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Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Teaser Tuesday
The rules:
Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
My teaser is from page 14 of Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook by Donald Maass.
"How do you build a larger-than-life character in your current manuscript? What does your protagonist say, do, and think that he, or we, would never, ever venture?"
Just for the record, I think the Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook is one of the all-time most useful books for writers. If you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend it.
Have you read the Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook? What are you reading right now? Care to share a teaser?
29 comments:
- Jen Daiker said...
You've definitely brought a good book to my attention!!!! Looks like my amazon order just got larger!
- Tue Sep 27, 06:40:00 AM
- Joanne said...
I like your sentence choice. I've done this with my work, having a character do something that the reader might like to do, but would never have the nerve to. It's a way of bringing imagination to life.
- Tue Sep 27, 07:10:00 AM
- salarsenッ said...
I have that book!! I've tabbed so many pages, the book practically doesn't close. Plus, the cover fell off. :)
- Tue Sep 27, 07:11:00 AM
- Old Kitty said...
Oooh I like the advice!! Thanks lovely Susan Fields! Take care
- Tue Sep 27, 07:26:00 AM
- Amy said...
Great teaser! I am definitely checking this one out - thank you for sharing! :)
- Tue Sep 27, 08:33:00 AM
- Carolyn V said...
Ohhh, great teaser. I love a good writing book. I'm going to have to check it out!
- Tue Sep 27, 09:51:00 AM
- Shannon O'Donnell said...
- Tue Sep 27, 09:53:00 AM
- Carol Riggs said...
Ha! I finally bought that book but I haven't read it yet! I may bring it to my SCBWI retreat next month and read it on my free time in the evenings. Thanks for the reminder! I've heard it's really good, and that's why I bought it. :)
- Tue Sep 27, 09:56:00 AM
- Alexandra Shostak said...
Interesting. I've never actually read that book--I'm picky with books on craft, but this one sounds pretty good! :) Thanks for sharing.
- Tue Sep 27, 10:05:00 AM
- Cherie Reich said...
Very good teaser. I've heard about the book, but I haven't read it yet. Perhaps I should soon. :)
- Tue Sep 27, 11:15:00 AM
- Talli Roland said...
I really must get that book. Thanks for sharing!
- Tue Sep 27, 11:18:00 AM
- A.L. Sonnichsen said...
I've read the book itself, but don't own the workbook. I've heard good things, though. You know what's funny? When I was querying, I found an agent at Donald Maass' agency who represented my genre, but I was too scared to query her!! I just couldn't do it! WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL totally intimidated me. :)
- Tue Sep 27, 12:11:00 PM
- Dawn Simon said...
I have to, have to, have to get that book! I already have THE FIRE IN FICTION, and I've heard Donald Maass speak a couple times. He really knows his stuff--so smart.
- Tue Sep 27, 12:36:00 PM
- Brian said...
I think my breakout character must be broke!
- Tue Sep 27, 12:37:00 PM
- Kelly Polark said...
I have that booK! I won it at Stina's blog. I actually brought it to Florida last week thinking I'd have time to work through it. I do plan to use it in October to plan for Nano!
- Tue Sep 27, 01:30:00 PM
- The Happy Whisk said...
It's Tuesday already? My gosh. Goes too fast.
- Tue Sep 27, 02:01:00 PM
- The Golden Eagle said...
I've heard of that book before, but never read it--thanks for the teaser! :)
- Tue Sep 27, 04:27:00 PM
- DEZMOND said...
well, that was a teasing sentence, wasn't it?
- Tue Sep 27, 04:40:00 PM
- Lynda R Young said...
interesting... I'll have to check out this book. Thanks for the tease :)
- Tue Sep 27, 04:48:00 PM
- Lydia Kang said...
That's a great thing to contemplate when writing. I liked Maass's book, it reinforced a lot of what I was already learning from my writer bloggy friends.
- Tue Sep 27, 07:29:00 PM
- Jemi Fraser said...
I think the man's a genius! :)
- Tue Sep 27, 07:44:00 PM
- alexia said...
I've heard so many good things about that book! I'll get it one of these days...
- Tue Sep 27, 08:37:00 PM
- Dianne K. Salerni said...
Okay, I've got my book all open to share my teaser sentences ... and I notice that none of the other commenters are sharing their sentences. Is this not what we're supposed to do???
Well, I'm gonna anyway. I don't have a page number, because it's on my Kindle, but this is from the middle of the free sample of Lindsay Buroker's steampunk novel, The Emperor's Edge:
"The bodies were charred into anonymity and still smoldering. Eight, Amaranthe counted as she walked around the pile, sodden floorboards creaking ominously beneath her feet."
Having read another book by Buroker which I thoroughly enjoyed, I'll probably go ahead and buy this one, too.
- Tue Sep 27, 08:50:00 PM
- Medeia Sharif said...
Fantastic questions. They've got me thinking. :)
- Wed Sep 28, 12:48:00 AM
- Deniz Bevan said...
That's not just a teaser, that's great advice! Must make sure my character is larger than life.......
- Wed Sep 28, 11:19:00 AM
- cleemckenzie said...
That is a great book for writers. I think it's time I reread some of it. Thanks for nudging me with your excerpt.
I'm reading Provenance and I loved this line on page 23."The world's gone mad,"Myatt told the professor. '"Art was never meant to be just a question of money."'
- Wed Sep 28, 03:48:00 PM
- Cynthia Chapman Willis said...
I love Writing the Breakout Novel and the accompanying Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook by Donald Maass! Great pick.
- Wed Sep 28, 04:08:00 PM
- Talei said...
Very good tip - I like it! Thanks for sharing! ;-)
- Wed Sep 28, 04:30:00 PM
- Margo Berendsen said...
I have that book because EVERYONE loves it and recommends it! But I read his Fire in Fiction first, so I haven't been as motivated to get into the Workbook. But you've just motivated me!
- Wed Sep 28, 05:43:00 PM


