Russell Wilson arrived at the Senior Bowl last year and began wowing NFL executives and coaches with a combination of athleticism, poise and preparation that forced them to look beyond his 5-foot-10 inch shortcoming. Few people outside of NFL front offices noticed.
Two of the most impressive young quarterbacks in the NFL launched their careers in Mobile, where more than 100 college seniors endure a grueling week of practices and interviews in preparation for Saturday’s Senior Bowl all-star game, as well as the upcoming draft process. The practices are open to the public and televised on NFL Network. The players are made available for dozens of media interviews when they are not being cornered by coaches or scouts. There are plenty of opportunities for draftniks and armchair scouts to spot the next big thing. Yet no one really noticed Wilson or Kaepernick.
Ryan Nassib does not look comfortable. His passes sail high, beyond receivers’ fingertips, during 7-and-7 and full-squad drills. When he throws while rolling out, the pass tails toward the sideline. He keeps making some of the little mistakes that scouts harp on, the ones that push the football a few precious feet off target: over-stepping with his feet, dropping his arm.
As the Tuesday morning practice wears on, however, Nassib settles down. He connects with Alec Lemon, his Syracuse teammate, on a pretty pass up the sideline. He finds tight end Jack Doyle with a pair of tight passes up the seam. Tuesday’s gains disappear on Wednesday, as Nassib again spends the early drills of practice overthrowing receivers.
Quarterbacks have it rough at the Senior Bowl. They arrive on Sunday, receive a bare-bones playbook, meet most of their receivers for the first time (Nassib at least knows Lemon), and are expected to throw perfect passes by Monday morning. The resulting overthrows and miscommunication can be mistaken for ineptitude; a quarterback who threw for 9,190 yards and helped turn a major program around (as Nassib did) can suddenly look like he is stepping onto the field for the first time.
Coaches and team scouts want to see the quarterbacks adjust and improve as the week goes on, and how they handle the demands is judged just as carefully as how they throw the football. “How do they carry themselves behind the scenes?” asked Oakland Raiders/North Squad coach Dennis Allen, explaining the off-field evaluation process. “We’re looking for leadership qualities.” The Russell Wilson story began not with rocket passes on a practice field, but with a take-charge attitude in the meeting rooms. A player like Nassib can erase Tuesday memories with poise and precision on Wednesday; Nassib did not quite step backward, but he did not take the leap forward that teams want to see.
Scouts like a lot of what they saw from Nassib at Syracuse, where he displayed a good arm, sound management skills and enough running ability to make read-option strategies a viable once-in-a-while weapon. He was getting first-round grades before Senior Bowl week (the Buffalo Bills, coached by former Syracuse coach Doug Marrone, possess the eighth pick in the draft), and a few overthrows and mechanical lapses won’t change that. Inconsistent practices left Nassib unable to put the exclamation point next to his qualifications.
The successes of Wilson and Kaepernick, plus Robert Griffin and Andrew Luck, could be seen by a prospect as increased opportunities. The days of two-year mentorships appear long gone, and a capable quarterback can have success right away. It can also be seen as increased pressure. Nassib is not looking that far into the future. “I’m not really sure,” he said, when asked how the success of other young passers affects his expectations.
Nassib is sure that he could help a team with both his arms and legs if called upon. “That’s something I’ve done in the past and feel I can do,” he said about the option tactics that helped Kaepernick vault the 49ers into the Super Bowl. His sense of timing, however, sounds a little old-fashioned for a league where a third-round pick can find himself in a playoff duel for the ages and a quarterback’s 10th career start can be in the Super Bowl. “It’s going to take some growing pains, some time to learn,” Nassib said about the transition to the NFL. “You’ve got to do that whenever you go to a new football team.”
Manuel threw for 3,392 yards for Florida State last year, but he also rushed for 310 yards and four touchdowns, with much of that production coming on designed plays. Manual executed an up-tempo, high-tech offense for the Seminoles; game plans contained everything from conventional I-formation sets to elaborate shotgun options.
A few years ago, success in such a system would be a red flag: the scrambling, gadget-dependent quarterbacks would face a tough adjustment to the NFL. Now, the NFL is adjusting to the quarterbacks. Florida State’s offense looks, superficially, like the Seahawks offense, and as collegiate tacticians like Chip Kelly take NFL coaching jobs, the opportunities for all-purpose quarterbacks like Manuel increase.
It’s the Senior Bowl script that has become an anachronism: strict limitations are put on formations and game plans, and the realities of assembling 50 guys from around the nation and getting them to play as a unit limit how much exotic stuff coaches would dare put into a game plan, even if they were allowed. For Manuel, that means only being able to show a fraction of what he does well.
2013年1月25日星期五
2013年1月21日星期一
Location of Joe Paterno statue remains a mystery
In the months after Paterno’s death, the site along Porter Road had become a makeshift memorial for distraught students and alumni seeking closure. But the university feared the statue became a lightning rod when the Louis Freeh report implicated Paterno and other top Penn State officials in a cover-up of child sexual abuse. The acts were perpetrated by longtime Paterno assistant and now-convicted pedophile Jerry Sandusky.
And so Penn State workers armed with jackhammers and a forklift removed the controversial statue from the public eye as the sun rose on July 22, while much of State College slept. Since then, the questions about where the statue was taken haven’t stopped.
“I get asked about it all the time,” said Lou Prato, a Penn State historian and the former director of the Penn State All-Sports Museum. “I just get asked about it as if I’m supposed to know.”
But Prato doesn’t know. In fact, there may be only a handful of people who can say with certainty where the statue rests — and they aren’t talking.
“The scope of the crime is so horrible, so huge that any mention of the statue just awakens feelings,” Di Maria said. “It’s too sensitive an issue, too horrible of a crime. The feelings are still running very hard.”
“I have to put my art on the back-burner,” he continued. “This thing is all about the children, the victims. That’s the priority. That healing has to happen. I can deal with the loss of the statue.”
But the decorated sculptor, who was born in Sicily, still believes his work will resurface one day. “It may be a while, maybe 25 years down the road,” he said.
When the statue first disappeared into Beaver Stadium, many assumed it would resurface at the All-Sports Museum. But Prato doesn’t see that happening in the immediate future.
Perhaps the university is concerned about safety, he said. Before the statue came down, a plane owned by an Ohio advertising agency flew over State College with a banner demanding the statue’s removal. “That was a real threat,” Prato said. “It wasn’t a joke.”
Still, with no official word from the university a year after Paterno’s death, many are left to simply speculate.
“If they destroyed it, that would be stupid because the trials (for former Penn State President Graham Spanier and administrators Gary Schultz and Tim Curley) haven’t even taken place,” Prato said. “They sure as heck didn’t put it in a tractor-trailer and move it out of the area. It’s probably in some building on campus. And if not, some secretive place.”
Congratulations to Alexander Tsiaras for communicating the beauty and complexity of fetal development. But the message he delivers -- "it's a mystery, it's magic, it's divinity" -- is mistaken.
Just watching a fetus develop, though a vital first step, can't by itself tell us how development comes about. In fact relying on visual appearances, as Tsiaras does, can be misleading. For example, the video states that the sex of the fetus is not determined until after 12 weeks, when you can actually see the difference between the male and female genitals. Yet the fetus's sex is already determined at conception -- by whether or not it inherits the sex-determining gene SRY, which is located on the Y chromosome. This discovery has made possible the use of IVF technology to implant, say, only female embryos -- a life-saving procedure if a couple's male offspring are at risk of some genetic disorder.
In fact -- although you'd never guess it from the video -- a great deal is already known about the actual mechanisms of development. Many Nobel prizes have been awarded for discoveries in this field. Molecular geneticists have identified genes that guide development, as well as their mechanisms of action and their evolution from similar genes in simpler organisms. Experimental embryologists, by transplanting cells or tissues from one bodily location to another, or from one animal to another, have deduced organizational rules by which tissues form. Many of the chemical signals and hormones and receptors that execute these rules have been identified. And contrary to Tsiaras' assertion that development lies beyond the possible comprehension of mathematicians, theoreticians (starting with Alan Turing) have developed computational models to explain how complex biological patterns and structures are organized.
Tsiaras is right when he says that the fetus' movements play a positive role in its development. But when he shows the emerging baby as launching itself from the birth canal with a forceful kick of its legs -- and already having jettisoned its umbilical cord -- he's presenting outright fantasy as fact. It's as if he wants to make a fetus the conscious captain of its own destiny, which it's not. In fact, calling a one-cell embryo a "baby," as Tsiaras does, projects his notion of conscious personhood back to the very day of conception.
