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By Penny Lernoux
Published by Anchor Press Doubleday, 1984
Penny Lernoux's scathing In Banks We Trust is almost 30 years old, yet when I read it I could not help but think of present times. She offers an exhaustive look into the whirlwind of risky investments, careless gambles and unquenchable greed. In Banks We Trust defines the industry during the late 1970s and into the '80s; yet it rings all too similar to today's stories and headlines that analyze the 2008 banking debacle responsible for deepening the recession the country is still trying to escape.
I was unprepared for Lernoux's scenario. The connections and the details of the corrupt practices initially shocked me. Her thorough investigation begins as she unearths the careless and reckless practices at Chase Manhattan Bank and Citibank. But her investigation doesn't end there, for the seedy practices aren't limited to the usual suspects.
Before the book's end, the Mafia, drug traffickers, politicians, regimes in Latin America and the Middle East, the CIA and the Vatican have all participated in a messy, intertwined web of risky investments, selfish power grabs and money laundering. Lernoux' web is woven as the names of banks and people she writes about overlap and intertwine across chapters and stories. Her quick-paced writing captures the normalcy with which the illegal acts were practiced.
As I kept reading the continuing stories of cons and illegal practices, I kept thinking, "How is this allowed to happen?"
Lernoux is quick to point out that everyone is culpable.
The lack of oversight by and apathy of regulators, auditors and federal agents fed the culture that allows such immoral practices. Through her intensive research, Lernoux starkly reveals the egos that guided many of the decisions made in search of power and wealth, with little regard for the greater good.
Lernoux's final sentence made me cringe as I read a warning for the future. A warning disregarded? She wrote: "Indeed, when it comes to sharing the blame, the federal government and its central bank, the Federal Reserve, must bear the largest responsibility, not only for promoting the money recycling game of the 1970s but also for refusing to stop the money-go-round after it spun out of control."
Through those final words, In Banks We Trust maintains its relevancy to today's newer bailouts. Lernoux reminds us that change cannot come from an overhaul of a single group or entity, but through a dramatic shock affecting an entire culture.
Mere dissatisfaction with greed is insufficient.
The works of Penny Lernoux


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We were sent [Dr. Offset's] most recent project, a kid's toy that is half sculpture/half noisemaker, but 100% cool. The device uses several 555 Timers and is his entry into the 555 Design Contest, which wraps up in just a few days. To really enjoy his creation, you need to suspend disbelief for a moment, and indulge the space fantasy he creates. In other words, let yourself be a kid again, if only for a few minutes.
What he has built is a containment unit for an alien life form found during an outer space exploratory mission. The creature has fused its organic bits with electronic components in order to survive in the stark, empty world it used to call home. The containment unit allows you to zap the "bug" with various frequencies to see how it reacts. The "bug" is light sensitive, so it always offers a varying experience, day or night.
It's definitely one of the most artistically creative entries into the 555 Design Contest we have seen yet. Continue reading to see a thorough walkthrough and demonstration of his project.
[Thanks Rich Decibels]

subset: commoncrawl


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This is WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News. I'm Scott Simon. Protesters were back on the streets of Libyan cities this week - in the thousands. It started when leaders in the oil-rich eastern part of the country declared a semi-autonomous region. That brought thousands of Libyans out in protest. They see a bid for self-government as a dangerous step toward the disintegration of their country.
This all comes as Libya prepares to holds its first free elections in June this year. This week, the interim prime minister of Libya, Abdel-Rahim el Keib, was in Washington D.C., to meet with President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton. We sat down with him at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace yesterday.
Mr. Prime Minister, thanks so much for being with us.
PRIME MINISTER ABDEL-RAHIM EL KEIB: Glad to be here.
SIMON: What did you tell the president and Secretary of State Clinton?
KEIB: Well, I brought with me the sincere appreciation of the Libyan people, sincere appreciation to the American people and the leadership of the country.
SIMON: Did you indicate any other further assistance you'd like?
KEIB: Of course. You know, the U.S. also has the best in terms of medical care, educational system. And there are a few other things, you know. One of them, of course, is security-related, to help us extradite the remnants of the past regime that have been a nuisance to us, and they are in many places. Having stolen Libyan monies, using the money now to destabilize the situation in Libya.
SIMON: When you say they are in many places, here in the United States?
KEIB: No. No, not in the U.S. It's many places in the neighboring countries...
SIMON: Mm-hmm.
KEIB: ...and a bit beyond.
SIMON: How do you put together a country that is, as we read and appreciate now, so often divided by tribal loyalties?
KEIB: I think this statement, I must say respectfully...
SIMON: Mm-hmm.
KEIB: ...that it is an exaggeration of the situation there. True, there are some regions where tribes are important and they have a say. But in most cases, no.
SIMON: Perhaps you were traveling, but I'm sure you know there was a group that rallied in Benghazi this week - about 3,000 people, according to reports. This is in eastern Libya, which sits on a lot of oil. And they said they want to return to the federation of Libya that existed before the 1930s, in which they would enjoy some autonomous powers. And they say they were even going to elect their own government.
KEIB: Transitional (unintelligible).
SIMON: Do you consider that a challenge to the authority...
KEIB: No. I tell you, I consider this democracy in practice. And I see it as a positive thing, in a way, even though I have to disagree with because it's not for anybody to decide now, before we have the elections and we have a constitution that would tell us how we need to run our country. So I think they went a step ahead, too fast. But otherwise, no. I think people can express themselves and express their opinion, and no problem.
SIMON: You know, Mr. Prime Minister, we speak so routinely now of Moammar Gadhafi being reviled and hated by so many Libyans, but I think we can also - and certainly, you would remember - there was a time when thousands of people in Libya would assemble in the streets and acclaim him, and there were some people on his side until the very end. There were people who died for him.
KEIB: Mm-hmm.
SIMON: What do you say to people who were Gadhafi supporters?
KEIB: I say well, time has changed. This is a new Libya, and we would like to welcome them back as long as they understand that it's a totally different environment. They fought for him because they didn't know, and we heard many of them who didn't know what was going on. I mean, this guy was so brutal, and so crazy, it's unbelievable. And, you know, sometimes we forget the effect of the charisma of the person...
SIMON: Mm-hmm.
KEIB: ...and his personality.
SIMON: This week, the Russian ambassador of the United Nations accused Libya of establishing what amounts to a special training center for Syrian revolutionaries. Have you done that?
KEIB: No. I'm not aware, honestly. I'm not aware that we are doing any training for the Syrians. But I am aware, and a firm believer, that we need to support freedom fighters.
SIMON: So you deny the accusation, but you're not insulted by it?
KEIB: No. No. I wish I can help them in every way possible.
SIMON: So would that include establishing bases for Syrian opposition members that might want to use bases in Libya to confront the Syrian government?
KEIB: I haven't thought about this, but yeah. I mean, I would be happy to think of - with them and others, to see how we can help them.
SIMON: Mr. Prime Minister, we mentioned your almost 20 years in the United States, principally in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, teaching electrical engineering.
KEIB: Tuscaloosa by itself is about 20 years.
SIMON: Mm-hmm.
KEIB: I went to school at USC, University of Southern California, and then did my Ph.D. at North Carolina State.
SIMON: The Wolfpack.
KEIB: The Wolfpack.
SIMON: Yeah. Well, what do you bring of your experience in America, to being the prime minister of Libya right now? Well, what did you learn here...
KEIB: Yeah.
SIMON: ...that might translate?
KEIB: A strong admiration of democracy, transparency, a need for worrying about details, a can-do attitude; and to think big, bigger than yourself. But yeah, my experience here in the States has helped me a lot, and I have a lot of respect for the American spirit.
SIMON: Mr. Prime Minister, thanks so much.
KEIB: Thank you.
SIMON: Prime Minister Abdel-Rahim el Keib of Libya, speaking with us in Washington, D.C. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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Like your job? Here's your chance to compare your company with eight of the best—at least in how they treat their Microsoft Certified Professionals.
Travis Brown, MCSE, knows he could command top dollar working for a major corporation. But what would he likely see each time he stepped out of his office? A sea of faceless cubicles. For Brown, the current view from his office is much more appealing—the spectacular crest of south-central Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains.
As network manager for Randolph-Macon Woman's College in Lynchburg, Brown feels lucky to work in an environment where, besides the mountains, he daily takes in a panorama of traditional red-brick campus buildings set on perfect lawns. Yet beneath this idyllic setting you'll find an all-female liberal arts college that's serious about staying on IT's leading edge. In fact, in May, Yahoo! Internet Life magazine ranked Randolph-Macon 17th in its list of 100 most-wired U.S. colleges—the school's 1,300-node Ethernet network serves 600 staff and faculty plus 700 students. This commitment to IT means that Randolph-Macon's 11-member IT department and its responsibilities are never an afterthought for school administrators.
"Randolph-Macon has a strong financial commitment to IT," says Brown. "The IT department receives recurring funds each year, and we're set up with the latest equipment. For example, I have a fully loaded Dell OptiPlex desktop running an 866MHz Pentium III, plus a Dell Latitude notebook for travel."
Adds Bob Wisler, Randolph-Macon's IT director, "The college's strategic plan specifically spells out technology's role here. We're not afraid to try new things, to use appropriate technology to find solutions to challenges, such as creation of the wireless classroom. And, we're in the process of migrating from Windows NT to Windows 2000."
The school's commitment extends to actively encouraging its IT staffers to earn MCP status. While only Brown currently holds Microsoft certification, two of his colleagues are working toward their MCPs. Randolph-Macon pays all certification-associated costs—training materials and classes, travel, time off for training, exam fees—and publicly announces, via email blasts, when an individual achieves certification. As Brown has discovered, this support is "extremely important... Maybe I took Randolph-Macon for granted until I heard certification 'horror stories' from some friends" who are now MCSEs—how they struggled with employers, paid their own way, and took vacation time to attend classes.
"I realized then how lucky I am to be at Randolph-Macon. Even though working for a college isn't as financially lucrative as working for a technology company, there are intangible benefits. There's a great sense of community [here]. Everyone's working toward the common goal of educating the students." Brown has been at Randolph-Macon for five years, his longest employment tenure to date. Does he plan to leave? "Not at all," he says. "School administrators respect the IT department and the knowledge we bring; they support the work we do. Would I find that working in a sterile skyscraper? I don't know."
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The roots of the BEATRIZ BALL Collection began in 1991, when I began working hand-in-hand with skilled metalware artisans in the outskirts of Mexico City, jointly creating updated, innovative designs in a special lustrous alloy of many metals.
Many of those skilled metalworkers are still with us now, in our foundry in Mexico.
Our pieces are made ...... Read More


