ICanSleepWhenI'mDead

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/05/09/minnesotas-no-blackout-provision-may-not-be-so-crazy-after-all/ http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/05/09/conference-committe-puts-vikings-share-at-477-million/

True, but even soccer has concussion-related issues: http://www.soccernation.com/concussions-how-do-we-protect-our-soccer-players--cms-2349 I don't know how expensive or readily available it is for high school athletes, but I keep reading about how baseline testing is an important tool for improving player safety.

Well, as Chan said: "You can gripe or complain about what you don't have or you can get excited about what you do have. You get to choose every day."

There's nowhere I'd rather be than right here, right now! Via, among some other places, Mortons Corners.

Hey, whale **** may save the planet: http://news.smh.com.au/world/whale-poop-fights-global-warming-20100616-ydl6.html P.S. Next time you study global warming stay farther back from the whale or wear safety goggles.

The OP's USA Today article made reference to an earlier 8th Circuit Court of Appeals case involving student participation in athletics. If anybody's interested, here's the 1992 opinion - - it involves a female high school athlete "banned" from playing on a basketball team: http://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/tF2/980/1208/335788/ The 1992 appeal only decided the student's request for injunctive relief - - it was denied as moot because the student had already graduated from high school by the time the appeal was decided. The appeals court actually sent the case back to the Arkansas trial court to determine, among other things, if the student had an actionable claim for damages for a civil rights violation. Don't know the outcome upon return to the trial court, but it sure seems like the student should have lost. Use of the terms "banned" and "removed from the team" as opposed to the term "cut" makes me wonder if the student made the team and then was disciplined for something, but the 8th Circuit opinion never says why the student was "banned."

Just curious - - what state's teacher retirement plan now allows this? I don't see how anybody could reasonably argue that such a change would be fair - - has anybody in a position of authority actually proposed such a change? I don't follow this issue closely, but all I remember hearing on the news are proposals in various states to force new teacher hires into a 401k or 403b type of defined contribution retirement plan. Maybe I haven't been paying enough attention. Thanks in advance for any info.

I agree with you about teaching being important, but their salaries are higher than you think. Here's the 2008 New York City salary schedule from a teacher union website: http://www.uft.org/o...edules/teachers To understand the New York City teacher 2008 salary chart in the above link, you also need the following explanation of salary "steps:" http://www.uft.org/o...ts/salary-steps I don't know how things have changed since 2008, but in 2008 a NYC teacher with 22 years experience and a Master's degree made an annual salary of $94,154. With an additional 30 credit hours beyond the Master's degree, the salary schedule for 22 years experience topped out at just over $100k. I would expect WNY teachers to make less because their cost of living is cheaper, but my guess is that they all make over $30k/year, even to start. Just my two pesos.

Will you name a bridge over Tonawanda Creek for me?

A little more info from an AP news story: http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/skorea-finds-smuggled-capsules-human-flesh-16297437 If dog is considered a delicacy in that part of the world, maybe dead baby pills aren't much of a stretch.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B0040BPJ60/ref=dp_image_text_0?ie=UTF8&s=miscellaneous

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-02-09/business/chi-robisigning-settlement-to-be-finalized-20120209_1_servicers-foreclosure-practices-mortgage-payments So Bank of America defrauds government entity FHA, settles its legal liability for $1 billion, and half of that settlement money (that belongs entirely to taxpayers) gets diverted to assist the minority of people who aren't paying their mortgages - - what could possibly be wrong with that? If you read the entire article, a big chunk of the $25 billion overall multi-party foreclosure fraud "settlement" is structured in a similar way - - rather than having the banks and loan servicers pay actual dollars to the government (because all taxpayers ultimately got the bill for the banks' fraudulent conduct), the banks get "credit" toward the $25 billion every time they take some of the money that rightfully belongs to the government (i.e., all taxpayers) and use it to financially assist irresponsible people. It's a sad time in American history. Maybe the NFL should start giving participation trophies to guys who don't make final team rosters. Just my 2 rupees.

http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000089031&play=1

Not saying it is a very bright tradition, but this link gives some context: http://urbangrounds.com/2012/05/nick-engmann/ The bus driver was cited for running a red light: http://www.kvue.com/news/local/Student-hit-by-Cap-Metro-bus-150208605.html

Maybe they really liked Angerer, or maybe the special teams coach hosted a pre-draft fondue party: http://articles.latimes.com/2002/jun/28/sports/sp-fondue28 JAX has a history of freak kicker injuries, so maybe they just decided to stockpile punters: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=pasquarelli_len&id=1634325

I started to write "put yourself in the kicker's shoes" but in a thread about kicker weirdness I didn't want Russell Erxleben to feel left out, so "put yourself in the kicker's feet" seemed more inclusive.

