Jon Winfreys business plan began with a stack of broken skateboard decks. And they werent even his.

Winfreys friend Ryan Vecchiarelli kept a big pile of worn out, busted decks in his room. Vecchiarelli could never figure out what to do with the wrecks, but he held onto them for years in case an idea struck him. Instead, inspiration struck Winfrey, who saw an ad for a pair of high-end sunglasses with wood frames and thought how cool it would be to make shades out of recycled skateboards.

Murphys Law intervened: By the time Winfrey told Vecchiarelli about his plan, those decks were in the trash. Still, the two friends, both 23, hunted down some busted boards, bought a scroll saw and a few other shop tools, and got to work.

It took three or four months to get anything decent, Winfrey said.

After playing around with what styles translated into plywood, they settled on a design reminiscent of classic Ray-Ban Wayfarers. The curves of the deck translate into the natural bends for the nosepiece and the arms of the glasses. A single board, depending on how busted it is, can yield four or five frames. The plywood frames are stronger than youd think, Vecchiarelli said, have a food-safe finish and, naturally, float.

The sunglasses are also plenty eye-catching, as the layers of plywood provide bands of color in the finished frames.

It started as a hobby, Winfrey said. The response was crazy everywhere we would go, people would stop us.

I had somebody offer me $150 for them off my face, Vecchiarelli said. He was like, Come on, man!

That enthusiasm led them to think about starting a business. Both Winfrey and Vecchiarelli loved shop class at Liberty High School, where they graduated a year apart.

Ive always wanted a career where I could make something out of wood, Vecchiarelli said.

Read more here:
Busted skateboards lead to vision of local business

Just outside the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, Briana and Tizoc DeAztlan scurried across a plant-filled pavilion in a golf car checking out their handiwork.

Obviously, we want things to look great, but we want people to be safe, Briana, owner of Eventscape International, said Wednesday as fans streamed into the stadium. Yesterday was extremely windy, so safety was priority No. 1.

The husband-wife team eyed a nearly 30-foot-tall Queen Palm fitted with weights hidden inside a large white planter box.

Eventscape's employees must ensure trees brought in to liven up the BNP Paribas Open and other events don't blow over in wind gusts that over the past week reached nearly 50 mph.

For Bermuda Dunes-based Eventscape, it's an engineering task mastered over two decades.

The company uses all kinds of trees, flowers, shrubs and planter boxes to dress up sporting events, concerts, weddings and corporate functions.

Eventscape presents clients with a design layout illustrating what their rented plants will look like during a special event. The company then installs the plants and keeps them healthy throughout the event.

Steven Burt, Briana's father and head of Steven Burt & Associates, started Eventscape more than 20 years ago and eventually turned it over to her. Burt still offers the couple advice and weather alerts for upcoming events.

It's a specialized niche for Eventscape, but not so special that there aren't competitors such as San Diego Interior Foliage. These companies provide foliage under tight deadlines, and they're often asked to make last-minute changes to accommodate vendors and event participants.

Eventscape provided a greenhouse look to the Coachella Valley's top tennis tournament well before its name was changed to the BNP Paribas Open.

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Bermuda Dunes landscaping business, Eventscape, decks out BNP Paribas Open