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New Car/Review
Ford Thunderbird (2002)
SEE ALSO: Ford Buyer's Guide
by Carey Russ
Ford's Thunderbird has a long and checkered history. The nameplate has graced many very different vehicles for more than 45 years, but none are as fondly remembered as the original. Introduced in 1955, and produced through 1957, the first Thunderbird was a svelte two-seat roadster that has become a highly-collectible classic automobile. It was one of the first American "personal luxury" cars, not quite a true sports car in performance and handling, but rather a two-place fast American- style touring car.
The first-generation two-seater was replaced by a larger car with a back seat, and sales increased significantly. Over the years, the T-Bird remained a personal luxury car, in convertible or coupe form, but it grew larger, and less sporty. Sportiness re-entered the picture in the early 1980s, but by the mid-`90s Thunderbird sales dwindled along with those of most other personal luxury coupes, and production ceased in the late `90s.
Ford had too much history invested in the Thunderbird name to permanently retire it. There's nothing like an audaciously- styled show car to grab people's attention, except maybe a production version of that show car. So, when the Thunderbird concept car debuted in 1999, it was a foregone conclusion that it would be put into production. When the first orders were taken, for the Neiman-Marcus edition, in September 2000, the 200-vehicle production run sold out in two hours even though the cars wouldn't actually be available for many months. Popularity didn't look like a problem for the new Thunderbird.
Like the 1955 original, the 2002 Thunderbird is a two-seat roadster designed for fast touring in luxury. Like a number of other concept cars that have made into production recently, demand is far greater than supply in the early stages of production, and anyone driving one is guaranteed to be the center of attention. I have been fortunate enough to have been driving one for the past week, and the car has attracted a crowd wherever I've been. It's not just a car for those who remember the original, it gets admiring looks from people of all ages and walks of life. It's the T-Bird most like the original, a great car for a mellow ride with the top down. If the weather is less than perfect, the standard power convertible top with heated glass backlight keeps the occupants snug and dry. And the available removable hardtop has quarter-vision portholes just like the 1956 T-Bird's, for better vision and better looks. There is plenty of substance to go with the style, too, with serious V8 power, a five-speed automatic transmission, and all of the expected conveniences.
APPEARANCE: The newest Thunderbird emotionally evokes the first without being a copy at all. It is much more contemporary, even futuristic, than retro, but does have an undeniable, instantly- recognizable Thunderbirdness to its style. The massive chromed egg-crate grille and small hood scoop are the main cues, followed by the faux fender vents and lithe proportions. It's larger than it looks, and, interestingly, the body has a reverse-wedge shape, highest at the front fenders and tapering down toward the rear. This, and the short front and long rear overhangs, give the new T- Bird a sporty but relaxed look. It's not a hyperkinetic racer, it's an all-American cruiser. It looks great even with the top up, and especially with the portholed hardtop.
COMFORT: Soft, plush seats and good visibility - to both see and be seen - help make the T-Bird a relaxed cruisin' machine. The interior is as stylish as the exterior, with tasteful use of brushed aluminum trim and good space for two people. In standard trim, the interior is black, but an option package that matches the seats, lower instrument panel, steering wheel top, and shift knob to the exterior color is available. Good instrument and control placement enhances the driving experience, and wind buffeting with the top down is minimal thanks to the well-raked windshield. Interior storage is reasonable, with a medium-sized glove box and door pockets and a small console box. There is a little bit of space behind the seats for storage, maybe of one small grocery bag. The trunk allegedly holds two sets of golf clubs. I didn't try that, but, at 6.7 cubic feet, it's tight. You may have to travel light, but you'll be traveling in style.
SAFETY: A crash-absorbing chassis structure, second-generation front airbags, and seat-mounted side airbags are some of the new Thunderbird's standard safety features.
ROADABILITY: Like the original, the 2002 T-Bird is more a personal luxury car than a "real" sports car. So its fully- independent short-and-long-arm suspension is tuned fairly softly, for comfort, not for maximum cornering speed. There is plenty of body roll when cornering hard, and fore-and-aft motion on bumps, but it is well-controlled. It is a unibody convertible, with a hole where the top would be, and so is not as rigid as a coupe. There is noticeable cowl shake, but no more than expected. The new Thunderbird is still a pleasure to drive on a scenic road, albeit more slowly than an serious sports car. Hey, put the top down, relax, and enjoy the scenery. Oh, yes - for a while, until production satisfies demand, you will be the scenery....
PERFORMANCE: Again like the original, today's Thunderbird shows its stuff best in a straight line. The thoroughly-modern 32- valve dual overhead cam 3.9-liter aluminum alloy V8 makes 252 horsepower at 6100 rpm and 267 lb-ft of torque at 4300 rpm, and is matched to a five-speed automatic transmission. The torque spread is wide enough that there is really no need to shift manually, even on twisty secondary roads. The T-Bird is indeed a relaxing car in which to cruise. Power and acceleration are not problems, and the engine has the classic American V8 rumble.
CONCLUSIONS: With a nod to the past, Ford heads into the future with the new Thunderbird.
SPECIFICATIONS 2002 Ford Thunderbird Base Price $ 35,965 (Premium trim level) Price As Tested $ 37,020 Engine Type 32-valve dual overhead cam aluminum alloy V8 Engine Size 3.9 liters / 237 cu. in. Horsepower 252 @ 6100 rpm Torque (lb-ft) 267 @ 4300 rpm Transmission 5-speed electronically-controlled automatic Wheelbase / Length 107.2 in. / 186.3in. Curb Weight 3775 lbs., 3863 lbs with removable hardtop Pounds Per Horsepower 15.0 Fuel Capacity 18.0 gal. Fuel Requirement unleaded premium gasoline, 91 octane Tires P235/50 VR17 Michelin HX MXM45 Pilot Brakes, front/rear vented disc / vented disc, antilock standard Suspension, front/rear four-wheel independent short-and- long arm Drivetrain front engine, rear-wheel drive PERFORMANCE EPA Fuel Economy - miles per gallon city / highway / observed 17 / 23 / 19 0 to 60 mph est 7.8 sec Coefficient of Drag (cd) 0.379 OPTIONS AND CHARGES Traction control $ 230 Steering wheel and shift handle black accent package $ 295 Destination charge $ 530