You had me a little worried so I just checked - - Mom's fine.

I thought it might be your MI6 code name: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/9210758/Jack-Straw-sued-over-illegal-rendition-of-Abdel-Hakim-Belhadj.html

I'm chagrined to say that I had actually forgotten that alternate ending - - it brought back some good memories. Thanks.

I had a hard time figuring out why Buddy took a place kicker in the 7th round. Lindell had a shoulder injury at the end of last season, but that shirley must have healed by now. So why essentially waste a pick on a kicker who wasn't even from the SEC? We could have drafted another future starter like Jasper (OK, so he's a project, but so was Jason Peters, and Peters wasn't even drafted). In light of Junior Seau's death, it makes a lot more sense. Remember, Buddy worked in San Diego for a while and may have seen that unfortunate tragedy coming. Bounty Gate and the concussion-related lawsuits have dominated news coverage now that the draft is over, but the hidden NFL story is the extreme psychological trauma suffered over the years by place kickers, especially recently. Kickers have always been considered a little strange, but now that NFL rules favor the offense, the pressure to score on every possession is much greater. Opposing coaches are constantly trying to "ice" them by calling time-outs. Not only that, but field goals are worth so little to NFL teams that you can't even win an overtime game with one any more. Talk about job security anxiety! Put yourself in the kicker's feet for a minute just before the snap - - will a time-out be called? - - will the ball be snapped anyway but the lineman won't bother to block anybody and I'll get killed? - - will I kick it thinking it's just a practice kick only to discover that the whistle came too late and I blew my only chance to win the game? Huge stress! No wonder San Diego's kicker was reduced to semi-publicly pissing on the sidelines before trotting out on the field in a game last year. That's the kind of psychological trauma-induced behavior that you usually only see if you put too many rats in one cage. There's a reason why you don't hear much about Scott Northwoods or Pete Gogolack any more - - they just can't bare to be in the spotlight because they have a form of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - -just like our boys coming home from Afghanistan. We don't hear details about Ralph's health or Easley's heart condition because that HIPAA law now makes all types of medical info highly confidential. So I wonder if Buddy drafted the new kicker because he's worried that Lindell is on the verge of a performance-detracting psychological breakdown? I'm a fan of Lindell's and think he's a good kicker - - but in light of what's been happening to other kickers around the league, I can understand why Buddy wants a plan B. I sure hope Lindell's mentally OK. Anybody know how he's doing? NFL-kicker-trauma-issues

