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WHEN ALLEN GINSBERG entered Columbia University in 1944, he met Lucien Carr. The second name is less familiar than the first, but Beat aficionados will know it. A year older than Ginsberg, Carr was a charming, beautiful would-be poet who served as a kind of Beat galvanizer and muse, talking grandly about a Yeatsian New Vision movement and generally inspiring literary ambition. He had a troubled past — he'd been at three different colleges in as many years, moving from Bowdoin to the University of Chicago to Columbia — and a strange, tense relationship with one David Kammerer, a 35-year-old man apparently obsessed with him. Kammerer had known Carr since the latter was 14, and had followed him to Maine, to Chicago, and to New York. Somehow, horribly, Carr ended up stabbing Kammerer to death in Riverside Park, a crime for which he spent two years in prison.
This tragedy might be thought of as the Beat Generation's founding trauma. Kerouac and Burroughs novelized it immediately in a 1945 manuscript finally published in 2008 as And the Hippos Were Boiled in Their Tanks. Ginsberg wrote about it too, in an unfinished novel fragment called The Bloodsong, and Kerouac wrote further iterations of the story in The Town and the City (1950) and Vanity of Duluoz (1968). Before Naomi Ginsberg's lobotomy, before Burroughs killed Jane Vollmer, the slaying of David Kammerer was the central catastrophe for the cohort that would become the Beats.
John Krokidas's Kill Your Darlings tells a version of this story. Dane DeHaan's Lucien recalls an eviler reincarnation of Anthony Andrews as Sebastian Flyte in the BBC Brideshead Revisited: a lovely aesthete with problems, seducing others with his epicene poses — all light, wine, and poetry — and then, with a darkening flicker of his hooded eyes, becoming quite the most vicious snake in the garden. He's got the cruel energy and the sexual charisma to carry the role, and he executes his manifold manipulations — of Ginsberg, of Kammerer, of the Columbia administration — with the plausible aplomb of a born sociopath. And like any dandy, he gets the best lines. For instance, after kissing a stranger at a party: "She tasted like imported sophistication and domestic cigarettes." Wouldn't you have wanted to talk like that in college?
DeHaan's dangerous charm is a good thing, too, because Daniel Radcliffe's Ginsberg is as boring and safe as a J.Crew catalog — indeed, he appears to have escaped from one. In a moment of putative intellectual rebellion, he challenges a stuffy English professor's insistence on metrical rules: "Then how do you explain Whitman?" I'm not convinced. Radcliffe's Ginsberg couldn't punch his way out of a bag sewn together from the pages of Leaves of Grass. He's obviously working hard, but he does Ginsberg as so wide-eyed and impressionable that it's impossible to recognize, even in embryo, the man's ambition or vision: this Ginsberg would have given up poetry by sophomore year and become an accounting major.
As David Kammerer, Michael C. Hall (TV's Dexter) rounds out the cast nicely. Haunted, stricken, hiding behind his red beard, Kammerer's awful need is palpable in his every scene. Hall conveys Kammerer's sinister power over Carr with a mixture of stalkerish urgency and reserved menace — we feel for him, but we're also afraid of him. Hall and DeHaan's fierce negative chemistry is compelling, but, perhaps of necessity, underdeveloped. The real details of the Kammerer-Carr relationship remain murky, and Krokidas is faithful to that murkiness.
The result, though, is that Kill Your Darlings isn't really about the murder that is its technical premise. At heart, it's a college buddy-movie about the lit-mag milieu. It wants badly to tell us something about poetry, or art, or whatever, but it doesn't know how. It mostly tells us that college can be fun, but also sometimes scary.
Kill Your Darlings is, finally, a kid's movie, or a college freshman's, though one hopes that teenagers trained on "Howl" and on the sardonic Burroughs of Junky and Naked Lunch will have the wit to recognize when they're being condescended to. From one of its earliest scenes, Ginsberg receiving his acceptance letter to Columbia, to one of its latest, Ginsberg buckling down to write in a café, whiskey and Lucky Strikes spread out before him, Kill Your Darlings fails to be more than a rather pretentious campus romp, relentlessly insisting on big issues it doesn't really care about: World War II, the pressures of the closet, conformity, obsession. But Krokidas is really interested in lighter fare. One of the movie's more successful scenes involves Ginsberg half-willingly getting a blowjob from an unimpressed Barnard girl in the Columbia stacks, all part of a scheme to steal the key to the banned books room. It's pretty funny, in an American Pie sort of way. (All the gay sex, by contrast, is terribly solemn, as if part of a church service. Is there a rule that says that when straight actors portray gay characters, they have to be so earnest about it?) In another enjoyable sequence, Ginsberg, Carr, and Kerouac break into the library in order to stock the glass display-cases with pornography (Beardsley phalluses and so on.) In other words, this movie's best self is a kind of Beatnik Animal House, but its larger ambitions are announced so blatantly that their failure to materialize renders everything else bathetic. It'd be a better film if it didn't try to be so good: if it had a little dark and tasteless fun with the noirish possibilities of the material.
It would also be truer to at least one of it sources, Burroughs's and Kerouac's hardboiled And the Hippos Were Boiled in Their Tanks. The novel isn't very good, but it has two things missing from the film: a genuine perception of the sordid, and a distorted sense of humor corresponding to that perception. Kill Your Darlings is a comic portrait of the artist as a young man with a happy resolution — Ginsberg scribbling away, on the cusp of greatness! — that happens to contain a murder. It might profitably be shown to 15-year-olds to encourage their nascent literary pursuits.
Len Gutkin is a PhD candidate in the English Department at Yale.
LARB Contributor
Len Gutkin is a Junior Fellow in the Harvard Society of Fellows. He has written for TLS, Boston Review, and elsewhere.