EMPORIA The tears began to flow shortly after the St. John High School Lady Tigers posed for the Class 1A Division-I second-place trophy picture on the hardwood at White Auditorium Saturday night. Hoxie limited St. John to only 26.7 field-goal shooting for the game and held on for a 55-45 victory over the Lady Tigers, who were making their third state appearance in the last four years. Senior standout Teresa Wade hit 5 of 11 shots, including a 3-pointer, and sank 2 of 3 free throws to finish with a team-high 13 points in the final game of her stellar career. But her St. John teammates were a collective 11 for 50 in the state title game, including shooting only 18.9 percent in the second half (7 for 37). I know my team played as hard as they could, said Wade, a recipient of countless hugs as she wiped away tears. I really appreciate their effort and they gave us a really good season, a really good career for me, and I really appreciate it. Wade drew two early fouls, having to go to bench at the 4:41 mark in the first quarter. We didnt give them a big lead or anything with Teresa out, St. John head coach Danny Smith said. We didnt play that bad, but the bottom line is they took away our best three players and told our other two to step up and shoot shots and we didnt do it. Thats why we had an awful hard time scoring, but Im proud of my girls and they had a good season. With Wade on the bench, Hoxie suddenly became careless with the basketball and committed eight turnovers in the opening five minutes, 39 seconds of the game, falling behind 13-8 at the 1:47 mark after St. Johns Jamie Waters converted two free throws. But Hoxie answered with Carly Heim hitting a 3-pointer and Gabriel Spresser scoring on a layup to knot the score at 13. St. John regained the lead, 14-13, after Waters made 1 of 2 free throws before Heim converted a pair on the other end, giving Hoxie its first lead of the game at 15-14 to end the first quarter. The Lady Tigers (23-3) never had the lead again. Wade, who re-entered at the start of the second quarter, nailed a 3-pointer from the right baseline to tie the game at 17 with 5:51 left before halftime. Thats when a barrage of 3s took place, including back-to-back from Mackenzie Mense, to give the Indians a 24-17 lead at the 4:24 mark. After Waters answered with a 3-ball from the left wing, Mense dropped in another from beyond the arc to build the margin to 27-19. They can shoot the 3 and they have been doing it all tournament, Smith said. Theyre just a real good team all-around. Tara Christies 3-pointer with at the 3:46 mark pulled the Lady Tigers within 27-22 before a three-point play by Carly Heim helped give Hoxie a 32-27 halftime lead. In the third quarter, St. John pulled within 38-33 on Wades three-point play, but the Tribe went on a 9-3 run to take a 47-36 lead after three quarters. Hoxie was able to maintain its lead the rest of the way to secure its first state title since winning the 3A crown in 1993 at the Hutchinson Sports Arena. St. John won the state title in 2009, finished third in 2010 and now has a second-place trophy to its collection. Thats what we talked about, Smith said. A lot of teams dont have an opportunity to play in this game. Were a little disappointed, but were still happy with our season.

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL Class 1A Division-I State Tournament

At Emporia White Auditorium

GIRLS

Championship

Saturday

Hoxie 55, St. John 45 ST. JOHN (23-3) Morgan Osborne 1-9 1-2 3, Jamie Waters 2-8 4-4 8, Teresa Christie 0-10 2-4 2, Alexis Witt 4-6 0-0 8, Teresa Wade 5-11 2-3 13, Tia Smith 0-5 0-0 0, Jessica Hanson 0-3 0-0 0, Haley Falk 2-5 0-0 4, Tara Christie 2-3 1-4 7, Rhian Collins 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-60 10-17 45. HOXIE (24-1) Mackenzie Mense 3-6 5-9 15, Shelby Heim 2-6 1-2 6, Kristina Farber 1-3 2-4 4, Carly Heim 6-12 5-6 18, Lexi Schamberger 2-5 2-2 6, Gabriel Spresser 1-2 0-0 2, Sarah Farber 0-1 0-0 0, Danel Stithem 1-2 0-1 2, Natasha Allmer 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 17-37 16-24 55. St. John 14 13 9 9 45 Hoxie 15 17 15 8 55 Three-point goals Hoxie 5-14 (Mense 3-4, S. Heim 1-4, C. Heim 1-4, Spresser 0-1, Stithem 0-1); St. John 3-18 (Ta. Christie 2-2, Wade 1-2, Osborne 0-3, Waters 0-2, Te. Christie 0-1, Smith 0-4, Hanson 0-2, Falk 0-2). Rebounds St. John 40 (Wade 7, Waters 7, Te. Christie 6); Hoxie 32 (C. Heim 7, Mense 5). Assists St. John 8 (Waters 3, Osborne 3); Hoxie 8 (C. Heim 3, Stithem 2). Turnovers Hoxie 19, St. John 14.

