The 2001 edition had 221 pages... 2011 has 562 pages! Wonder if demand has increased almost 150 percent as well?
7/30/11
7/29/11
Drought-Parched Cattle Drink Themselves To Death
By BETSY BLANEY 07/13/11 06:12 PM ET 
LUBBOCK, Texas -- The unrelenting Texas drought has produced a cruelly ironic twist: cattle dying from too much water.
Agriculture officials in parched Texas said Wednesday there are no hard numbers on how many head of cattle have died but reports of deaths from too much water or too little are showing up across the nation's leading cattle production state.
"They over drink because they're thirsty," said Dr. Robert Sprowls of the Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory in Amarillo. "Once they fill up on water it happens pretty quickly."
Producers are losing cattle after moving them from withered pastures where water tanks have dried up. Once in new pastures, cattle that die take in too much water too quickly. The animals die within minutes and their carcasses are found near the stock tanks from which they were drinking, Ted McCollum, a beef cattle specialist with Texas AgriLife Extension Service in Amarillo, said.
Texas is coming off its driest nine-month period ever and its hottest June on record. More than 90 percent of the state is in the two most severe drought stages. The cattle deaths are occurring earlier, in part because of lack of forage growth in pastures.
"We are seeing more incidents of heat stress in cattle," he said. "More incidents of death and problems with health."
As with humans, water intoxication can occur when there's too much water in the body, which disrupts electrolyte balance in cells. Death can occur.
Typically an average cow grazing green forage consumes as much as 8.4 gallons of water a day from it. This year, because drought precluded forage growth and there's been a relatively low intake of dry forage, daily water consumption is around 0.6 gallons.
That's why stock tanks are so important, especially with this drought's searing temperatures
"The cow's `jug of water' is relatively empty this year and the risk of heat stress and water-elated problems are greater," he said.
In addition to too much water, ranchers also must watch for dehydration in their animals and should regularly check on the quality of water from stock tanks that cattle use.
"They're all interrelated," McCollum said.
Cattle will drink out of tanks where water quality suffers from high concentrations of salt, nitrates and other organic materials, but they're taking in less water because of the mix. Either the animal cannot or will not consume enough water when the water quality drops.
"Water quality can indirectly affect performance and health by reducing water consumption which exacerbates heat stress and can lead to water intoxication once cattle locate or can access palatable water."
Also, hot, sunny days can warm stagnant water and produce blue-green algae blooms, some species of which are toxic. Ingesting the algae or the toxins from them can be fatal. The dead animals are usually found close to the watering site.
The situation isn't likely to improve any time soon. Weather forecasters predict the drought in Texas won't diminish until at least the end of September. Ranchers, many of whom are culling their herds, are either providing supplemental fed to their cattle or taking them to other states to graze.
Agriculture officials in parched Texas said Wednesday there are no hard numbers on how many head of cattle have died but reports of deaths from too much water or too little are showing up across the nation's leading cattle production state.
"They over drink because they're thirsty," said Dr. Robert Sprowls of the Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory in Amarillo. "Once they fill up on water it happens pretty quickly."
Producers are losing cattle after moving them from withered pastures where water tanks have dried up. Once in new pastures, cattle that die take in too much water too quickly. The animals die within minutes and their carcasses are found near the stock tanks from which they were drinking, Ted McCollum, a beef cattle specialist with Texas AgriLife Extension Service in Amarillo, said.
Texas is coming off its driest nine-month period ever and its hottest June on record. More than 90 percent of the state is in the two most severe drought stages. The cattle deaths are occurring earlier, in part because of lack of forage growth in pastures.
"We are seeing more incidents of heat stress in cattle," he said. "More incidents of death and problems with health."
As with humans, water intoxication can occur when there's too much water in the body, which disrupts electrolyte balance in cells. Death can occur.
Typically an average cow grazing green forage consumes as much as 8.4 gallons of water a day from it. This year, because drought precluded forage growth and there's been a relatively low intake of dry forage, daily water consumption is around 0.6 gallons.
"The cow's `jug of water' is relatively empty this year and the risk of heat stress and water-elated problems are greater," he said.
In addition to too much water, ranchers also must watch for dehydration in their animals and should regularly check on the quality of water from stock tanks that cattle use.
"They're all interrelated," McCollum said.