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Don't they know that the world is going to end that year? [wikipedia.org] What are they thinking?
What's stopping you? I make up tags all the time
Really? Not once have I ever applied any tag, not even the more standard/common/generic ones, refreshed the Slashdot main page, and seen my tag still in place. My personal user page shows that I used such a tag, but not the main page. I have Excellent karma, frequently receive mod points, and otherwise don't appear to be on any shitlists. I have never received a good explanation for this. Someone somewhere is able to tag stories and have it stay on the main page, else I wouldn't see them there. But no
I still am not entirely sure about this project -- there seems to be more of a reliance on technology as an end in itself, simply crossing fingers for some kind of digital third-world transformation to occur.
Instead of outcomes, they seem to be focusing on outputs, namely laptops distributed. But what are they supposed to do with them practically? Does it give them a pocket library, replacing books if not thousands of books? Will this help them with agriculture? Are there any structured curriculums for lear
It seems just to be a bunch of vague educational programs wrapped in sweet talk without any specific outcomes intended.
Hasn't that been the American way of education for the past century? We turned out better than they turned out, maybe they should pragmatically give our method a try? An amazing amount of effort has been applied to avoid making that frank admission.
I still am not entirely sure about this project -- there seems to be more of a reliance on technology as an end in itself, simply crossing fingers for some kind of digital third-world transformation to occur.
From the beginning, the OLPC project has been clear that it is an education project in which technolgoy is a means of enabling a particular mode of education, not a project in which technology is an ends.
Instead of outcomes, they seem to be focusing on outputs, namely laptops distributed. But what are t
"If you want to see how this turns out, look at America's school system, for example, where there's been at least a 20-year focus on giving every child a computer for the sake of it. Granted, some school systems use technology in an excellent fashion. But how many billions were spent on computers that did nothing more than, on occasion, provide a replacement for typewriters when students needed to type a proper paper?"
US students have no real economic incentive to learn (being poor here is inconvenient but
Weren't these prices posted when OLPC first came out?
Negroponte, please.
At 3x the projected cost, and 4x the timeframe..
Hi, I'm from 2015. It's 7x the timeframe now.
This is about half the price of a PS3. Is it realy that good of a value for what you get, expecially since you cannot buy one in the US, just to mess around with, for that price.
Oh well, just imagine a beowulf cluster of them anyway.
But in 2012 I will no longer be a child
Panasonic Toughbooks? Yeah, but they start at several thousand dollars for the rugged ones...
Personally, I'd just as soon buy 3 of these (even at the $300 they'll come out at) than spend 4 times that for the 'rugged' one. That, or I'd pick up a used Toughbook.
It doesn't need to be a super-powerful computer which can... calculate Pi to 1 million digits in 30 seconds. The most processor-intensive task it should have to handle is handwriting recognition.
Calculating pi to a million digits is a lot easier for the average computer than performing good handwriting recognition.
People have some pretty warped ideas about what is simple and easy vs. what is complicated and difficult.
I totally agree that tablets are not all they are cracked up to be (Keyboards ftw!) but in the context of the OLPC they make the most sense. They have the less parts/meterials and you have to remember that the OLPC computers are not used like standard laptops and are made to provide computing to people with minimal education and encourage interaction between the youngsters.
They make music, draw and play games more than word processing in a very hands on fashion. Tablets are also very much like a book - th
Different hardware models every year, different complete form factor when the tablet gets out... surely these people could take a page from the people who design for corporate laptop orders, and make a rugged model that simply doesn't change for 3-5 years? These poor countries have enough trouble paying for these up front without having to worry about not being able to cannibalize parts among the models when some break.
Not to mention the possibility that the hardware user interface may change enough among the models to require some extra training for teachers of classrooms with mixed hardware.
Oh, and will it will be harder to care for tablets, which don't have a protective cover over them when being carried around? They might be "unbreakable," but what about unscratchable?
over at PC World [pcworld.com]. Actually, I like the idea of the XO-3. Sure, it's totally blue-sky, but it's great to have at least one outfit taking a completely clean-slate design approach to mobile computing.
I like the hinged-panel XO-2 and MS Courier better, however. I think it's just more practical to have one part of the screen that can tilt up into the light. That said, the ring thingy of the XO-3 is interesting, too. I hadn't really thought about the mechanics of trying to hold a panel with one hand while touching with the other.
Remember 10/GUI [10gui.com], Clayton Miller's 10-fingered touch screen interface? Imagine a flexible 10/GUI touch pad that could be pulled out from under the XO screen. That might be interesting.
CherryPal just announced it's Africa Netbook available for sale today through it's website for a retail price of just $99, something that OLPC had promised years earlier and failed to deliver upon. While it is certainly not developed to live up to the specifications of the XO, the Africa Netbook does boast:
7-inch display
400MHz processor
256MB memory
2GB flash storage
Linux or Windows CE
4 hour battery
It all sounds so fantastic, that all children should have access to a laptop.
Well, recently I was in the tiny Pacific country of Niue, where every child actually has a laptop.
More than that, basically the entire nation (of 1,500 people) is a wireless hotspot, so every child can access the internet.
But don't be misled, the laptops given to the children perform about three functions. They do connect to the internet, but even doing something as simple as a google search is next to impossible, because the speed
Shall we... play... a game?
"An open mind has but one disadvantage: it collects dirt." -- a saying at RPI

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Quick 10: 10 Campaign Fashion Choices
With campaign attire in the spotlight, what apparel choices are candidates and their spouses making? Whether they buy the with their own money or campaign funds, here are some of the fashion trends among the political elite.
1. Kawasaki, the Japanese company that makes Sarah Palin's iconic eyeglasses, received as many orders in 10 days for the frame as it does in a year.
2. Minnesota's Pacificier baby boutique is also cashing in on the publicity about Trig Palin's romper.
3. Sarah Palin debuted as the VP candidate in an Italian designer Valentino top, but her beaded earrings were handmade in Alaska by her mother-in-law.
4. Palin likes Patagonia outerwear, but the brand was quick to distance itself from the VP candidate.
"Just wearing the clothing of an environmental company does not necessarily make someone an environmentalist," said Patagonia rep Jen Rapp.
5. Daughter Piper Palin carries a Louis Vuitton purse, but it's a fake.
6. John McCain sports Italian designer Ferragamo shoes. Meanwhile, Sarah Palin and Paris Hilton have the same taste in Naughty Monkey shoes.
7. Cindy McCain favors U.S./Dominican Republic designer Oscar De La Renta, which she and Laura Bush both wore at the convention.
8. Barack Obama's preference for Hartmax suits was a boon to sales for the largest suit maker in the U.S.
9. Michelle Obama wore a blue dress by Chicago-native designer Maria Pinto to the convention, and an off-the rack Donna Ricco dress for her appearance on The View.
10. Joe Biden always wears a flag pin and his trademark grin.


text:
There are few countries like Finland. Certainly not many places in the world can lay claim to thousands of miles of lakes and awe-inspiring natural phenomena like the Midnight Sun and Aurora Borealis. Finland has this and so much more.
The north of the country is home to some of Finland's most thrilling adventures. From October through to April it truly is a winter wonderland with an exciting range of activities from skiing to snow safaris, skating, snowmobiling and wilderness barbecues.
The Arctic outer reaches encompass Finnish Lapland where winter brings long hours of twilight. It's to this mystical frozen wonderland that thousands flock before Christmas each year to meet Santa Claus.
Later in the season, Finland's skies fire up with a multicoloured blaze of light as the Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, take hold. This incredible natural event is created by the collision of atoms with energy-charged particles in the high altitude atmosphere and sends green, pink, blue and red light shooting across the night sky.
As spring blooms over Finland the country wakes to bright, sunny days graced by the season's flowers. This is the perfect time to explore the Lakeland region, a hilly, forest-covered plateau at the centre of the country created by glaciers. It's home to more than 187,000 lakes, which are a perfect playground for swimming, boating and fishing.
The region's capital Jyväskylä sits at the crossroads of three major waterways and is home to the world's greatest array of functionalist buildings by renowned architect Alvar Aalto.
Finland's cities are exhilarating places to visit and many have been awarded European Capital of Culture status in recent years.
Take Helsinki, a capital that mixes trendy bars with contemporary art galleries and museums, while the archipelago that surrounds it has hundreds of tiny islands creating an idyllic place for cruising. An unmissable sight is the stunning old sea fortress of Suomenlinna, which now houses museums, restaurants and theatres.
Sitting between two lakes, Tampere is one of its up and coming cities. It has an industrial past but now many of its old commercial sites have been transformed into bars and restaurants. It also benefits from a beautiful cathedral and a host of picturesque churches.
Modern Turku on the south west coast was rebuilt after fire destroyed much of the city in 1827. Thankfully it still enjoys some history with a castle dating back to the 1280s – one of its most visited sights.
Travel to Finland is becoming increasingly easier with flights to Helsinki from most major European airports. From there internal flights are available to Tampere, Rovaniemi, Turku, Kuusamo and other main towns and cities.
Driving in Finland is easy as it has a good road network and all hire cars are fitted with snow tyres. There's also an extensive rail network running across the country, and even stretches into the outer reaches of the north.