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Why was Pope John Paul canonized this past Sunday not alone but together with Pope John? There is a very good answer to this question: but it is not the one generally being touted by the liberal press, Catholic or secular. Here, for instance, is the often sensible John L Allen, writing in the National Catholic Reporter: "With the canonizations," he writes, "Francis is speaking not just to the outside world but to rival camps within the Catholic fold who see John XXIII and John Paul II as their heroes—meaning liberals and conservatives, respectively. The message seems to be, 'You both belong here'."
It is, of course true that both popes "belong here": the canonizations belong together, but not for the reason John Allen gives here, the easy, glib explanation picked up by all the liberal commentators, from the BBC ("The decision to canonize the two at the same time appears designed to unify Catholics…. John Paul II is a favorite of conservative Catholics, while John XXIII is widely admired by the Church's progressive wing"), to the Guardian and the New York Times ("a highly unusual move that was taken as an effort to promote unity within the Roman Catholic Church"). The message is that it's all Church politics.
The fact is that the two popes had far more in common than ever separated them: they were, contrary to common belief, on exactly the same page: both were popes of the Council—the Council, that is, that Pope John intended. He opened it, remember, with these words: "The Councils—both the 20 ecumenical ones and the numberless others … all prove clearly the vigor of the Catholic Church and are recorded as shining lights in her annals. In calling this vast assembly of bishops, [I] intended to assert once again the magisterium [teaching authority], which is unfailing and endures until the end of time, in order that this magisterium … might be presented in exceptional form to all men throughout the world." His intention was the very opposite, in other words, of a Council whose deliberations were to be interpreted according to a "hermeneutic of rupture and discontinuity."
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This was, as we all now know to our infinite cost, an intention that was cynically hijacked and betrayed. As Cardinal Avery Dulles reminded us, the Jesuit Henri de Lubac—appointed as a peritus by Pope John, to advise him personally—was to perceive in post-conciliar Catholicism "a self-destructive tendency to separate the spirit of the Council from its letter … The turmoil of the post-conciliar period seemed to de Lubac to emanate from a spirit of worldly contention quite opposed to the Gospel." The unhappy Pope Paul, in 1972, said, now famously, that he had "believed that after the Council would come a day of sunshine in the history of the Church. But instead there has come a day of clouds and storms…. It is as if from some mysterious crack … the smoke of Satan has entered the temple of God."
Pope John Paul's major achievement for the Church was to recover Pope John's original purpose: to "guard" and to teach more efficaciously "the sacred deposit of Christian doctrine." Nothing, therefore, could be more fitting than that they should be canonized together: the pope who convened the Council, and the pope who rescued it from its abductors.
In that desperate reference to the smoke of Satan, Pope Paul was speaking particularly about the liturgy, but just as disastrous was the unchallenged rise during his pontificate of the so-called "alternative magisterium" of Küng, Schillebeeckx and the rest of those who challenged any notion of a "sacred deposit of Christian doctrine" to be guarded and passed on. It was a time of vast destruction; and to destroy is always easier than to rebuild. Recovering from the aftermath of the Council will take many years yet. But Pope John Paul began the fight back: he set the Barque of St Peter, and the Church with it, firmly back on course.
His greatest achievement was that he did more than any pope of the last century to defend and reassert beyond any doubt the stable and objective character of Catholic teaching. He discredited the "alternative magisterium," not by suppressing individuals (though Küng, for instance, had his license to teach Catholic doctrine removed) but by clear and unequivocal teaching. As a result, he made it possible once more for hundreds of thousands of non-Catholics like myself, tired of the uncertainties of secularized versions of Christianity, to come into full communion with the Holy See.
The old indiscriminate ecumenism was allowed quietly to sink into the quicksand of its own internal contradictions; the mists of uncertainty obscuring the Catholic faith were blown away, and the Magisterium was revealed, still standing, firm on the rock of Peter. Quite simply, he had re-established—by the publication of such documents as Veritatis Splendor and Dominus Iesus, and in particular by the massively successful launch of the Catechism of the Catholic Church—what had become uncertain: the simple fact of the Church's authority to declare the objective truth, and the content, of Catholic doctrine. I and many others had been enabled at last to come home, to escape finally from ecclesial communities in which there was no means of coming to a clear mind about anything, in which it was deemed more important to ask questions than to find answers to them.
It wasn't just that Pope John Paul recalled the Church to herself: he showed the whole world the power of the Catholic faith in the world, most strikingly perhaps by his astonishing geopolitical achievement in finally giving the answer to Stalin's contemptuous question "how many divisions has the pope?" This is how George Weigel summed up this part of his achievement:
In 1978, no one expected that the defining figure of the last quarter of the twentieth century would be a Polish priest and bishop. Christianity was finished as a world-shaping force, according to the opinion-leaders of the time; it might endure as a vehicle of personal piety, but Christian conviction would play no role in shaping the twenty-first-century world. Yet within six months of his election, John Paul II had demonstrated the dramatic capacity of Christian conviction to create a revolution of conscience that, in turn, created a new and powerful form of politics—the politics that eventually led to the revolutions of 1989 and the liberation of Central and Eastern Europe.
That explains why many said he was a Great Pope who stood in a particular tradition—the two popes generally thought of as bearing the title "the Great," Leo and Gregory, both re-established the teaching authority of the Roman Church after a period of uncertainty as well as exercising a geopolitical influence over the events of their own times. But none of that explains why there has been an even stronger feeling that he was not merely great and forceful in historical and doctrinal terms but also that he was a powerful exemplar of holiness, a holiness the Catholic Church needed to recognize. His huge geopolitical and dogmatic impact does not explain the spontaneous demand of the tens of thousands who had poured into Rome to be with the Pope as he died, and who, his earthly sufferings at last at an end, chanted—again and again—those extraordinary and compelling words "santo subito" ("Sainthood now" in Italian).
They had all prayed, those multitudes, with him and for him, as he lay dying; and on hearing they were there, in the piazza outside and far beyond, he said: "I have searched for you, and now you have come to me…." Even as he lay there, said one priest afterwards, he continued to teach us; dying himself, he taught us how to die.
It had been an extraordinary life. His funeral was the single largest gathering of heads of state in history, surpassing the funeral of Winston Churchill in 1965. Four kings, five queens, at least 70 presidents and prime ministers, and more than 14 leaders of other religions attended alongside the faithful. It is thought to have been the largest single pilgrimage of Christianity ever, with numbers estimated in excess of four million mourners gathering in Rome.
"Be not afraid," John Paul had declared, in Christ's words, in his inaugural sermon as pope. It was a sermon that powerfully established not only the tone of his pontificate but also the breadth of his own mind and the vast scale on which he assessed the possibilities for the Church in the modern world:
Be not afraid to welcome Christ and accept his power. Help the Pope and all those who wish to serve Christ and with Christ's power to serve the human person and the whole of mankind.
Be not afraid. Open wide the doors for Christ. To his saving power open the boundaries of states, economic and political systems, the vast fields of culture, civilization and development. Be not afraid. Christ knows 'what is in man.' He alone knows it.
Be not afraid: it became, almost, the watchword for his papacy: not because he obsessively repeated it for others to follow, but because he lived it out himself. He was for many long years in constant pain; his hands shook from Parkinson's disease; and still he did not spare himself. The older and more frail he became, the more his courage shone out, and the nearer his papal service came to being a kind of living martyrdom.
This was indeed the life of one of her saints. But there is more to be said. By any human measure, his qualities amounted to greatness of the highest order: it is surely very hard to believe that that will not be the verdict of history. Those closest to him certainly saw him as a truly great man. In his first address from the loggia of St Peter's Basilica, Benedict XVI referred to him, from the perspective of intimate personal knowledge, as "the great Pope, John Paul II." And with or without the title, that is what, surely, he was: John Paul the Great.
Editor's note: This column first appeared April 24, 2014 in the print edition of Catholic Herald (London) and is reprinted with permission.


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Today's Motto From Harlem "LOVE"
on the window of "Frederick Cafe Bistro" on restaurant row. Located on the corner of Frederick Douglass Boulevard and 114th Street.
Stop in for a hot cup of coffee and try their pastries, paninis and salads. The comfortable setting is a great spot to work on your laptop. Next time you are passing by drop in and check out Frederick Cafe Bistro.
(breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee, pastries)


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Compared to many other countries, the native population in Portugal is quite homogeneous. Since the end of the Moorish period in the Algarve in 1249 the entire country has shared a common Roman Catholic religion and a common Portuguese language. The great past of the Portuguese Empire is the most important foundation of the Portuguese identity.
That's why Portugal, so far, has been spared major ethnic or religious conflicts in modern times. This is despite the significant immigration from the former colonies after the end of the colonial regime, but these people share the same cultural background (language and religion).
Local residents
We would like to feature some typical local residents representing daily life in the Algarve
Year by year millions of tourists from all over the world come to the Algarve to spend their holidays here or to enjoy a long weekend. Today's busy tourist scene sometimes obscures the reality of those people living and working in the area for generations.
Development of the population 2001 - 2011
During the last 10 years (2001 - 2011) the population in the Algarve has grwon by 14%, primarily in the municipalities on the coast
City | 2001 | 2011 | City | 2001 | 2011 |
Albufeira | 31 543 | 40 828 | Alcoutim | 3 770 | 2 917 |
Aljezur | 5 322 | 5 884 | Castro Marim | 6 593 | 6 747 |
Faro | 58 051 | 64 560 | Lagoa | 20 651 | 22 975 |
Lagos | 25 398 | 31 048 | Loulé | 59 160 | 70 163 |
Monchique | 6 974 | 6 045 | Olhão | 40 808 | 45 396 |
Portimão | 44 818 | 55 614 | São Brás | 10 032 | 10 662 |
Silves | 33 830 | 37 126 | Tavira | 24 997 | 26 167 |
Vila Real d. S.A. | 17 956 | 19 156 | Vila do Bispo | 5 349 | 5 258 |
Historical development
Many tribes have left their footprints in the Algarve in the course of history
The presence of mankind in the Algarve has been known since homo erectus arrived via the Straits of Gibraltar. The best known findings dating back to the New Stone Age (Neolithic era) are the menhirs near Raposeira and Vila do Bispo and the Megalithic Monuments of Alcalar near Mexilhoeira Grande.
At the beginning of the first millennium B.C. Celtic tribes invaded the Iberian Peninsula from a northerly direction. At the same time the first trading relations with other Mediterranean nations came about. The Phoenicians built several harbours along the Algarvian coast, and around 550 B.C. Portimão was founded by the Carthaginians. During the following centuries the south of the Iberian Peninsula was colonized by the Greeks and Carthaginians, until the Romans occupied the region during the second Punic War. It became part of the Roman Empire as a province of Hispania ulterior, later known as Lusitania.
During the barbarian invasions in Europe several German tribes invaded the Iberian Peninsula, among them the Suebi and the Visigoths. In 711 Berber tribes cross the isthmus of Gibraltar and conquered almost the entire peninsula until 719. During the Moorish period of 500 years the Algarve experienced a great economic and cultural pinnacle.
The Moorish government ended in 1249, when the Algarve was reconquered by an alliance of Christian troops. Moors and Jews, who were not expelled from the country, were forced to convert to Roman Catholicism.
Portuguese Language
Portuguese is a global language
Portuguese is a global language, spoken by more than 215 million people. It is the sole official language of Portugal, Brazil, Mozambique, Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, and São Tomé and Príncipe.
Portuguese is a Latin language and belongs to the family of Ibero-Romance languages together with Spanish, Catalan and other idioms spoken in the Iberian Peninsula. It has evolved from Vulgar Latin spoken during the time of the Roman Empire. The first documents in the Portuguese language were recorded in the 11th Century, and Portuguese literature has been in existence since the 15th Century.
Religion in Portugal
According to the 2011 Census, a large majority of the Portuguese population, 81 % , is Roman Catholic. Many Portuguese holidays, festivals and traditions have a Christian origin or connotation.
When Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, the Roman province of Lusitania also became Christian. At that point in time a large Jewish minority had already existed on the Iberian Peninsula for centuries. The situation did not change during the barbarian invasions, because the invading German tribes had already converted to Christianity.
When the Moors conquered most of the Spain and Portugal we know today, the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula was under Islamic government for several centuries. After the reconquest by Christian troops the Moors had to convert or were forced to leave the country. In 1492, the Jewish minority (Sephardim) were expelled from Spain and some decades later also by the inquisition in Portugal.