Cattle will drink out of tanks where water quality suffers from high concentrations of salt, nitrates and other organic materials, but they're taking in less water because of the mix. Either the animal cannot or will not consume enough water when the water quality drops.
"Water quality can indirectly affect performance and health by reducing water consumption which exacerbates heat stress and can lead to water intoxication once cattle locate or can access palatable water."
Also, hot, sunny days can warm stagnant water and produce blue-green algae blooms, some species of which are toxic. Ingesting the algae or the toxins from them can be fatal. The dead animals are usually found close to the watering site.
The situation isn't likely to improve any time soon. Weather forecasters predict the drought in Texas won't diminish until at least the end of September. Ranchers, many of whom are culling their herds, are either providing supplemental fed to their cattle or taking them to other states to graze.
7/28/11
Why never to ask favors from the Graphic Designers
Story goes :
Shannon (the secretary) has lost her cat and has asked David (the graphic designer) to
help with a lost poster. This is their email correspondence…
Read from top to bottom….
From:Shannon Walkley
Date:Monday 21 June 2010 9.15am
To:David Thorne
Subject:Poster
Hi
I opened the screen door yesterday and my cat got out and has been missing since then so I was
wondering if you are not too busy you could make a poster for me. It has to
be A4 and I will photocopy it and put it around my suburb this afternoon.
This is the only photo of her I have she answers to the name Missy and is black and white and
about 8 months old. missing on Harper
street and my phone number.
Thanks Shan.
From: David ThorneDate:Monday 21 June 2010 9.26am
To:Shannon Walkley
Subject:Re: Poster
Dear Shannon,
That is shocking news.
Although I have two clients expecting completed work this afternoon, I will, of course, drop
everything and do whatever it takes to facilitate the speedy return of Missy.
Regards, David.
From:Shannon Walkley
Date:Monday 21 June 2010 9.37am
To:David Thorne
Subject:Re: Re: Poster
yeah ok thanks.
I know you don’t like cats but I am really worried about mine. I have
to leave at 1pm today.
From:David Thorne
Date:Monday 21 June 2010 10.17am
To:Shannon Walkley
Subject:Re: Re: Re: Poster
Dear Shannon,
I never said I don’t like cats. Attached poster as requested.
Regards, David.
From: Shannon Walkley
Date:Monday 21 June 2010 10.24am
To:David Thorne
Subject:Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster
yeah that’s
not what I was looking for at all. It looks like a movie and how come the photo
of Missy is so small?
From: David Thorne
Date:Monday 21 June 2010 10.28am
To:Shannon Walkley
Subject:Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster
Dear Shannon,
It’s a design
thing. The cat is lost in the negative space.
Regards, David.
From: Shannon Walkley
Date:Monday 21 June 2010 10.33am
To:David Thorne
Subject:Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster
That’s just stupid. Can you do it properly please? I am extremely emotional over this and
was up all night in tears. you seem to think it is funny. Can you make the
photo bigger please and fix the text and do it in colour please. Thanks.
From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.46am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject:Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster
Dear Shannon,
Having worked with designers for a few years now, I would have assumed you understood, despite
our vague suggestions otherwise, we do not welcome constructive criticism. I
don’t come downstairs and tell you how to send text messages, log onto
Facebook and look out of the window. I have amended and attached the poster
as per your instructions.
Regards, David.
From: Shannon Walkley
Date:Monday 21 June 2010 10.59am
To:David Thorne
Subject:Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster
This is worse than the other one. can you make it so it shows the whole photo of Missy and
delete the stupid text that says missing missy off it? I just want it to say
Lost.
From: David Thorne
Date:Monday 21 June 2010 11.14am
To:Shannon Walkley
Subject:Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster
From:Shannon Walkley
Date:Monday 21 June 2010 11.21am
To:David Thorne
Subject:Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster
yeah can you do the poster or not? I just want a photo and the word lost and the telephone number
and when and where she was lost and her name. Not like a movie poster or
anything stupid. I have to leave early today. If it was your cat I would help
you. Thanks.
From: David Thorne
Date:Monday 21 June 2010 11.32am
To:Shannon Walkley
Subject:Awww
Dear Shannon,
I don’t have a cat.
I once agreed to look after a friend’s cat for a week but after he dropped it
off at my apartment and explained the concept of kitty litter I backed out of our agreement. I have
attached the amended version of your poster as per your detailed
instructions.
Regards, David.