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The Reds have struggled for consistency under manager Brendan Rodgers this season, having picked up just 28 points from 20 matches. However, club captain Gerrard is confident that his side can be buoyant about a better second half of the campaign.
"Going into the New Year, there's plenty to be positive about," he said.
"I'm excited about this Liverpool team. I genuinely believe we are moving in the right direction.
"There will be a few blips along the way, like the Villa defeat, because we are a very young squad.
"But clubs are defined by how they react to adversity and I know this group shares plenty of character and togetherness. As a collective, we will learn and we will get better.
"The league position needs to be improved and that needs to be our focus. But we've got games in two major cup competitions to look forward to as well."
Liverpool defender Daniel Agger too believes that he and his team-mates should start the New Year with a positive outlook.
"The league position is not the best and we want to improve that," he said.
"The only way to do that is to win some games.
"Beating QPR [on Sunday] was a step towards that and now we need three points against Sunderland.
"It doesn't matter how, we just need to get the three points. That's the most important thing now.
"It's about one game at a time. We are in a place where we aren't happy and where we are in the table now is not good enough and we want to get higher.
"And the only way to get that is to get three points every week, or at least try to get three points every week."
Source: team_talk


text:
Black Sox sweep Russellville
BRYANT – Along with former Bryant Hornet, Bryant Black Sox, and Arkansas Razorback pitcher Trent Daniel (drafted in the 17th round to the Colorado Rockies) in attendance, the Bryant Black Sox swept a two-game series against Russellville by scores of 3-2 and 4-1 on Monday at Bryant Hornet field.
"It was nice to be at home," Bryant Black Sox Coach Darren Hurt said. "They were into the game and intense and I think it helped us defensively. Our pitching is doing a great job. We're getting ground ball after ground ball and if we make plays behind them, we're not going to have to score as many runs."
Game 1
The visitors from Russellville struck first early in the opening game. An error allowed Jordan Haas to reach second base safely on the first at-bat of the game. A sacrifice bunt moved him to third and he was brought home on an RBI single by Cody Underhill. Russellville added its last run in the second inning with an RBI single from Haas.
Bryant (10-1) answered back in the bottom half of the third inning with its first run of the day. An error allowed second basemen Korey Thompson to reach second base safely. A fly out to right field allowed Thompson to advance to third and he would score on a wild pitch later in the inning. Bryant took the lead in the bottom half of the fifth inning. Starting pitcher Ozzie Hurt doubled to left field to open the inning and a wild pitch allowed Hurt to move to third. He would be brought home on a sacrifice bunt from catcher Hayden Lessenberry. The Black Sox took the 3-2 lead on a bunt single from centerfielder Hayden Daniel and used good defense and pitching to close out Russellville the last two innings.
Hurt earned the win after pitching 5.1 innings allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits with a walk and two strikeouts. Nate Rutherford earned the save after pitching 1.2 innings allowing no runs and no hits with no walks and one strikeout.
The Black Sox were led offensively by Daniel, who finished 2 for 3 with an RBI. Russellville was led by Hass who finished 1 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored.
Game 2
The visitors from Russellville once again struck first in the opening inning. A single from Mitchell Mullen put a runner on with one out. He moved to second on a groundout and was brought home on an RBI double from Corey Hottinger. Bryant answered back with two runs in the bottom half of the third inning. A leadoff walk to second baseman Korey Thompson was followed by an error to put runners at first and third with no out. A sacrifice bunt from shortstop Ozzie Hurt allowed Thompson to score and third basemen Trevor Ezell was able to score from first when the throw sailed past first base and into foul territory.
Bryant added another run in the fourth inning after an RBI single from catcher Zach Graddy scored right fielder Chase Tucker. The Black Sox added an insurance run in the bottom half of the sixth inning when first basemen Blake Patterson scored from third base on a balk by Russellville pitcher Jordan Haas. Bryant's defense and pitching once again helped close out Russellville and preserve the win. Starting pitcher Devin Dupree earned the win after four innings, allowing one run (earned) on three hits with no walks and one strikeout. Tryce Schalchlin picked up the save after pitching three innings allowing no runs and one hit with no walks and two strikeouts.
The Black Sox were led at the plate by Graddy, who finished 2 for 3 with an RBI while Patterson added a 2 for 2 performance with a run scored. Russellville was led by Hottinger who finished 1 for 3 with an RBI.


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The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) recently released the main text and statement of reasons for its proposed referendum on the continued construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in Gongliao District (貢寮), New Taipei City (新北市), in an attempt to force the decision to hold a referendum through the legislature.
The problem is that the Referendum Act (公民投票法) stipulates that more than half of all eligible voters, 9.13 million people, must vote for a referendum to be valid. No referendum has been passed in Taiwan, and even the two referendums on the name Taiwan should use to seek UN membership, held conjointly with the 2008 presidential election, failed because less than half of all eligible voters voted.
For the same reason, a nuclear referendum held under the regulations of the Referendum Act will never pass, regardless of how the referendum question is phrased. Not only will this bring us back to square one, it will also provide a public opinion basis for the plant's continued construction.
The KMT first argued that the nuclear power plant was safe, and after it failed to gain the public's trust, it decided to manipulate public opinion through a referendum in an attempt to justify its plans for continued construction. Under the KMT's manipulation, the issue of the plant has taken a backseat to political wrangling and people's safety has been sacrificed. The Fourth Nuclear Power Plant is not a zero-sum game, nor is it about political plotting.
Last year, environmental protection groups initiated a draft amendment to the Nuclear Reactor Facilities Control Act (核子反應器設施管制法) in the legislature that would add an article, Article 6-1, to the act. According to the proposed amendment, a mandatory, local referendum bypassing the Referendum Act should be held in the areas within a 50km radius of the plant before a nuclear reactor is built, nuclear rods are installed or a plant becomes operational.
Such an "evacuation zone clause" would be the best way to get back to the most fundamental issues surrounding the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant. Given that the right to life supersedes economic rights and everything else, residents within a 50km radius of the nuclear power plant have the right to have a say on the issue.
Therefore, residents of Taipei, New Taipei City, Keelung and Yilan County — the four areas that would be directly affected if a nuclear disaster occurred — should be allowed to vote in a referendum that requires only a simple majority to pass. This draft has already been submitted to the legislature for review and was approved to go to a second reading. This would not only resolve the deadlock between the ruling and the opposition parties over the referendum issue, but would waste fewer social resources.
After all of the problems and dangers surrounding the planning and construction of the plant, Taiwanese are worried that the plant will bring terrible disaster if construction is not halted. Therefore, we cannot allow the unreasonable Referendum Act to take away the public's right to choose when it comes to the plant and sacrifice the right to life of the residents of Taipei, New Taipei City, Keelung and Yilan County.
The "evacuation zone clause" will not only be capable of ending all the troubles caused by debate on the Referendum Act while refocusing society back on the crux of the problem — the construction of the plant — it can also test whether the KMT, Premier Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) and lawmakers truly care about the issues surrounding the plant or whether they are just using them for political purposes.


text:
The Institute communicates its scientific and educational information in a number of ways. One major outlet is peer-reviewed publications and reports. Cary Institute staff regularly publish in the best-rated journals in their respective fields.
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Effects of different submersed macrophytes on sediment biogeochemistry", Aquat. Bot., vol. 56, p. 233-244, 1997., "
Facilitation of phosphate assimilation by aquatic mycorrhizae of Vallisneria americana Michx", Hydrobiologia, vol. 343, p. 35-41, 1997., "


text:
late 13c., from Old French pissier "urinate" (12c.), from Vulgar Latin *pissiare, of imitative origin. To piss away (money, etc.) is from 1948. Related: Pissed; pissing. Pissing while (1550s) once meant "a short time."
He shall not piss my money against the wall; he shall not have my money to spend in liquor. ["Dictionary of Buckish Slang, University Wit and Pickpocket Eloquence," London, 1811]
late 14c., from piss (v.). As a pure intensifier (piss-poor, piss-ugly, etc.) it dates from World War II. Piss and vinegar first attested 1942. Piss-prophet "one who diagnosed diseases by inspection of urine" is attested from 1620s. Piss proud "erect upon awakening" is attested from 1796.
Anger; indignation: There's a basic, well-justified piss-off all over the country (WWII armed forces)
Of wretched quality; piss poor: Europe is a piss place for music (1970s+)
Related Terms
eyes like pissholes in the snow, full of piss and vinegar, not have a pot to piss in, panther piss, tickle the shit out of someone
combining word
A term placed before an adjective to intensify its meaning: piss-awkward/ piss-elegant/ piss-poor/ piss-ugly (1940s+)


text:
posted by Thom Holwerda on Thu 18th Jul 2013 22:12 UTC
The Verge, reporting that Microsoft lost almost a billion dollars with Surface RT, in this quarter alone. "At the end of the day, though, it looks like Microsoft just made too many Surface RT tablets - we heard late last year that Microsoft was building three to five million Surface RT tablets in the fourth quarter, and we also heard that Microsoft had only sold about one million of those tablets in March." That's catastrophically bad.