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I recently attended a screening of Unbreakable at a local, high school running camp. This is the first time I have watched the movie all the way through since shortly after it came out nearly two years ago. The timing of this was interesting in a couple of ways. Most obvious is the fact that, as I write this column, the 2013 edition of Western States is just three days away. By the time this article goes public, the dust will have settled and almost certainly another chapter will be added to the event's legacy.
It's been fun these past several days to think about what the details of this chapter might be. Will the fast, shorter-distance guys be able to hold on for 100 miles? (Unlikely, but certainly possible.) Will one of the many speedy veterans of recent WS races prevail, like Olson, Clark, Bowman, Sharman, Mackey, or another? Or is it possible for Mike Morton, who hasn't run Western States in what feels like 100 years, to create one of the greatest story lines the race has ever known? How about the Speedgoat? Is it possible he's actually a whole lot faster than we think? (I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Karl finish top five, and maybe even the podium.) On the women's side, with Ellie out, you have likely an even-more-wide-open race. Almost certainly there is going to be a first-time winner in the women's race. I'm excited to see who it will be.
Of course, by the time you all read this, these questions will have been answered so you might ask why I didn't wait and write this column after the big race instead of now, when all I can do is speculate? The answer to this is a great way to introduce the other thing which came up for me when I watched Unbreakable the other day: I'm getting married on Sunday! Although I enjoy writing iRunFar articles, I'm thinking I might rather devote my free time in the next week to my amazing wife-to-be, and to my 100-plus guests (including nearly 50 from out of town) who are going to be gathered in Juneau for our big day. You might still be asking how this all ties into my other reaction from watching Unbreakable?
As I watched the movie, I noted how many people appear in it who have since become close friends of mine. In 2010, I was still relatively new to the ultrarunning culture. Certainly, I had some close friends who ran a lot, but just a small handful, not the dozens that I have now. As I was watching the film, I realized that there are no fewer than nine people (including Corle and I) featured in the film who are going to be at our wedding this weekend! Four or five of them I met for the first time at Western States in 2010. Thinking more about this last night made me really appreciate just how many good people I have met in this sport.
I've often wondered whether runners tend to be better people on average than non-runners, because it does sometimes seem this way. The truth is, though, I don't think this is necessarily the case. Instead, I think that all people are inherently good people, but running does a huge part to help people to be closer to this reality. People who have a daily practice like running tend to be healthier, more grounded, and happier. It's not that better people are attracted to running, it's that running generally does a really good job of nurturing the goodness in people.
As I outlined above, there are dozens (if not hundreds) of amazing story lines that are going to come out of Western States this weekend. By the time this article is published, we will all know what many of these story lines are. In reality, though, the biggest story line of all might just be the subtle but powerful connections that are made out there on race weekend. After watching Unbreakable the other day, I realized that for me, the most powerful and most lasting thing I took away from that particular weekend three years ago wasn't a cougar trophy, or a then course record, or the thrill of the competition, but rather the bonds I made with so many great people who were out there sharing some part of that experience with me. I know that you at Western States this year, and other upcoming races, will also be so lucky. We are good people.


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Proverbs 1:20-23 In ancient times most cities were walled cities. Jerusalem, for example, had twelve gates and high, thick walls. These walls were created to keep the enemies of the city from entering and destroying the city. Proverbs 16:32 says, "He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city." Proverbs 25:28 says, "Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls."
Our inner person—soul and spirit—is compared to a city. The outer walls of this city are our bodies. The eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin are the outer gates to the city, and the inner gates to the city are the five senses—touch, taste, see, hear and smell. The place of chief concourse of Proverbs 1:21 is the mind.
Our enemy, Satan, can only enter the soul—mind, will and emotion—through the outer gates. We hear his voice daily shouting at us through the radio, television, Internet, reading material, movies, music and thoughts. There is a voice, however, that is also shouting at the gates of our inner person. That voice is the voice of wisdom, and this voice needs to be heard above the roar of the enemy. Wisdom will tell us when we need to shut the eye, ear, nose, tongue and touch gates to our minds. We need to listen carefully to this voice, and if we obey, we will keep our souls from many troubles. For example, there is another proverb that says, "In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise" (Prov. 10:19).
Our daily commitment should be to listen to the voice of wisdom. If we will listen to this voice and shut out the voice of the enemy, we will be able to rule the city within us—our souls and spirits. Satan is a thief, and he sometimes even tries to climb over the walls and sneak into our thought life.
One night when I was going to sleep, I heard a voice saying, "There is a thief in your house." I woke my husband immediately, and he said, "I hear nothing." Then I recognized the voice of wisdom. "Lord, is this You?" I asked. Then He spoke to me the following: "The thief in your house is your television. It is robbing you of valuable time with your family, and it is distracting your children from their call."
The next day my mother called to tell me her television was broken. I offered her ours, and we have been without a television since that time. Our children were all under twelve years of age when we heard the voice of wisdom, and our children thank us today for hearing that voice of wisdom. Jesus is wisdom personified. First Corinthians 1:30 says, "Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption." When we listen to the voice of Jesus Christ within, we will always hear wisdom speaking to us.
READ: Genesis 8:1-10:32; Matthew 4:12-25; Psalm 4:1-8; Proverbs 1:20-23


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Thousands of young and not so young Kiwis are about to hit financial independence for the first time. They've landed a place in the course of their dreams at university or polytechnic. Many will be at the top of a slippery slope on their way to decades of debt.
Some have been given everything on a plate up until now and expect to continue living that way at university. Others have never had to manage their own money. Or they believe that crippling debt is inevitable.
While students are focusing on finding accommodation, buying their books and learning their way around a new city or educational establishment this month, they should also be learning the basics of money management. There are some financial facts of life that every student should know.
Some students have minimal debt. That's a radical concept. The Guardian newspaper in the UK had an interesting headline recently: "Students now can't even afford to go to a demo".
The reality is there will always be some students who can afford to go to demonstrations, pay their own fees and generally make ends meet. It's not necessarily because their parents are wealthy. They think twice before they spend money and find ways to increase their income. Rather than rack up more and more debt they do simple things such as cycling instead of owning a car or taking public transport, limiting their drinking, working part-time and avoiding hanging out with big spenders.
Work and study can mix. Some readers tell me they don't believe in their children working. Getting a better education is more important, they say. A university graduate who has been fully funded by his or her parents isn't necessarily going to succeed in life. Working while studying is not just the dollars. A reader, Dr Woohoo, posted on nzherald.co.nz how he had helped his student daughter look for work at local bars and restaurants. "Due to her displaying unusual work skills, such as always showing up for her shifts, she now gets as much work as she wants, and will continue to work part time while she gains her qualifications. We've raised our kids with a simple rule. If you pay someone to do nothing, then nothing is the good that will come from it."
Student Stephen Leach has worked 15 to 20 hours a week at McDonald's Ti Rakau branch throughout his university career. The University of Auckland student says working hasn't distracted from his undergraduate and postgraduate studies in physics. Conversely it has improved his time management skills and given him a leg up in the world of work. Although still a student, Leach's hard work has paid off and he has been promoted to manager and given a pay rise. The job has helped him save $5000, which he plans to put towards a car. It has also given him the means to move out of home.
Leach says some of his friends scoffed at him working at McDonald's. "A couple of years later they were asking me to help them get a job," he says. "They needed money, but couldn't [find work]."
McDonald's New Zealand managing director Patrick Wilson started his working life on the shop floor while studying towards a degree. Working in a food establishment usually offers the added benefit of free meals, which shrinks the weekly grocery bill.
Students can and do start their own businesses. It might just be doing odd jobs in the neighbourhood. Or employing a team of your mates to do odd jobs. Victoria University even runs a Business and Investment Club (BIC) for students to help them kick-start businesses.
A classic example is former Westlake Boys High student Jonathan Wrait who launched Virtuoso Tutoring while studying for a BA in psychology. The company employed top senior students from his former school to provide training to younger children. Wrait was the New Zealand winner of the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) in 2011 and won a trip to New York. He has gone on to open other businesses including a creative agency and proof-reading business.
You don't need to live in the style you're accustomed to. There is almost always somewhere cheaper to live. That might be an apartment, student hostel or, God forbid, sharing a room with someone else. Living at home is an option if your parents live locally - although some students would rather eat cockroaches than continue living with Mum and Dad. I have come across students who have live-in positions providing care to elderly and disabled people. It might be that the "employer" needs assistance during the night, or help with tasks such as getting up, making breakfast or going shopping. Few of these options will have the mod cons of home. But you're not a student for your entire life and you'll afford more mod cons in your life if you keep the student debt under control.
Beware of the bank. Banks are kind to students. They offer overdrafts and shower them with credit cards. That's because they want to snare you for life.
Contrary to popular opinion, debtors are more valuable for banks than creditors. The more debt you rack up, the more money the bank makes from you. Many bank staff get bonuses the more they sell to you. What's more, the deal on offer from your bank isn't always the best. Just because you've done school banking or your parents banked with Westpac or BNZ, doesn't mean you have to.
Victims don't get ahead. Don't fall for the victim mentality of some students (and others in life). "It's unfair. I don't have any money. It's all the Government's fault." (Or your parents, or the older generation.) Having a victim mentality often becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
The big bad budget. Students come in two distinct species. The majority spend first and think later, but the rarer breed of student spends within a budget. Chances are that some of the money they're spending is from a loan. But it is budgeted for.
Take the analogy of a bucket holding water. The bucket with a tap that is turned on and off in a controlled way is the budgeter and the bucket with holes that empties out is the student without a budget.
The University of Auckland has a budget worksheet for students at auckland.ac.nz/uoa/cs-financial-advice. Sometimes just knowing where your money is going can help you make sensible spending decisions. Maybe that third night a week out drinking would be better spent studying or working. A budget allows you to monitor your spending.
Other people get scholarships. Thousands of scholarships are available to students. Not all of them are aimed at academic super achievers. For example, the Keir Trust Study Award encourages students "facing financial barriers" to undertake studies at AUT. And the Howick RSA provides a $2000 grant to a direct descendant of returned service members to attend a tertiary institution of their own choice. The BreakOut website has more information about grants and scholarships.
Learn about personal finance. The financially uninitiated can learn a lot about personal finance and money-saving techniques by surfing the net or reading good old-fashioned books. There are some finance-is-fun style books. You're Broke Because You Want To Be by Larry Winget and Winning the Money War by Lisa Dudson are good. A Google search also brings up many overseas books with relevance to New Zealand students.