From: Shannon Walkley
Date:Monday 21 June 2010 11.47am
To:David Thorne
Subject: Re:Awww
That’s not my cat. where did you get that picture from? That cat is orange. I gave you a
photo of my cat.
From: David Thorne
Date:Monday 21 June 2010 11.58am
To:Shannon Walkley
Subject:Re: Re: Awww
I know, but that
one is cute. As Missy has quite possibly met any one of several violent ends,
it is possible you might get a better cat out of this. If anybody calls and
says “I haven’t seen your orange cat but I did find a black and white
one with its hind legs run over by a car, do you want it?” you can
politely decline and save yourself a costly veterinarian bill.
Regards, David.
From:Shannon Walkley
Date:Monday 21 June 2010 12.07pm
To:David Thorne
Subject:Re: Re: Re: Awww
Please just use the
photo I gave you.
From:David Thorne
Date:Monday 21 June 2010 12.22pm
To:Shannon Walkley
Subject:Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww
From:Shannon Walkley
Date:Monday 21 June 2010 12.34pm
To:David Thorne
Subject:Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww
I didn’t say
there was a reward. I don’t have $2000 dollars. What did you even put
that there for? Apart from that it is perfect can you please remove the
reward bit. Thanks Shan.
From:David Thorne
Date:Monday 21 June 2010 12.42pm
To:Shannon Walkley
Subject:Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww
From:Shannon Walkley
Date:Monday 21 June 2010 12.51pm
To:David Thorne
Subject:Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww
Can you just please
take the reward bit off altogether? I have to leave in ten minutes and I
still have to make photocopies of it.
From:David Thorne
Date:Monday 21 June 2010 12.56pm
To:Shannon Walkley
Subject:Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww
From:Shannon Walkley
Date:Monday 21 June 2010 1.03pm
To:David Thorne
Subject:Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
Awww
Fine. That will
have to do.
Dubuque Iowa
7/27/11
From Willie Morris
Invincible x anchor/meyer. Supreme mkt animal Chickasaw co fair. Shown by Jane Kolthoff
Bred and Sold by Willie Morris
Congrats to Jaws and family
Des Moines Woman Reports Being Hit By Bratwurst
By Belinda Yeung
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a Des Moines woman has been assaulted with a bratwurst at her home.
Des Moines television station KCCI reports that the incident occurred Monday night.
Sixty-three-year-old Connie Jones told police that she got into an argument with 31-year-old Tajuana Banks.
Jones says Banks yelled profanities at her, then picked up a bratwurst and threw it at Jones. It struck her chest. A police report says there were grease marks on Jones' clothing.
A Des Moines phone number listed for Banks is incorrect. Online court records don't yet list the case.
Des Moines television station KCCI reports that the incident occurred Monday night.
Sixty-three-year-old Connie Jones told police that she got into an argument with 31-year-old Tajuana Banks.
Jones says Banks yelled profanities at her, then picked up a bratwurst and threw it at Jones. It struck her chest. A police report says there were grease marks on Jones' clothing.
A Des Moines phone number listed for Banks is incorrect. Online court records don't yet list the case.
7/25/11
7/24/11
In the gift shop at Mt Rushmore
Texted in pictures from a family on vacation in the Black Hills
Jeremy and Laura Cobb
7/23/11
5 Time Champ!
7/22/11
7/20/11
7/17/11
7/14/11
Breaking out dart gun today
7/13/11
Congratulations Tristan Schnitzler
Hairy Bear x R1 (Heat Wave)
This was Tristan's first show ever and he did a great job!
7/11/11
Thank you Colby Collins
We also loaded Colby's trailer full of hay today to take back to Oklahoma. Hope all of our Oklahoma and Texas friends get some much needed rain soon!!!
7/10/11
Riley Reiff named Playboy all-American
From UI Sports Information:
Two University of Iowa football standouts have earned preseason All-America recognition. Offensive lineman Riley Reiff has been named to the prestigious Playboy magazine preseason All-America first team. Reiff and wide receiver Marvin McNutt, Jr., were both named to Phil Steele’s preseason All-America team. Reiff was named to the third team offense and McNutt, Jr. to the fourth team offense.