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ID papers for an anonymous secret agent from Cottbus, Germany, an exhibit in the ministerial headquarters of the Stasi secret police in Communist East Germany, the GDR. Built in 1960, the complex now known as the Stasi Museum. Between 1950 and 1989, the Stasi employed a total of 274,000 people in an effort to root out the class enemy. Before the fall of the Wall, it was a 22-hectare complex of espionage whose centrepiece is the office and working quarters of the former Minister of State Security, Erich Mielke who considered their role as the 'shield and sword of the party', conducting one of the world's most efficient spying operations against its political dissenters during its 40-year old socialist history. The Stasi Museum is a 22-hectare complex of research and memorial centre concerning the political system of the former East Germany. During Hitler's Third Reich, the Gestapo had one agent for every 2,000 citizens whereas the Stasi had approximately an spy for every 6.5. Here at the Stasi HQ alone 15,000 were employed plus the many regional stations. German media called East Germany 'the most perfected surveillance state of all time' - administered from this complex of offices.
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Chevrolet Impala SS (1995)
by: BILL RUSS
SEE ALSO:Chevrolet Buyer's Guide
The new Chevrolet Impala SS demonstrates a couple of positive things about American auto buyers. Many remember the muscle cars of the sixties, the nostalgic days of the Beach Boys and their fine (Impala SS) 409. There are also those who still prefer plenty of go-power in their transportation despite government fuel economy regulations and a social climate of increasingly bland practicality. These folks remember the simplicity and raw power from plenty of cubic inches that now has been replaced by technology, sophistication, and safety.
After a 25 year hiatus the muscle car has returned. The Impala SS is the full-sized American performance car of the nineties. Since its introduction last year its production has virtually been sold out. Production quotas have been increased for 1995. Back in the late sixties these factory hot rods were basic, simple and loaded with power. While not exactly simple, the latest Impala SS is the result of dipping into the Chevrolet parts bin and combining a 260 hp Corvette LT1 V8 pushrod engine with a modified police car suspension and large 17 inch wheels with sticky tires in a slightly-restyled Caprice Classic sedan. It is a civilian version of the police special with an upgraded interior and without a light bar across the top. These alterations really change the image of the car and transform the bland Caprice Classic into a good-looking, good-handling, and safe modern muscle car.
A week of suburban and highway driving, plus a few laps around a closed training course left these impressions:
APPEARANCE: It's surprising what a few detail changes can do for looks. With the addition of 5- spoke 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels and low-profile tires, full cutaway wheel arches, modified rear quarter windows, a small ducktail spoiler on the rear deck, and a dark-colored paint job with some distinctive badging, the rather bulky Caprice Classic is transformed into the svelte Impala SS. Originally available only in monochrome black, the SS can now be had in dark cherry or dark green- grey. Consensus among many buyers and writers is that black best suits its powerful image!
COMFORT: Roominess is a hallmark of the Impala SS. Its interior is trimmed in leather, with contoured seats in front and back. A full complement of power windows, locks and mirrors, plus infra-red remote locking, and powered front seats add a touch of class to go with its performance potential. A center console with cupholders, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and black satin finish on the instrument panel develop its sporty character. However the shifter is still on the steering column like it was in the sixties. The AM/FM/CD stereo fills the large cabin with high-quality sound. The heater/air conditioner is easy to use and maintains a comfortable cabin climate.
SAFETY: Besides dual front airbags, the Impala is fitted with four-wheel-disc antilock brakes, 3-point outboard seat belts with height adjustment for the front seats, and rear door child safety locks. Its design incorporates rugged steel safety cage construction along with front and rear crush zones and side impact protection. The PASS-key II provides passive safety.
ROADABILITY: Muscle cars were renowned for their acceleration and often criticized for their stopping and handling abilities. The new Impala SS shows how far the state of technology has come in the last quarter-century. With four-wheel disc brakes, it stops far better than its drum-equipped ancestors. And, even though the Impala has the same classic independent front suspension and solid rear axle design as its predecessors, the art of suspension tuning has come a long way in twenty-five years. The P255/50ZR17 B. F. Goodrich Comp T/A tires don't hurt any, either. As big as it is, the Impala SS handles very well, even on a tight "sports car" road, and has a good, firm sports-sedan ride.
PERFORMANCE: There might be some static from the faithful here. 'Sixties muscle cars had big- block engines. The Impala SS uses the classic small-block Chevy V8 in its 350-cubic inch 260- horsepower form. The LT-1 powerplant produces plenty of urge and makes for a better-balanced machine than a big block would. Acceleration is fully comparable to the old muscle cars - or better! - and fuel economy is much improved. A limited-slip differential helps get power to the ground.
CONCLUSIONS: Chevrolet has a unique offering for enthusiasts of American performance in the Impala SS. It is a modern update of the classic muscle car of the past with just enough modern technology to make it work very well.
Base Price $ 22,910 Price As Tested $ 24,601 Engine Type V-8, ohv - 16 valve, spfi Engine Size 5.7 liter/350 cid Horsepower 260 @ 4800 Torque (ft/lbs) 330 @ 3200 Wheelbase/Length 116"/214" Transmission four-speed automatic w/od Curb Weight 4200 Pounds per Horsepower 16 Fuel Capacity 23 Fuel Requirement Unleaded regular (87 oct) Tires BF Goodrich Z24 Comp T/A P255/50 ZR17 Brakes antilock standard vented disc/vented disc Drive Train Front engine/rear drive PERFORMANCE EPA Economy - miles per gallon, city/highway/observed 17/25/19.8 0 to 60 mph 7.4 sec 1/4 mi (E.T.) 15.9 sec Coefficient of Drag (Cd) .36


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At work we were talking about currency hedging our equity index exposures but I am struggling to understand how this happens in a typical iShares ETF.
If we take the Japan ETF IJPN then we see this index is against the MSCI Japan index.
However it is priced in GBP and its base and benchmark currency is USD.
So my question is: What sensitivity does this have to FX (USD/JPY and GBP/JPY) if any and why?