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May 05, 2011 | |
Nanoantennas hold promise for infrared photovoltaics |
(Nanowerk News) Basic scientific curiosity paid off in unexpected ways when Rice University researchers investigating the fundamental physics of nanomaterials discovered a new technology that could dramatically improve solar energy panels. | |
The research is described in a new paper this week in the journal Science. | |
"We're merging the optics of nanoscale antennas with the electronics of semiconductors," said lead researcher Naomi Halas, Rice's Stanley C. Moore Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering. "There's no practical way to directly detect infrared light with silicon, but we've shown that it is possible if you marry the semiconductor to a nanoantenna. We expect this technique will be used in new scientific instruments for infrared-light detection and for higher-efficiency solar cells." | |
More than a third of the solar energy on Earth arrives in the form of infrared light. But silicon -- the material that's used to convert sunlight into electricity in the vast majority of today's solar panels -- cannot capture infrared light's energy. Every semiconductor, including silicon, has a "bandgap" where light below a certain frequency passes directly through the material and is unable to generate an electrical current. By attaching a metal nanoantenna to the silicon, where the tiny antenna is specially tuned to interact with infrared light, the Rice team showed they could extend the frequency range for electricity generation into the infrared. When infrared light hits the antenna, it creates a "plasmon," a wave of energy that sloshes through the antenna's ocean of free electrons. The study of plasmons is one of Halas' specialties, and the new paper resulted from basic research into the physics of plasmons that began in her lab years ago. | |
It has been known that plasmons decay and give up their energy in two ways; they either emit a photon of light or they convert the light energy into heat. The heating process begins when the plasmon transfers its energy to a single electron -- a 'hot' electron. Rice graduate student Mark Knight, lead author on the paper, together with Rice theoretical physicist Peter Nordlander, his graduate student Heidar Sobhani, and Halas set out to design an experiment to directly detect the hot electrons resulting from plasmon decay. | |
Patterning a metallic nanoantenna directly onto a semiconductor to create a "Schottky barrier," Knight showed that the infrared light striking the antenna would result in a hot electron that could jump the barrier, which creates an electrical current. This works for infrared light at frequencies that would otherwise pass directly through the device. | |
"The nanoantenna-diodes we created to detect plasmon-generated hot electrons are already pretty good at harvesting infrared light and turning it directly into electricity," Knight said. "We are eager to see whether this expansion of light-harvesting to infrared frequencies will directly result in higher-efficiency solar cells." |
Source: Rice University |


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June 21st, 2013LISWire
North Bethesda, MD, June 20, 2013-Bonnechere Union Public Library, located in Eganville, Ontario, Canada, has joined LibLime Koha and LibLime Koha 4.14.
The Bonnechere Union Public Library staff will work with LibLime Project Management in the upcoming months to migrate bibliographic, item, and patron data to the LibLime Koha 4.14 platform. Bonnechere Union Public Library looks forward to taking advantage of the rich functionality in LibLime Koha 4.14, including enhanced circulation policies, the Solr search engine, full faceted support in the OPAC, an embedded New Titles list, and additional functionality for expired and cancelled holds. As with all versions of LibLime Koha since 4.8, the entire application resides in the Plack environment for enhanced performance.
About Bonnechere Union Public Library
Bonnechere Union Public Library serves as a community gathering place with equal access to information for all patrons, available from multiple sources, about local heritage and the greater world beyond. The Library is a key partner in the development of the economic, cultural and social well-being of its community. As a community gathering place, the Bonnechere Union Public Library offers programming for all ages; it supports learning, literacy and leisure in a welcoming environment, and provides access to historical and modern resources in print and electronic formats.About LibLime - PTFS
LibLime – PTFS is the global leader in providing support for the Koha open source ILS. Rather than sell software licenses for static, hard-to-customize software products, the PTFS LibLime Division educates libraries about the benefits of open source, enabling them to make choices about how best to provide their communities and staff with better technology services. The PTFS LibLime Division then facilitates deployment of Koha in libraries by providing outstanding consulting, development, implementation, and support/hosting for libraries of all types and sizes. PTFS is also the developer of the world's leading content management software, ArchivalWare, and specializes in meeting library personnel staffing requirements, digitization, and metadata keying services. For more information, see http://liblime.com or http://ptfs.com or http://archivalware.net. -


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Walmart serves up fresh food loyalty program
BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart and HumanaVitality have developed a unique way to incentivize people to eat healthier while promoting increased customer traffic at Walmart stores.
The companies on Wednesday morning launched a first-of-its-kind program called Vitality HealthyFood, whereby Walmart offers a 5% discount on produce items to HumanaVitality members. The discount is loaded on a card in the form of a credit within five business days that can be redeemed on a subsequent trip to Walmart.
The program is set to begin Oct. 15 when the 5% discount becomes available on produce items bearing the recently developed "Great for You" icon, which, as the name implies, was created to designate foods that are part of a healthy diet. In the coming months, Walmart expects to apply the icon to select private-label products under the Great Value and Marketside brands that meet the Great for You criteria. The program is likely to be expanded to branded food items in 2013.
The effort is the first national program where a major retailer and healthcare company have come together to incentivize people to eat better through savings on healthier foods, according to Walmart.
"Price is an important factor in incentivizing wellness in America. By offering affordable, healthier foods, we will help make our customers healthier and reduce costs to our healthcare system as a whole," said John Agwunobi, president of health and wellness at Walmart U.S. He referred to the initiative as preventative care in its purest form, noting that Walmart wants to be a wellness destination for its customers and the retailer that, "provides them with affordable ways to fight for their health."
The initiative with HumanaVitality, a rewards-based program developed as a joint venture between Humana and Discovery Holdings, is a continuation of an effort Walmart began in 2011. That's when the retailer unveiled a commitment to make healthier food affordable and accessible at a high profile event involving Walmart U.S. president and CEO Bill Simon and First Lady Michelle Obama. Walmart said by collaborating with HumanaVitality it is directly addressing the issue of making healthier food more affordable food, working to bring down the costs of healthcare in the U.S., and leveraging its size and scale to lead on big social issues that matter to Americans.
HumanaVitality CEO Joe Woods said the program, called Vitality HealthyFood, represents a new way to decrease America's healthcare bill. A survey of Humana's membership found that 84% said a savings program would motivate them to purchase healthier foods.
From Humana's perspective, the program is launching just as open enrollment periods are set to begin for many employers.
"We will be aggressively communicating this program to more than 600,000 hospitals and physicians, as well as 60,000 insurance brokers to ensure as many members as possible can benefit from it," Woods said.