When we gaze at the wonders of the natural world, be they growing fetuses or the scenery of Yosemite Valley or the stars over our heads, we should indeed be filled with awe. How could all this amazing beauty and complexity come about? Tsiaras believes that divine guidance must be at work. He not only says so in words, he also reinforces this message by his choice of religious music to accompany the video.
Fetal development is not completely understood, but much is known, and the rest is knowable, and none of it requires divine action. Does it diminish our admiration of Yosemite to know how cyclical changes in Earth's orbit brought on ice ages and glaciers that then carved out those spectacular cliffs? Does it make the night sky less radiant to know how gravity draws clouds of gas and dust into spinning balls of matter hot and dense enough to ignite nuclear fires? On the contrary, understanding how they came about makes them even richer objects of our admiration.
And so Penn State workers armed with jackhammers and a forklift removed the controversial statue from the public eye as the sun rose on July 22, while much of State College slept. Since then, the questions about where the statue was taken haven’t stopped.
“I get asked about it all the time,” said Lou Prato, a Penn State historian and the former director of the Penn State All-Sports Museum. “I just get asked about it as if I’m supposed to know.”
But Prato doesn’t know. In fact, there may be only a handful of people who can say with certainty where the statue rests — and they aren’t talking.
“The scope of the crime is so horrible, so huge that any mention of the statue just awakens feelings,” Di Maria said. “It’s too sensitive an issue, too horrible of a crime. The feelings are still running very hard.”
“I have to put my art on the back-burner,” he continued. “This thing is all about the children, the victims. That’s the priority. That healing has to happen. I can deal with the loss of the statue.”
But the decorated sculptor, who was born in Sicily, still believes his work will resurface one day. “It may be a while, maybe 25 years down the road,” he said.
When the statue first disappeared into Beaver Stadium, many assumed it would resurface at the All-Sports Museum. But Prato doesn’t see that happening in the immediate future.
Perhaps the university is concerned about safety, he said. Before the statue came down, a plane owned by an Ohio advertising agency flew over State College with a banner demanding the statue’s removal. “That was a real threat,” Prato said. “It wasn’t a joke.”
Still, with no official word from the university a year after Paterno’s death, many are left to simply speculate.
“If they destroyed it, that would be stupid because the trials (for former Penn State President Graham Spanier and administrators Gary Schultz and Tim Curley) haven’t even taken place,” Prato said. “They sure as heck didn’t put it in a tractor-trailer and move it out of the area. It’s probably in some building on campus. And if not, some secretive place.”
Congratulations to Alexander Tsiaras for communicating the beauty and complexity of fetal development. But the message he delivers -- "it's a mystery, it's magic, it's divinity" -- is mistaken.
Just watching a fetus develop, though a vital first step, can't by itself tell us how development comes about. In fact relying on visual appearances, as Tsiaras does, can be misleading. For example, the video states that the sex of the fetus is not determined until after 12 weeks, when you can actually see the difference between the male and female genitals. Yet the fetus's sex is already determined at conception -- by whether or not it inherits the sex-determining gene SRY, which is located on the Y chromosome. This discovery has made possible the use of IVF technology to implant, say, only female embryos -- a life-saving procedure if a couple's male offspring are at risk of some genetic disorder.
In fact -- although you'd never guess it from the video -- a great deal is already known about the actual mechanisms of development. Many Nobel prizes have been awarded for discoveries in this field. Molecular geneticists have identified genes that guide development, as well as their mechanisms of action and their evolution from similar genes in simpler organisms. Experimental embryologists, by transplanting cells or tissues from one bodily location to another, or from one animal to another, have deduced organizational rules by which tissues form. Many of the chemical signals and hormones and receptors that execute these rules have been identified. And contrary to Tsiaras' assertion that development lies beyond the possible comprehension of mathematicians, theoreticians (starting with Alan Turing) have developed computational models to explain how complex biological patterns and structures are organized.
Tsiaras is right when he says that the fetus' movements play a positive role in its development. But when he shows the emerging baby as launching itself from the birth canal with a forceful kick of its legs -- and already having jettisoned its umbilical cord -- he's presenting outright fantasy as fact. It's as if he wants to make a fetus the conscious captain of its own destiny, which it's not. In fact, calling a one-cell embryo a "baby," as Tsiaras does, projects his notion of conscious personhood back to the very day of conception.
When we gaze at the wonders of the natural world, be they growing fetuses or the scenery of Yosemite Valley or the stars over our heads, we should indeed be filled with awe. How could all this amazing beauty and complexity come about? Tsiaras believes that divine guidance must be at work. He not only says so in words, he also reinforces this message by his choice of religious music to accompany the video.
Fetal development is not completely understood, but much is known, and the rest is knowable, and none of it requires divine action. Does it diminish our admiration of Yosemite to know how cyclical changes in Earth's orbit brought on ice ages and glaciers that then carved out those spectacular cliffs? Does it make the night sky less radiant to know how gravity draws clouds of gas and dust into spinning balls of matter hot and dense enough to ignite nuclear fires? On the contrary, understanding how they came about makes them even richer objects of our admiration.
Parade grand marshals provide service in mold of MLK
When it came time to choose the 31st annual Martin Luther King Jr. Parade grand marshals, the selection of both the Rev. Marion Bennett and Lillian McMorris was simple for parade president Wendell Williams.
Since 1982, Williams and a selection committee have chosen a male and female grand marshal that best represent King’s values of community service and unity. Each year the grand marshals ride in the parade – which will weave through an estimated 40,000 spectators Monday - as the ceremonial guests of honor.
The selection of Bennett and McMorris were long overdue, Williams said.
“These two people most exemplify what we are looking for in grand marshals,” Williams said. “… They’re both are involved in the entire community.”
When the 10 a.m. festivities kick off, both Bennett and McMorris will ride through a parade on a holiday that Williams said represents a day of duty to one’s community rather than a day off. He feels both grand marshals represent King’s beliefs, and both have left a large imprint on Las Vegas.
Williams said Bennett represented the “no non-sense service” King was known for. Bennett has been serving the Las Vegas community since 1960; he worked as the pastor of Zion United Methodist Church until 2003.
Bennett also spent three terms as president of the Las Vegas NAACP, served in the Nevada Legislature for a decade and founded a low-cost African American daycare facility. Williams said Bennett’s true impact on the community, however, would be felt in years to come.
“He’s done so much to plant seeds in community,” Williams said. “…His work will show what he’s been about and has given.”
He has been so entrenched in the Las Vegas community that Williams assumed Bennett already had served as grand marshal. In fact, his daughter, Judge Karen Bennett had even been selected for the honor in the past. When parade organizers realized Bennett hadn’t been selected, it didn’t even require a vote.
“Nobody in the (selection committee) could believe we had overlooked him,” Williams said. “It was an oversight we were glad to overcorrect.”
McMorris had been involved in the parade from the beginning, when it was no longer than a funeral procession and lasted just 30 minutes. Now it is one of the largest parades in Nevada. She has helped with planning, handled media relations, hosted the cable parade show, and done pretty much anything else Williams has needed.
Growing up with a deacon father and a missionary mother in West Sahara, helping others is the only way McMorris has ever known. She has donated most of her life works to charity and community efforts.
Her impact ranged from producing and directing the KVVU-Fox5 public affairs show “A.M. Southern Nevada” highlighting charity efforts throughout Las Vegas to advocacy work for various charities. She said she’s so busy with community efforts most people are baffled at how she juggles her schedule.
The nation’s first African-American president, taking his ceremonial oath of office on the official birthday of the late Martin Luther King Jr., juxtaposed the nation’s Founding Fathers, the civil rights battles of the 1960s and this era’s drive for equal rights for gays and lesbians in a speech that was short in length and long on ambition.
The president wove familiar campaign themes into an address about governance, including support for Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security; alternative energy sources and climate-change science; immigration reform; gun control measures; and a foreign policy that promotes international alliances as well as the “strength of arms and rule of law.”
The White House said Obama will detail his agenda Feb. 12 during his State of the Union address, and wants the two speeches to be examined as a pair.
Tutored by historians that second terms can be drained of clout long before they run out of time -- and are often marred by unscripted dramas -- the president urged action, speed, “common purpose,” and sufficient courage to take risks that affirm American values.