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The words "Ordo Templi Satanis" are Latin for "Order of the Satanic Temple," and are derived from the name for the old Knights Templar-- the Knights of the Temple. The OTS has been conceived to be a modern equivalent to an Order of knighthood, and is organized along lines similar to those used in medieval Europe. The ultimate goal of the Order is to bring this nation back to the Satanic principles upon which it was founded, and to ensure that the natural Satanic elite is no longer on the brink of destruction at the hands of the masses.
We recognize that the only way for humanity as a whole to realize its potential is to return to the old social formulae, which recognize the existence of a natural aristocracy within the human species. We give that aristocracy the label of Satanist, and borrow the imagery of Satanism and the occult for our pur- poses. We do not believe in a literal extraterrestrial being known as Satan, Lucifer, or any other such thing. We see humanity as the ultimate expression of the force of evolution, which is constantly working to improve the species and drive it forward. We see this as a good thing, but we recognize the necessity of the stratification of the Satanists from the slaves, the elite from the masses, the leaders from the followers, in order to achieve greatness for ourselves as a species.
Our philosophy is rooted in materialism, and is quite a cynical one. We do not deny this, indeed, we revel in it. It is only through such tough, realistic approaches that the vast and awesome problems which face our planet and species today can be overcome, and we believe that through the application of our philosophy, we can bring this about.
While the Satanist is, by definition, a creature of individ- uality and self-reliance, we recognize that it is only through the application of an iron Will that our goals can be accom- plished. This is Realpolitik. Without a consistent, centralized organization backing and pushing for our programs to be accepted by the masses, we stand no chance against the vast bureaucracy of egalitarianism which has entrenched itself in Western society through the vehicle of Christianity and which threatens to spread the world over. To that end, we conceive of the Order of the Satanic Temple as a group which can work together, drawing the strength of its members and focusing it in a single direction, as a vehicle, a living, breathing Working spanning the course of years, that may bring about the fundamental realignment of our society and culture.
In order for this to occur, however, we as members of the natural Aristocracy must realize that we shall be called upon to make even greater sacrifices than the current system of charity- at-gunpoint could ever dream of asking. We shall be forced to work together, as a single entity, for the fulfillment of our goals. In order to be able to bring this about, a certain amount of externally imposed discipline must be employed, but in no case will the spirit of individual effort and creation, central to the Satanic philosophy, ever be quelled. Indeed, it should be stated here and now that, should the leadership of the Order, singly or collectively, ever attempt to quench the fires of individuality among the membership beyond the bounds demanded by the need for discipline, or should the leadership ever silence out of hand questioning and healthy non-derisive debate, then those individu- als of the leadership responsible should realize that they have betrayed the most fundamental principles of our Faith, and should bear the brunt therefore.
It is felt that, in order to make the most efficient use of our available resources, communication and some degree of coordi- nation is necessary. Merely awaiting the timely confluence of like-minded individuals, trusting on some vague sense of "the time being right" for a host of people to act in concert, is not a realistic prospect. The effort we make to change our society along the lines we espouse must be a consciously directed act, derived from the combined creative and motivating forces of all the membership of the Order.
The goals of the Order thus established, its methods must also be elucidated. While it is true that we oppose much of the legal structure of our society, based as it is upon principles which are entirely alien to a vibrant, living, expanding culture, we recognize the fact that any large-scale changes (such as those which we envision) must be wrought from within, rather than imposed from without. This goes back to the idea that the Masses must be lulled as much as possible; nothing must be perceived as a threat to their comfortable, staid, and ultimately uninspired lives.
On the other hand, we must recognize that there may come times when our society is either unwilling or unable to grant us the protections and rights which we deserve, as much as any other citizens or organizations. We must forge instruments whereby we can ensure that our fate lies within our own grasp, rather than placing our fullest trust in the good will of our most bitter enemies. Each member of the Order, and the organization as a whole, must have the capacity for self-sufficiency in all things, most of all protection.
It will be the ultimate test and expression of the Will that the Order and its members will have the strength to lash out and inflict vast harms upon society, but willingly will refrain from doing so. Only in the most dire cases, where the very life itself is threatened, must such measures be employed, and then only when all other avenues have been exhausted. We should be reluctant to do so, but when forced to, we should be able to stand alone and succeed.
The chief weapon of the Order, and of the entire Satanic movement, should be to lead and convert by example. If the mind- less drones of the Masses see that Satanists are prospering, and that those who follow the Satanic ideology are the "winners" of society, they will be much more inclined to do so themselves. And this should not only apply to the individual members of the Order; the organization as a whole must be seen to be a respect- able and flourishing one. To this end, we envisage the construc- tion of an actual, physical, Satanic Temple in some major metro- politan region, to serve as a shining beacon-- an example of what can be done by following and espousing our philosophy.


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VanEck Vietnam ETF (VNM)
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It's very rare for Nintendo to be beaten to the punch by other developers, but some of their recent DS releases certainly seem to be playing catch-up to the wealth of third-party support on the machine. Style Boutique (known as Style Savvy in the US) resembles any number of other titles, and now with Nintendo Presents: Crossword Collection they've got another product entering into a crowded market. Does it bring enough word power to the table, or is it lacking that certain something?
Holding the DS on its side throughout, you're presented with a choice of crosswords, wordsearches and anagrams, each with variable difficulties to select. If you're unfamiliar with any of these games, you can choose to read the very useful tutorials available from the title screen, although there can't be many people who don't know how a wordsearch works. From the start, the game's graphical presentation is clear and clean, with simple menus and rounded buttons giving it a decent, if rather character-less, appearance. The music is similarly inoffensive, plinking away on the menu screens yet completely absent from the puzzles themselves, leaving only rudimentary sound effects to accompany your linguistic noodling.