I try to avoid sticking my nose in other people's business, but you specifically asked, and I was curious about how the eminent domain process works in North Carolina. I don't claim any particular experience or education in my posts, so you'll have to draw your own conclusions about whether I have a clue what I'm talking about. Let's just say that I have a high regard for how hard family farmers typically work to make a living, and you are a fellow Bills fan, so FWIW, here goes. First, I'm unclear whether you are concerned only about the economic impact of the 3 year construction project, or the economic impact after the construction is completed, too. It sounds like you've put a lot of effort into trying to get a good outcome at the VAD's public hearing. That strikes me as smart, but if I understand correctly, the VAD only has the power to make recommendations to the NCDOT, and cannot force them to do anything. In any event, the VAD has issued its report, and the ball is now in NCDOT's court to determine the feasibility of the 3 alternatives that the VAD asked NCDOT to evaluate. If you find the "tunnel style cattle crossing" a satisfactory outcome, I hope the NCDOT chooses it, but it certainly sounds like the most expensive option for NCDOT, so I'm not optimistic that NCDOT will build one. If NCDOT doesn't change course and take action acceptable to you, you need to understand your legal options. I did a little google searching, and found a pretty detailed description in fairly plain everyday language about how the eminent domain process works in North Carolina: http://www.smithdebnamlaw.com/articles/holy-cow-they-can-take-my-land Shifting gears to another issue, I'm not sure that you have a clear understanding of how the "just compensation" that you are legally entitled to receive will be calculated. The portion of your post reproduced above seems inconsistent with the following statement in the published VAD report: I agree with you that there's a lot of legal mumbo jumbo involved, but to get the best possible outcome for your family you need to understand the "just compensation" issue. So I did a little more google searching to see if I could find anything that might be helpful in explaining what the components of "just compensation" can include North Carolina. Here's a North Carolina Supreme Court case from 2006 that explains how "just compensation" should be calculated when NCDOT takes part of someone's land: http://caselaw.findlaw.com/nc-supreme-court/1069021.html Note that if NCDOT merely offers you only the fair market value of 1.7 acres of agricultural land in your area, that MIGHT be a lowball offer - - it depends on several factors. I don't think you ever said how many total acres your farm has, but if you follow the 3 acre per cow metric you mentioned and have 50 head of cattle, that sounds like about 150 acres pre-taking. "Just compensation" requires that NCDOT pay you not just for the 1.7 acres that they actually take outright, but also for any reduction in the market value of the remaining 148.3 acres that results from the planned construction. Hypothetically, let's say that if no tunnel-style cattle crossing is built, the construction makes access more difficult (or eliminates it) to a 40 acre pasture. If that reduces the market value of that 40 acre tract, then NCDOT has to pay you not just the full value of the 1.7 acres they take outright, but also for the reduction in market value of the 40 acre pasture that the construction permanently affects. OTOH, it sounds like your land is already split by an existing bridge, so it's not clear to me if access to land on the far side of the new bridge will be any more difficult (after the 3 year construction project is finished) than it is now. An important factor in arriving at "just compensation" is figuring out what the "highest and best use" of your land is. Even if you have no plans to use any part of your current land for anything but cattle farming, you MIGHT have an argument that some or all of your land is currently worth more than typical farm land if it is suitable, pre-NCDOT construction, for other future uses. For example, if you are in the path of future residential development, and the NCDOT construction makes some of your land less desireable for future residential development, that is something NCDOT should pay for. I don't know what land near your farm might be used for in the future, but because you mentioned that the construction project will impact a nearby fire station, it makes me wonder if you are in the path of suburban development rather than way out in the boonies. Alternatively, does the nearby railroad make your acreage suitable for a future factory or warehouse project? Any aspects of your land that might make it suitable for future development (pre-NCDOT construction) as something other than a farm can work to your advantage in getting a higher "just compensation" award from NCDOT, IF the NCDOT construction negatively affects such suitability. I think there are some situations in which a partial taking actually increases the value of the remaining land - - so picking the brains of a knowledgeable local real estate agent or appraiser about how the planned construction will impact the value of your remaining land (up or down) might be useful. Here's an extreme example of how the pre-construction suitability of farmland for other uses can be used to get higher compensation when the government takes a portion of it (example is for Iowa farmland especially well-suited for non-agricultural uses, but principles are similar): http://www.condemnation-law.com/blog/articles-on-case-evaluations/2562/eminent-domain-case-evaluation-low-ball-offer-made-to-a-property-owner-in-north-central-iowa/ Even if you don't want to file a lawsuit to get more compensation than what NCDOT will eventually offer, you will be in a much better position to negotiate a better deal from NCDOT if you know exactly what you can threaten to do in the courts if necessary. But if you ARE willing to deal with the hassle of filing suit to try to get more compensation from NCDOT, you might be able to retain a lawyer to handle your case on a contingency fee basis. I know nothing else about them, so I can't recommend that you retain or avoid them, but there are lawyers who will calculate their contingency fee on the amount of any increase they can get you (i.e., the lawyer takes no part of the NCDOT's initial compensation deposit): http://www.sigmonclark.com/PracticeAreas/Eminent-Domain-Land-Condemnation.asp http://www.kurtzandblum.com/CM/Custom/TOCLandCondemnation.asp Finally, a few other on-line sources of info about the eminent domain process in North Carolina: http://deondarzasimmons.com/eminent-domain-condemnors-deposit-and-your-answer/ http://www.tfmattorneys.com/durham-eminent-domain-attorneys http://www.manningfulton.com/professionals/john-b-mcmillan Hope this helps - - Good luck! NCDOT ----- boooo BN Acres -- moooo

Would you like a tinfoil hat? Based on research at MIT, I won't wear mine unless solar flares are interfering with satellite communications anyway: http://berkeley.intel-research.net/arahimi/helmet/ An excerpt from the MIT report: More research is needed, though, because they only tested 3 helmet designs.

Alex, I'll take short-lived NFL cheers for $100: Rah Rah Ree Kick 'em in the knee! Rah Tounkara Rass Kick 'em in the ...!

Congrats on his accomplishment! I once had a Cajun neighbor, and he was a great guy. After a few months I could even understand some of what he was saying (in English, not in Cajun). The following information would have been useful then, so you might want to pass it along to your son: http://www.cajunradio.org/cajuncusswordscajunswearphrases.html Note that apart from the Cajun cussword dictionary, the left margin of the above webpage looks like it has links for a great deal of info about Baton Rouge that a new arrival might find useful.