an amusement park and the purpose and nature of Jane's call to Travis becomes evident. After a few minutes, Travis shows up and Cho is impressed by Jane's abilities. As Travis finds a seat on the merry-go-round, the three detectives quietly surround him. When Travis notices them, he starts to run away but Patrick calmly calls his name and asks him to stay...and he does.

Back at the office, Lisbon and Cho conduct Travis' interrogation. Travis states that he loves his mother and denies having anything to do with his mother's death. He explains that he ran away because he hated Jeremy. Travis is asked to provide details of where he was and with whom, to account for his time during his mother's murder. Patrick stands outside the interrogation room with Clara, observing both Clara and Travis.

Later the team discusses reasons for the changing of Rosemary's will and the motives that would evolve from such a change. They know that Jeremy stood to get a substantial amount from the will and Christina Frye was added to the will days before Rosemary's death. Grace defends Kristina and takes issue with Patrick's skepticism. At that moment Kristina calls and says she is 'picking up on something'. Grace goes to see her and Patrick insists on going with her.

Jane and Van Pelt enter The Temple of Harmony. Jane looks around the reception room and calls into question the commercialism of Kristina's 'temple'. Kristina greets them and they sit to begin their discussion. Jane questions what he calls her 'high-game' in contrast to the cliché accoutrements that surround them. Kristina defends herself by suggesting that she is simply giving the people what they expect just as he did when he was in the game. Their verbal sparring continues until Grace interrupts and brings the topic back to the case. Kristina reveals that she has had a vision about the car used in the murder of Rosemary. She explains that she sees it in a large body of water. Later, they find Rosemary's car in a reservoir outside of town.

Clara and Travis report that Jeremy has left the house with some of their mother's jewelry. Patrick looks around in Jeremy's studio and finds a picture of a young woman. The picture is damaged and Patrick postulates that the damage was made by a woman's heel…in all probability, Rosemary's heel. They show the picture to the children and she is identified as Connie Adams, Rosemary's bridge partner's daughter. When Hale is found in flagrante delicto with Connie, he is hauled down to head quarters for further questioning.

Jeremy continued to deny accusations that he murdered Rosemary even when faced with mounting evidence against him. He lies about knowing Kristina Frye and he finally requests a lawyer. They speak to Kristina Frye once more and learn that not only was she a beneficiary of Rosemary's will but also she admits to having a relationship with Jeremy. 

Patrick goes to the Tennant home and asks Travis and Clara to request that Kristina hold a séance to call his mother's spirit at the reading of the will. Although he tells them that he suspects Kristina is the murderer, we wonder what kind of trap he is setting.

A large group assembles for the séance. It includes the CBI team, Travis, Clara, the family lawyer, Jeremy and others. Kristina calls for the group to believe. Patrick stands back and observes. Lights begin to flicker and a voice calling Kristina calls out asking Clara why she did it. Clara runs from the room. Patrick follows and Clara finally confesses. We see Cho and Rigsby out in a van providing the eerie sound effects.

Later in the office, Clara explains why she murdered her mother. She explains that she was so angry with her mother for disinheriting Travis and ignoring her attempts to talk to her. She followed her to one of her sessions with Kristina. While her mother was walking down the street, she tried once more to call her but her mother refused to answer her phone. She snapped and ran her down with the car. She tells them that she did it for Travis. She cries and tells them that parents are supposed to look after their children. This statement seems to strike a nerve with Patrick, although he says nothing. After the interrogation, Clara says goodbye to her brother and gives him some sisterly advice.
Kristina enters the office and asks to speak to Patrick in private. They find an empty interview room. Kristina asks him to let her have her say and not to interrupt.

Kristina: I talked to your wife...(Patrick begins to stop her) ah, ah...(Kristina pauses for a moment to collect her thoughts) Ever since your wife and daughter were killed, there's a question about that night's events that's been tormenting you, yes? (Patrick stares at her stone faced for a moment) Yes?
Patrick: (Patrick answers quickly and continues to stare.) Yes.
Kristina: (Sigh) Your wife wants me to tell you that your daughter never woke up. She didn't know what happened. She wasn't scared, not even for a second.
(Patrick's stare hardens but he continues to stare at Kristina.)
Patrick: Are you done channeling? That's it?
Kristina: That's it.
(Patrick looks away and replies curtly...)
Patrick: Thanks.
(Kristina rises to leave the room, as Patrick continues to stare)
Kristina: Goodbye Mr. Jane.

