Beauty and The Beads

Enter the Warzone, holding summer hostage.

• Until Shaquille ONeal came along, NBA superstar centers were typically aloof, brooding personality types who either had no interest in connecting with fans or no idea how.

Shaq was different. He smiled. He laughed. He goofed. He always made everyone feel like they were in on the joke, even while mumbling.

Sure, he hung on a few years too long, let himself get fat during the offseason and shot free throws like a front-end loader. Hes also responsible for the annoying trend of athletes nicknaming themselves. (The Big Aristotle, really?)

But on the basketball court, the man was a supernatural force.

Rescue groups are stepping in to help relocate pets who are losing their homes due to flooding of the Mississippi River.

One such group is the Broward County Humane Society in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., which gathered pets from three shelters near the Mississippi and drove them 1,10o miles to their shelter. Theyre being put up for adoption right away.

Many pets get reunited with their owners but some owners have no choice but to leave their pets behind. In Memphis, some of the pets were found in abandoned homes. This website lists who is up for adoption. A national group that helps finds homes for shelter pets in Petfinder.com.

The Washington Animal Rescue League has two teams out in disaster areas, bringing in animals from Alabama and Missouri.

READERS: If you have a story about rescuing a pet whose owners were forced to abandon it, let us know. Or if youre one of the lucky ones who was able to save a pet, wed love to hear from you as well. Shoot me an email. Well highlight stories in the blog.

Get ready for more adventure as spy drama Covert Affairs returns for its second season at 9 pm Tuesday on USA.

Annie Walker (Piper Perabo), a CIA operative whose exceptional linguistic skills make her invaluable to the agency in global missions, continues to try and blend her top secret career with her normal everyday life, in which she lives in her sisters guest house under the cover of working for the Smithsonian Museum.

As the second season opens, Annie has returned from a mission in Sri Lanka and is given the new assignment of being a handler for a professional tennis player from Estonia who is a long-term CIA asset.

Annies love Ben Mercer (Eion Bailey) is also featured, but will he remain in Annies life youll have to tune in to find out.

Their romance has been a fascinating plot line in a show about intrigue, as has her relationship with ally Auggie Anderson (Christopher Gorham),, a former CIA special operative who was blinded during a mission and is now heading up the tech ops department with the Domestic Protection Division (DPD).

Perabo has great chemistry with both Bailey and Gorham, and the action scenes in this series are always entertaining.

I give Gorham special praise for his performance as Auggie his portrayal of a blind character is exceptional.

The supporting cast, which includes Peter Gallagher, Kari Matchett, Sendhil Ramamurthy and Anne Dudek, is good as well.

Covert Affairs is a fun component in the summer TV lineup.

Melissa Hayer

mhayer@opubco.com

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Justin Masterson was destined to become a solid major league pitcher. But when trying to improve the team prior to the 2009 trade deadline, Red Sox GM Theo Epsteinknew he had to give uptalent to get talent, which is why he shipped Masterson and his potential to the Cleveland Indians in a deal for Victor Martinez.

Masterson was a versatile pitcher for the Red Sox. It was always believed that he would someday become a full-timestarter, but with the Red Sox rotation already set, Masterson willingly accepted a role in the back end of the Sox bullpen, in addition to making occasional spot starts.

He compiled a 3.16 ERA for the Sox in 36 appearances — nine starts — in 2008. He became one of their more reliable relievers down the stretch,earning himself a chance to pitch innine postseason games — including five ALCS games.

But with the Sox needing some more offensive punch in 2009, Masterson was shipped to the Indians, where he struggled at first. He went 1-7 with a 4.55 ERA with the Tribe the rest of the way before going 6-13 in 2010.

This season, though, the 26-year-old has blossomed into a very good big league starter. He enters Mondays start against his former team with a 5-2 record to go alongwith a 2.52 ERA in nine starts. Masterson has won his last five starts, as his only two blemishes this seasoncame in his first two starts.

With the Cleveland Indians offense coming alive in 2011, Masterson is getting the run support necessary to pick up wins.

So how many games will Justin Masterson win in 2011? Share your thoughts below.

Sunday, May 22: Who is the most famous Cubs fan?

How many games will Justin Masterson win this season?online survey

Community seemed to be the theme of the 10th anniversary of the Broomfield Trail Days Adventure, which was celebrated Saturday in conjunction with National Trails Day.

Four hundred people attended the event at Broomfield County Commons sponsored by the Broomfield Open Space and Trails Department and the Broomfield Open Space Foundation. The purpose of Trail Days is to raise awareness of open spaces role in the communitys quality of life.