EMPORIA The tears began to flow shortly after the St. John High School Lady Tigers posed for the Class 1A Division-I second-place trophy picture on the hardwood at White Auditorium Saturday night. Hoxie limited St. John to only 26.7 field-goal shooting for the game and held on for a 55-45 victory over the Lady Tigers, who were making their third state appearance in the last four years. Senior standout Teresa Wade hit 5 of 11 shots, including a 3-pointer, and sank 2 of 3 free throws to finish with a team-high 13 points in the final game of her stellar career. But her St. John teammates were a collective 11 for 50 in the state title game, including shooting only 18.9 percent in the second half (7 for 37). I know my team played as hard as they could, said Wade, a recipient of countless hugs as she wiped away tears. I really appreciate their effort and they gave us a really good season, a really good career for me, and I really appreciate it. Wade drew two early fouls, having to go to bench at the 4:41 mark in the first quarter. We didnt give them a big lead or anything with Teresa out, St. John head coach Danny Smith said. We didnt play that bad, but the bottom line is they took away our best three players and told our other two to step up and shoot shots and we didnt do it. Thats why we had an awful hard time scoring, but Im proud of my girls and they had a good season. With Wade on the bench, Hoxie suddenly became careless with the basketball and committed eight turnovers in the opening five minutes, 39 seconds of the game, falling behind 13-8 at the 1:47 mark after St. Johns Jamie Waters converted two free throws. But Hoxie answered with Carly Heim hitting a 3-pointer and Gabriel Spresser scoring on a layup to knot the score at 13. St. John regained the lead, 14-13, after Waters made 1 of 2 free throws before Heim converted a pair on the other end, giving Hoxie its first lead of the game at 15-14 to end the first quarter. The Lady Tigers (23-3) never had the lead again. Wade, who re-entered at the start of the second quarter, nailed a 3-pointer from the right baseline to tie the game at 17 with 5:51 left before halftime. Thats when a barrage of 3s took place, including back-to-back from Mackenzie Mense, to give the Indians a 24-17 lead at the 4:24 mark. After Waters answered with a 3-ball from the left wing, Mense dropped in another from beyond the arc to build the margin to 27-19. They can shoot the 3 and they have been doing it all tournament, Smith said. Theyre just a real good team all-around. Tara Christies 3-pointer with at the 3:46 mark pulled the Lady Tigers within 27-22 before a three-point play by Carly Heim helped give Hoxie a 32-27 halftime lead. In the third quarter, St. John pulled within 38-33 on Wades three-point play, but the Tribe went on a 9-3 run to take a 47-36 lead after three quarters. Hoxie was able to maintain its lead the rest of the way to secure its first state title since winning the 3A crown in 1993 at the Hutchinson Sports Arena. St. John won the state title in 2009, finished third in 2010 and now has a second-place trophy to its collection. Thats what we talked about, Smith said. A lot of teams dont have an opportunity to play in this game. Were a little disappointed, but were still happy with our season.

More here:
Hoxie decks St. John, 55-45

Just outside the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, Briana and Tizoc DeAztlan scurried across a plant-filled pavilion in a golf car checking out their handiwork.

Obviously, we want things to look great, but we want people to be safe, Briana, owner of Eventscape International, said Wednesday as fans streamed into the stadium. Yesterday was extremely windy, so safety was priority No. 1.

The husband-wife team eyed a nearly 30-foot-tall Queen Palm fitted with weights hidden inside a large white planter box.

Eventscape's employees must ensure trees brought in to liven up the BNP Paribas Open and other events don't blow over in wind gusts that over the past week reached nearly 50 mph.

For Bermuda Dunes-based Eventscape, it's an engineering task mastered over two decades.

The company uses all kinds of trees, flowers, shrubs and planter boxes to dress up sporting events, concerts, weddings and corporate functions.

Eventscape presents clients with a design layout illustrating what their rented plants will look like during a special event. The company then installs the plants and keeps them healthy throughout the event.