Having selected your puzzle game, you then select one of the initial difficulties, with extra difficulties and stages unlocked through play. For crosswords, Easy puzzles tend to be small grids with shorter words, building up to the Hard mode puzzles which frequently feature more obscure ten or eleven letter words, with Medium difficulty predictably nestling somewhere in-between. All puzzles in Easy mode feature letter entry assist, indicating with a sound effect and red ink if you've entered the wrong letter, meaning you should blast through these grids in no time. The entry assist feature can be activated in the other initial difficulties too, though their size and relative obscurity of the words makes succeeding through pure trial-and-error much harder here.
The handwriting support is as close to perfect as any seen on DS, recognising upper and lower case letters quickly and easily, meaning you never feel frustrated if it doesn't understand your handwriting. There's a wide range of different styles of handwriting here at Nintendo Life — straight, curly, messy [thank goodness for typing! - Ed] — and it showed the same accuracy for each. Once you've entered a letter, the grid automatically scrolls to the next box, removing the need to scroll manually (though this option is there if you want to check out the grid). There's a slight delay between finishing your letter entry and the game calculating which letter you wrote, and even though crosswords are hardly high-paced games it's still an irritating pause. There's a second annoying feature that becomes evident when switching between across and down clues. Let's say you write the last letter of an across clue and want to start writing the answer for down, so you use the button in the bottom-right to switch from across to down. If the game hasn't decided which letter you just wrote, it's erased and you have to write it again; if it has settled on a letter, it doesn't automatically scroll you down to the next letter, breaking up some of the fluidity it otherwise does well to create. These are minor quibbles really, but with the handwriting support being so accurate and the entry otherwise remarkably intuitive it's still irritating to see small problems such as this appear.
If you get really stuck in your crossword, you have a small number of hint points available which you may use at your own discretion. A second clue costs one point, revealing a letter costs three points and getting the whole word filled in requires five handsome hint points. Using a hint also gives you a sizeable time penalty, affecting your overall grade if you use it. If you get really stuck, you can always save the game and return to it later, though you can only save one crossword at a time, meaning you'll have to move onto a wordsearch or anagram if you want to continue playing.
If you're not into crosswords (in which case you're unlikely to buy this game, but still) you can also play wordsearches and anagrams, both of which play as you'd expect, really. Wordsearches come in a range of sizes and topics, with the word list displayed down the left and the grid on the right, with selecting words a simple matter of dragging a yellow line over them. Pleasingly you can drag the line up, down, left or right to capture a word, with no need to drag from right to left if the word is backwards, for example. It's intuitive and enjoyable right from the off, but later grids become problematic as the game doesn't zoom out to show the whole grid or word list, requiring you to scroll with the D-Pad to see everything. Although this keeps the same font resolution, making it easier to read the letters and words, it does make it more difficult to find the bigger words without scrolling around a bit. It's hardly a big problem - it is a word_search_, after all - but the option to zoom in and out would have been welcome.
Lastly there's the anagrams mode, which presents you with a selection of letters and challenges you to create words with them within the allotted time. Starting off simply with three and four letter words, it naturally moves to more difficult challenges as more letters get thrown into the mix. Rather than using handwriting support, you simply drag the tiles into slots to create words, with options to align and shuffle the tiles in case you get stuck or need inspiration. As only certain pre-determined words are available there are inevitably times when you'll come up with a word the game doesn't recognize — in our playtest it failed to award points for "ale" and "lea", both of which are in the Oxford English Dictionary. Completing the anagram mode requires spelling out all the words the game recognises, so although it's helpful in a way for it to neglect more obscure words it's still frustrating for wordsmiths to see good words ignored.
With thousands of puzzles, a range of difficulty levels and intuitive controls, Crossword Collection is a good choice for anyone wanting a budget range of wordy puzzles to last. It's not without its problems, but it's a good way to while away a quiet evening and doesn't try to throw any pseudo-educational elements on you. It does what it says on the tin, and is something English enthusiasts and vocabulary veterans should snap up.


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The dark, wet alley was slightly illuminated by Sarah's cell phone light, as she shined it every few seconds to see where she was headed. Her eyes scanned the darkness, and she shook crazily. What had happened to her last night was a mystery. She thought back, back to the bar. She had just came in with some friends, just a fun night out. Nothing could have happened, or so she thought. Now she was trembling, walking from building to building at three in the morning. Again she thought back, but everything was a blur. She passed an old ratty motel, and a pub.
Sarah made her way to the outskirts of her neighborhood, around a heavily wooded area. She walked, she clenching her eyes shut tight for moments at a time. She was huddled into her coat for warmth as the cold rain covered her for what seemed like an eternity. Just as her eyelids took cover of her eyes, something shined out of the corner of her vision. She instantaneously flashed her eyes open once again, and her pupils became wide. She looked around. Nothing stood out in the blackness and rain. She spun around and continued her way back, hoping she would make it home. As she studied her surroundings, she remembered a shortcut that she took as a kid when playing "Hide and seek" with her childhood playmates.
It involved climbing through the woods. The cold woman hesitated, but came to the decision that anything that would get her to her warm home quicker is the better way. Sarah headed towards the forest. As she made her way in, the first tree she laid eyes on had been marked. What was on marked on the tree mystified her, what looked like a circle with an X inside. She knew nothing of its origin or meaning, so she just assumed this was some kind of gang symbol, or something of the sort. Making her way into the forest, she recalled the fun times she had as a kid. She thought to herself out loud.
"I miss those times. Back when the world wasn't a ba-"
Her voice trailed off. Sarah heard the loud crack of a tree branch off in the distance behind her. Terrified, she began running through the woods, and she soon became lost. She continued on anyway, hoping for a way out. Her lack of caution quickly resulted in her leg being caught on a near lying root, and she fell to the ground. Attempting to get up caused her even more pain. She had twisted her ankle.
"Somebody please.. help me!" she called out.