We want to showcase Broomfields trails, and create a fun opportunity for the community to get together and enjoy the open space, director of Open Space and Trails Kristan Pritz said.

Participants could choose from a 2.5- or 1-mile trail walk or a 6-mile bike ride.

The adventure each year takes place at a different open space to highlight trails residents might not know about, Pete Dunlaevy, Open Space and Trails coordinator.

The Commons is a premiere open space in Broomfield, Dunlaevy said.

Mayor Pat Quinn, who has been to all the trail adventures and has been involved with the Broomfield Open Space Foundation for 20 years, noted the importance the Commons plays in a Broomfield goal.

I am incredibly proud of our 40 percent open lands goal, Quinn said. And the Commons is a key part in achieving that goal.

In past years, the Trail Adventure has been held at places such as the Anthem neighborhood, Broadlands, the civic complex and Wildgrass. This year the three routes traversed the Commons 237 acres.

Lined along the Commons sidewalk were booths that promoted healthy living, wildlife, the environment, the arts, recreation and energy conservation.

Its great to see the different organizations related to open space who are dedicated to supporting Broomfields open space, Broomfield Open Space Foundation President Dan Wilkie said.

Greenwich Time won five first-place awards in this years annual Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists contests, including top prizes for investigative and in-depth work, feature writing and photography.

In all, the newspaper took home nine awards — five for first place, three for second place and one honorable mention — for its work in the under-18,000-circulation daily newspaper category.

Our readers are the judges of our work we care the most about, but its always great to see our journalists recognized by their peers, said David McCumber, editor of Greenwich Time.

Staff Writer Debra Friedman captured both first and second place in the in-depth article category. The top winner was a story on a serial-stalking case spanning decades, and second place went to a story on Greenwich police using modern technology to enhance crime prediction and prevention.

Staff Writer Neil Vigdor took the top prize in the investigative article category for his story on dozens of 2010 Republican candidates for the General Assembly steering hundreds of thousands of dollars to an out-of-state direct mail firm rather than using Connecticut companies.

The top honor in the feature article category went to Staff Writer Frank MacEachern, whose story on what lies in the waters of Long Island Sound off the Greenwich coast revealed deadly marine disasters.

Staff Photographer Bob Luckey won two first-place awards, one for a news photo of an exuberant iPad buyer at the Greenwich Avenue Apple Store and the other for a sports photo of a high school soccer clash.

In the editorial category, Editorial Page Editor Tom Mellana earned a pair of awards in the single editorial category. He won first place for an editorial urging greater discussion on a plan to use drug-sniffing dogs at Greenwich High School to combat drug possession and use. Mellana picked up an honorable mention for his editorial on the need for improved customer service by the towns new tax collector.

Designer Tim Guzda won second place in the Page 1 layout category for his design and associated graphics for a story on distracted driving in Greenwich.

The Hearst Corp., which owns Greenwich Time, also owns the weekly newspaper Greenwich Citizen. The Citizens editor, Jim Wolfe, took home two first-place awards in the community, non-daily category, one for headline-writing and the second for non-Page 1 layout.

NEWARK, NJ, May 23, 2011 — /PRNewswire/ — The volume of US exports of containerized goods reached the highest point in nearly three years in the first quarter, growing 11.6 percent over last year and reaching one of the highest points ever, according to an analysis by The Journal of Commerce/PIERS.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110523/NY06996)

Exports of fabrics led the growth, expanding 66 percent over last years first quarter, and both lumber shipments and auto parts increased 33 percent, according to ocean shipping data that signaled a strong rebound in the US export economy.

The 3,006,592 containers of exports, measured in 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs), was the most counted since the second quarter of 2008, which was the most measured in any quarter since PIERS began tracking US containerized imports and exports in 1987. The count was also the largest ever during any first quarter.

The first quarter gains are a reflection of a continuing expansion of global manufacturing and a tumbling US dollar, said Mario Moreno, economist for The Journal of Commerce/PIERS.

The value of the dollar fell 5 percent against a basket of currencies around the world between the beginning of 2011 and May 6, Moreno noted.

On a country level, China remained the largest market for US exports, followed by Japan. Exports to China grew 14 percent, and the increase of 77,030 TEUs was the largest to any single country. Exports to Japan increased 13 percent.

The largest percentage gain in US exports was in goods shipped to Brazil, which grew 29 percent over last years first quarter.