Steven Burt, Briana's father and head of Steven Burt & Associates, started Eventscape more than 20 years ago and eventually turned it over to her. Burt still offers the couple advice and weather alerts for upcoming events.

It's a specialized niche for Eventscape, but not so special that there aren't competitors such as San Diego Interior Foliage. These companies provide foliage under tight deadlines, and they're often asked to make last-minute changes to accommodate vendors and event participants.

Eventscape provided a greenhouse look to the Coachella Valley's top tennis tournament well before its name was changed to the BNP Paribas Open.

See the rest here:
Eventscape International decks out BNP Paribas Open

MANILA, Philippines Reining WBC super flyweight silver champion Sylvester Lopez successfully defended his title against Japanese foe Yuki Fukumoto in the Bakbakan sa Elorde card held in Paraaque City late Saturday.

Lopez knocked down the visiting Japanese in the third round before going for the kill in the fourth.

The referee halted the fight 19 seconds into the fourth round when Fukumoto dropped to the canvass for the second time.

"He has an awkward style, he's good and has power," said Lopez, who is ranked No. 5 by the WBO Asia-Pacific.

With the win, the 24-year-old Zamboanga Sibugay native gets a chance to face the winner between WBC champion Suriyan Sor Rungvisai of Thailand and Japans Yota Sato.

In the undercard, WBC youth light flyweight ruler Renan Tronco beat Ricky Oyan after four rounds.

Veteran campaigner Vinvin Rufino also halted Jestoni Pepito in the fifth round

Bakbakan sa Elorde is supported by Petron XCS, Ginebra San Miguel, Magnolia Pure Water and Fruit Juices. By Marlon Bernardino

See the original post here:
Lopez decks Japanese pug twice, wins in 'Bakbakan'

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban enjoys jokes. (Getty Images)UPDATE #1: Mark Cuban published a post on his personal blog discussing this matter on Friday afternoon. In the post, titled"Am I a Homophobe ?," the Dallas Mavericks ownercharacterizes the comment detailed below as "totally sophomoric" and writes that making it was a mistake. He alsoshares his thoughts on prejudice, his sense of humor and the challenges of "being the person I want to be." It's worth a read.

UPDATE #2: Deadspin's Erik Malinowski posted a recording of the relevant bit of audio on Friday afternoon, confirming the "you and your boyfriend" comment.

***

The final session of last weekend'sMIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference was intended to be an entertaining spectacle, kind of an easy comedown after two full days of high-minded discussion of advanced statistics. The main attraction? A live recording of "The B.S. Report," the ESPN podcast hosted by columnist and Grantland.com editor-in-chief Bill Simmons, where "The Sports Guy" would interview Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban.

Cuban is a slam dunk at Sloan. For one thing, he's an owner with a high-tech background whose Mavericks have long been at the vanguard of the NBA's analytics movement. Cuban brought in Roland Beech, the creator of advanced stat haven 82games.com, to consult for the team, and actually had Beech seated behind the bench, there to "interface" with Mavs coach Rick Carlisle, during Dallas' championship run.

Beyond that, of course, Cuban's famously quotable, liable to say just about anything when put in front of a microphone.Hence the podcast. Simmons and Cuban have publicly sparred before why not close down the conference with them stepping back into their rhythm for some good-natured banter?

From the start, though, something seemed a little off. As Simmons and Cuban began to talk, what was intended as jocular back-and-forth felt a little more adversarial than it seemed like it should. The vibe felt off.

And then, as Carly Carioli of the Boston Phoenix wrote in a blog post accompanying an excellent feature story on the conference, "the atmosphere turned even weirder."

... Cuban began telling the story of how he'd almost fired a Mavs employee for encouraging Dallas fans to do the wave. Cuban hates the wave. "I'd rather have 60 minutes of Kiss Cam," he said, to laughs. Simmons has long been on record as being a fan of the Kiss Cam [...] and piped up in favor of it. "I like the Kiss Cam," Simmons said.

"That's because you and your boyfriend are always on it," Cuban spat.