“We have always understood that when times change, so must we,” he said. The American “truths” of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness -- and the belief that all men are created equal -- “may be self-evident [but] they have never been self-executing,” he added.
Obama included a reference to the 1969 riots at Greenwich Village’s Stonewall Inn, which helped spark a decades-long gay rights movement after police raided a well-known gay bar. By including Stonewall in his rhetoric, the president elevated equal rights for LGBT Americans to a place of historical importance with the women’s rights convention held at Seneca Falls, N.Y., in 1848, and the 1965 march for racial equality from Selma to Montgomery, Ala.
On Jan. 18, the administration hosted an all-day pre-inaugural policy briefing for the LGBT community and donors from the gay community, held at the Commerce Department. Federal officials reviewed Obama’s achievements and policy ambitions deemed of interest to that constituency, including progress on health care issues such as HIV/AIDS. Other similar policy briefings for constituent groups took place in advance of Monday’s inauguration, as the White House got a head start on mobilizing supporters to promote Obama’s legislative initiatives.
The president’s 15-minute address was chock-full of references to the middle class, seniors, teachers, women, young people, immigrants, African-Americans, and gays -- in other words, the political base and the voters who made his second term possible. In the mold of Abraham Lincoln and King, the president used his speech to present himself as a leader determined to work for them -- to leave behind a stronger, more just and mightier country.
Although many Obama advisers have sounded upbeat about enacting immigration reform, they have not been as confident about reviving gun control measures, with the exception of universal background checks, which Congress may adopt. White House aides have sounded even less gung-ho about Congress’s willingness to tackle climate change. Even outgoing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said Obama would likely use his executive authority in his second term, because legislation seems like such a long shot.
Nonetheless, Obama devoted a large chunk of his address to energy and climate science, going so far as to appeal to conservative evangelicals, who support some environmental protections as a form of stewardship of God’s creation.
“The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult. But America cannot resist this transition; we must lead it,” he said. “We cannot cede to other nations the technology that will power new jobs and new industries -- we must claim its promise. That is how we will maintain our economic vitality and our national treasure. . . . That is how we will preserve our planet, commanded to our care by God.”
The president challenged his Republican congressional opponents to move quickly in helping him to address the nation’s problems. And he was pointed in his denunciations of positions the GOP -- most prominently Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan -- voiced during last year’s election.
Since 1982, Williams and a selection committee have chosen a male and female grand marshal that best represent King’s values of community service and unity. Each year the grand marshals ride in the parade – which will weave through an estimated 40,000 spectators Monday - as the ceremonial guests of honor.
The selection of Bennett and McMorris were long overdue, Williams said.
“These two people most exemplify what we are looking for in grand marshals,” Williams said. “… They’re both are involved in the entire community.”
When the 10 a.m. festivities kick off, both Bennett and McMorris will ride through a parade on a holiday that Williams said represents a day of duty to one’s community rather than a day off. He feels both grand marshals represent King’s beliefs, and both have left a large imprint on Las Vegas.
Williams said Bennett represented the “no non-sense service” King was known for. Bennett has been serving the Las Vegas community since 1960; he worked as the pastor of Zion United Methodist Church until 2003.
Bennett also spent three terms as president of the Las Vegas NAACP, served in the Nevada Legislature for a decade and founded a low-cost African American daycare facility. Williams said Bennett’s true impact on the community, however, would be felt in years to come.
“He’s done so much to plant seeds in community,” Williams said. “…His work will show what he’s been about and has given.”
He has been so entrenched in the Las Vegas community that Williams assumed Bennett already had served as grand marshal. In fact, his daughter, Judge Karen Bennett had even been selected for the honor in the past. When parade organizers realized Bennett hadn’t been selected, it didn’t even require a vote.
“Nobody in the (selection committee) could believe we had overlooked him,” Williams said. “It was an oversight we were glad to overcorrect.”
McMorris had been involved in the parade from the beginning, when it was no longer than a funeral procession and lasted just 30 minutes. Now it is one of the largest parades in Nevada. She has helped with planning, handled media relations, hosted the cable parade show, and done pretty much anything else Williams has needed.
Growing up with a deacon father and a missionary mother in West Sahara, helping others is the only way McMorris has ever known. She has donated most of her life works to charity and community efforts.
Her impact ranged from producing and directing the KVVU-Fox5 public affairs show “A.M. Southern Nevada” highlighting charity efforts throughout Las Vegas to advocacy work for various charities. She said she’s so busy with community efforts most people are baffled at how she juggles her schedule.
The nation’s first African-American president, taking his ceremonial oath of office on the official birthday of the late Martin Luther King Jr., juxtaposed the nation’s Founding Fathers, the civil rights battles of the 1960s and this era’s drive for equal rights for gays and lesbians in a speech that was short in length and long on ambition.
The president wove familiar campaign themes into an address about governance, including support for Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security; alternative energy sources and climate-change science; immigration reform; gun control measures; and a foreign policy that promotes international alliances as well as the “strength of arms and rule of law.”
The White House said Obama will detail his agenda Feb. 12 during his State of the Union address, and wants the two speeches to be examined as a pair.
Tutored by historians that second terms can be drained of clout long before they run out of time -- and are often marred by unscripted dramas -- the president urged action, speed, “common purpose,” and sufficient courage to take risks that affirm American values.
“We have always understood that when times change, so must we,” he said. The American “truths” of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness -- and the belief that all men are created equal -- “may be self-evident [but] they have never been self-executing,” he added.
Obama included a reference to the 1969 riots at Greenwich Village’s Stonewall Inn, which helped spark a decades-long gay rights movement after police raided a well-known gay bar. By including Stonewall in his rhetoric, the president elevated equal rights for LGBT Americans to a place of historical importance with the women’s rights convention held at Seneca Falls, N.Y., in 1848, and the 1965 march for racial equality from Selma to Montgomery, Ala.
On Jan. 18, the administration hosted an all-day pre-inaugural policy briefing for the LGBT community and donors from the gay community, held at the Commerce Department. Federal officials reviewed Obama’s achievements and policy ambitions deemed of interest to that constituency, including progress on health care issues such as HIV/AIDS. Other similar policy briefings for constituent groups took place in advance of Monday’s inauguration, as the White House got a head start on mobilizing supporters to promote Obama’s legislative initiatives.
The president’s 15-minute address was chock-full of references to the middle class, seniors, teachers, women, young people, immigrants, African-Americans, and gays -- in other words, the political base and the voters who made his second term possible. In the mold of Abraham Lincoln and King, the president used his speech to present himself as a leader determined to work for them -- to leave behind a stronger, more just and mightier country.
Although many Obama advisers have sounded upbeat about enacting immigration reform, they have not been as confident about reviving gun control measures, with the exception of universal background checks, which Congress may adopt. White House aides have sounded even less gung-ho about Congress’s willingness to tackle climate change. Even outgoing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said Obama would likely use his executive authority in his second term, because legislation seems like such a long shot.
Nonetheless, Obama devoted a large chunk of his address to energy and climate science, going so far as to appeal to conservative evangelicals, who support some environmental protections as a form of stewardship of God’s creation.
“The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult. But America cannot resist this transition; we must lead it,” he said. “We cannot cede to other nations the technology that will power new jobs and new industries -- we must claim its promise. That is how we will maintain our economic vitality and our national treasure. . . . That is how we will preserve our planet, commanded to our care by God.”
The president challenged his Republican congressional opponents to move quickly in helping him to address the nation’s problems. And he was pointed in his denunciations of positions the GOP -- most prominently Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan -- voiced during last year’s election.
2013年1月17日星期四
Democratic activists from south suburbs head to inauguration
In 2009, Barack Obama supporter Linda Broadford of Weymouth attended the inauguration festivities in Washington, making the trek in a van with eight other activists from Massachusetts. After campaigning for the president’s reelection last year, she expects to be in the audience for the swearing-in ceremony on Monday.
“I’m going with one other person and we’ll connect with another person when we get there,” said Broadford, a member of the Massachusetts Democratic State Committee. “There will be three of us in one hotel room. I’m so happy Obama was reelected. I take so much pride in his reelection. I want to be part of it.”
Political activists and Obama supporters from the south suburbs are headed to the capital this weekend, although not in the numbers of four years ago. For Obama’s first inauguration, approximately 1.8 million visitors jammed the city, while this year about half as many are expected, according to estimates from Washington-area transportation officials.