The crunching of leaves became present again. She attempted to stand up and run once again, but her injury kept her in one place. She clenched her eyes shut out of fear, and as she opened them again, a tall, white man dressed in a suit stood before her. She had become visually impaired at the sight of this man. She began screaming in terror, but was soon silenced by the slender, pale man that stood before her in the dark.
Four o' clock. What once was a young boy, now was a cold blooded psychopath. Jeff the killer had just finished what he called his "Daily rounds". The slaughtering of innocent people, this was almost all that flooded Jeff's mind. He dragged his feet up the wet cement as he entered what he had called his home for years. Jeff stepped foot into a world of tragic memories, clutching two whiskey bottles in hand. Jeff had become a drunken killing machine. His brain was filled with the scent of murder. One thought that did cross his psychotic mind had been there since day one. As the rain hit the weary house, Jeff began to recall the night in which he slaughtered his entire family. He chuckled at the thought. If it wasn't for his insanity, he may have thought about regret. Remorse for taking the lives of the people he once loved. But that wasn't possible at this point. Jeff was out for one thing and one thing only. Death.
Five o' six in the morning. He took another swig at his alcohol.
"What in the fuck am I sitting here for.." Jeff buzzed.
As he got up to make his way into the night, he swerved a bit, and took another chug at his whiskey. The alcohol hit his warm, bloody lips, and he felt an odd sensation. A sudden urge had hit him. He stood in the room, gazing out at the forest beyond the house. Jeff checked his pockets- cigarettes, a lighter, and of course his knife. Jeff knew that something wasn't right. The feeling he got was a mix of the urge to kill again, and something far different than what he had ever felt before.
He stormed out of his home, into the cold,wet night. Jeff was now in a dark street, his only light source being a lamp illuminating the road. The rain, still pouring, hit Jeff's back. He started to move in the direction of the forest. He struggled a bit, his alcohol consumption that night had been extremely high. The killer approached the desolate forest. Before he entered, he took a quick glare to his left. Jeff was not far from a cemetery. He trembled towards it. A thought blew into his mind, almost like the wind on a breezy afternoon. The last piece of his family was only feet away, and it beckoned him.
He moved his feet away from the forest, and towards the graveyard. Slowly Jeff walked, yet he tripped a few times spanning the short distance. He approached a grave. Jeff graced it with the rotten odor of death, his jacket being covered in the blood and remains of his victims. Jeff simply gazed at the cold slab of granite. His vision was too distorted to make out any sort of words, because of this, he just stood and stared. Jeff's insides began to feel uneasy, and his throat became dry. The same feeling from just minutes before.
Jeff stumbled back to the forest. While trembling towards the woodland, his eyes wandered to a tree a few feet farther out than the others. What looked like a small, greyish piece of paper could be seen hanging by a nail His eyes blurry, he was unable to read it. He took no attempt either, and crept into the darkness slowly. Almost as if he recognized this place, as if it were his true home.
Squeezing his two whiskey bottles, he studied the forest in a drunken haze. Jeff admired the darkness, it reminded him of a black hallway, one where the murderer could easily slash the necks of his victims without being seen. As he continued walking, Jeff became in a way, infatuated. The empty blackness swirled around him. Muttering to himself in unrecognizable gibberish, he continued to trot. Something felt a bit odd. The crunching of leaves seemed too loud to account for only one person. Jeff felt as if something was lurking beyond his line of sight.
"Who's there?" Jeff growled.
An abundance of noise could be heard, but nothing out of the ordinary. The chirps of crickets grew louder as Jeff studied his surroundings.
"Come on chicken, I don't really like games, and not hide and seek at all."
As Jeff announced this, a quick rustling from a nearby bush could be heard. He slashed at it before the sound could come to a silence on its own. Jeff then saw what was hidden out of sight the entire time.
"Damn rats, you're just some good for nothing pests." Jeff proclaimed as a rodent scurried from the leaves.
After he had seen what hid in the bush, he continued his midnight stroll. The rain crashing against his back came to a slow stop. His vision was becoming very blurry, and a loud noise was growing within his head. What could be heard was just a figment on Jeff's insane imagination, for the woods were completely silent. He tampered around, dragging his feet and cursing at the almost unbearable noise. Nothing like it had pierced his ears with such discontent before.
The noise that drowned Jeff slowly became absent. From the pain, Jeff fell to a tree. Both bottles that were once clenched into his hands fell towards the ground. One crashed against the bark, and shattered everywhere. The crack of glass had viciously dragged Jeff back into consciousness. As his eyes readjusted to the darkness one more, the blurriness was magnified as Jeff saw a white, oval like object hovering above him. His eyes quickly focused from shock, but what had been in front of him a few seconds ago was nowhere to be found.
"What in the fuck was that?"
Jeff chuckled at his own remark. Was his mind playing tricks on him?
"Now I know that ain't no damn rats"
He hastily came to the conclusion that something had to be lurking in the darkness, following him from a distance.
"That's it, I'm done playing games. Where the fuck are you, you bastard!?" Jeff screamed to the top of his lungs in hope of some kind of response. He was answered abruptly. As he started to walk again, he felt the slightest tingle on his neck.
"That's not the damn air, fucker. Get the hell out of the bushes before I decide to fuck you up!" Jeff felt wild at this point. Nothing about this place was right, but he was enjoying every minute of it. Swiftly, he pulled his shining blade from his coat pocket, and began slashing at trees in the darkness.
"Come out, come out bitch!" He cried out. "No hiding now, I'll cut every last chip of bark to slit your throat!"
Jeff pointed his knife towards a tall, thin tree protruding from the left of his vision, and stabbed. He was astonished to see that on direct contact, the tree, or what he thought was a tree faded away into the darkness in a matter of milliseconds. Not knowing what to do, he glanced quickly towards his right, and stabbed at the black of night. He peered out into the wood, and saw not what he had expected. What stood before the psychotic boy was an extremely tall, thin man, dressed in a clean, black suit. This was all that Jeff could make out at the time, the rain caused Jeff's sight to become immensely distorted.