Read more from the original source:
On Mark Cuban’s gay joke about Bill Simmons, what the NBA does about it and ESPN scrubbing the decks (UPDATES)

The future for backyard decks has never looked better. Finally, a lifetime paver deck that does not require maintenance or replacing is available at a price that competes with a traditional cedar or composite deck.

Sault Ste Marie, ON (PRWEB) March 09, 2012

"The Paverdeck system is a game-changer that simply exceeds all other decking systems currently in the marketplace, said John Naccarato, president of Evolutiondeck Inc. The galvanized steel platform is designed to last at least 60 years and supports a wide range of stone or concrete pavers, readily available at any budget. Customers want affordability and confidence in their deck investment, which drove us to develop a more affordable concrete paver deck.

When you factor in the lifespan of the Paverdeck system, this type deck is actually less expensive than any traditional deck, and will hold its value over time because it does not need replacing, said Joe Severini, Evolutiondeck Vice President. The Paverdeck system is made with recycled steel content, is the only deck with a zero-carbon footprint during use, and is itself 100 percent recyclable. The Paverdeck system has the potential to save millions of acres of forests and will never see a landfill or incinerator.

Concrete or stone pavers can be applied in any pattern to provide a truly distinctive look at any budget, and generally concrete pavers come with a lifetime warranty. Concrete, stone and steel are the only materials with a proven history of surviving decades of exposure to the sun and weather note the Coliseum in Rome is over 1900 years old with walls made from stone held together with iron clamps. Backed with the industrys only 30-year structural warranty, there is not a traditional or composite/PVC deck that can outlast or outperform a Paverdeck.

Evolutiondeck Inc., an engineering company founded in 2007, has roots from the automotive and steel industries, and manufactures the Paverdeck system for custom and DIY installations. Material kits are available online or from regional dealers. For more information about the Paverdeck system, visit http://www.paverdeck.com, http://www.facebook/paverdeck, or contact mail(at)paverdeck(dot)com. Paverdeck is a registered trademark under license to Evolutiondeck Inc.

John Naccarato Evolutiondeck Inc. 1-800-725-5228 1 Email Information

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Lifetime No-Maintenance Paverdeck Redefines the Standard in Decking - Now Available at a Cost to Compete with ...

A Texas jury has cleared the way for US authorities to go after $330m in stolen investor funds sitting in frozen foreign bank accounts controlled by Allen Stanford, the convicted pyramid schemer.

The jury found on Thursday there was sufficient evidence the money in 29 accounts in Switzerland, Britain and Canada was some of the more than $7bn he stole from investors over 20 years.

Stanford, 61,was found guilty by the jury on Tuesday on 13 of 14 fraud-related counts, including swindling $7bn from about 30,000 investors around the world.

Stanford is due to be sentenced in his home state on Texas on June 14. Hecould face up to 20 years in prison on the most serious charges but could be looking at a life behind bars if the judge orders the sentences to run consecutively.

Stanford has spent the past three years in jail after being deemed a flight risk shortly after his February 2009 arrest.

Hisattorneys, Robert Scardino and Ali Fazel, said they plan to appeal his conviction after he is sentenced.

"Our client spent almost nine months in a mental facility in North Carolina before the trial. We had 30 days with a competent client,"Scardino said.

The trial was delayed after Stanford was declared incompetent in January 2011 due to an anti-anxiety drug addiction he developed in jail.

Prosecutors say Stanford ran a Ponzi scheme for 20 years in which he used the money from investors who bought certificates of deposit, or CDs, from his bank in the Caribbean island nation of Antigua to fund a string of failed businesses, bribe regulators and support his personal spending habits.

As a dual citizen of the US and the Caribbean country of Antigua and Barbuda, Stanford was known for his largesse, especially on the two paradise islands.