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Abbott Labs (NYSE:ABT) is one of the largest healthcare firms in the U.S. It spun off its proprietary pharmaceutical division as Abbvie (NYSE:ABBV) earlier this year and is now left with four main business divisions - Nutritionals, Diagnostics, Vascular and Generic Drugs. In addition to these four divisions, it also has a portfolio of diabetes care, medical optics and other healthcare products.
In some of our previous articles, we have discussed the Nutritionals, Diagnostics and Generic Drug businesses in detail, but the vascular division has received relatively less attention. In this article we take a closer look at the business.
What Are The Major Vascular Products?
Abbott's Vascular division is in the business of manufacturing and selling coronary, endovascular, vessel closure and structural heart devices. Some of its more notable devices include:
- The Xience family of drug-eluting coronary stent systems
- Absorb, a drug eluting coronary scaffold which gets dissolved within the body
- Multi-Link metallic coronary stents
- Trek and Voyager, two varieties of coronary balloon dilatation products
- MitraClip, a new kind of device for correcting heart valve defects.
In the U.S. these devices are sold directly to hospitals but in international markets Abbott may also use distributors, depending on the characteristics of particular markets.
What Is The Vascular Market Like?
We estimate that the global vascular market is around $12 billion, with some other estimates as high as $15 billion, and we expect it to grow at around 6% annually over the next several years. The market is extremely competitive, as several major players compete primarily on technological advancements, efficacy and price.
What Is Abbott's Market Share?
Abbott has been an innovator in this segment, but some of its products have remained under pressure over the last few years due to intense competition and new product launches by competitors. As a result its revenues have lagged the growth of the market and its market share has been steadily declining. According to our estimates Abbott's market share in the global vascular market declined from 32% in 2010 to 26% in 2012.
Going forward, we expect the rate of decline in Abbott's market share to moderate as some of its newly launched products continue to grow. Specifically, we are optimistic about the future of products such as Xience, Absorb and MitraClip. Abbott has recently also acquired a stent manufacturing company called IDEV technologies to boost its market share.
Here is a brief look at the division's products:
Xience: Xience is Abbott's new range of drug-eluting stents. It comprises four sub-types: Xience V, Xience PRIME, Xience nano and Xience Xpedition. The company has been developing this franchise over the last few years, and it currently leads the drug eluting stent market globally. The franchise was one of the major revenue drivers of Abbott's vascular division in Q3 2013, and we expect it to continue doing so in the near future as it is launched in more countries.
Absorb: Absorb is the first-of-its-kind vascular scaffold for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), the most common type of heart disease in the world. Its specialty is that it gets dissolved within the body after its useful life, thereby eliminating the need for a surgery to extract it. The device has seen impressive uptake in Asia despite its higher prices, and we expect that to continue in other markets when it launches there. Abbott started clinical trials for the product in the U.S. and Japan in January and June this year, respectively. [1]
MitraClip: MitraClip is an implantable device for treating patients with mitral regurgitation, one of the most common heart valve conditions which affects almost 1 in 10 individuals aged 75 and older. It is already available in various markets following European CE Mark approval in 2008, and was recently launched in the U.S. in October. [2] The device has been proven to reduce re-hospitalization rates and improve the quality of life in patients, and we expect its sales to continue increasing going forward on the back of increased demand. [3]
IDEV Technologies: IDEV Technologies is a stent manufacturing company that Abbott purchased in August this year for $310 million, net of cash and debt. [4] Its flagship stent, called SUPERA Veritas, already sells in Europe for treating blockages in blood vessels due to peripheral artery disease (PAD), a sickness that ails 27 million people in Europe and North America. In the U.S. this stent is under FDA review for the treatment of the superficial femoral artery (SFA), which is "the largest and fastest-growing segment of the peripheral market driven by the rising rates of diabetes and obesity". [5] [6] Once approved, we expect SUPERA to be as successful in U.S. as it is in Europe due to latent demand in the market.
Disclosure: No positions.


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Area bicyclists from near and far can head to the streets and area roads on July 20 for the annual Z Tour Bike Ride sponsored as a fundraiser for the Zearing Child Enrichment Center in Princeton. The event begins at Princeton's Zearing Park on South Euclid Avenue and will offer the registrant's choice of a 10-mile, 29-mile, 40-mile, 50-mile, 62-mile or 100-mile ride on specified routes throughout Bureau County.
The daytime ride will feature themed refreshment stops along the routes, as well as moibile emergency first aid, water, air and bike transportation. At the conclusion of the ride, each rider will be provided a complimentary lunch at Zearing Park. Additionally, a limited quantity of Z Tour Bike Ride dri-fit sport T-shirts and cycling socks will be available for purchase. A commemorative Z Tour Bike Ride jersey will also be made available for purchase.
To register and ride in the event, visit z-tour.org or the Facebook page — Z Tour Bike Ride. Questions can be sent via email to firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Classic Cut
25 June 2012
Nina Rajarani MBE speaks to Shobana Jeyasingh MBE
Nina Rajarani MBE speaks to Shobana Jeyasingh MBE about Shobana Jeyasingh Dance's new production Classic Cut which has just completed a successful tour of the UK this spring and is touring internationally in the latter part of 2012 and next year.
In 2013 Shobana Jeyasingh Dance celebrates 25 years of innovation and to celebrate this important landmark in the company's history, an exciting three-year programme of artistic work has been created, as well as education, participation and learning. The first work in this programme is Classic Cut.
Classic Cut revisits the past and takes a bold step into the future. The ISTD South Asian Dance Faculty has written syllabi for Kathak and Bharatanatyam dance examinations along similar lines – making age-old classical dance traditions relevant today – which is why this production by Shobana Jeyasingh Dance drew the Faculty's attention in particular.
NR: Originally, you started choreographing for your company using primarily Bharatanatyam vocabulary. Since then you have been incorporating other styles of movement, including western classical and contemporary styles and martial art. What has inspired these choices in vocabulary?
SJ: I see choreography as creating a narrative for the body. In my case I wanted to create a body that exhibits the cultural improvisations that I notice on an average bus in London. So I looked for dancers who are multilingual in dance techniques. The challenge is to find structural and aesthetic coherence in the face of multiplicity – this continues to keep me working!
Do you have a favourite?
Obviously Bharatanatyam is the technique that I feel at home in; its use of weight and its use of detail are always present in my choreographic choices. Although the rhetoric of the dance may be absent in what I have made I think its core script is always present, like the foundation of a building that is unseen but underpinning everything.
Classic Cut engages a cast of dancers with Bharatanatyam training specifically. How does it look different to your recent works?
As it is written with such a specific classical technique it is bound to be different to the broadly contemporary work that I have made recently. As the name implies, it is classical but it also incorporates an attitude to the classical.
Configurations use Bharatanatyam mainly in the vocabulary of the dance but the choreographic structures are personal and invented. There was at times a tension between what I wanted to do compositionally and what the technique allowed me if I wanted to be faithful to it and mostly I chose the latter.
Dev kahan hai? (Where is Dev?) was about using quotes from the Bharatanatyam nritya repertoire and seeing whether that could be used to say something about classicism in general. I expanded the sakhi role to a chorus (as in a Greek play) and used this to deconstruct the more classical nayika and nayaka. In the end it became a dialogue between both these parties where similarities emerged.
In your opinion, are there any limitations to the traditional Bharatanatyam vocabulary when creating such work?
All techniques have limitations. They won't be strong and specific if they allowed everything in. It is the rules of Ballet, Bharatanatyam, Tap dance and so on that give them their power. My dance work, Faultline, for instance, needed some dancers with Bharatanatyam expertise as well as other skills. The dancers that I choose tend to have the physical intelligence to read movements that may be unfamiliar and make it authentic to them. I also choose dancers who enjoy weighted movement and have an instinct for formal lines.
How would you sum your choreographic journey from the onset of your company to what you have become now? How radically do you think you have changed, if at all? When I watched Classic Cut, it almost felt as though you were making a full circle and that a dancer with exclusively Bharatanatyam training could once again find a place in your company.
I think I have been asking the same questions about structure and composition that I was when you danced in Byzantium! Hopefully I have got a bit better at answering these questions over the years! I have always been more interested in compositional strategies and designing movement than in the historical particularities of the various movement genres. Dev kahan hai? has a lot in common with Exit No Exit (a piece I made a few years ago) compositionally. What you have to choreograph with is so dependent on outside factors. On the other hand how you choreograph with whatever material – that is where the choreographic signature lies. There has never been a time when I have not wanted to choreograph on Bharatanatyam dancers.
Is there a more ready connection than was visible between Dev kahan hai? and Configurations to have paired them in the double-bill?
One is inspired by the nritta aspect and the other by the nritya aspect.
In Dev kahan hai? the abhinaya aspect of Bharatanatyam is evoked to show longing and anticipation. In Classic Cut, what inspired this shift to facially expressive/gestural movement from previous works where the body is more the means of expression?
In Dev kahan hai? I explored the nritya aspect of Bharatanatyam which I had not done before. Facial expressions obviously are integral to this. In Configurations, where the story of the dance was told through space and time, the face then became another physical adjunct, such as the limbs or the fingers.
What was the reasoning behind having the film prelude?
The film contained images that were generally evocative of a location (India, both classical and everyday) which were then looped to continue throughout the piece. The images were soft-edged and fluid and hopefully kept a sense of anticipation and a feeling of almost there but not quite. The letterbox format and the concertina screen gave the dynamic of the film a particular dream-like quality. Anticipation and longing are themes from Bharatanatyam that I wanted to evoke. The way the images functioned in the background also highlighted the dancers in the foreground.
Why the angular, panelled screen for the film when the dance itself was non-linear?
It made the images flow in a stylised way.
In Dev kahan hai? the two classical 'protagonists' were seen in lighter-coloured more lyrical costumes, with the female dancer wearing the full Bharatanatyam head jewellery; whereas the four other dancers forming the ensemble were in black, more edgy attire sporting sunglasses. How did you conceive the concept for the costumes?
Costumes are always a product of long research and trials by myself and the costume designer. The final colour decisions are often made with the lighting design in mind during technical week. The costumes are usually a way of communicating the themes and narratives of a piece and this was specially true in the case of Dev kahan hai?
Configurations is a work celebrated for bravura use of speed and stunning detail. For its latest version in Classic Cut does gender imbue the choreography with different qualities?
The gender balance rose from the availability of dancers. I don't think gender makes a difference to the essence of Configurations.
I found it ironic that Configurations, which is more grounded in classical Bharatanatyam vocabulary, gained the greater applause from the audience. To me, that made a statement about the place of the classical form.
Configurations is more direct and always draws a warm response from the audience. Michael Nyman's music is fabulous. Dev kahan hai? is more of a thoughtful piece and people respond to this in a different way – by asking questions.
How do you view the music-dance relationship if taking traditional Bharatanatyam as a departing point and has this influenced your choreographic choices?
Configurations was based totally on the literal relationship between music and dance. There is a beauty and a comfort in this synchronicity. In Dev kahan hai? music was used more impressionistically, like in a film, to create mood and location.
From the point of view of your overall artistic vision for the piece, could Configurations have worked equally well with a strong quartet of Indian classical musicians rather than live music by the Smith Quartet?
Configurations is like a tillana because the story is in the structure. Nyman's music is composed and scored for a string quartet with its particular arrangement of instruments. So, transposing it to Indian instruments would change it utterly, especially the harmonic dimensions. The piece would have also lost much of its artistic tension which comes from the juxtaposing of opposing traditions.
What avenues do you see traditional Bharatanatyam taking in a society that expects more cutting-edge choreography? And most importantly, from the point of view of the work of the ISTD and for dancers who may be trained exclusively in Bharatanatyam, what opportunities exist if they aspire to work with a company like yours?
There are successful choreographers such as yourself who provide work for classical dancers. Ideally there would be more classical dance companies (a Royal Bharatanatyam Company such as the Royal Ballet) who would do the repertoire that the dancers have worked at perfecting. I agree that there should be more opportunities for Indian classical dancers to do the type of work that they want to do – not everyone wants to do contemporary work. I don't think the contemporary neutralises the classical or vice versa. We all have different journeys that we want to make as artists and it remains a struggle to get started and to carry on journeying. Whether the audience want to see and witness our journeys is another question! The 'D' in Dance obviously stands for Difficult!
Nina Rajarani MBE