Members of Congress distribute tickets to Monday’s swearing-in ceremony. Offices of the congressmen who represent the south suburbs reported that while the excitement seems to be lower than it was four years ago, demand for tickets has still been strong. “We’ve had many more requests than we can handle,” said Ninth District US Representative William R. Keating of Bourne.
The massive crowds of January 2009 came to see the swearing-in of America’s first African-American president. The ceremony took place in bitter cold, and the harsh conditions, combined with gridlock across the city, made for a challenging experience for many who came to witness the event. “Many of the people I got tickets for couldn’t get in,” said Seventh District US Representative Michael E. Capuano of Somerville. “It was so cold. Hopefully, we’ll have better weather this time. Fifty degrees would be nice.”
This year, the overall celebration has been scaled back. There will be only two official inaugural balls, the fewest in many years. The traditional inaugural parade also will take place, and a concert honoring military families is scheduled. Some Democratic organizations and activist groups will host parties. For many of the party faithful, the inauguration of a Democratic president is not to be missed.
Philip W. Johnston of Marshfield, former Massachusetts Democratic Party chairman and a longtime Democratic activist, attended both of Bill Clinton’s inaugurations and Obama’s four years ago. He is going again this year.
“I’m a big history buff in addition to being a big Obama supporter,” Johnston said. “It’s just a great time to enjoy the history and the pageantry and to see old friends.”
Johnston is a former state representative and state secretary of human services who served as New England regional health and human services administrator under President Clinton. He was an important organizer and fund-raiser for Obama in 2008 and 2012. He said the trying conditions of 2009 would influence his approach to events Monday.
“I had good tickets four years ago. They were up close,” Johnston said. “But it was so cold. I was stamping my feet for four hours trying to keep warm, and once you were seated, you couldn’t leave. If it isn’t better weather, I’ll be watching from my hotel room.”
Jeffrey M. Graeber of Quincy plans to attend the inauguration ceremony with his wife and another couple from Quincy. They will stay with friends who live in Washington.
“Four years ago, we went down for the weekend and went to some of the pre-inaugural activities but not the actual event,” said Graeber, an attorney. “We’re not real active in politics. We’re supporters who decided it was just as important to go down this year as it was four years ago. It was a historic moment then, and I think it’s important that the progress continues.”
Pembroke High senior Charlie Meyer, 17, and his girlfriend, Rachel Teevens, 18, also a senior at Pembroke High, will attend the inauguration. They will take a bus to Washington, where Teevens’s sister lives.
Meyer was a campaign aide to Democrat Josh Cutler of Duxbury, who won an open state House of Representatives seat last year. Meyer also campaigned for Obama and Elizabeth Warren, who defeated Republican Scott Brown for US senator. Teevens helped with the Democratic get-out-the-vote effort on Election Day.
This will be their first trip to an inauguration. “I’ve always been a big Obama fan,” said Meyer. “I’ve got an Obama bumper sticker and an Obama lanyard. I helped get out the vote on Election Day. I grew up with Bush as president for my whole childhood.”
On six occasions between Dec. 7, 2011, and June 19, 2012, Kristine Wilson, 47, and Alan Eugene Wilson, 41, came into contact with people while wearing clothing and equipment similar to what police officers wear, according to court documents.
Five times, Alan Wilson pulled motorists over using red and blue strobe lights on his Jeep and issued verbal warnings; in one instance, his wife got out of the car and approached the victims as well. In another incident, Alan Wilson threatened to arrest a fast-food worker during an argument over his food order.
When police went to the Wilsons' home, they found handcuffs, pepper spray and a weapon in their living room, court documents state. Kristine Wilson was wearing a black shirt that read "Security," a lanyard that said "Police" and a duty belt equipped with two police badges, three folding knives and handcuffs.
“I’m going with one other person and we’ll connect with another person when we get there,” said Broadford, a member of the Massachusetts Democratic State Committee. “There will be three of us in one hotel room. I’m so happy Obama was reelected. I take so much pride in his reelection. I want to be part of it.”
Political activists and Obama supporters from the south suburbs are headed to the capital this weekend, although not in the numbers of four years ago. For Obama’s first inauguration, approximately 1.8 million visitors jammed the city, while this year about half as many are expected, according to estimates from Washington-area transportation officials.
Members of Congress distribute tickets to Monday’s swearing-in ceremony. Offices of the congressmen who represent the south suburbs reported that while the excitement seems to be lower than it was four years ago, demand for tickets has still been strong. “We’ve had many more requests than we can handle,” said Ninth District US Representative William R. Keating of Bourne.
The massive crowds of January 2009 came to see the swearing-in of America’s first African-American president. The ceremony took place in bitter cold, and the harsh conditions, combined with gridlock across the city, made for a challenging experience for many who came to witness the event. “Many of the people I got tickets for couldn’t get in,” said Seventh District US Representative Michael E. Capuano of Somerville. “It was so cold. Hopefully, we’ll have better weather this time. Fifty degrees would be nice.”
This year, the overall celebration has been scaled back. There will be only two official inaugural balls, the fewest in many years. The traditional inaugural parade also will take place, and a concert honoring military families is scheduled. Some Democratic organizations and activist groups will host parties. For many of the party faithful, the inauguration of a Democratic president is not to be missed.
Philip W. Johnston of Marshfield, former Massachusetts Democratic Party chairman and a longtime Democratic activist, attended both of Bill Clinton’s inaugurations and Obama’s four years ago. He is going again this year.
“I’m a big history buff in addition to being a big Obama supporter,” Johnston said. “It’s just a great time to enjoy the history and the pageantry and to see old friends.”
Johnston is a former state representative and state secretary of human services who served as New England regional health and human services administrator under President Clinton. He was an important organizer and fund-raiser for Obama in 2008 and 2012. He said the trying conditions of 2009 would influence his approach to events Monday.
“I had good tickets four years ago. They were up close,” Johnston said. “But it was so cold. I was stamping my feet for four hours trying to keep warm, and once you were seated, you couldn’t leave. If it isn’t better weather, I’ll be watching from my hotel room.”
Jeffrey M. Graeber of Quincy plans to attend the inauguration ceremony with his wife and another couple from Quincy. They will stay with friends who live in Washington.
“Four years ago, we went down for the weekend and went to some of the pre-inaugural activities but not the actual event,” said Graeber, an attorney. “We’re not real active in politics. We’re supporters who decided it was just as important to go down this year as it was four years ago. It was a historic moment then, and I think it’s important that the progress continues.”
Pembroke High senior Charlie Meyer, 17, and his girlfriend, Rachel Teevens, 18, also a senior at Pembroke High, will attend the inauguration. They will take a bus to Washington, where Teevens’s sister lives.
Meyer was a campaign aide to Democrat Josh Cutler of Duxbury, who won an open state House of Representatives seat last year. Meyer also campaigned for Obama and Elizabeth Warren, who defeated Republican Scott Brown for US senator. Teevens helped with the Democratic get-out-the-vote effort on Election Day.
This will be their first trip to an inauguration. “I’ve always been a big Obama fan,” said Meyer. “I’ve got an Obama bumper sticker and an Obama lanyard. I helped get out the vote on Election Day. I grew up with Bush as president for my whole childhood.”
On six occasions between Dec. 7, 2011, and June 19, 2012, Kristine Wilson, 47, and Alan Eugene Wilson, 41, came into contact with people while wearing clothing and equipment similar to what police officers wear, according to court documents.
Five times, Alan Wilson pulled motorists over using red and blue strobe lights on his Jeep and issued verbal warnings; in one instance, his wife got out of the car and approached the victims as well. In another incident, Alan Wilson threatened to arrest a fast-food worker during an argument over his food order.
When police went to the Wilsons' home, they found handcuffs, pepper spray and a weapon in their living room, court documents state. Kristine Wilson was wearing a black shirt that read "Security," a lanyard that said "Police" and a duty belt equipped with two police badges, three folding knives and handcuffs.
There’s no comfort like this kind of love
Well, I finally did it. I didn’t think it would happen for a very long time, but I recently decided I’d lived alone for long enough, and was tired of coming home to an empty house. I didn’t know if I was ready for that big step just yet, not sure if I was ready for that kind of commitment, but there are just times when you have to take that big leap of faith, and hope it all works out.
I’ve had dogs all my life, and I’ve always been very thankful for that. My family was always fond of dogs and my father was a sort of “St. Francis” when it came to animals. He could approach any pet – even a stray – and it would sense something there and just walk right up to him. I always thought that was pretty cool. I am a lot like my father, though I don’t have that particular ability.