Jeff's eyes had cleared again, and he quickly began to observe the man. He was emaciated, his face pale, almost pure white in color. As Jeff studied the face, he soon came to notice the lack of facial features on this man. This "Thing"'s face was completely empty, no eyes, nose, or mouth. Just a white, blank, head. This made Jeff feel a bit uneasy, and he soon broke out into a laugh. Although astounded, Jeff soon addressed the figure before him.
"So you were the bastard chasing me through the woods huh?"
Jeff stared at the blankness once more.
"You know, I don't know what the fuck you are, but you kinda remind me of myself" "You've got the nice white face, but all you're missing is a smile!"
Jeff began laughing uncontrollably at his own notion. Yet he was stopped, Jeff's ears were assaulted by static, and he fell to the ground. He was shrouded in complete darkness as he clenched his ears for mercy. The figure Jeff earlier questioned was now causing Jeff extreme pain, while the place where his eyes should have been staring directly into Jeff's. At that point, Jeff snapped. He broke free of the pain, drew his knife once more, and began slashing. Each one of his moves were futile, as the man moved around in no time at all, almost as if he was teleporting from place to place to avoid the attacks.
The tall man began to fight back. Jeff had just now begun to notice the tendrils hanging from the back of his attacker. They grabbed at Jeff, and his response was to swing his knife at each that came near him. Jeff managed to slice what seemed to be an arm. In almost an instant, the limb quickly grew back into place. What had just happened astonished Jeff. He felt almost as if the man was a tall tree, and his tendrils simply branches. Jeff fled from the forest, knowing that there was no way he would be able to fight whatever his adversary truly was in what seemed to be his home territory.
Jeff rushed from his attacker, and found himself at the same place where he had entered. To the right of him lie the cemetery. Open space. As he ran past the trees, he noticed one that lie away from the others. The same tree from before. He ran to it out of instinct, and read the note he had seen from a distance before.
"Do not enter these woods at night, a tall man has been spotted in the area recently, some call him the Slenderman. Beware, and enter at your own risk."
Whatever the being that had stalked him in the woods before was referred to as Slenderman. The name fit perfect with the description of the tall, white figure. Jeff hurried towards the graveyard, where he waited for his foe, wielding his sharp, bloody, knife. Jeff's wish had been granted, as the Slenderman approached from the woods. It seemed as if it was hesitant to leave its home court. Despite is hesitance, it left the area anyway, and quickly rushed towards Jeff. The psychopath's instincts started to come back, and he jumped towards the tall man. Jeff was quickly grabbed by his enemy, and thrown against a nearby tree.
Jeff proceeded to swing again at the tendrils that had grabbed him. He was able to slash at one of the Slenderman's main arms. Blood oozed from the deep cut. The white figure showed no emotion, and began snatching at Jeff once again. As he continued to smash Jeff against trees, and slabs of rock, Jeff's knife slipped from his grip, and fell to the ground with Jeff. Colliding with the ground, Jeff's knife slid into his own stomach in a matter of seconds. Blood poured from the wound, and soon the ground was covered in a red liquid. He stood up with a jolt.
"Is that the best you got Slendy?" "I've taken worse beatings from my father's belt than you're weak twig arms!"
The Slenderman remained silent, but continued fighting. The man reached for a piece of granite from a tombstone, but before he could take hold of it, Jeff jerked the knife from his gut, and flung it directly at Slenderman. Jeff's accuracy was precise, and it sliced off one of the man's limbs. Slenderman's left arm was completely gone, as it fell to the ground with a thud. It was quickly met by thick blood that barraged from his shoulder. It was completely drenched in blood. Slenderman briskly disappeared into the darkness, but illuminated behind Jeff. In his right hand, he held a broken piece of granite, that he proceeded to slam into the side of Jeff's head. Jeff fell to the ground once again, almost knocked unconscious.
He was not left there for long before he was seized by his assailant, and thrown against a grave. The stone exploded on impact with Jeff. Standing up once again, Jeff's eyes focused on the name on the grave. As his eyes crossed the name on the granite, his black eyes widened. The words written across the gray slab were recognized by Jeff in an instant. It read out his brother's name, Liu. Something was coursing through Jeff. Rage filled him within an instant, and he lashed out at Slenderman at extreme speeds. Jeff's knife was slashing through his suit, as well as his pale skin. Slenderman began teleporting towards the forest.
"Come on bitch, I'm not finished with you yet!" Jeff hollered. "I want to help you get to sleep Randy! You look awfully tired!"
Whatever was flowing through Jeff caused his insanity to go into an overdrive state. He had become delusional. He ran at Slenderman, and back into the forest. He rushed through the woods, not observing his environment whatsoever. Jeff was deep into the forest, still pursuing the man. Slenderman continued warping around the forest. Jeff's lack of caution caused him to trip on a branch lying in his way. As he crashed into the ground, shards of glass pierced him, and the contents of his pockets were thrown out. His items scattered the ground. As Jeff looked up with his mangled, bloody face, the scent of alcohol graced him. Jeff knew that he had been here before, he had fallen on this tree and dropped his bottle.
Jeff desperately searched the ground for his knife. He felt his hand grab hold of something warm, what he had hoped was his blade. Jeff had grabbed his liter. He quickly scrapped at it, hoping that the small flames would provide a source of light. His bloody hands covered the plastic in the red liquid. After many desperate attempts, a small, orange flame was produced. Jeff threw the liter out in front of him as he attempted to find his knife that lay close to him. Before he could make another movement, Slenderman appeared before him. The smooth white face that he had seen before was now covered in slashes and dark blood. Even though he looked hurt, Slenderman remained strong.