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Baby boomers will remember 1970's "The Greening of America," Charles Reich's bestseller praising small family farms, a helping central government, and a countercultural movement hippies could stand behind, if not too stoned.
Today's government collects cell phone data and uses airborne drones to spy on bad guys. Not that I have trouble with that; it's just unfortunate the world turned out more malevolent than green.
Any new invention can be used for good or evil; a can opener opens scrumptious black olives and bitter sauerkraut with equal conviction. Cell phones, originally bought to phone 911 when stuck in a snow ditch, now function as guilt machines for teens required to check in when getting to the party, when at the party and when leaving the party.
With our children in college, my wife, Tia, checked the weather over Ames, Iowa, and Champaign. It put me in mind of drones, weather.com her personal spy. Able to survey conditions from weather balloon height, she owned the land.
"It's 67 and partly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of rain in Ames," she'd announce from her laptop as I poured cereal.
"That's great," I'd mumble, as interested as Bruce Willis in his fifth Die Hard movie.
Tia is like many mothers – and fathers, but not, I suspect, to the same degree – who'd love her own drone.
Imagine this: After dropping off Junior and Missy, Mom drives back home or to work and pours a second cup of coffee. While it cools, from the cabinet above the stove or inside the filing cabinet, she lifts out her Satellite Exacted Co-operative Universal Regally Exceptional Log-on Ocular Operating Kingdom – or SECURELOOK – device.
Complete with gear shift, throttle and steering wheel, it resembles the Indy 500 game her husband and son play. When Mom switches hers on, however, she not only dominates a racetrack, but the entire planet.
Big Mother is watching.
With SECURELOOK's X-ray vision, the loving voyeur hovers over Missy's grade school, enjoying her precious choose Rustic Red from her 128-count crayon box to enflame her campfire drawing.
Next, Mom jets to Junior's middle school where she catches seventh-graders milling about their lockers. Suddenly, that smarmy creep, on whom she's been keeping her aerospace eye, races up behind Junior and delivers a bruising punch between his shoulder blades.
"Gotchyer back!" the bully screams.
Mom recoils. She should have gone into debt and bought SECURELOOK DLX, armed with 40 Bully-Repelling Anti-social Terminating – or BRAT – darts. Now, all she can do is report the incident to the counselors and wish she were blithe as her husband.
"Let 'em work it out on their own," Removed Dad would say. "Junior's gotta learn to fend for himself. It's a parent's job to push their kids into living independently."
Most parents find a middle ground between drone and ignore. Something like a blinking red bike light embedded into the back of their children's heads to make them stand out in a crowd of trick-or-treaters.
Nothing embarrassing. Just a precaution.
• Rick Holinger lives in the Fox Valley where he's taught high school since 1979. His poetry, fiction, essays, criticism and book reviews have appeared in numerous national literary journals. He founded and facilitates the St. Charles Writers Group, and has a Ph.D. in creative writing from UIC. Contact him at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Axford's note worthy of award
Brewers closer shows wit and perspective in message to media
By Mike Bauman | MLB.com Columnist | Archive 05/15/12 11:00 AM ET
The players of the past week were Josh Hamilton (American League) and Carlos Beltran (National League). Good for them. They both deserve the recognition. In fact, the way Hamilton is going, he could be the player of the millennium.
But quietly, humbly, I'd like to suggest another category, another award and another winner. It could be Perspective of the Week or, at least, Sense of Humor of the Week. And the hands-down winner would be John Axford, the closer for the Milwaukee Brewers.
The circumstances were diverse in their difficulty for Axford last Friday night. Working against the Cubs, Axford blew a save in the ninth inning. That in itself was news. Going into that appearance, Axford had converted 49 straight opportunities, the fourth-longest streak in the history of the save as a statistic.
But that outcome quickly took a distant back seat. Going back into the clubhouse, Axford was informed by clubhouse manager Tony Migliaccio that Axford's pregnant wife, Nicole, was outside the clubhouse and was having contractions. Nicole Axford was not due to give birth to the couple's second child until June 28.
"My attitude changed immediately," Axford said later. "I realized, obviously, there was more to life than what just happened out on the field."
The contractions eventually stopped at the hospital and Nicole's condition was stabilized. But before Axford hurriedly departed the Miller Park premises, he left a handwritten note for interested members of the media on the chair in front of his locker.
The Brewers and Cubs were still playing, and would be until Milwaukee prevailed in the 13th inning, 8-7. Axford's message was obviously thoughtful, it was gracious and it went beyond the call of duty. And beyond all that, it was humorous, in a nicely self-deprecatory way:
"I put my wife into contractions with my performance tonight! The streak is over so now you can talk about it. The luck I've had in the past didn't show up tonight! All I can do is start another streak and keep my head up!
"Cliché... cliché... cliché... another cliché. Gotta go! Love, Ax."
That is tremendous. It is better than Hallmark as a perfect card for the occasion. It deserves all kinds of credit. It is probably a little too short for a Pulitzer Prize. It might fall between categories in consideration for a Nobel Prize. But it should find a permanent niche in baseball's lore.
This was a perfect note, for its time and place, and for the events involved. No one could have faulted Axford for leaving without comment. In fact, in the circumstances, no one would have expected him to comment, period. But Axford not only had the awareness of what a large deal his save streak was, he had the wit and wisdom to leave a comment.
It was good. It was personal. It was funny. It was even helpful. And, as we say in the business, he got the lead right. The story for the rest of the world would have been the end of the streak. The story for Axford quickly became his wife's contractions. He had those elements in his note, in their proper order, and nicely connected, too. The note was journalistically precise, grammatically sound.
In the end, nobody gives out prizes for these sorts of things. There are no incentive clauses in player contracts for the best notes left for the media, no rewards for the degree of literary difficulty involved.
But here's what I think Axford wins in this case. This is not going to be remembered as the night when he missed a 50th consecutive save. This is going to be remembered as the night he wrote that timely, funny, human note. And that is precisely how this episode -- and Axford's note -- deserve to be remembered.