My father was always busy doing something and was rarely home. I don’t have many memories of him just sitting around and relaxing. Having a dog helped him with that. He always seemed very happy whenever he was spending time with the dog, and that works for me as well. I don’t relax easily, and rarely just sit and do nothing. But once in a while I will just sit down on the floor and love the dog up, and the world seems absolutely perfect in those moments.
Dogs help us with a lot of things; processing emotion being one of them. And perhaps it’s one of the most important abilities a dog has, to simply accept and comfort those that care for it. When I was a junior in high school and my mother unexpectedly died, it left a big hole in my life. My father and I were not close then, so being home without my mother there was difficult. Our family dog offered comfort and solace that my father, deep in his grief, could not.
In my 20s, when I was in the middle of building my career, I was abruptly told one day to gather my things and leave. I didn’t see it coming whatsoever and it was quite a shock. My family was young and I felt like I had let them down in huge way. My world seemed like it was crashing around me. Stunned, I went home and collapsed on the floor and sobbed uncontrollably with the dog in my arms for what felt like hours.
Many years later, finding myself separated after more than 20 years of marriage, friends and family were suddenly scarce. I spent an entire summer alone in a big, empty house, struggling to make sense of it all. I spent countless nights lying on the floor crying while hugging the dog, trying to figure out where things went wrong.
And now, a magnet on my fridge proclaims “When all else fails, hug the dog.” Funny how dogs can be such good therapy by just being there. They are such good listeners.
Dogs are also good at reminding you of things you might forget about. Being an enthusiastic and driven person, I have a tendency to obsess about a project and getting it done within a certain amount of time. This can drive other people mad, or at least push them to the point of frustration.
People have the tendency to nag at that time, but dogs never do. They simply walk into the room, push their nose under your elbow, and look at you sweetly while happily wagging their tail. Who can decline such a ridiculously friendly invitation? We are told to try and live in the “now” but dogs are always there. How wonderful they know to come and rescue us from ourselves.
And who has more fun than a dog? The way they enjoy life is something we should all try to emulate. Exploring with abandon, greeting strangers without prejudice, getting all excited about simple, silly things, enjoying a good belly rub. We should all be so happy with so little.
Dogs are pretty important. They have a sense of humor and know how to use it. When I get home at the end of the day, the amazing happy dance we do together is so much better than just coming home and saying “Honey, I’m home!” to a mirror in the hallway.
There is much wiggling, wagging and heavy leaning, as she knows that we are heading out for an adventure as soon as I can clip on her leash. I have to say, I can think of few things as wonderful as an unsolicited face lick or two from a very happy dog.
We don’t know each other that well just yet, but we are on our way. She is choosing favorite places to lay down in each room, while I sit nearby and take care of chores. I’m not in any one room for very long though, so sometimes she will just chill out and wait for me to park it. And each morning she lets me know when the mailman has offended us by trespassing on the porch to deposit the day’s mail.
It’s lovely. The house doesn’t seem so big and empty, and having someone to care for again is fulfilling and comforting. She’s a great roommate and doesn’t seem to mind me “hearsing and rehearsing” my lines for a show, or playing music after 11 pm, and loudly singing along.
And if I stay up until 2 a.m. reading Stephen King, there are no complaints. Sometimes I hear her softly snoring, even if the TV show I’m watching is a noisy one. I think it’s safe to say she’s pretty happy and relaxed here in her new home. I am very thankful that we found each other, and to have someone to say good night to from now on.
He didn’t do focus too much one thing, but Wade was everywhere. With only 15 points on 12 shots, he was efficient, defensively hounding, and smart with the ball. He was four blocks away from that most neato of feats, the 5×5. He played like a superstar going 80%, which is what we’ve come to expect from this whole team. Perhaps Wade is finding his niche as that free safety-type player (remember that hit on Collison last year in Indy?) where he just kind of controls things as he can. Maybe the athleticism is slipping, but right now he’s just doing everything in all ways, and it helped lead to some dominance in Oakland.
I’ve had dogs all my life, and I’ve always been very thankful for that. My family was always fond of dogs and my father was a sort of “St. Francis” when it came to animals. He could approach any pet – even a stray – and it would sense something there and just walk right up to him. I always thought that was pretty cool. I am a lot like my father, though I don’t have that particular ability.
My father was always busy doing something and was rarely home. I don’t have many memories of him just sitting around and relaxing. Having a dog helped him with that. He always seemed very happy whenever he was spending time with the dog, and that works for me as well. I don’t relax easily, and rarely just sit and do nothing. But once in a while I will just sit down on the floor and love the dog up, and the world seems absolutely perfect in those moments.
Dogs help us with a lot of things; processing emotion being one of them. And perhaps it’s one of the most important abilities a dog has, to simply accept and comfort those that care for it. When I was a junior in high school and my mother unexpectedly died, it left a big hole in my life. My father and I were not close then, so being home without my mother there was difficult. Our family dog offered comfort and solace that my father, deep in his grief, could not.
In my 20s, when I was in the middle of building my career, I was abruptly told one day to gather my things and leave. I didn’t see it coming whatsoever and it was quite a shock. My family was young and I felt like I had let them down in huge way. My world seemed like it was crashing around me. Stunned, I went home and collapsed on the floor and sobbed uncontrollably with the dog in my arms for what felt like hours.
Many years later, finding myself separated after more than 20 years of marriage, friends and family were suddenly scarce. I spent an entire summer alone in a big, empty house, struggling to make sense of it all. I spent countless nights lying on the floor crying while hugging the dog, trying to figure out where things went wrong.
And now, a magnet on my fridge proclaims “When all else fails, hug the dog.” Funny how dogs can be such good therapy by just being there. They are such good listeners.
Dogs are also good at reminding you of things you might forget about. Being an enthusiastic and driven person, I have a tendency to obsess about a project and getting it done within a certain amount of time. This can drive other people mad, or at least push them to the point of frustration.
People have the tendency to nag at that time, but dogs never do. They simply walk into the room, push their nose under your elbow, and look at you sweetly while happily wagging their tail. Who can decline such a ridiculously friendly invitation? We are told to try and live in the “now” but dogs are always there. How wonderful they know to come and rescue us from ourselves.
And who has more fun than a dog? The way they enjoy life is something we should all try to emulate. Exploring with abandon, greeting strangers without prejudice, getting all excited about simple, silly things, enjoying a good belly rub. We should all be so happy with so little.
Dogs are pretty important. They have a sense of humor and know how to use it. When I get home at the end of the day, the amazing happy dance we do together is so much better than just coming home and saying “Honey, I’m home!” to a mirror in the hallway.
There is much wiggling, wagging and heavy leaning, as she knows that we are heading out for an adventure as soon as I can clip on her leash. I have to say, I can think of few things as wonderful as an unsolicited face lick or two from a very happy dog.
We don’t know each other that well just yet, but we are on our way. She is choosing favorite places to lay down in each room, while I sit nearby and take care of chores. I’m not in any one room for very long though, so sometimes she will just chill out and wait for me to park it. And each morning she lets me know when the mailman has offended us by trespassing on the porch to deposit the day’s mail.
It’s lovely. The house doesn’t seem so big and empty, and having someone to care for again is fulfilling and comforting. She’s a great roommate and doesn’t seem to mind me “hearsing and rehearsing” my lines for a show, or playing music after 11 pm, and loudly singing along.
And if I stay up until 2 a.m. reading Stephen King, there are no complaints. Sometimes I hear her softly snoring, even if the TV show I’m watching is a noisy one. I think it’s safe to say she’s pretty happy and relaxed here in her new home. I am very thankful that we found each other, and to have someone to say good night to from now on.
He didn’t do focus too much one thing, but Wade was everywhere. With only 15 points on 12 shots, he was efficient, defensively hounding, and smart with the ball. He was four blocks away from that most neato of feats, the 5×5. He played like a superstar going 80%, which is what we’ve come to expect from this whole team. Perhaps Wade is finding his niche as that free safety-type player (remember that hit on Collison last year in Indy?) where he just kind of controls things as he can. Maybe the athleticism is slipping, but right now he’s just doing everything in all ways, and it helped lead to some dominance in Oakland.
2013年1月15日星期二
Esposito recalled for service to Norwalk
Former Mayor Frank Esposito, who served a record seven terms as the city's top elected official, was remembered Monday for his love and understanding of people, decades of public service and accomplishments, and fun-loving personality.