Patrick doesn't answer her. He begins to weep. Grace walks by the room and sees Patrick. She quietly closes the door.

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Ann Marie Boskovich

Spotlight

Rihanna vs Rihanna: "Good Girl Gone Bad" remix song battle

nternational superstar, Rihanna, has just released "Good Girl Gone Bad: The Remixes," a new version of her double platinum, chart topping album. This collection features new versions of Rihanna's hits remixed by today's hottest dance producers, including Tony Moran, Seamus Haji and Jody Den Broeder. Step up to the Good Girl Gone Bad remix battle and vote for your new favorite, "Breaking Dishes," or "Take a Bow."

New Music Tuesday: Bruce Springsteen, Rihanna, Franz Ferdinand and more

The first major release day of 2009 is here with remixes, solo projects, compilations, and more, oh my! imeem's got all the playlists in one easy place for you to grab and share with your friends. Tell us which album you're rocking.

Discover

Top Rated Artists

Chris Brown

Pop-oriented R&B vocalist Chris Brown debuted with the Scott Storch-produced "Run It!" and became the first male solo artist to release a single that went straight to the top of the Billboard singles chart. Only 16 at the time, Brown... (more)

Britney Spears

More than any other single artist, Britney Spears was the driving force behind the return of teen pop in the late '90s. The blockbuster success of the Spice Girls and Backstreet Boys certainly paved the way for her own commercial breakthrough, but Spears didn't just become a star -- she was a bona fide pop phenomenon. Not only did she sell millions of records, she was a media fixture regardless of what she was (or wasn't) doing; among female singers More

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Lou Gehrig's disease

Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS)

Lou Gehrig's disease is a disorder that's also called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (say: ah-my-uh-tro-fik lah-tuh-rul skluh-ro-sis), or ALS. The official name comes from these Greek words:

"a" for without
"myo" for muscle
"trophic" for nourishment
"lateral" for side (of the spinal cord)
"sclerosis" for hardening or scarring

So, amyotrophic means that the muscles have lost their nourishment. When this happens, they become smaller and weaker. Lateral means that the disease affects the sides of the spinal cord, where the nerves that nourish the muscles are located; and sclerosis means that the diseased part of the spinal cord develops hardened or scarred tissue in place of healthy nerves.

ALS is often called Lou Gehrig's disease after Lou Gehrig, a hall-of-fame baseball player for the New York Yankees who was diagnosed with ALS in the 1930s. People in England and Australia call ALS Motor Neurone Disease (MND). The French refer to it as Maladie de Charcot, after the French doctor Jean-Martin Charcot, who first wrote about ALS in 1869.
What Is Lou Gehrig's Disease?

Lou Gehrig's disease damages motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Motor neurons are nerve cells that control muscle movement. Upper motor neurons send messages from the brain to the spinal cord, and lower motor neurons send messages from the spinal cord to the muscles. Motor neurons are an important part of the body's neuromuscular system. The neuromuscular system enables our bodies to move and is made up of the brain, many nerves, and muscles. Things that we do every day — like breathing, walking, running, lifting stuff, and even reaching for a glass of water — are all controlled by the neuromuscular system.

Here's how the neuromuscular system works: If you want to make a fist, your brain first sends signals through upper motor neurons to the area in your spinal cord that controls your hand muscles. Then lower motor neurons in your spinal cord signal the muscles in your hand to move and make a fist.

Over time, Lou Gehrig's disease causes these motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord to shrink and disappear, so that the muscles no longer receive signals to move. As a result, the muscles become smaller and weaker. Gradually the body becomes paralyzed (say: par-uh-lized), which means that the muscles no longer work. However, someone with ALS, even at an advanced stage, can still see, hear, smell, and feel touch. The nerves that carry feelings of hot, cold, pain, pressure, or even being tickled, are not affected by Lou Gehrig's disease. The parts of the brain that allow us to think, remember, and learn are also not affected by the disease.

Although this disease can strike anyone, it is extremely rare in kids. According to the ALS Association, most people who develop Lou Gehrig's disease are adults between 40 and 70. Only 2 out of every 100,000 people will get the disease each year. Because it is not contagious, you can't catch ALS from someone who has the disease.

Among ALS cases in the United States, 5% to 10% are hereditary, which means the disease runs in certain families. This is called familial (say: fuh-mee-lee-ul) ALS. At least 90% of cases are not inherited; this is called sporadic (say: spuh-rah-dik) ALS.

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