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WINONA - For well over a decade, First Baptist Church of Winona has hosted a July 4th event open to the community. As the crowd has grown with each passing year, the fireworks show has grown as well, making it one of the largest shows in the region, and shown for hundreds of people.
The event will take another "step up" this year as new areas of entertainment will be made available. There will be softball games, "Cycle Heaven" motorcycle show, Street Stock Car and Truck Show, Live music, water slides for kids, and karaoke. Hot dogs, sodas and water will also be available with donation stations available.
The public is invited to share in the festivities, which will begin on Friday, July 4th at 7pm at the Winona High School Baseball & Softball complex.
Tony Watson, Pastor of First Baptist Church of Winona, says that this year's event is likely the biggest ever produced. "When the church started this event some 15 or more years ago, it was basically a 'church picnic'. Over the years God has brought some folks to our church who had a vision to make it bigger. Now we have a licensed fireworks operator in our church and he produces a show that rivals that of many big cities. By dark-thirty there are literally hundreds of people in lawn chairs, in the bleachers, or sitting on tailgates and car hoods lining the street."
The church offers this event as a gift t the community. "People always ask if we charge for hot dogs or bottled water or admission to the event. We don't charge anything, but this year we are setting up donation stations where people can give cash or write a check to help offset the cost. As you can imagine, with an event of this magnitude, the cost has risen each year. We are thankful that the Winona Area Chamber of Commerce has sponsored a large part of the fireworks this year, and several other local individuals and businesses have given sponsorships as well," added Watson.
Attractions such as the motorcycle show, the stock car show, and karaoke are open to anyone who would like to submit an entry and will be spaced throughout the event. "Cycle Heaven", Kids Water Slides, Softball and Live Music will begin at 7pm. "Street Stock Cars" and Karaoke will begin at 8.
For more information, contact the church office at 903-877-3273 or e-mail Pastor Tony Watson at firstname.lastname@example.com. Any church or organization that would be willing to sponsor one of the water slides or activities would be given opportunity to publicize their organization. Contact the church for details.


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Loveland businessman Ryan "Cowboy" Ehmann, a former professional rodeo cowboy who is now a fitness entrepreneur, walked away from his appearance on ABC's "Shark Tank" with $120,000 in his pocket.
Ehmann made a deal with "shark" Daymond John for the funding and also will turn over 25 percent of his company, Firm Body Boot Camp, to John. The $120,000 will help Firm Body reach a larger market by funding a high-quality TV infomercial.
Ehmann told the Loveland Reporter-Herald that he believes he was chosen to be on the TV show, which airs Fridays, because of his high-energy approach to life. "Shark Tank" features entrepreneurs pitching business ideas to a panel of real-life millionaires and billionaires.


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Singanothersong to Tackle Hutcheson Saturday
Kenneally Expects Honorable Dillon to Improve in Hutcheson
Bruce Chandler, Robert McKee and James Glavin's 3-year-old Merit Man is a nose short of a perfect record after four career starts for trainer Bob Hess, Jr. and is on track to move on to a new level when he starts next in the $150,000 Hutcheson Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park going seven furlongs next Saturday (Feb. 2).
"I was very happy with his race in the Spectacular Bid. He was hooked on the lead and was very game to go on from there," said Hess Friday morning. "I think he will have to improve from there to the competition he will likely face in the Hutcheson. I'm not really worried about the seven furlongs. I think anything up to a one-turn mile is well within his range."
A Florida-bred by With Distinction, Merit Man was a $75,000 OBS April 2-year-old sales purchase and made his first three starts in California. He won his debut at Del Mar in early September, won the Tim Conway Stakes at Santa Anita in early October and lost a tough nose decision as the 1-to-2 favorite in the $500,000 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint there on Nov. 2.
In the six-furlong Spectacular Bid, Merit Man was in a duel for the lead from the start through fractions of 22 and 44 1/5 and held off a late bid by longshot City of Weston in the deep stretch to score by three-quarters of a length in 1:11 1/5.
Singanothersong to Tackle Hutcheson Saturday
Herman Van Den Broeck's 3-year-old Kentucky homebred Singanothersong was a sharp allowance winner going six furlongs at Gulfstream Park last out on Jan. 4 and takes a big step up to run a furlong farther in the $150,000 Hutcheson Stakes (G2) at seven furlongs next Saturday.
"I think he'll be fine at seven-eighths," said trainer Ron Pellegrini. "He's run his race every time. The only time he wasn't one-two-three in his career was in the mile race (Seacliff Stakes) at Calder last year (Aug. 25) when he came out of the race with a bad lung infection. In his next start he only got beat a nose by the horse that won the Seacliff and he's (Sr. Quisqueyano) running in the Holy Bull today.
"He (Singanothersong) ran well to be second going a mile on turf after he kind of blew the first turn and ran green (Nov. 21). We more or less found out what he can and can't do last year and he's run two good races here. I think he's improving and deserves a chance in this race."
A roan/gray son of Songandaprayer, Singanothersong shows an 8-2-3-2 record and has run well in two starts at the meet, both races against horses he may face in the Hutcheson, including Honorable Dillon. The latter was the favorite when they met last out in Jan. 4 allowance race. Singanothersong set the pace in the race and appeared to have plenty left to hold Honorable Dillon safe by three-quarters of a length.
Kenneally Expects Honorable Dillon to Improve in Hutcheson
Trainer Eddie Kenneally has a pair of promising 3-year-olds nominated for the $150,000 Hutcheson Stakes (G2) next Saturday at Gulfstream Park with Joseph Bucci's Honorable Dillon and Joseph Witek's Majestic Hussar.
"I'm planning on Honorable Dillon," said Kenneally Saturday morning from Palm Meadows. "I think he needed his first race and will move forward from it. That's about the way it worked for him at Saratoga last year. He finished third in his first start and then improved to win his second start impressively."
A roan/gray colt by Tapit, Honorable Dillon was a $100,000 Fasig-Tipton February 2-year-old sales purchase and finished third in his debut at Saratoga on July 28 and came back to score by 1 ¾ lengths on Aug. 25. Kenneally indicated that Majestic Hussar was being pointed for the $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles on Sat., Feb. 23.
Kenneally was in for a long day Saturday as he will be bound for Sam Houston Park in Texas after the Gulfstream races along with several jockeys on a private charter flight out of nearby Opa Locka Airport. Kenneally sends out Unlimited Equine LLC's 5-year-old mare Brushed by a Star as one of the favorites in the inaugural edition of the $400,000 Houston Ladies Classic to be ridden by Corey Lanerie.
A daughter of Eddington, Brushed by a Star makes her first start since finishing second in the Falls City Handicap (G2) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 22 in her first start for Kenneally.
Also shipping in for the Houston Ladies Classic from Palm Meadows is Gary Barber's 5-year-old filly Sisterly Love in her first start for trainer Mark Casse after she was purchased privately from breeder Kinsman Stud. The daughter of Bellamy Road won all three of her career starts for Kinsman and trainer Bill White, winning two one-mile allowance races at Gulfstream following a winning debut at Calder in late October.