"Public service is not easy, and on the local level, it can be very difficult," said former Mayor Frank Zullo, one of two elected officials who delivered eulogies during Esposito's Mass of Christian Burial in St. Matthew's Church on Scribner Avenue.
City residents who support a mayor's decision don't have long memories, while those who oppose the decision never forget, Zullo said. He said mayors, unlike elected officials at the state and federal levels, are not insulated from their constituents, but must be prepared to justify their decisions to constituents "at every turn."
Still, Esposito won seven elections in a row, serving as mayor from 1987 to 2001, a record Zullo said he doubts anyone else will achieve.
State Rep. Lawrence Cafero Jr., who also delivered a eulogy, said Esposito had "incredible knowledge" of people and human nature, and knew how to bring people together and negotiate settlements. He noted Esposito was not a man of great wealth or lengthy formal education, but his "wealth and success was measured by how much he loved and how much he was loved by others, and, by that measure, Frank was the richest and most powerful man in the world."
The Rev. Walter Orlowski, pastor of St. Matthew's Church, said people always knew where Esposito stood on issues and many city residents remarked at Esposito's wake on Sunday that when they called his office and reached his secretary, Esposito always called back that afternoon. Orlowski said Esposito "understood his role in life: to serve God's people to the best of his ability."
Esposito's accomplishments as mayor included building a parking garage for rail commuters, raising the city's bond rating to the top AAA through sound financial management, leading the effort for a $50 million upgrade to Norwalk's sewage treatment plant and moving the Department of Public Work's garage from Matthews Park so a children's museum and playground could be built on that property, Zullo said.
Zullo said Esposito also designated a new site for the Norwalk Police Department, closed the city dump, which was near Interstate 95 and the last thing visitors saw of the city when entering or leaving it, and supported The Maritime Aquarium at a time when it wasn't that popular. "Frank saw the need for that center and supported it, and thank God because it's one of the rocks of South Norwalk," Zullo said.
"He knew how to work behind the scenes and across the aisle. Keep in mind he did all of this while still maintaining a very reasonable tax rate," Zullo said.
Esposito also had a fun-loving side, which Zullo and Cafero recalled in anecdotes that gave a glimpse into Esposito's sense of humor.
Cafero recalled going with Esposito to Hartford to ask then-Gov. Lowell P. Weicker Jr. for more money for the city and that Weicker, whose idea of a state income tax had been opposed by Esposito, launched into a tirade filled with colorful language. "We could not get out of there quickly enough," Cafero said. "Just as we got out, Frank said, `I forgot my coat in his office,' and he sent me in to get it."
Zullo recalled a time when he and Esposito stood by a table of hors d'oeuvres during a function and a woman walked up and asked who they were. Esposito took both of her hands in his and introduced himself as Frank Zullo. The woman, Zullo said, replied that she had wanted to meet Zullo for a long time and believed that he was the best mayor the city ever had.
Zullo said Esposito, who served in the Korean War and on the city's Common Council and state's General Assembly, dedicated his adult life "to make Norwalk a better place for all of us and for future generations.
Zullo said a good man must die, but his death cannot erase his good name or memory. "All who knew him and worked for him are better for that experience," he said.
Esposito's 90-minute service included the hymns, and his coffin was brought out of the church to an organist's rendition of "My Way," which Cafero said was Esposito's favorite song.
"There's a little piece of each and every one of us that is missing today, and the shine of our beloved Norwalk has lost a little luster," Cafero said. "Rest in peace, my dear friend. We'll see you soon."
Penned under the watchful eye of Peter Schreyer , Kia's global chief of design, the Cadenza's broad shoulders, contoured hood, large wheels and wide stance give it a strong and grounded appearance. The striking design has a distinctive sport-sedan form, as if the car would be equally comfortable on the Autobahn or carving through the Swiss Alps.
The aggressive "Tiger Nose" front fascia instantly speaks to Kia's brand identity. Flanking the grille are quad headlights that nestle deeply behind crystalline lenses. The lower fascia is wide, lending to the Cadenza's imposing stance, and chrome trim accents around the fog lights and grille add to the vehicle's premium presence. LED positioning lights and available HID headlights provide additional European sophistication.
Perhaps best enjoyed in profile, the Cadenza's silhouette is at once strong and elegant. The vertical nose is imposing; the long hood is sensuously sculpted to meet the swept-back windshield. The greenhouse curves gracefully to the C-pillar and is surrounded by a tasteful chrome bezel that flares upward at the rear door, effectively creating a beautiful glass droplet. Beginning just aft of the front-door cutline is a chiseled indentation that sweeps upward, seamlessly transitioning into the tail lights. Classic chrome accents adorn the lower portions of the doors and the treatment continues into the rear fascia. The 19-inch alloy wheels offered in the Technology Package resemble a jet turbine and add to the Cadenza's athletic stature.
Moving to the rear of the vehicle, the standard LED taillights sit high on the deck and are designed to cut across a large portion of the vehicle, lending to the Cadenza's broad stance. The twin oval tail pipes accentuate the Cadenza's sporty and elegant design.
The interior of the Cadenza envelops its occupants in a premium environment complete with soft leather upholstery and tasteful accents of wood and chrome. Ambient lighting and horizontally positioned switch gear radiates an uncluttered and sophisticated aesthetic. An elegant analog clock centered between the center stack buttons lends a classic feel. The center console is angled toward the driver for optimized control, and an available large seven-inch high-resolution TFT LCD screen in the gauge cluster showcases a wide range of vehicle information including turn-by-turn navigation and infotainment. Elegant chrome bezels surround the HVAC and audio controls, air vents and the standard push-button start. Standard Bluetooth, wood-trim door inserts, one-touch automatic up/down power front windows and power-folding heated outside mirrors with integrated turn signal indicators all enhance the Cadenza's premium image.
"Public service is not easy, and on the local level, it can be very difficult," said former Mayor Frank Zullo, one of two elected officials who delivered eulogies during Esposito's Mass of Christian Burial in St. Matthew's Church on Scribner Avenue.
City residents who support a mayor's decision don't have long memories, while those who oppose the decision never forget, Zullo said. He said mayors, unlike elected officials at the state and federal levels, are not insulated from their constituents, but must be prepared to justify their decisions to constituents "at every turn."
Still, Esposito won seven elections in a row, serving as mayor from 1987 to 2001, a record Zullo said he doubts anyone else will achieve.
State Rep. Lawrence Cafero Jr., who also delivered a eulogy, said Esposito had "incredible knowledge" of people and human nature, and knew how to bring people together and negotiate settlements. He noted Esposito was not a man of great wealth or lengthy formal education, but his "wealth and success was measured by how much he loved and how much he was loved by others, and, by that measure, Frank was the richest and most powerful man in the world."
The Rev. Walter Orlowski, pastor of St. Matthew's Church, said people always knew where Esposito stood on issues and many city residents remarked at Esposito's wake on Sunday that when they called his office and reached his secretary, Esposito always called back that afternoon. Orlowski said Esposito "understood his role in life: to serve God's people to the best of his ability."
Esposito's accomplishments as mayor included building a parking garage for rail commuters, raising the city's bond rating to the top AAA through sound financial management, leading the effort for a $50 million upgrade to Norwalk's sewage treatment plant and moving the Department of Public Work's garage from Matthews Park so a children's museum and playground could be built on that property, Zullo said.
Zullo said Esposito also designated a new site for the Norwalk Police Department, closed the city dump, which was near Interstate 95 and the last thing visitors saw of the city when entering or leaving it, and supported The Maritime Aquarium at a time when it wasn't that popular. "Frank saw the need for that center and supported it, and thank God because it's one of the rocks of South Norwalk," Zullo said.
"He knew how to work behind the scenes and across the aisle. Keep in mind he did all of this while still maintaining a very reasonable tax rate," Zullo said.
Esposito also had a fun-loving side, which Zullo and Cafero recalled in anecdotes that gave a glimpse into Esposito's sense of humor.
Cafero recalled going with Esposito to Hartford to ask then-Gov. Lowell P. Weicker Jr. for more money for the city and that Weicker, whose idea of a state income tax had been opposed by Esposito, launched into a tirade filled with colorful language. "We could not get out of there quickly enough," Cafero said. "Just as we got out, Frank said, `I forgot my coat in his office,' and he sent me in to get it."