Jeff's grip on the liter became loose, his blood had caused friction between it and his hand. The small blaze dropped towards the ground. Intense flames scorched as the liter hit the ground. Both adversaries fled away from the flame. Before either of them could put distance between themselves and the flame, it was ignited by the alcohol that soiled the ground. In a matter of seconds, the forest was burning from the ground up. Jeff looked for safety, yet none was to be found in the flames. Slenderman thought nothing of this, and continued to swing at Jeff. Jeff fought back, ignoring the orange and red covering his environment. The tall monster grabbed at Jeff. Jeff grabbed his knife and jumped.
To no avail, Jeff was pulled by the Slenderman, and was now stuck in his grip. Slenderman began to shake Jeff around, as he did this, Jeff bit at him, and a loud crack of bone could be heard. The pain surged through Slenderman, out of shock, he threw Jeff against a large tree. As Jeff flew towards the tree, a sharp pain hit Jeff straight in the back. It continued until he saw a large branch sliding through his torso, and he hit the base of the tree. Jeff had been viciously impaled by a long tree branch.
Blood gushed from his mouth and open wounds as he screamed out in pain. Slenderman then fled. He warped to an area of safety, where the forest had not been burned as of yet. He watched Jeff as he attempted to escape. At this point, the Slenderman knew that escape was impossible. The white monster could hear Jeff screaming, even from a large distance away. He continued to warp away from his territory, and left Jeff to burn in the flames.
The blaze became brighter, and surrounded Jeff. Struggling to avoid the intense heat, he violently slid his body from the tree. Fire engulfed Jeff, everything swirled around him. He became wrapped up into the flames, there was no hope for Jeff. He had lost his mind long ago, yet this was something different. He had reached his limit, and his state of mind burned just as the forest did.
"A young girl by the name of Sarah Burgess has been reported missing. She was last seen at Drop In Bar&Grill at around 9 o' clock P.M. If you have any idea on the whereabouts of Sarah Burgess, please call the station at 404-835-HELP(4357). In other news, a major forest fire has broken out in the local area, the cause has not yet been discovered. Investigators are studying the remnants of the forest. The fire has been extinguished. This will hurt much of the animal life found in the once heavily wooded forest. We'll bring more on this story as it comes."
Mark turned off the television, and slumped into his couch cushion.
"Hey honey, you want to go take a look at the forest, well, whats left of it? They've put out the fire that burned the damn thing to the ground. There's also a girl missing, maybe we'll see her while we're out there."
"Can we do it some other time? I'm kind of busy right now Mark, and if the police can't find that girl, there's no way in hell we can!" Julia protested.
Mark argued. "Come on, it won't hurt nothing. It won't be more than a five minute walk!"
"Alright I guess, but five minutes only!".
The man put on his shoes, and left his house with his wife. As they strolled towards the burnt out forest, they could see something moving in the opposite direction. It looked somewhat human. As they moved closer towards it, they noticed what looked like severe burns to it's face. The creature's eyelids were completely gone, and it carried an unnatural smile spread across his face. It was completely white, with hints of gray where it looked like he had been burned. It's long, black hair was singed. They came closer towards it, and Mark shouted.
"Hey buddy, do you need some help?" Mark bellowed.
"Mark stop, we don't even know who he is! He could be a fucking killer for all we know!" Julia whispered, frightened.
The man moved swiftly towards the couple. As he approached them, he drew a thick blade covered in a red liquid.
"I don't, but I can tell you need some help to sleep."
Jeff slashed the knife across the man's neck, and he fell to the ground. His wife began to scream loudly. She was unable to continue, as she was next. She was stabbed directly in the heart with the knife.
"You don't need to worry about me. Just go to sleep."
Credit To: Dylan R. (CustomCreepyPasta)
Copyright Statement: Unless explicitly stated, all stories published on Creepypasta.com are the property of (and under copyright to) their respective authors, and may not be narrated or performed under any circumstance.


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The official total raised was $13,343,517.33.
A jam-packed arena of students, pediatric cancer patients, survivors and their families welcomed the announcement of the record for the annual THON fundraiser, which broke last year's record of $12.37 million.
Officially called the Penn State Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, the event is billed as the largest student-run philanthropy in the world. Students dance - and remain upright - on the floor of the school's Bryce Jordan Center to raise money for the Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital.
With Sunday's total, students have raised more than $114 million for the Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital since 1977.
For Monica Bryson, the weekend was a chance to escape the challenges cancer has brought to her family.
Bryson's 2-year-old son Cooper has a brain tumor. Bryson and her husband, Matt, 33, stood next to their son's medical stroller equipped with oxygen tanks and filled with bags of medicine Saturday afternoon. Cooper receives daily chemotherapy treatments.
"Even when we're having a really rough day, we know that a million students and people are rooting for us and to end childhood cancer," said Bryson, 30, of Hershey.
"Getting paired with the Brysons was an amazing experience," 21-year-old dancer Julie Graham said. "Watching them go through what they have for the past four months makes dancing for 46 hours a piece of cake."
The majority of dancers were relieved as the 46 hours whittled down. Sore feet and fatigue are inevitable during the weekend. But their fellow students provided remedies behind the scenes, like foot massages and piggyback rides.
New Penn State football coach James Franklin also pepped up the crowd Sunday afternoon
"I can't tell you how proud we are to be a part of this community now," Franklin said. "Trust me.. we are going to win a bunch of football games, but more importantly we're going to make a positive difference in this community."
Organizers attribute the increase in fundraising to more national attention the event has received in recent years. More than 15,000 students participated in fundraising efforts and about 3,500 students volunteered to run the marathon throughout the weekend.
Part of the money is raised on out-of-town trips on weekends, when students stand on street corners and outside of businesses and ask for donations. Other fundraising efforts are made throughout the THON weekend.


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I need money for a security deposit to move my family as quickly as possible so we can be safe from our abuser.
The last time I talked to Emily, she was loving her apartment and was so thankful benevolent was able to help her family! When Emily moved into her new apartment with her kids, she moved out of our area, so she is no longer in our program.