Original post:
US can go after stolen investor funds

Will Johnson (Centro-matic, South San Gabriel), Jay Farrar (Son Volt, Gob Iron, Uncle Tupelo), Yim Yames (My Morning Jacket, Monsters of Folk), and Anders Parker (Varnaline, Gob Iron)

JAY FARRAR, WILL JOHNSON, ANDERS PARKER AND YIM YAMES PAY HOMAGE TO WOODY GUTHRIE ON "NEW MULTITUDES" OUT FEBRUARY 28

Like a cadre of musical brothers finally coalescing after years on the road apart, Jay Farrar (Son Volt, Gob Iron, Uncle Tupelo), Will Johnson (Centro-matic, South San Gabriel), Anders Parker (Varnaline, Gob Iron) and Yim Yames (My Morning Jacket, Monsters of Folk) gratefully deliver New Multitudes, an intimate interpretation of American icon and musical legend Woody Guthrie's previously unrecorded lyrics.

Set to coincide with the centennial celebration of Woody Guthrie's birth year, New Multitudes will be released February 28 on Rounder Records as a 12 track release and a 23 track deluxe, limited edition. The limited edition features original Guthrie lyric sheets, the 12 track release, and 11 additional compositions recorded by Farrar and Parker. The album will also be available on vinyl.

Under the invitation of Nora Guthrie, Woody's daughter, to tour the Guthrie archives, each of the four songwriters were offered the chance to plumb and mine the plethora of notebooks, scratch pads, napkins, etc. for anything that might inspire them to lend their voices and give the words new life.

"These guys worked on an amazing group of lyrics" says Nora. "Much of it was culled from Woody's times in L.A. Lyric wise, it's a part of the story that is still mostly unknown. From Woody's experiences on LA's skid row to his later years in Topanga Canyon, they are uniquely intimate, and relate two distinctly emotional periods in his life."

The spirit of Guthrie may have been involved in more ways than one, as all four songwriters mentioned the immediate connection to the songs they chose, or as they would suggest, "chose them." The writing came together quickly, as if the mischief muse who originally penned them latched himself to each writer's grey matter upon first contact.

Read the original:
SUTC and extras - New Multitudes - Jay Farrar - Wilco mega post - clearing the decks

Kendall Marshall had 20 points and 10 assists, and No. 6 North Carolina beat No. 4 Duke 88-70 on Saturday night to win the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title.

Tyler Zeller had 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Harrison Barnes added 16 points for the Tar Heels (14-2, 27-4). They never trailed, and for the second straight year they rolled in a winner-take-all season finale with the ACC tournament's top seed on the line.

North Carolina shot 54.5 percent, built a 45-28 rebounding advantage and sent Duke to its deepest halftime deficit ever at Cameron Indoor Stadium - 24 points - while winning its seventh straight since last month's loss to the Blue Devils.

Mason Plumlee had 17 points, brother Miles Plumlee added 16 points and 11 rebounds and freshman Austin Rivers - the hero of that last meeting - had 15 points for the Blue Devils (13-3. 26-5).

Syracuse (17-1, 30-1) matched the Big East record for victories - Connecticut also won 17 conference games in 1995-96 - and the Orange also finished the regular season with 30 wins for the first time in coach Jim Boeheim's 36-year tenure.

No. 7 Missouri 81, Texas Tech 59: Kim English scored 20 points, Marcus Denman added 17 and Missouri hit a season-best 16 3-pointers to beat Texas Tech.

Denmon scored all his points in the second half, going 5 of 8 from 3-point range in the half, and Ricardo Ratliffe finished with 13 points and a career-high 15 rebounds.

The Tigers (14-3 Big 12, 27-4) slowly pulled away in the second half with 12 of their 3s coming after halftime. The win gave Missouri a school record for wins in the regular season.

No. 8 Marquette 83, No. 11 Georgetown 69: Jae Crowder had 26 points and 14 rebounds in his final home game, helping Marquette beat Georgetown and clinch the No. 2 seed in the Big East tournament.

Fellow senior Darius Johnson-Odom added 17 points for the Golden Eagles (14-4, 25-6). Marquette was 33 of 45 from the free throw line.

Read the original:
North Carolina decks Duke to win ACC title