Zullo recalled a time when he and Esposito stood by a table of hors d'oeuvres during a function and a woman walked up and asked who they were. Esposito took both of her hands in his and introduced himself as Frank Zullo. The woman, Zullo said, replied that she had wanted to meet Zullo for a long time and believed that he was the best mayor the city ever had.
Zullo said Esposito, who served in the Korean War and on the city's Common Council and state's General Assembly, dedicated his adult life "to make Norwalk a better place for all of us and for future generations.
Zullo said a good man must die, but his death cannot erase his good name or memory. "All who knew him and worked for him are better for that experience," he said.
Esposito's 90-minute service included the hymns, and his coffin was brought out of the church to an organist's rendition of "My Way," which Cafero said was Esposito's favorite song.
"There's a little piece of each and every one of us that is missing today, and the shine of our beloved Norwalk has lost a little luster," Cafero said. "Rest in peace, my dear friend. We'll see you soon."
Penned under the watchful eye of Peter Schreyer , Kia's global chief of design, the Cadenza's broad shoulders, contoured hood, large wheels and wide stance give it a strong and grounded appearance. The striking design has a distinctive sport-sedan form, as if the car would be equally comfortable on the Autobahn or carving through the Swiss Alps.
The aggressive "Tiger Nose" front fascia instantly speaks to Kia's brand identity. Flanking the grille are quad headlights that nestle deeply behind crystalline lenses. The lower fascia is wide, lending to the Cadenza's imposing stance, and chrome trim accents around the fog lights and grille add to the vehicle's premium presence. LED positioning lights and available HID headlights provide additional European sophistication.
Perhaps best enjoyed in profile, the Cadenza's silhouette is at once strong and elegant. The vertical nose is imposing; the long hood is sensuously sculpted to meet the swept-back windshield. The greenhouse curves gracefully to the C-pillar and is surrounded by a tasteful chrome bezel that flares upward at the rear door, effectively creating a beautiful glass droplet. Beginning just aft of the front-door cutline is a chiseled indentation that sweeps upward, seamlessly transitioning into the tail lights. Classic chrome accents adorn the lower portions of the doors and the treatment continues into the rear fascia. The 19-inch alloy wheels offered in the Technology Package resemble a jet turbine and add to the Cadenza's athletic stature.
Moving to the rear of the vehicle, the standard LED taillights sit high on the deck and are designed to cut across a large portion of the vehicle, lending to the Cadenza's broad stance. The twin oval tail pipes accentuate the Cadenza's sporty and elegant design.
The interior of the Cadenza envelops its occupants in a premium environment complete with soft leather upholstery and tasteful accents of wood and chrome. Ambient lighting and horizontally positioned switch gear radiates an uncluttered and sophisticated aesthetic. An elegant analog clock centered between the center stack buttons lends a classic feel. The center console is angled toward the driver for optimized control, and an available large seven-inch high-resolution TFT LCD screen in the gauge cluster showcases a wide range of vehicle information including turn-by-turn navigation and infotainment. Elegant chrome bezels surround the HVAC and audio controls, air vents and the standard push-button start. Standard Bluetooth, wood-trim door inserts, one-touch automatic up/down power front windows and power-folding heated outside mirrors with integrated turn signal indicators all enhance the Cadenza's premium image.
TomTom review
I tested TomTom on an Apple iPhone 5 running iOS 6.0.2. The app boots quickly to a main menu that lets you navigate to a destination, modify your route options (if one is already in progress), browse the map, plan multi-segment routes, or change settings. Tap the Navigate To button, and you'll see options for navigating to your home, favourites, recent destinations, specific street addresses, and so on. You can also navigate directly to contact addresses, geotagged photo locations, coordinates, or points on a map as well.
For the most part, keying in street addresses was a smooth process in my tests. Just as with the company's standalone navigation devices, you input the city first, followed by the street name, and then the street number.
Searching for points of interest (POI) is also standard fare. However, TomTom's POI database isn't the greatest, and the category breakdown continues to make little sense. Food stores, hardware stores, electronics stores, and more are all lumped together in one overcrowded category labelled "shop," while there are dozens of top-level categories for things like veterinarians, water sports, tennis courts, and tourist information offices, which is misguided to say the least. Another issue: TomTom has removed its Google local search feature, so it’s not possible to get around the internal POI database anymore as you could in earlier versions of the app.
Once on the road, TomTom's app is easy to use but not particularly attractive, with bland graphics and choppy animation that's more reminiscent of a three-year-old standalone GPS. That said, TomTom still leads the pack when it comes to displaying route information. You get all manner of data across the bottom of the screen, all of which updates in real-time.
The main display shows the current street, the next turn off, how far away it is, your current speed, the speed limit of the current road, and the estimated time remaining, distance remaining, and estimated arrival time. You also get 3D lane assistance views, which help with complex motorway or inner city street layouts, although TomTom's iPhone 5 optimisations missed this screen, as it's blurry and appears with black bars to either side.
One annoyance is that clearing a route still takes three taps on three separate screens, which is at least two too many. Rival Garmin, in contrast, offers a clear "End Trip" button at the bottom right at all times. That makes it easy to end navigation if you're looking for a parking spot near your destination, or decide mid-route that you no longer need guidance. The latter is a common occurrence if you're coming back from a new place and need navigation just to get to a major motorway, at which point you know the rest of the way home.
In a series of route tests, TomTom performed exactly as expected, which is to say very well. The company's IQ Routes feature adapts estimated arrival times and matches them to real-world data collected from drivers. Combined with daily Map Share updates, which you can download right from the phone, TomTom's app is arguably more "plugged in" to current road conditions than the competition.
Voice prompts were clear, crisp, and loud. They were also well timed, and the app pronounced street names correctly in almost all cases. TomTom includes several dozen voices in roughly two dozen languages; most don't say street names, but a few do. You can also purchase celebrity voices for the app via an in-app purchase, with options for the likes of Homer or Mr Burns from the Simpsons, or Darth Vader or Yoda from Star Wars.
The HD traffic plug-in deserves a special mention. It places a bar on the right side of the screen that represents traffic conditions for your route along the way. It's very impressive, and the traffic readouts update very frequently, and always accurately reported what was ahead – even on secondary routes, which was a nice surprise.
In one particular case, it insisted I exit a normally empty motorway earlier than usual. As I thought, "nah, let me ignore it and see what happens," right past the exit, I saw brake lights as everyone ahead came to a stop. I exited just in time. The only downside is that HD traffic is an in-app purchase so you’ll be paying extra for the service.
The November election did not change the balance of power in Washington, but committee leadership in Congress is in flux and trucking lobbyists are alert for what that might mean.
Hill committee assignments are particularly important. During the next couple of years, trucking will have to track implementation of 2012's highway law and prepare for the drafting of the next version, due in 2014.
Infrastructure funding already has come up for discussion during negotiations over the "fiscal cliff," a combination of tax increases and spending cuts designed to be so unpalatable that legislators will be forced to come to terms on long-term debt reduction and tax reforms.
Transportation experts look to the several high-level infrastructure commissions that have called for more highway money, and to the 2010 Simpson-Bowles plan for solving the fiscal crisis, which recommended a 15-cent fuel tax increase. The idea is not dead on arrival, said Peter Ruane, president of the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, at a Bipartisan Policy Center forum.
"Politicians should have to have the debate," he said. "The fuel tax is the most efficient, proven form of financing. The only time we've gotten any increase in funding has been as part of a grand agreement on deficit reduction. It should be considered, and it is being considered."
When Carrie storms into her sister Dorrit's room and demands the purse, the brooding 14-year-old denies any knowledge of its whereabouts. While rifling through her younger sister's drawers, Carrie comes across a bag of pot. This leads to accusations of jealousy and spying and ends with hair pulling. As the girls tussle, a voice over informs us that the year is 1984, that Ronald Reagan is president, and that the family matriarch died of cancer three months earlier.
The fight is broken up by the girls' bland looking father Tom. Carrie insists she has nothing to wear, because she didn't have her annual shopping trip with mom. In an effort to comfort his eldest daughter, Tom lets her have access to her mother's closet that has been left in exactly the same condition as it was when she was still alive. In awe, Carrie's eye catches a green sundress, but her father holds too much of a sentimental attachment to it, "Not that dress. She wore it on her last birthday," he says. Instead he hands her a pair of sunglasses which prove useful on the first day of school.