Reiff, a 6-6, 300-pounder from Parkston, S.D., becomes the 17th Iowa player ever named to the Playboy team. The junior is the sixth Kirk Ferentz coached Hawkeye to make the list. Former Hawkeyes Nate Kaeding, Robert Gallery, Matt Roth and Chad Greenway were named to the team earlier in the Ferentz era, while Adrian Clayborn was named in 2010. Ferentz was also named the Playboy Coach of the Year in 2003.
Reiff, one of five offensive linemen named to the Playboy team, has started 21 consecutive games. In 2009, he was named third team Freshman All-America by CollegeFootballNews.com and was named to the first team Big Ten All-Freshman team by the Sporting News. Reiff garnered second team All-Big Ten honors in 2010.
McNutt, Jr., a 6-4 senior from St. Louis, started all 13 games in 2010 en route to second team All-Big Ten honors. He led Iowa in receptions (53) and yards (861) and was second in touchdown receptions (eight). McNutt has accumulated 16 career receiving touchdowns, tying him for the fourth-most in Iowa history.
The duo was also named to Steele’s preseason All-Big Ten first team. Senior cornerback Shaun Prater was named to the first team defense.
Seven other Hawkeyes were named to Steele’s preseason All-Big Ten team. Senior defensive end Broderick Binns, sophomore linebacker James Morris and junior safety Micah Hyde were all named to the second team defense. Two sophomores, running back Marcus Coker and offensive lineman Nolan MacMillan, were named to the third team offense. In addition, senior defensive tackle Mike Daniels was named to the third team defense and senior linebacker Tyler Nielsen was named to the fourth team defense.
The Hawkeyes open the regular season Saturday, Sept. 3 against Tennessee Tech in Kinnick Stadium. Kickoff time is still to be determined.
Two University of Iowa football standouts have earned preseason All-America recognition. Offensive lineman Riley Reiff has been named to the prestigious Playboy magazine preseason All-America first team. Reiff and wide receiver Marvin McNutt, Jr., were both named to Phil Steele’s preseason All-America team. Reiff was named to the third team offense and McNutt, Jr. to the fourth team offense.
Reiff, a 6-6, 300-pounder from Parkston, S.D., becomes the 17th Iowa player ever named to the Playboy team. The junior is the sixth Kirk Ferentz coached Hawkeye to make the list. Former Hawkeyes Nate Kaeding, Robert Gallery, Matt Roth and Chad Greenway were named to the team earlier in the Ferentz era, while Adrian Clayborn was named in 2010. Ferentz was also named the Playboy Coach of the Year in 2003.
Reiff, one of five offensive linemen named to the Playboy team, has started 21 consecutive games. In 2009, he was named third team Freshman All-America by CollegeFootballNews.com and was named to the first team Big Ten All-Freshman team by the Sporting News. Reiff garnered second team All-Big Ten honors in 2010.
McNutt, Jr., a 6-4 senior from St. Louis, started all 13 games in 2010 en route to second team All-Big Ten honors. He led Iowa in receptions (53) and yards (861) and was second in touchdown receptions (eight). McNutt has accumulated 16 career receiving touchdowns, tying him for the fourth-most in Iowa history.
The duo was also named to Steele’s preseason All-Big Ten first team. Senior cornerback Shaun Prater was named to the first team defense.
Seven other Hawkeyes were named to Steele’s preseason All-Big Ten team. Senior defensive end Broderick Binns, sophomore linebacker James Morris and junior safety Micah Hyde were all named to the second team defense. Two sophomores, running back Marcus Coker and offensive lineman Nolan MacMillan, were named to the third team offense. In addition, senior defensive tackle Mike Daniels was named to the third team defense and senior linebacker Tyler Nielsen was named to the fourth team defense.
The Hawkeyes open the regular season Saturday, Sept. 3 against Tennessee Tech in Kinnick Stadium. Kickoff time is still to be determined.
Congrats to Etzel family!
Heat Wave x Frye 519
Great job Edna, Kim and Tayler!
7/9/11
7/7/11
Land Values Should Decline Moderately Over Next Decade | AGWEB.com
July 7, 2011
Source: Rabo AgriFinance
Agriculture land prices in the U.S. have increased steadily over the last decade, leading experts and landowners to question whether the high values are sustainable. The short answer from the Rabobank International Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory (FAR) group is that the land value rates are not a speculative bubble, but a decrease in land values over several years is a definite possibility.