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Early last year, I discovered that Abu Zubaidah, the first high-value detainee who was held in top-secret CIA black site prisons and brutally tortured, has a younger brother who lives in the United States.
Research I was conducting on the accused terrorist led me to a three-year-old comment posted on Guantanamo reporter Andy Worthington's blog about Abu Zubaidah, the alleged terrorist, left by someone who identified himself as Hesham Abu Zubaidah.
"Yes that is my brother and I live in Oregon," the commenter said. "Do you think I should have been locked away for 2 years with no charges for a [sic] act of a sibling? I am the younger brother of [Abu Zubaidah] and I live in the USA. Tell me what you think."
Wow! This is a big deal, I thought. What's Hesham's story? Why haven't we heard from him before? And what could he tell me about his brother, the alleged terrorist?
I tracked Hesham down to Florida. He had a fascinating tale to tell, which I have spent the past 14 months fleshing out. The result is a 15,000-word investigative report published on Truthout today about Hesham's pursuit of the American dream and the high price he paid because he says he shares a surname with an older brother who is an infamous alleged terrorist.
In addition to the disturbing revelations about the government's treatment of Hesham over the past decade, my report also contains the first new details about Hesham's brother, who is referred to in my investigative report by the nickname his father gave him,"Hani." In April 2000, Hani made three telephone calls to the United States when he was supposedly under surveillance. Former Sen. Bob Graham, who co-chaired the joint Congressional inquiry into the 9/11 attacks, told me the calls should have been shared with his panel and the so-called independent panel set up to investigate the attacks but wasn't.
Moreover, Hesham revealed to me that, back in October 2010, he was subpoenaed to appear before a federal grand jury in Richmond, Virginia, to confirm that his brother was the person in a videotape speaking about jihad and 9/11, which was later used in the war crimes tribunal of a Guantanamo detainee.
Hesham was also recruited by the FBI as a confidential informant. For nearly three years, Hesham was tasked with spying on congregants at Sunni and Shia mosques in Portland, Oregon, and was told by his FBI handler to pay close attention to an imam at the Masjed As-Saber mosque named Sheikh Mohamed Abdirahman Kariye, a native of Somalia, who the FBI has been trying to link to al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden for at least a decade. Hesham said he agreed to work as an informant because his FBI handler led him to believe the bureau would help him obtain US citizenship.
My investigation turned into a yearlong project, largely due to the fact that I had filed numerous Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for records on Hesham with several government agencies and waited many months for responses. It was the FBI's response to my FOIA on Hesham that led me to believe his story was bigger than I had originally thought it to be.
Hoping to gain deeper insight into his work as an FBI informant and the role he says the FBI played in his immigration case, I asked Hesham for permission to file a FOIA request with the bureau for his entire file. He agreed and signed a certification of identity form requesting that the agency turn over all of the records it maintained on him to me. Hesham visited a notary public and had the certification of identity form he signed notarized.
My FOIA request was filed in May 2011. The FBI sent me a letter that said the bureau's FOIA office was processing my request. Then, last August, the FBI sent out a special agent from the FBI's Tampa field office to speak with Hesham about my FOIA.
Listen to Jason Leopold discuss this report on the Peter B. Collins Show
Bill Tidwell showed up at the home of Hesham and Jody Abu Zubaidah, his wife, on the morning of August 26, 2011. Hesham was at work. Jody's mother, who was living with the couple at the time, answered the knock at the door. She told Jody there was "some guy in a suit at the front door."
Jody stepped outside and Tidwell flashed his FBI badge. He said he needed to speak with Hesham. Tidwell said Hesham wasn't "in any trouble, but it was important." Jody told Tidwell Hesham was at work. Tidwell returned later that afternoon. Tidwell told Hesham he was sent by FBI headquarters to speak with him about the FOIA request I filed. Tidwell used my name. The agent asked Hesham how I found him and what my intentions were. Hesham told him that I was writing a story about him and that he told me "everything." Tidwell asked Hesham to brief him on what he had told me.
"Did Jason Leopold force you to sign [the certification of identity] form? Did he offer you any money?" Tidwell asked Hesham.
"No," Hesham said. "I am not being paid."
Jody, who was present during the meeting, took meticulous notes.
"Listen, I don't know what's in your file but you do understand that once it's released, all of that information on you will be public and everyone will see it," Tidwell said.
"Yes," Hesham said. "I know. That's what I want."
"I believe there may be information in there some people don't want publicized," Tidwell said. "Why do you need Jason Leopold to get this information out?"
Hesham told the special agent his life story and the "spying" he did for the bureau. He said that he has been living in limbo for the past decade as a resident - but not a citizen - of the United States. No one was helping him, and he felt the time was right to tell his story. He told Tidwell what his FBI handler informed him when he asked her if she could help him obtain a green card that his case was stuck on a shelf and couldn't be touched.
"Whose life deserves to be stuck on a shelf?" Hesham asked Tidwell.
Tidwell and Hesham spoke for two hours. Before he left, Tidwell told Hesham he was going to write up a report and talk to the officials at headquarters who sent him out to meet with Hesham.
"I am going to call the person who sent this to us and tell him exactly what you said," Tidwell said. "He may say 'okay.' Or he may say, 'let's just get this man the security that he wants so this can go away.'"
If it's the latter, Tidwell asked, would you drop the FOIA?
"No way," Hesham said. "Forgive me, but I don't trust you guys."
Hesham then led Tidwell to his driveway and showed him his boat. They spoke for a few more minutes and then shook hands and Tidwell left.
When the agent left, Jody called me and told what transpired. She said she took detailed notes. I was stunned. I have never heard of the FBI sending out a field agent to check on a FOIA. I called FBI headquarters and spoke with Kathleen Wright, a spokeswoman for the bureau and asked her about it.
Wright said the "visit" was "routine" and that "the FBI has an obligation to abide by the Privacy Act."
"Agents spoke with Hesham Abu Zubaydah to confirm the FOIA request was legitimate and submitted with hi consent and knowledge." Wright said.
She added, "This happens all of the time."
Brad Moss, an open government expert who specializes in national security issues, disagreed.
"I've never heard of the FBI expending this kind of resource and going to an individual's house and asking if the reporter coerced the individual who signed the waiver," said Moss, an attorney with the Mark S. Zaid law firm in Washington, DC. "Given the nature of who this individual is, I am not surprised they would have concerns. With all of the budget cuts and pressure to process FOIA requests, it seems out of the ordinary to send an agent to someone's house. As far as I am concerned, it's unprecedented. You could have submitted this request without the waiver given the overwhelming public interest."
Kel McClanahan, another open government expert who heads up the public interest law firm National Security Counselors, said he queried several colleagues, many of whom are government FOIA analysts who work at the Justice Department, about the "routine" visit.
"Not one had heard of this [being] 'routine,'" said McClanahan, whose firm represents me in a lawsuit we filed against the FBI for violating a provision of FOIA when I sought pertaining to Hesham's files. "I sent an inquiry to David Hardy [head of FBI FOIA] about it, and I'm still waiting on the answer. I guess he's still thinking about it."
McClanahan added, "while the FBI might have reason to deny the request if the waiver was coerced, I'm aware of no legal restriction against a person being provided reasonable compensation for access to his government records."
"So even if the visit was routine, the questions definitely weren't," McClanahan said. "A routine visit would have consisted of 'Did Jason Leopold coerce you into signing this waiver?' 'No.' 'Are you sure?' 'Yes.' 'OK, thanks for your time.'" [Full disclosure: McClanahan and I sued the FBI earlier this year for violating a provision of FOIA in response to specific questions about Hesham's case file.]
Coleen Rowley, a former FBI special agent who blew the whistle on the bureau's pre-9/11 intelligence failures, said she's not surprised the FBI sent an agent out to personally speak with Hesham about my FOIA.
"The FBI considers informant matters the most sensitive things in the world," Rowley told me.
After I spoke with Wright, the FBI spokeswoman, I filed another FOIA for documents and notes about the meeting between Tidwell and Hesham, since my name was used. It took the bureau about six months to respond. In April, I received three redacted pages. Tidwell's notes were not turned over, just a report he sent to "records management" summarizing his interview with Hesham.
Tidwell's name, which was also redacted from the interview report, says:
Tidwell's report claimed that Hesham told him he signed "the privacy statement for Leopold in hopes an article written by Leopold would help him gain status in the US and obtain a green card."
"Abu Zubaidah advised the article is not something he wants written, but he feels he has no other option," Tidwell's report says. "Abu Zubaidah currently has no status in the US and is fearful he could be deported at any moment. [Redacted] Abu Zubaidah feels he has proven he is not a terrorist and considers himself an American. Abu Zubaidah fears he [redacted] if he does not gain status in the US. He hopes the article will be read by someone who can help him with this matter."
In another redacted section of Tidwell's report, he noted the circumstances that led me to contact Hesham:
The report goes on to say:
Last September, after Tidwell filed his report, the FBI sent me a letter saying the bureau "located approximately 1,200 pages which are potentially responsive to my FOIA request."
The documents have been in the possession of a "disclosure analyst" since last September, according to David Sobonya, an FBI FOIA spokesman.
To be continued ...