When Carrie arrives at school, we find out she's a junior with three close friends: Mouse, Maggie and fashion-forward Walt, who give her the gift of normalcy while the rest of her classmates whisper and stare as she walks down the hall. The other big news on campus is the arrival of Sebastian. As he appears all heads turn. It is hard to understand why, because he isn't especially appealing.
Turns out he does know Carrie from spending summers at the swim club when he was home from boarding school. That news pales in comparison to the fact that Mouse got herself an older boyfriend and lost her virginity over the summer, or as she puts it, "It was like putting a hot dog in a key hole." Even for a high-school girl, that is uninspired dialogue. In addition, Carrie finds out from Maggie that she too had her V-card punched.
Emboldened by her friends' sexual escapades, Carrie approaches Sebastian. It turns out that swimming isn't the only thing the twosome had done at the local pool. Sebastian and Carrie had shared a steamy kiss. It was also her first kiss, and she hadn't seen him since. While trying to work up the nerve to ask Sebastian out, Carrie spots her father coming down the hall. The only other time he had come to the school was when her mother took a turn for the worse.
Frozen and unable to speak, Carrie elegantly faints into Sebastian's arms, and he lays her gently on the floor. When she regains consciousness, Carrie finds out her father was here to meet with her guidance counselor. They decide that Carrie might benefit from an internship that would take her out of her snug little suburban town and plop her into Manhattan.
The night before starting her new internship, Carrie again confronts Dorrit about their mother's purse. It doesn't take Carrie long to find it and see that it has been ruined; covered in nail polish. Carrie accuses her sister of destroying the beloved bag on purpose, but Dorrit denies the accusation. She tells her sister she just wanted something of their mother's because Carrie got everything, "You got the purse, your 16th birthday, the start of high school; I got nothing." Carrie has one of her famous revelations, "I never thought of myself as the lucky one, but I had precious extra years that Dorrit would never have." The damaged purse offers a glimpse at creative Carrie as she creates her own custom bag.
For the most part, keying in street addresses was a smooth process in my tests. Just as with the company's standalone navigation devices, you input the city first, followed by the street name, and then the street number.
Searching for points of interest (POI) is also standard fare. However, TomTom's POI database isn't the greatest, and the category breakdown continues to make little sense. Food stores, hardware stores, electronics stores, and more are all lumped together in one overcrowded category labelled "shop," while there are dozens of top-level categories for things like veterinarians, water sports, tennis courts, and tourist information offices, which is misguided to say the least. Another issue: TomTom has removed its Google local search feature, so it’s not possible to get around the internal POI database anymore as you could in earlier versions of the app.
Once on the road, TomTom's app is easy to use but not particularly attractive, with bland graphics and choppy animation that's more reminiscent of a three-year-old standalone GPS. That said, TomTom still leads the pack when it comes to displaying route information. You get all manner of data across the bottom of the screen, all of which updates in real-time.
The main display shows the current street, the next turn off, how far away it is, your current speed, the speed limit of the current road, and the estimated time remaining, distance remaining, and estimated arrival time. You also get 3D lane assistance views, which help with complex motorway or inner city street layouts, although TomTom's iPhone 5 optimisations missed this screen, as it's blurry and appears with black bars to either side.
One annoyance is that clearing a route still takes three taps on three separate screens, which is at least two too many. Rival Garmin, in contrast, offers a clear "End Trip" button at the bottom right at all times. That makes it easy to end navigation if you're looking for a parking spot near your destination, or decide mid-route that you no longer need guidance. The latter is a common occurrence if you're coming back from a new place and need navigation just to get to a major motorway, at which point you know the rest of the way home.
In a series of route tests, TomTom performed exactly as expected, which is to say very well. The company's IQ Routes feature adapts estimated arrival times and matches them to real-world data collected from drivers. Combined with daily Map Share updates, which you can download right from the phone, TomTom's app is arguably more "plugged in" to current road conditions than the competition.
Voice prompts were clear, crisp, and loud. They were also well timed, and the app pronounced street names correctly in almost all cases. TomTom includes several dozen voices in roughly two dozen languages; most don't say street names, but a few do. You can also purchase celebrity voices for the app via an in-app purchase, with options for the likes of Homer or Mr Burns from the Simpsons, or Darth Vader or Yoda from Star Wars.
The HD traffic plug-in deserves a special mention. It places a bar on the right side of the screen that represents traffic conditions for your route along the way. It's very impressive, and the traffic readouts update very frequently, and always accurately reported what was ahead – even on secondary routes, which was a nice surprise.
In one particular case, it insisted I exit a normally empty motorway earlier than usual. As I thought, "nah, let me ignore it and see what happens," right past the exit, I saw brake lights as everyone ahead came to a stop. I exited just in time. The only downside is that HD traffic is an in-app purchase so you’ll be paying extra for the service.
The November election did not change the balance of power in Washington, but committee leadership in Congress is in flux and trucking lobbyists are alert for what that might mean.
Hill committee assignments are particularly important. During the next couple of years, trucking will have to track implementation of 2012's highway law and prepare for the drafting of the next version, due in 2014.
Infrastructure funding already has come up for discussion during negotiations over the "fiscal cliff," a combination of tax increases and spending cuts designed to be so unpalatable that legislators will be forced to come to terms on long-term debt reduction and tax reforms.
Transportation experts look to the several high-level infrastructure commissions that have called for more highway money, and to the 2010 Simpson-Bowles plan for solving the fiscal crisis, which recommended a 15-cent fuel tax increase. The idea is not dead on arrival, said Peter Ruane, president of the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, at a Bipartisan Policy Center forum.
"Politicians should have to have the debate," he said. "The fuel tax is the most efficient, proven form of financing. The only time we've gotten any increase in funding has been as part of a grand agreement on deficit reduction. It should be considered, and it is being considered."
When Carrie storms into her sister Dorrit's room and demands the purse, the brooding 14-year-old denies any knowledge of its whereabouts. While rifling through her younger sister's drawers, Carrie comes across a bag of pot. This leads to accusations of jealousy and spying and ends with hair pulling. As the girls tussle, a voice over informs us that the year is 1984, that Ronald Reagan is president, and that the family matriarch died of cancer three months earlier.
The fight is broken up by the girls' bland looking father Tom. Carrie insists she has nothing to wear, because she didn't have her annual shopping trip with mom. In an effort to comfort his eldest daughter, Tom lets her have access to her mother's closet that has been left in exactly the same condition as it was when she was still alive. In awe, Carrie's eye catches a green sundress, but her father holds too much of a sentimental attachment to it, "Not that dress. She wore it on her last birthday," he says. Instead he hands her a pair of sunglasses which prove useful on the first day of school.
When Carrie arrives at school, we find out she's a junior with three close friends: Mouse, Maggie and fashion-forward Walt, who give her the gift of normalcy while the rest of her classmates whisper and stare as she walks down the hall. The other big news on campus is the arrival of Sebastian. As he appears all heads turn. It is hard to understand why, because he isn't especially appealing.
Turns out he does know Carrie from spending summers at the swim club when he was home from boarding school. That news pales in comparison to the fact that Mouse got herself an older boyfriend and lost her virginity over the summer, or as she puts it, "It was like putting a hot dog in a key hole." Even for a high-school girl, that is uninspired dialogue. In addition, Carrie finds out from Maggie that she too had her V-card punched.
Emboldened by her friends' sexual escapades, Carrie approaches Sebastian. It turns out that swimming isn't the only thing the twosome had done at the local pool. Sebastian and Carrie had shared a steamy kiss. It was also her first kiss, and she hadn't seen him since. While trying to work up the nerve to ask Sebastian out, Carrie spots her father coming down the hall. The only other time he had come to the school was when her mother took a turn for the worse.
Frozen and unable to speak, Carrie elegantly faints into Sebastian's arms, and he lays her gently on the floor. When she regains consciousness, Carrie finds out her father was here to meet with her guidance counselor. They decide that Carrie might benefit from an internship that would take her out of her snug little suburban town and plop her into Manhattan.
The night before starting her new internship, Carrie again confronts Dorrit about their mother's purse. It doesn't take Carrie long to find it and see that it has been ruined; covered in nail polish. Carrie accuses her sister of destroying the beloved bag on purpose, but Dorrit denies the accusation. She tells her sister she just wanted something of their mother's because Carrie got everything, "You got the purse, your 16th birthday, the start of high school; I got nothing." Carrie has one of her famous revelations, "I never thought of myself as the lucky one, but I had precious extra years that Dorrit would never have." The damaged purse offers a glimpse at creative Carrie as she creates her own custom bag.
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