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... and THEN I thought, why not make a US version? In case I ever have to go and pitch over there, you never know.
Behold THE US TV DRAMA PITCH GENERATOR, which is like the UK one but has a much bigger budget.
Tuesday, April 24, 2018
UK TV Drama Pitch Generator
I got a bit tired of constantly coming up with new ideas for television shows, only for them to be constantly shot down, so I decided to come up with a way to randomly generate them.
Behold THE UK TV DRAMA GENERATOR
An example thereof:
(I'm trying to work out how to embed it in a blog post, not sure yet)
Behold THE UK TV DRAMA GENERATOR
An example thereof:
(I'm trying to work out how to embed it in a blog post, not sure yet)
Wednesday, January 03, 2018
Always spell-check your email headers
It's just occurred to me that as Steven Moffat's run on Doctor Who has finished, I can now tell you how I sent the worst typo IN HISTORY to the production team without worrying I'll be giving away any potential spoilers or anything.
The Doctor Who series before the last one (or possibly the one before that), I was approached for possibly writing an episode for the series, which as you can imagine is quite an exciting thing to be asked to do. The odds weren't great, I think they had four episode slots free, and they'd asked sixteen or so writers to come in and do a pitch. So after submitting a few one-paragraph ideas, I got on the train to Cardiff and had a preliminary meeting with the lovely script editors Richard and Derek (*waves*), then worked the ideas up a bit more, and then was asked to come to another meeting in Chiswick, in front of script eds, producer and S. Moffat. I've met him before, he's very nice.
The pitch meet opened thusly:
MOFFAT : So, what's your relationship with Doctor Who?
ME: Well, I wasn't allowed to watch it because it was deemed 'too scary', but my library had the Target novelisations, so in my mind there was only one Doctor who sometimes had a scarf and sometimes didn't, but didn't really have a face because I'm not great at faces, but either way, he always seemed more of a literary figure than a visual one.
MOFFAT: (shocked) You weren't allowed to watch Doctor Who?
ME: *sad face*
MOFFAT: That's basically child abuse!
ME: (getting phone out) I KNOW, RIGHT?! Please call my mum and tell her.
(I didn't actually do the last bit but MAN I wanted to).
I then did the worst pitch I've ever done. Started off well, then my brain clagged up I said 'and then' a million times and forgot bits and had to go back and start again at least twice I DON'T RECOMMEND THIS and I was reduced to asking for some water, and the sound of the water jug being slid across the table to me was exactly the screeching sound from Men In Black when Will Smith drags the table across the interview room, it was uncanny.
By then, the odds had already narrowed to eight writers for two eps, although if you're a Doctor Who fan, you'll have spotted my name isn't on any of the credits, so you know how this ends. Well sort of, smarty pants, although you don't know exactly how I get there, so settle down.
Sadly, the big ideas I'd had were already taken (the Doctor organises a heist! we go deep inside the Tardis for a thing!), so I was given an idea to muck about with: Strax the Sontaran, member of the Paternoster Gang the Doctor's occasional chum, is taken back to his home planet by his fellow Sontarans, who view him as a traitor for his regular helpings-out with the human race, not to mention one Time Lord, and place him on trial, the sentence: death. And probably a horrible death too, because if you're not familiar with the Sontarans, they're basically the angriest baked potatoes in the galaxy, and enter every room like this: GAAHHHHHH!
So it doesn't look good for Strax. I had an idea for how you'd explore this, and Steven Moffat was throwing better ideas at me like one of those baseball machines in American films, I was sort of juggling his ideas while mine fell all over the floor and rolled under tables and so on, but we got somewhere in the end, and even though it was the worst pitch I'd ever done, I got to go away and write it up.
This reminds me, I had another idea about an old battle Tardis. A Tardis specifically designed by the Time Lords for WAR, and they said 'ah, we're just about to do this' but clearly they never did. Where's Battle Tardis! I LOVE Battle Tardis!
Anyway I wrote it up, and they batted it about, and by then it was me and another writer up for one remaining slot and to cut a long story short (too late!), they went with the other writer, so I didn't get to write for the Twelfth Doctor in the end (sad face).
But that's not what this is about. What this is about is, during the development process I got an email from the script editors/producers of Doctor Who with the RUDEST TITLE HEADING EVER.
Crikey! I thought, and also Gosh, and I Don't Think They Meant This Email Title For Me. Had they perhaps replied to another email, forwarded it to someone, then it had got all caught up with their email to me? It seemed unlikely, but I couldn't think of a better explanation, I decided to reply to it, not mentioning the somewhat enormous faux pas in the email, they'll spot if themselves, I thought, and realise what they did.
Only a day or so later did the horrid truth assert itself, like a Battle Tardis would have done if they'd ever done that episode. Because I suddenly realised that the email was in reply to ME, which meant the original title had been written by YOURS TRULY, and they'd just politely not mentioned it and replied back to me in much the way I'd decided to do to them.
So remember, the idea for the episode was for 'Strax' to be put 'on trial'.
... as I'd written...
doctor who,
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Stories of Success
Below we have compiled stories of success sharing personal accounts of how technical education has made a difference to individuals and to the lives around them.
John Mshana Technician, Banana Investment
Coming from a poor family, John Mshana never expected to have an opportunity to attend a technical college. With support from ADEI he was able to complete his studies with a certificate in Industrial Automation. Shortly after graduating in 2009, John was hired by the local banana beer brewery, Banana Investment, to help install a new production line. The company's director hired two Germans to oversee the project, but soon after the equipment was installed it became clear that John knew the system just as well, if not better than the outsourced labourers. Now the company will not need to hire work from oversees to maintain the equipment, saving precious time and resources. John continues to work for Banana Investment as a technician, and uses part of his salary to help support his family and neighbors in his community.
"My family was poor, they didn't have any money to send me to a school like KIITEC. The technical knowledge that I got there has helped me a lot. Now I am able to give some money to my younger brothers and sisters, my relatives, even some of the neighbors surrounding my family"- John Mshana, 2009 KIITEC Gradute in Industrial Automation
Bertha Mbugha - Assistant Telecommunications Teacher, KIITEC
Bertha was one of the first women to graduate from KIITEC in 2009. Growing up in a very poor family, she managed to finish her degree with a loan through FTE. After working in the telecommunication industry, she was hired by KIITEC to share her knowledge and expertise as the Assistant Telecommunications Teacher, where she has been working since 2010. She works with students in the classroom and labs, teaching the hands on trainings that she attributes to her own success as a professional technician and teacher.
"The problem I was facing after my advance level education was financial. When I came to KIITEC my parents could not manage the fees. So ADEI and its partners. Now I am one of the first females to graduate from KIITEC. This technical education has helped me to be independent. I can also help my parents pay for school fees for my young brother who is in college." - Bertha Mbugha, KIITEC Graduate 2009
John Nkya - Information Technologist, ALMC
John Nkya was one of KIITEC's first graduates from 2008. He has been working for the Arusha Lutheran Medical Center (ALMC) since January of 2009 as an Information Technologist. ALMC is one of the leading hospitals in the country, and one of the few that completely rely on telecommunications. Patient's records, medical evaluations, test results and prescriptions are all tracked by the computer system that John is responsible for maintaining. Without John's invaluable service, the hospital would not be able to maintain its volume of patients or quality of healthcare.
Godlisten Heaven - KIITEC Teaching Assistant and Network Administrator
Godlisten first walked through the doors of KIITEC over 4 years ago originally enrolled in the 1-year certificate program. After exposure to the learning environment and opportunity to work with the equipment, Godlisten joined the NTA-6 specialization in Computer Engineering and Networking. Fast forward to his third year and he happily accepted an internship position with the school. Then finally following graduation in 2012, Godlisten was officially hired as a teaching assistant in Computer Engineering and Networking and Network Administrator for KIITEC. With a great start to his career underway, Godlisten has no regrets about the choice he made over 4 years ago.
"Even if I want to work somewhere else, I wouldn't apply my knowledge as much as the way I have applied it here. Because the equipment that is here, we work with it every time. If I worked outside KIITEC, there would probably not be as much equipment, so I would apply my knowledge less. Here, I study more and I get more experience with the equipment. It's a win-win for me". Godlisten Heaven 2012 KIITEC Computer Engineering & Networking Graduate
Michael Lyimo - Founder of Mick's Computer Centre (MCC)
It was his father that bought Michael his first computer many years ago, and since the first moment he sat down at the keyboard, he was hooked. Before attending KIITEC Michael worked for his father's business in the construction industry. But when his father died in 2010, he was forced to choose a new path in life. It was at this time he made the decision to return to school to pursue a career in IT and follow his dreams of opening his own computer company. Today, thanks to the education he received at KIITEC he is well on his way! Michael has opened up his own small business called Micks Computer Centre (MCC) where he repairs and teaches IT applications including Microsoft, Windows, Linux and Networking in the Arusha, Tanzania region.
"Everything I do now, I did not know them before I came to KIITEC. For me I think it is my starting point. I think I can grow more as I get challenges. It is mine, I love what I do, and I am doing IT!" Michael Lyimo KIITEC 2012 Graduate in Computer Engineering & Networking
Shuk Kandonga - Director of CIT Arusha
Compassion International Tanzania (CIT) is a Christian child development ministry dedicated to helping children in need throughout Tanzania. Shuk has been the director of CIT's Arusha branch since August of 2010, where he manages a team of 10, including social and health workers, teachers and administrators. CIT sponsors 250 kids from poor families in and around Arusha in need of a safe place to play and learn. Every Saturday the kids enjoy classes in entrepreneurship, fine art, vocational skills, and more. In addition to his role as director, Shuk teaches the computer programmes class and is helping to implement a computer networking system so that all CIT branches can communicate more effectively.
"My education is so helpful because about 90% of Compassion activities now depend on computers. It is a good thing because it simplifies work and saves time and money. Before we would have to send someone 30 - 40km to deliver a document, but now everyone can use e-mail to communicate. Our future plan is to put all CIT branches on the same computer network in order to improve the way we exchange information." - Shuk Kandonga, KIITEC 2009 Graduate - Computer Engineering
Jacob James - IT Manager, Network Technician & Network Administrator at Braeburn International School in Arusha
Jacob has been working for the Braeburn International School in Arusha since he graduated in 2009. After four years, he has become an integral part of the school, often holding multiple roles including the IT Manager, Network Administrator, and Network Technician. Whether its updating a coworker's computer software, or installing new digital white boards, Jacob does it all. Since he started working, the school has increased its computers from 50 to 200, requiring a great amount of maintenance. As the only person working in his department, he hopes to soon bring on an additional employee to join his department.
"Jacob is a man of many talents. He seems to hold three job roles in one. He is our IT Manager, the Network Administrator and the Network Technician. Given the magnitude of our network, it can be a very daunting task, so I have been very impressed by the work he has done here". - Patrick Bongo, ICT Teacher at Braeburn School, Arusha
Emily Shabani - Self-Employed Technician
Emily was a graduate from KIITEC's Telecommunications programme in 2009. He has held several jobs in the industry all over Tanzania, including a position as Technical Officer at Track Me Tanzania. He has also started his own company called Computel Techno Services, offering computer and network maintenance services to local business, industries and individuals. Despite financial setbacks due to his office being robbed, he is still self-employed offering printing and design work. His hope is to re-open Computel in addition to a programme that would empower Tanzanian youth seeking employment in the technical industry.
"Telecom was my dream, and I have to give thanks to the KIITEC staff, all the sponsors, and partners, because what they did is marvelous. It helped me a lot, not for only me, but all the students who graduate from KIITEC." - Emily Shabani, KIITEC Graduate 2009 (Telecommunications)
Izack Mangesho - Founder of Rockcity
Before studying at KIITEC Izack Mangesho had a degree from VETA in Electronic Installation. But without success in finding employment he decided to return to education and upgrade his skills at KIITEC with a 3-year specialization in Computer Engineering & Networking. After graduation Izack started his own company in graphic design called Rockcity which he runs when he is not working his part-time job at MAT-SEC helping with printing, photocopying, postcard, vouchers, textbooks and General supplies.
"Before coming to KIITEC, I did not know how to repair computers or even use them, but after KIITEC, I have learnt how to format computers, install Windows on systems and connect computers to enable sharing. During my stay, I went through the CCNA training, so at the end of my stay I was able to work for some companies like Arusha graphics, where I was able to install Reuters and switches to enable shared connection of computers. I want to say thanks so much to KIITEC". Izack Mangesho, 2012 KIITEC Graduate in Computer Enginerring and Networking
Reaching Local Industries
For decades, local beer bottling plant Nyanza Bottling in Mwanza, Tanzania was required to call in experts from South Africa to maintain and repair their production line because they could not find any local expertise, resulting in loss of production time and profits. To date, the company has hired four graduates from the KIITEC programme who have acquired the competencies in demand. Each time their skills are implemented the company is saved the average waiting time of 3 days needed to bring in the experts from South Africa. This is equal to 350,000 bottles of beer not being produced!
Reaching Local Communities
Through the encouragement of our entrepreneurial support team, Dickson Nkya, a graduate of our education programme started his own company to install and maintain solar panels in local Tanzanian villages, providing the first opportunity for many villagers to have access to electricity. For the very first time these communities now have access to light, Internet and mobile phones opening doors to many new prospects in life. Today Dickson runs his own company called Dykyan Technology.