To view daily news visit www.joc.com. #xA0;

To become a member of The Journal of Commerce click here. JOC members have access to our weekly print and digital magazine and Web site, as well as a 10 percent discount on all JOC events and trade shows, UBM Global Trade Directories and select PIERS products. Authoritative editorial content in the form of daily news, weekly analysis and regular features ensure our members have the information and data necessary to understand the issues facing trucking, rail and maritime transportation. Members enjoy access to By the Numbers, an exclusive weekly compilation of key industry statistics that provides detailed views of current market trends across all modes. Regular market intelligence reports — utilizing PIERS trade data — include Top 100 Imports and Exporters, quarterly Top 40 Container lines, Trans-Pacific and Trans-Atlantic Maritime Forecasts and Top Container Ports and Terminals. Market-sector supplements, including Breakbulk, Cool Cargoes, 3PL, JOC Guide to Trucking and others, ensure all modes are comprehensively covered.#xA0;

About PIERS — PIERS is the most comprehensive database of US waterborne trade activity in the world providing information services to thousands of subscribers globally. Launched more than 35 years ago, PIERS was the first venture in digital global trade intelligence and quickly became the industry standard for accuracy, reliability and insight.#xA0;Our unique infrastructure and proprietary technology allow us to not only publish import data but also complete coverage of US export transactional data. PIERS is a division of UBM Global Trade, and a sister company of The Journal of Commerce.#xA0; For more information, visit www.piers.com, or call 800-952-3839 (+1-973-776-8660).

About UBM Global Trade — UBM Global Trade is the leading provider of proprietary data, news, business intelligence and analytical content supporting commercial maritime, rail, trucking, warehousing and logistics industries worldwide. The companys portfolio of more than 100 online, print and interactive workflow business solutions includes The Journal of Commerce, Breakbulk, RailResource, PIERS and an array of international trade and transportation databases and directories. UBM Global Trade, a subsidiary of UBM plc, is headquartered in Newark, NJ, with offices throughout the United States. For more information, explore www.ubmglobaltrade.com or call 800-223-0243 (+1-973-848-7250 outside the US or Canada). #xA0;

SOURCE The Journal of Commerce/PIERS

When the tornado tore through Joplin Sunday night not only did families lose their homes and most everything they owned, they also lost something equally as cherishedtheir pets.
Monday morning when daylight arrived and highlighted the destruction that the tornado left behind, members of the MO Humane Society and ASPCA began moving thru the area to try to capture animals that had survived the storm.
The Joplin Humane Society began moving their adoptable animals to shelters in Springfield and Kansas City to make room for the pets. Leslie Thurman, director of the Humane Society of Southwest Missouri, says they took in several dozen pets from the Joplin shelterhellip;

because when the ASPCA and the Humane Society of Missouri leave, and they take down the emergency shelter and theyve got to pack up, you know, all those animals that dont get reclaimed will have to go back to the Joplin Humane Society, and so, in an effort to make room for the influx that theyre anticipating, weve taken about 70 animals from them.

By late morning Thursday, the Joplin Humane Society had taken in nearly 400 pets with more streaming in and 67 had been returned to their owners.
I got to witness the reunion of the 68thhellip;
Chris Volkman was out of town when the tornado hithellip;

My roommate actually had left for a barbecue and left them in the laundry room.

The small dog and her puppy lived thru the violent tornado that ripped apart their home.
Chriss roommate found the puppy the next day, but it would be three more days before the mama was foundhellip;

and then, kept looking for her, and thank God somebody picked her up.

Chriss dog Zeena was the 1st pet after the tornado hit to be brought to the Joplin Humane Society.
A volunteer walked by with a dog on a leash who had clearly just recently had puppies. Her babies hadnt been found.
The shelters executive director Karen Equino says some of the animals being brought in are injuredsome seriouslyand 12 veterinarians are volunteering to help them. Vet clinics are also on standby to helphellip;

We had one dog that needed an amputation–we dont have the equipment to do that here, so, but most of the minor cuts–we had one dog that actually had lost all of its toe nails because it was down in a storm drain and trying to dig its way out of there, and thank God it was rescued because it would have drowned, but its been very heart wrenching to see the stories, hear the stories, and, but its so rewarding when the families are reunited with their four-legged friends.

A clinic just off the main lobby is where injured animals are treatedhellip;

After theyre fixed up here, and if theyre stable, they go back into our kennels and then the vet techs are going in and monitoring them, making sure theyre ok, giving them their medications.

