BASTROP, Texas — Scorching temperatures, strong winds and dry vegetation are turning Texas wildfires into fast and furious dangers that hop from place to place within hours, even minutes, and give residents little time to flee. Now it’s likely to get worse. Another La Nina weather pattern promises to bring drier, windier cold fronts in the months ahead, setting the stage for even more destructive blazes as the state prepares for autumn — traditionally its busiest wildfire season. “It’s the perfect conditions for a fire storm that just becomes very catastrophic, very intense and very difficult to control,” said Doug Piirto, head of the Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences Department at California Polytechnic State University. Read full article > >

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Texans wary as drought, heat, and La Nina create perfect recipe for more fast-moving wildfires

Ah Tysons Corner with your office towers and gigantic malls and…rich single people? Well if you listen to Money magazine , Tysons Corner trails only Manhattan Beach, Calif., as the best place in America to “hunt down the perfect mate” if you’re “looking for Mr. or Ms. Moneybags” (and only have one criterion for a spouse). Now does anyone actually live in Tysons Corner, which only recently got its own mailing address? Approximately 19,380 folks do, Money says, though finding them through the traffic maelstrom might be tough. Money acknowledges that most of the hot rich singles in Tysons are only there during work hours, “so mining for prospects is a 9-to-5 affair.” (Is this a hunting or a mining expedition? So confusing.) It also says 32.1 percent of Tysons residents are single, though it doesn’t say how many of those are under 70. Read full article > >

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Tysons Corner second hottest place for rich singles?

The critical elements needed for the perfect pop song

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How to win Eurovision

FINALE WATCH: “ 30 Rock ” (NBC at 10 p.m.) just completed 100 episodes and will march forward into Season 6. In the last episode of Season 5, Liz heads to the Hamptons for some much-needed vacation time but gets an unfortunate next-door neighbor — wild and crazy Tracy Jordan. Meanwhile, Jack seeks comfort while his wife is in captivity and decides Kenneth is the perfect replacement. Jennifer Lopez pulls double duty on “American Idol” (Fox at on Thursday night — not only is she a judge who has to make a shocked-and-sad face when another singer gets booted, but she fills the role as a results-show entertainer as she performs a song with rapper Pitbull. Plus, country trio Lady Antebellum sing their latest tune before the field is narrowed to the top four singers. Read full article > >

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TV Highlights: ‘30 Rock’ finale, new series ‘Pawn Queens’

“Say Hello to Zorro!” observes the relationship between old dog and new, while “Scritch-Scratch a Perfect Match” considers the relationship between dog and flea.

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Children’s Books: Dog’s Best Friend?

All the tools you need to pull the best shot at home every time Whether you’re a daily dripper or a post-dinner sipper, your preferred roast does play an important role in the espresso. But in the end the most important key to a great shot is the consistency. How do you maintain a perfect balance every time? The short answer is solid gear and attention to detail—good coffee is a science after all. I recently set out to source the top gear for making the perfect shot of espresso, soon realizing the daunting variety of machines, tampers and grinders on the market made so I turned to Chris Nachtrieb of Chris Coffee for help. Over the past 30 years, Nachtrieb has cultivated relationships with some of the industry’s best espresso machine producers and has become known for his extensive mechanical knowledge about how machines work. A huge proponent for improving espresso, Nachtrieb happily customizes machines to customer specifications. I was first drawn to the good looks of Quick Mill’s Vetrano machine, and after a few pulls was very pleased with the results. With further research, I realized in many high-end home espresso makers—the Vetrano included—a single boiler both heats the steam for milk and the water for espresso. These machines use heat exchange, meaning that inside the boiler 255

All the tools you need to pull the best shot at home every time Whether you’re a daily dripper or a post-dinner sipper, your preferred roast does play an important role in the espresso. But in the end the most important key to a great shot is the consistency. How do you maintain a perfect balance every time? The short answer is solid gear and attention to detail—good coffee is a science after all. I recently set out to source the top gear for making the perfect shot of espresso, soon realizing the daunting variety of machines, tampers and grinders on the market made so I turned to Chris Nachtrieb of Chris Coffee for help. Over the past 30 years, Nachtrieb has cultivated relationships with some of the industry’s best espresso machine producers and has become known for his extensive mechanical knowledge about how machines work. A huge proponent for improving espresso, Nachtrieb happily customizes machines to customer specifications. I was first drawn to the good looks of Quick Mill’s Vetrano machine, and after a few pulls was very pleased with the results. With further research, I realized in many high-end home espresso makers—the Vetrano included—a single boiler both heats the steam for milk and the water for espresso. These machines use heat exchange, meaning that inside the boiler 255

Chef Paul Heathcote shows Tim Muffet how to make the perfect pancake.