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About Champions of Character®
The vision of National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Champions of Character program is to change the culture of sport. Its mission is to provide training to instill the values that build character so students, coaches and parents know, do and value the right thing on and off the field.
Research shows that the longer a student spends in sports, their social reasoning – sacrificing for the good of the team – rises.
The Champions of Character program helps participants find the balance by keeping five core values – integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship, and servant leadership – at the heart of the athletics experience.
Students learn to understand how the values play out in both practice and competition. Coaches are taught how to intentionally define, model, shape and reinforce the values through their coaching and mentoring. Parents learn how their behavior is key to supporting their athletes.
For more than a decade, Champions of Character has been making a difference in developing athletes, coaches and parents of character.
The NAIA is committed to advancing character-driven athletics.


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Cool Spring
Battle Name: | Cool Spring |
Other Names: | Island Ford, Parkers Ford, Snickers Ferry, Castleman's Ferry |
State: | Virginia |
Location: | Clarke County |
Campaign: | Early's Raid and Operations against the B&O Railroad (June-August 1864) |
Dates: | July 17-18, 1864 |
Principal Commanders: | Maj. Gen. Horatio Wright [US]; Lt. Gen. Jubal A. Early [CS] |
Forces Engaged: | 13,000 total (US 5,000; CS 8,000) |
Estimated Casualties: | 819 total (US 422; CS 397) |
Description: | A Union column, consisting of the VI Corps and elements of the XIX Corps under Maj. Gen. Horatio Wright, pursued Early's army as it withdrew from the environs of Washington, D.C. Wright's force was joined by elements of Crook's command, which had accompanied Hunter during his retreat through West Virginia. On July 17, the Union cavalry passed through Snickers Gap and attempted to force passage of the Shenandoah River at Snickers Ford (Castleman's Ferry). On the morning of July 18, the vanguard of the Union infantry moved through Snickers Gap. Col. Joseph Thoburn (of Crook's command) led his division downstream to cross the river at Judge Richard Parker's Ford. Early's three nearby infantry divisions moved to defend the fords. In the afternoon, Rodes's division attacked and shattered Thoburn's right flank on the Cool Spring plantation. Thoburn made a stand behind a stone wall at the river's edge and beat off three attacks until darkness enabled him to withdraw. Union pursuit of Early was delayed several days. |
Results: | Confederate victory |


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Justice Will Not Allow Investigator of IRS Scandal To Testify
House panel will hold oversight hearing on Thursday.
The Justice Department has rebuffed a House Republican's plan to hold an oversight hearing this Thursday featuring a key criminal investigator from the team reviewing mishandling of tax-exempt status applications by the Internal Revenue Service.
Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, asked Justice attorney Barbara Bosserman on Jan. 28 to testify "due to the administration's failure to provide necessary information about its IRS investigation." Bosserman, who is a leader in the Justice investigation into the IRS controversy, has donated money to President Obama's political campaigns, which GOP lawmakers including Jordan believe represents a conflict of interest. Bosserman is a career attorney; career employees are allowed to donate money to political candidates.
The Feb. 6 House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing is titled, "The IRS Targeting Investigation: What is the Administration Doing?"
But Bosserman will not appear, said Deputy Attorney General James Cole in a Jan. 30 reply to Jordan, as published in a tax-exempt organizations newsletter edited by attorney Paul Streckfus.
"The department's longstanding policy, applied across administrations, is to decline to provide Congress with non-public information about ongoing criminal investigations," Cole wrote. "This policy is intended to protect the effectiveness and integrity of the criminal justice process, as well as the privacy interests of third parties. It also is founded upon our commitment to avoiding any perception that our law enforcement efforts are subject to undue influence from elected officials."
Jordan wrote back to Bosserman on Jan. 31 asking that the department reconsider. "The committee recognizes that there may be particular law-enforcement aspects of the investigation that the department is unwilling to discuss publicly. However, there is no legitimate basis for a blanket refusal to answer questions about an apparent conflict of interest and the overall integrity of the investigation.
Republicans in both the House and Senate last month expressed frustration at leaked reports that the FBI and Justice are not likely to pursue criminal charges against IRS employees who delayed processing of applications by largely conservative nonprofits. The Washington Times, however, on Jan. 29, reported that Attorney General Eric Holder said he has not ruled out criminal charges.
Other Republicans, meanwhile, continue pressing the IRS story. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp, R-Mich., on Friday wrote to Treasury Department Secretary Jacob Lew and IRS Commissioner John Koskinen asking for all internal documents relating to the release last November of proposed rules aimed at clarifying the criteria with which the IRS Exempt Organizations Division should review applications from nonprofit groups to balance the mission of social welfare activity and political campaigning. The documents are due Feb. 13.
Koskinen has agreed to testify Wednesday before the Ways and Means Oversight subcommittee on the proposed regulations, the Justice Department probe, his agency's implementation of the 2010 Affordable Care Act and ongoing efforts to curb improper payments.
"The IRS carries out the critical function of collecting federal revenue—this is why it is alarming that its priorities have gone so far astray, said Ways and Means Oversight subcommittee Chairman Charles Boustany, R-La.
"Improper payments and identity theft continue to be major challenges for the agency and yet the IRS devotes more than 800 employees and millions of dollars to Obamacare implementation," Boustany said. "It has acknowledged targeting groups based on their personal beliefs, but now is using that scandal to justify new proposed regulations that will silence the very groups that were abused. The problems at the agency are many, and they are diverse, but what they all have in common is it will be up to Commissioner Koskinen to begin correcting them," he said.
NEXT STORY: Play of the Day: Censure from the GOP


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Korg's M1 is frequently cited as the instrument that gave birth to the house piano sound. However, the chances are that you don't own this classic late-'80s synth, so we're going to show you how to create an authentic house piano using software.
Step 1: The key to a decent house piano is to find an appropriate patch. The M1 piano from the Korg Legacy Digital Edition, Cubase 4.5's Yamaha S90ES, Acoustica's Pianissimo and the Acoustic Grand Piano soundbank for UVI Workstation are all strong, bright, warm piano sounds that will make good starting points.
Step 2: When creating or recording a MIDI part, you'll likely find that your chosen piano patch is dull at all but the highest velocity levels. Try to avoid having too many dynamics in any piano parts that play alongside the drum beat - you're aiming for consistency and a strong sound, rather than expression.
Step 3: In house, the kick and bass should be firmly in the centre of the mix. A piano that's also placed here will have to fight with these elements for supremacy, so use a stereo separation effect to widen it.
Step 4: Frequency-wise, you want the piano at the top of the mix. It's possible to use EQ to bring out the high registers if they're lacking (a frequency analyser can help with this), or you could opt for a multi-band distortion, such as Cubase's Quadrafuzz or Ohm Force's Predatohm.
Step 5: Use the higher frequency bands to brighten the top end of the piano. When applying distortion in this way, it's easy to overdo it - this will result in obvious boosting. Turn down the effect's output until this disappears.
Step 6: Another effect that can be used to bring out our desired sound is chorus. Extreme settings will result in a crazy, out-of-tune Wild-West saloon piano, so keep the Rate and Delay levels low, and turn the Mix down if it's too obvious.
Step 7: Often, producers will layer another sound with the piano to add more body and character. Strings are particularly useful for this, as their slow attack is covered by the piano's strong transients, and they come to the fore after the piano note fades.
Step 8: If the piano is playing at the same time as the rhythm section, you're probably going to want to make sure that it falls on the same beats as the bassline. That way, they'll reinforce each other, rather than fight for space.
Step 9: Finally, avoid drowning your piano in ambience effects - while these sound great on a solo part, they can clog up a busy dance tune. If you must have reverb or delay, consider using send effects, a high-pass filter and side-chain compression to prevent them from interfering with the mix too much.