A large black and white dog cowers in a cage in the corner. He was severely injured in the tornado. His owners have identified him but dont have a place to care for him. Hell stay at the Humane Society until his owners can take him home.
Next door to the Joplin Humane Society in what was once an empty warehouse is where the ASPCA has set up an emergency shelter capable of holding 500 plus animals. That way the pets are in a central location and can hopefully be reunited with their owners…

Rescue groups from out of state are just arriving in Joplin, going in, scooping up animals and taking them back to their state, which is just–people cant find their animals. A lot of people dont even have cars to go look or computers, and they say, well, were posting them on our websites–there must be I dont know how many thousands of rescue organizations in the country, and its cruel and inhumane, in my opinion, to ask these displaced families to go to a computer someplace and look through thousands and thousands of websites to try to find their beloved pets.

Police are on alert to watch for rescue groups that arent authorized to capture the animals. The Humane Society of Missouri has a team on the ground thats also on the lookout and Joplin, Taney County and Jasper County Animal Control is also patrolling the destroyed area.
Aquino says to have lost everything and then not be able to find your pet on top of that is devastating.
If youd like to help, the Joplin Humane Society is in need of monetary donations. Theyve received plenty of food and in fact are planning to distribute what they dont need to victims of the tornado who have pets.
The Humane Society of Southwest Missouri in Springfield could use donations of cleaning supplies such as bleach and paper towels.
Its director Leslie Thurman also encourages people thinking about adopting a pet to consider doing so now to free up space.
If youve lost a pet in the tornado, theres a website you can visit to view rescued pets. Its joplinhumane.org.
You can also visit the shelter at 140 Emperor Lane 8 am to 8 pm every day of the week.

Related Items:
Humane Society Breaks Ground on New Facility
Southwest Humane Society to Close South Cambell Location
Over 300 Malnourished, Injured Animals Removed From SW Missouri Property
Cold Weather Pet Care
Animal Shelter and Rescue Groups Work Together

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — The economy and jobs will be front and center this week — whether investors like it or not.

The agenda is heavy on economic reports and culminates with the release on Friday of the governments monthly jobs report.

CNNMoneys survey of economists forecasts that the US economy created 178,000 jobs in May, down from 244,000 jobs a month earlier. The unemployment rate is expected to tick down to 8.9 percent from 9 percent.

While always closely watched, this report will be especially critical.

Stocks are on pace to have their worst month in a year after several pieces of economic data came up short of expectations.

Weekly claims on jobless benefits, a real-time indicator of the labor market, have remained stubbornly above 400,000 for seven weeks. Meanwhile other measures of the health of the economy, such as pending home sales and gross domestic product, have also been disappointing.

It looks like the foot is coming off the economic accelerator, said Fred Dickson, chief investment strategist with DA Davidson amp; Co.

Several market observers said they expect that stocks will continue to decline heading into the summer, particularly as investors prepare for the end of the Federal Reserves quantitative easing program in June.

Other closely-watched data out this week will be the Institute for Supply Managements manufacturing and service sector reports and the Commerce Departments factory orders report.

US stock and bond markets are closed on Monday in observance of Memorial Day.

Tuesday: The Chicago Purchasing Managers index will be released at 9:45 am ET, followed by the Conference Boards consumer sentiment data at 10 am

Economists surveyed by Briefing.com expect that the Chicago PMI index fell to a reading of 62.5 from Aprils 67.6, while consumer confidence rose to 66.3 from 65.4.

Also out on Tuesday is the Samp;P Case-Shiller home prices report, which is expected to show that home prices fell 3.4 percent in March.

Wednesday: The first of this weeks jobs-related economic reports will be released on Wednesday: ADP private-sector employment at 8:15 am and Challenger job cuts at 7:30 am

Both sets of data are typically used to forecast the governments monthly jobs data, which is out on Friday. For the ADP report, economists expect that private employers created 170,000 jobs in May.

At 10 am, the Institute for Supply Management will release its May manufacturing index and the Commerce Department will issue its April construction spending report.

The ISM Index is expected to slip to 57.6 from Aprils reading of 60.4, while construction spending is expected to decrease 0.5 percent.

The major auto manufacturers also release their May sales figures on Wednesday, starting at around 11 am

Thursday: The Labor Department will release the initial jobless claims report at 8:30 am, as well as first quarter productivity figures.

Weekly jobless claims are expected to fall to 413,000, while first-quarter productivity figures will remain unchanged at 1.6 percent growth.

Also out on Thursday is the Commerce Departments April factory orders report, which is expected to fall 0.9 percnet.

Friday: All eyes on Friday will be on the May jobs report, out at 8:30 am

The Institute for Supply Management will put out its May services index at 10 am Economists are looking for the ISM services index to edge up to 53.3 from Aprils 52.8.