The FAR group’s research concludes the steady increase of agricultural land values over the past five years is not linked to speculation or other factors that traditionally result lead to a bubble. However, the research does point to factors that could combine to drive a decrease in land values over the next decade. If land values do adjust down over the next three to seven years, the reduction in value will be moderate and not a crash.
The findings are based on the FAR team’s global agribusiness marketplace report, “Blowing the Farmland Bubble.” According to the report, the drivers behind the increase in the value of crop land since 2005 have been a combination of increased commodity prices, low interest rates and a limited supply of land available for sale. Over the past five years, productive agricultural land value in the U.S. has grown at an average rate of between 20 and 70 percent, with the most significant growth in areas producing intensive field crops or livestock.
Co-author Sterling Liddell, vice president, FAR, says a crash is unlikely because current trends in the U.S. are driven by fundamental economics and moving more heavily toward the long-term investor.
“Drivers of bubbles tend to be buying and selling by speculators. The increasing presence of farmers on the buyer side of agricultural land combined with a tight supply of land available for sale provides significant evidence there is not currently a speculator-fueled bubble.”
Liddell notes that another year of strong margins combined with the anticipation of continued tight supplies should drive land prices higher for at least one or two more years. “On a longer term basis of three to seven years, the probability of land values adjusting negatively outweighs the possibility of a continued upward trend.”
Many factors may affect the price of land over the next decade. The largest risks include the trend toward absentee farmers as land owned by aging farmers changes hands to non-farming heirs; interest rates; global commodity supply and demand; water availability and, new environmental restrictions; reduced farm margins; biofuels policy and inflation.
7/6/11
7/4/11
Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest: Joey Chestnut Wins With 62 Hot Dogs
Retaining the Mustard Belt once again, Chestnut of San Jose, Calif., has dominated the competition. He set the all-time record in 2009, downing 68 hot dogs and buns, the equivalent of 21,000 calories, in 10 minutes.
"I love hot dogs," said Chestnut, who after winning cooled his cheek with a bottle of Pepto-Bismol, a competition sponsor. "There's a couple of foods that if you see me eat them in a contest, you can tell I like them. Grilled cheese sandwiches, chicken wings, ribs, hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza. I mean those, they go down like I was made to eat them."
Before there was Chestnut, there was Takeru Kobayashi, who won the contest for six consecutive years. Kobayashi split from Major League Eating and planned to stage his own show in Manhattan today.
The 96th annual hot dog eating contest brought out thousands to the corner of Stillwell and Surf Avenues -- "the Madison Square Garden of Gurgitation," in emcee George Shea's words -- in front of the original Nathan's Famous hot dog stand to witness a spectacle of spittle so gross one couldn't help but watch.
Many spectators came in their July 4 finest. There were men wrapped in U.S. flags chanting "USA, USA," and women wearing red, white and blue bikinis.
Patriotism was running higher than usual thanks to three new entrants from China, a sign that China is applying its thirst for economic power to competitive eating. One of the three -- inevitably nicknamed the Great Wall of China at home -- looked like a big eater. The other two looked, and ate, like government minders. None came close to threatening Chestnut, and the geopolitical subtext vanished.
For the first time, Nathan's sponsored separate competitions for men and women. Sonya Thomas of Alexandria, Va., took the Pepto-Bismol Pink Belt title in the first-ever competition for women, eating 40 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes, one shy of her 2009 record.
The 100-pound woman never stopped moving during the contest, constantly bouncing and twisting her way to victory. She shoved hot dogs in her mouth with one hand, while cradling a cup of liquid to wash them down with the other. Her jaws and teeth shredded the sausages as if they were saplings being fed into a wood chipper.
Thomas, also known as "The Black Widow," was the odds-on favorite going into the contest. She set the women's record in 2009 by eating 41 hot dogs and buns during the joint competition.
The women's runner-up was rail-thin Juliet Lee -- "the Pippa Middleton of Maryland" -- and Michelle Lesco came in third. "I got the hiccups," she said in her post-contest stage interview.
The main event began with each man being introduced. After being introduced, each one carefully arranged his mise en place, filling large yellow Nathan's cups with his liquid of choice. Patrick "Deep Dish" Bertoletti's appeared to be steaming red Kool-Aid, which over the ten minutes of eating covered his face, hands and torso.
The contest requires eaters to consume the entire hot dog and bun and any "reversal of fortune," Major League Eating's term for vomiting, results in an automatic disqualification.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)