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Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more.
Income tax information is confidential except where a court orders the release of information. It will be no different than Federal or State tax information. All filings are confidential per MCL 141.674.
Councilmembers will not have access to this information. The City has hired a third party contractor to administer the tax. This contractor will receive the income tax information and complete the auditing of all returns. The City will have an income tax administrator on staff with access to the income tax software, but he/she will be held to the confidentiality rules noted above. No City employee or department will be provide the information for any purpose other than administration of the income tax.
Show All Answers
An income tax is a tax levied by a government directly on a percentage of income; it's typically an annual tax on personal and business income. For a city income tax, the percentage is established at 1% for residents and .5% for non-residents. See Question #5 under the FAQs for Individuals for income that is exempt from the tax.
In addition to East Lansing, 23 other Michigan communities have an income tax. The communities with a standard 1% income tax for residents include: Albion, Battle Creek, Big Rapids, Flint, Grayling, Hamtramck, Hudson, Ionia, Jackson, Lansing, Lapeer, Muskegon, Muskegon Heights, Pontiac, Port Huron, Portland, Springfield, Walker and Benton Harbor. The communities that tax at a higher rate as permitted by statute include: Detroit, Grand Rapids, Highland Park and Saginaw. East Lansing's tax will never exceed 1%.
Yes. With the approval of the income tax proposal, the City Charter amendment approved by voters in November 2017 will go into effect, reducing the City's operating millage by 5 mills. Property owners will see this reduction on their July 2019 tax bills. This reduction in property taxes will lessen the impact of the income tax on property owners and, in some cases (i.e. retirees whose pension and social security income is exempt from the tax), the overall amount of taxes paid may actually decrease.
Property taxes will not increase without a vote of the people in years in which an income tax is imposed. The City Charter caps property taxes at 13 mills (20 mills prior to the income tax) in years in which an income tax is imposed. Any future increase above 13 mills in years in which an income tax is imposed would require another Charter Amendment, which would require another vote of the people.
If you are a resident of East Lansing who owns your own home, it will depend on your household income and the taxable value of your home. Your taxable income will be taxed at 1% and your total property taxes will decrease by about 10%. *Note that retirement income is not taxable locally, so seniors on fixed incomes who own their homes will, in many cases, see a reduction in their total taxes. Residents with specific questions about how the income tax and property tax reduction will impact them may want to consider consulting with a local tax office/professional. A Taxpayer Impact Calculator For Residents is also available (for estimation purposes only).
According to Plante Moran's Income Tax Study, the income tax is expected to produce approximately $10 million, but with an estimated $5 million less in property taxes as a result of the property tax reduction, the total net revenue is estimated to be $5 million annually to be used for the dedicated purposes outlined in the ballot language. The income tax will help the City to maintain its core services, make supplemental pension payments (the City is legally obligated to make these payments for retired City employees) and reinvest in City infrastructure and public safety.
The income tax will be implemented on January 1, 2019 and the property tax reduction will be seen on July 2019 tax bills.
425 agreements will not generally be impacted by the income tax. The agreements all contemplate the possibility of an income tax and designate the residents as City residents for such a purpose and designate the tax revenues as belonging to the City. The millage proposed to be assessed along with the income tax will still be above the various millage amounts required to be given back to the Townships under the revenue sharing provisions. The Townships will still get their share pursuant to the agreements regardless of an income tax.
Monday - Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.


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Invisible War, The
The first on-screen text in Kirby Dick's The Invisible War informs us that all of the film's statistics come from government sources. They are, to put it mildly, shocking. Over 20% of female vets have been sexually assaulted while serving our country. 200,000 assaults and rapes had been reported by 1991--and that was twenty years ago, and that only counts how many were reported. Fifteen percent of incoming Navy recruits entered the service with a previous history of sexual assault or rape; that's twice the rate as among civilian population. It is an environment, Dick contends, that can attract a sexual predator--and that is set up to not only excuse the perpetrator, but to punish the victim. Most of the latter are discharged; most of the former are not. The Department of Defense knows it is a problem, and makes bold statements about "zero tolerance" policies. But nothing changes.
Dick is a bit of a bomb-tosser, and is thus the ideal filmmaker to tell this story--he's a director who's good at getting his audience in a lather, whether over the hypocrisy of the movie ratings system (This Film is Not Yet Rated) or closeted gay politicians (Outrage). Here, he assembles face after face, woman after woman (and a few men, too) to tell story after story of rape, ostracizing, and injustice. Dozens of veterans are featured, from all branches of the armed services, each story more harrowing than the last. They were harassed, they were stalked, they were assaulted, they were raped, they were ignored. Many were expected to report the crimes to the men who perpetrated them. More than one woman was charged with adultery--since the perpetrator was a married man. For raising objections, for reporting the crimes, for seeking justice, they were dismissed from service. Most struggle to this day with PTSD, depression, and shame.
There is a history of this sort of thing, of course: the 1991 Navy Tailhook scandal, in which female recruits were forced to run a "gauntlet" that amounted to a gang rape; the 1996 accusations of 30 women at the Army Aberdeen Proving Ground; the 142 allegations over a decade at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, which finally surfaced in 2003. After each, pronouncements were made and "prevention programs" were implemented (Dick shows the laughable posters and training videos), but the crimes continued, as close to the Congressional investigations as a mile away, at Washington's Marine Barracks.
The personal stories are powerful. Lt. Elle Helmer, USMC, talks about her 2006 rape, where NCIS closed the investigation after three days, and then her own commander charged her with "conduct unbecoming." Michael Matthews, U.S. Air Force, talks about the humiliation of his rape in the hands of two fellow recruits, which he kept a secret for decades. The case of Kori Cioca, U.S. Coast Guard, provides something of a story spine for the documentary; she was first assaulted and then raped by a superior officer, and she has run into miles of red tape for her VA claim to treat the jaw that he dislocated.
There is more, sadly, much more--the suicide attempts, the dishonorable discharges, the dismissed lawsuits, the stooges who defend the half-assed sensitivity training and the current system's method of leaving all investigations at the discretion of the commanding officer. Dick puts it all together, and seems as astonished as his audience. The Invisible War is impeccably assembled, gathering force as the stories and arguments are collected into an indictment of a broken, victimizing entity.
THE DVD:Video & Audio:
The anamorphic widescreen image relies often on some pretty rough-looking archival materials, but the new interviews and B-roll footage--much of it strikingly shot on HD cameras--are crisp and sharp. Some of the audio from that footage is a little on the thin side, but the 5.1 surround mix is still perfectly adequate and mostly clean and audible. A 2.0 stereo track is also available.
Director Kirby Dick and producer Amy Ziering contribute an informative and impassioned Audio Commentary track, in which they discuss (in roughly equal parts) the filmmaking, the issues, and the reaction to the film. It's a fine supplement, with lots of valuable additional information.
Next up are Extended Interviews with Regina and John Vasquez (4:19), in which the former talks about her drugging and rape by a fellow Marine, the latter (her husband) about how her psychological damage affected their relationship; the interviews aren't the kind of raw footage that sometimes is labeled as such on DVDs, but is more of a loose deleted scene.
The Sundance Film Festival Post-Screening Speak-Out (6:08) features clips from a meeting between the film's subjects and other survivors in Park City after the film's premiere. It's well-edited and (obviously) difficult. The "Survivor Retreat" featurette (11:41) looks at the work of Susan Avila-Smith, the founder of the survivor outreach group VetWow. And "Cowboy Up" (3:41) spotlights the Moonfall Ranch in Colorado, where veterans suffering from PTSD and military sexual trauma engage in equine therapy.
I first saw The Invisible War at Sundance in January of this year, where it was the object of much interest and motivation--this is a movie that got people going, asking questions, asking for change. One of those changes came to pass--as the film's postscipt notes, secretary of defense Leon Penetta saw the film and, in response, changed the military's rules about who can prosecute these accusations. But, as that text notes, it's "not enough"--still too little, way too late. This bitter, powerful film is a howl of anger and a cry of injustice.
Jason lives in New York. He holds an MA in Cultural Reporting and Criticism from NYU.
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The NFL will not fine players for critical remarks made players on Twitter toward the NFL and replacement officials after Monday's controversial ending to the Green Bay Packers' loss to the Seattle Seahawks, a league source told NFL Network's Steve Wyche on Wednesday.
Darlington: For fans' sake...
As the NFL and referees continue to negotiate, Jeff Darlington writes fans should hope labor peace results. **More ...**
The news frankly is a bit of a surprise, but maybe it shouldn't be. The league has not fined a player for remarks made on social media outside of its time restrictions before and after games. Wyche said that general policy will remain in this case, despite the passionate and profane comments from the Packers and others in the wake of Monday night's touchdown call.
Packers guard Josh Sitton, tight end Jermichael Finley, and guard T.J. Lang were among the most vocal critics. Considering the emotion of the game, and the statement the NFL released on the play, perhaps the league felt it was unwieldy to try to punish everyone for their comments.
If you punished the Packers, after all, what about New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and other NFL players that took to Twitter? In this case, the NFL will let bygones be bygones and try to move on from the controversy.
Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.


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About the Mason Area
Mason, Michigan, is the seat of Ingham County government. The clock tower of the historic Ingham County Courthouse is a beacon in the heart of the community and the Courthouse is the centerpiece of our historic downtown area. The Mason area is a community of about 16,000 people (8,200 in the City of Mason) and is only minutes south of Lansing, the state capital. The small town lifestyle and agricultural setting of the Mason area attracts residents and employers who enjoy a buffer from nearby suburban areas. Quiet and attractive neighborhoods, our antiques district, rural charm, affordable homes, a high-quality school system and convenient, quick access to the Lansing metropolitan area and Michigan State University are just some of the reasons people enjoy living in the Mason area. Come home to Mason, Michigan — Hometown U.S.A.


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The Paper Planet Has Moved to a New Home
You can read and follow the blog now at community.environmentalpaper.org/blog.
This site at http://ThePaperPlanet.blogspot.com will remain public as an archive of previous articles. Please join us and register on the new website in order to join the conversation and comment on the articles covering pulp, people, ecology and the transformation of an industry.
You can also stay connected to articles on Facebook and Twitter (@whatsnyourpapr)


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I just updated a menu on a site of mine to utilize wp_nav_menu. Setting this up with WP was fairly straight forward however I've run into one small snag with the the way wordpress is outputting its parent/ancestor classes for use in highlighting the current page that the content belongs to, particularly with single post pages...
Highlighting the current page with .current_page_item a
and .current_page_parent a
works perfect as long as its just on a normal page with children, however as soon as you visit a post from events or media, the blog link in the menu is highlighted instead which is incorrect obviously.
*One thing noticeably wrong when looking at Wordpress' output is that the current page classes are not even being generated on the correct li tag that the post belongs to which seems to be the root of the problem.
For future reference, the Events, Media, & Blog pages all use a special query I've written to only grab the respective category for that page, ie.
$paged = (get_query_var('paged')) ? get_query_var('paged') : 1;
if ( have_posts() ) : while ( have_posts() ) : the_post(); ?>
<div class="post">
It should be noted: I have a secondary loop in the footer grabbing the latest blog post, dunno if this could be the culprit but Id like to keep that as is since it was placed there upon request of the client.
-- I take it back, I removed the secondary loop in the footer to see what would happen and the same results occurred so its not the problem as far as I can tell.
Hope thats enough info, if not let me know. Best, SB