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VIDEO: How to make the perfect pancake

How much would you pay to find your perfect partner?’

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The price of love

Find the perfect fit with custom molded earbuds Custom-fitted to the unique shape of your ear in just four minutes, the Sculpted Eers earbuds from Montreal-based Sonomax deliver dynamic sound in an ultra-comfortable way. The DIY kit comes with easy instructions for achieving a perfect fit for either of their two models—a single speaker PCS-100 or superior dual driver PCS-200. The recently-launched earbuds will be available beginning spring 2011, and will sell for $200-300. To keep tabs on their arrival, follow Sculpted Eers on Twitter .

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Sculpted Eers

Course offered on holding the perfect royal wedding street party

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Knees-up

Ted Williams may not have been quite ready for the spotlight. The homeless man who rocketed to fame after a YouTube video captured his perfect radio voice was arrested at a hotel in Los Angeles Monday night. It appears to be from an altercation with…

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‘Golden Voice’ Williams Arrested in L.A.

This is what the perfect Christmas gift looks like. It is a thick but comfortable coat. Size XXL. Made of a fabric that’s warm but also a little slippery. The last bit is the most important part, Cathy Herman explained, as she roamed through the Bass Pro Shop at Arundel Mills mall.

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When time is the greatest gift, every day can be Christmas

Sometimes a few inches makes all the difference. After an unprecedented 19-race winning streak, Zenyatta lost in the Breeder’s Cup Classic on Saturday, sullying the perfect career that had been a major boost to a sport saddled with drugs and tragedies…

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Zenyatta Ends Undefeated Streak

A snowboarding band of friends introduce a new headphones line Hanging with the Frends crew means lots and lots of laughs, as I recently learned over dinner. The ” Frends ” are actually seven guys who regularly win professional (if not Olympic) snowboarding medals and since banding together in 2006 have become their own sort of self-entertaining traveling circus. Despite their penchant for making videos of each other pulling silly stunts or simply having a good time, they certainly know how to reign it in and focus on something they are passionate about—whether that’s on the mountain or designing their new collection of headphones. The latest addition to their eponymous fashion and accessories label, Frends co-founder Keir Dillon tells us headphones are the perfect fit for their crew because “There is nothing better than linking turns to your favorite music.” The collection includes four colorful styles—Classic (inspired by an old Marshall amp), Alli, Coupe and Clip—all affordable and meticulously designed to the Frends’ expectations, which is the earnest concern of making sure it’s done right. Dillon explains, “We wanted to find that balance of enough pop to express yourself, but also not so much that you look like a cartoon character walking down the street.” With fabric cords, enticing unisex colorways, iPhone and Blackberry compatible mics and custom tips for the ear buds, the headphones are the perfect blend of youthful zest with considered design. Initially trying each style, we’ve been road-testing the Coupe ear buds daily, listening to a variety of music genres through a variety of platforms. From computer to mp3 player, the earphones hold up, delivering an intense supply of dynamic sound for a relatively low price point (Coupes are $30). Creating a quality product at a price people can actually afford was a principal concern for Frends, who understand no one likes to settle and “strive to deliver all of our products with the features you want.” A “platform for ideas to grow from,” Frends plan to keep on delivering “innovative products that push what people expect out of their electronics” while allowing the consumer decide the future. Dillon explains, “If there is a demand for a certain product we will do our best to fulfill that demand.” Frends headphones come packaged in corrugated cardboard and biodegradable plastic and currently sell online from Zumiez and select Burton stores with prices spanning $30-60.

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Frends Headphones