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Premier League: Chelsea midfielder Oscar hails manager Jose Mourinho
Chelsea midfielder Oscar has saluted manager Jose Mourinho as being one of world football's finest coaches.
Last Updated: 05/09/13 9:12am
The 21-year-old has impressed during the Blues' unbeaten start to the season, scoring in the opening day win against Hull City and collecting the Man of the Match award in the process.
Oscar, who joined from Internacional last summer, has already worked under three different bosses since arriving at Stamford Bridge, but the Brazilian hailed the impact of Mourinho's return.
"It's been great to work with Jose Mourinho. He is one of the best coaches in the world," he told reporters.
"We have seen he has already had a lot of success at Chelsea and I am just really happy to have the opportunity to work with him.
"You can already see the influence he has had on us during the first few games and I hope the team will be able to continue to grow under him, as I will also be able to grow as a player.
"As early as pre-season we could see the belief with which he works."
Chelsea have enjoyed a strong start to the campaign, collecting seven points from a possible nine, something which Oscar believes Mourinho deserves credit for.
"We could see the confidence he has with us as players but also the confidence in his own work. It is clear to us that he is a great coach," he said.
"I feel a lot more confident this year and I am sure that I am going to score a lot more goals. I am ambitious for this season and I am happy with the way things are going for me at the moment.
"We have started well and I want to make sure that this is a big year, a year in which Chelsea win titles."


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A nonprofit operating in 50 counties in Georgia and Alabama plans to expand its job training and retail/donation centers across the region.
Columbus, Ga.-based Goodwill Industries of the Southern Rivers announced the plan Wednesday.
The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer reports that Goodwill Industries will add five new retail stores and used merchandise donation centers.
President and Chief Executive Officer Jane P. Nichols said the nonprofit also plans to add four new career service centers that offer clients and potential employers access to computers, tax filing help and job placement services; and one new training center.
The area Goodwill agency, which has an annual budget of $20.2 million, employs about 460 people. Nichols said the expansion will add 150 new jobs by the end of next summer.


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Is this a possible replacement for my daughter's tired '87 wagon?
A 1988 DL 5-speed wagon with push-button 4WD, but not dual range. 155K miles, owner claims it has been regularly maintained, body is straight, it has new Goodyear M&S tires, new front wheel bearings, new plugs, rotor & cap, and tuneup. He claims he's never been off paved roads with it, and that the 4WD has only been used for trips in snow.
I assume it's a Califonia vehicle, so should not have major rust problems. I have not seen it yet, will see it tomorrow (Sunday).
Does this sound OK, and what else should I look for or ask about? Also, what's a fair price to pay?
Thanks again,
Ray McDonald
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Guest Message by DevFuse
1988 DL wagon questions
Started by fud24682000 , Aug 21 2004 10:40 PM
3 replies to this topic
Posted 21 August 2004 - 10:40 PM
Posted 21 August 2004 - 10:50 PM
well check underneith the car around rocker panels, underneith all 4 doors for rust, check any major oil leaks , but subaru's like mine leak alittle oil, but remember that after you buy it that the timing belts might have to be changed along with the water pump and seals , check drive axles inner outer boots , drive it and see how hot the radiator gets, check ac, heater , look at all records, well being automatic they can go bad and at 155,000mi , bepending on price
Posted 22 August 2004 - 01:27 AM
Check the oil and the underside of the oil cap, fill the radiator, run it w/out the cap on and look for bubbles in the coolant, check for any unusual clunking/humming on the highway and when turning, especially from the rear. Check the CV boots like 86subaru said. Drive it a little on the hard side at first to see if the clutch slips (at 155K it's only got about another 20 to 30K left, of gentle driving, if it's original), and watch out for ticking or anything that looks like Marvel or tranny fluid in the oil tank. A fair price is no more than $600, and then only if it has working air. That's for something immaculate, in my opinion.
Posted 22 August 2004 - 06:38 AM
also remember the dl has no power locks or power windows , which is ok ,but it sure is nice to aleast have power locks
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The Dolphins were able to come back and beat the Falcons without pass-rusher Cameron Wake for most of the game.
And it appears they better get used to it.
According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Wake suffered a sprained MCL, and could miss some time because of it.
The Dolphins have a bye week coming in three weeks, so there's a built-in window if they want to play it conservatively.
But that will make it that much tougher to compete with the Saints and Ravens if he's sitting.


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What? Bush didn't end with "God bless America"?
I check the full text. It ends this way:
This is a decent and honorable country, and resilient too. We've been through a lot together. We've met challenges and faced dangers, and we know that more lie ahead. Yet we can go forward with confidence, because the state of our union is strong, our cause in the world is right, and tonight that cause goes on.Somehow those last two words got left out of the "interactive graphic."
God bless.
But it's interesting that Bush just said "God bless." Didn't he always say "God bless America"? Let's look:
2001: "Good night and God bless."He seems to have come full circle. The blessing started out short, took its fullest form in the grandiloquent 2005 speech, then got small again. Reading the different blessings, what strikes me the most is that in 2001 he used, word for word, the tag line Red Skelton always ended his show with.
2002: "May God bless." (Said shortly after "God is near.")
2003: The most religious ending: "Americans are a free people, who know that freedom is the right of every person and the future of every nation. The liberty we prize is not America's gift to the world, it is God's gift to humanity. We Americans have faith in ourselves, but not in ourselves alone. We do not know -- we do not claim to know all the ways of Providence, yet we can trust in them, placing our confidence in the loving God behind all of life, and all of history. May He guide us now. And may God continue to bless the United States of America."
2004: "May God continue to bless America."
2005: "[M]ay God bless America."
2006: "May God bless America."
2007: "God bless."
I would have thought that if Bush was going to switch to saying "God bless America," it would have happened in 2002, given the prominence of the song "God bless America" after the 9/11 attacks. But it's the 2003 speech, the one with the elaborately religious ending that introduces "God bless America" to Bush's State of the Union style. He adopts the long form: "may God continue to bless the United States of America." This is the speech that immediately precedes the invasion of Iraq. The liberty we prize is not America's gift to the world, it is God's gift to humanity. Ah! It was Bush's tragic mistake to believe that. God behind all of life, and all of history. May He guide us now. Ah! To think such a thing!