My family goal is to be at peace. Right now I am worried all the time, and if we had our own place we would be safe.
Right now, my biggest challenge is having a safe place to stay. The programs out there to help me would take months to get me and my family into my own apartment. I have not went to a shelter because I have girls and don't feel safe taking them there, and shelters aren't long term. I want a stable home for my family.
I'm most proud of making this choice to leave him. I've taken the necessary steps to make sure my family will be ok after being in a violent relationship for many years. I'm also proud that I am doing things on my own. Working hard every day at work and at home with 4 children.
My current situation is that I am working full time and have 4 kids to support. At this time I have not been able to save money for a security deposit due to other expenses. I have left a domestic violent relationship and need to move because the abuser knows where I live.
My situation is unexpected and has made everything in my life difficult. I am working my hardest to make everything ok. This is the last obstacle that we are facing. Being able to relocate will help me and my kids be able to live a normal life. Right now we are always watching our backs because people know where we live.
I would really appreciate any help you are able to give! I am very thankful there are people out there like you!
I think of myself as a single mother of 4 who is dedicated to doing anything for my children and their safety. Right now I am renting an apartment with my children and dog. Right now I am taking a break from school because I have to work full time.I've had employment since I was 15 years old. A dream of mine is to make a shelter for children in Africa.
Thank you for helping Emily fund this need.
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Validated by Jennifer from Childcare Network of Evanston (What does this mean?)
I have known Emily for almost a year. She has been participating in our program, and bringing her daughter to one of our child care centers. She also has other children. Emily is in need of a security deposit for her own apartment. She is needing to move asap to keep her family safe. She is moving to get away from a violent relationship. We met when Emily enrolled in our program. We have been working very closely since then.
I think meeting this need is very important because Emily is in danger from her abusive former partner. The programs out there that can offer her shelter aren't permanent. She needs a stable and safe home for her children.
This will move Emily's life forward by giving her peace of mind to be able to focus on all the other things in her life. This will allow her to be independent and keep her family safe.
Emily is a very strong and independent single mom. She has been doing everything necessary to better her children's lives. She is currently working full time, but with all the other expenses that come along with having children she has not been able to save for a deposit for an apartment. This is the one thing standing in her way of keeping her family safe.
I am a Family Advocate at Childcare Network of Evanston Early Head Start Program. I have been with the agency for 2 years, but worked in the social service field for many years. I have a bachelor's of science in Psychology and a minor in Women's studies from Western Michigan University.… Read more


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This article is more than 1 year old
SMART Storage, Diablo brew a wee DRAM of MYSTERY tonic
All we needed is some flash, some system memory and $36m
SMART Storage and Diablo Technologies have promised to glue SMART's flash drives and Diablo's memory-channel storage (MCS) electronics into a combined product.
Diablo's website says MCS is "where the memory and flash subsystem are fused together". Well, what does that actually mean? It goes on to say: "MCS will ... allow applications to seamlessly access data from system memory and flash storage simultaneously with extremely low latency and very high throughput."
It sounds as if the flash in SMART's solid-state drives (SSDs) will directly interface a chunk of memory. Precise details of how SMART and Diablo achieve this aren't available just yet. It's a bit of a mystery.
Diablo picked up $7.5m in funding during March, taking total funding for this C-round to $36m. Of that sum, the firm raised $28m in November 2012. Diablo mentioned its "soon-to-be-announced MCS products" in its March release.
In other words, MCS as a usable technology doesn't exist yet. The $36m is going to be used to develop it further.
Diablo, based in Ottawa, Canada, was founded in 2002 to develop memory access technology by three ex-Nortel guys: CEO Richard Badalone, VP for "business ops" Michael Parziale, and Franco Forlini, veep for strategic customer engineering. It received $15m in B-round funding in 2008, and a further $7m in an A-round in 2007, making total funding $58m - not taking into account whatever seed funding there was. This hack reckons that the MCS's inception prompted a second burst of activity around 2012.
However, at the time of the November funding announcement, Diablo said its customers were tier-1 OEMs. That seems to have changed, or at least, the idea of going to them on its own seems to have changed.
The company formed a strategic Technical Advisory Board in January this year to "participate in the strategic direction of the company's Memory Channel Storage technology from an applications perspective"/
Translation: "Hey, we got this great technology; what do we need to do to develop and sell it? Direct OEM sales don't see to be the thing."
The exclusive relationship with SMART suggests that a close relationship is needed with an SSD vendor; there needs to be some degree of integration between the SSD and MCS. Otherwise, surely, Diablo would position MCS as open technology and say customers could use any certified SSD.
Also, it's interesting that Diablo did not choose to go with Intel, WD's HGST unit, LSI, Micron, Plextor, Samsung, STEC, Toshiba, or any other server SSD vendor. You would think that, for example, both LSI and Micron have equivalent technology expertise to SMART and a wider channel. So what did SMART bring to Diablo's table that was so compelling?
The two say the "new SMART/Diablo partnership will create systems with dramatic latency improvements, increased transaction throughput, IO bandwidth, density and scalability, with reduced operating costs."
Your hack reckons there could be some close integration involved here, something that ruled out other enterprise SDD suppliers. It's a puzzle.
Diablo and SMART say a memory channel-charged SSD will be faster than the same NAND using a PCIe bus, having ultra low latency, which will provide "50 per cent higher transaction rates with 80 per cent lower latency in database caching and OLTP applications," taking into account the aforementioned VM density increase as well.
The lower latency implies that the NAND's effective IOPS rate will be boosted, not by speeding up the NAND but by reducing the latency of data access by the CCU to the NAND. It could be that MCS provides storage memory; the virtual pooling of DRAM and NAND that is a Fusion-io focus.
If that is the case then the SMART + MCS combo could be sold on an OEM basis (but why should SMART + MCS be any better at OEM selling than Diablo on its own) to integrators. It doesn't sound like an easy retrofit to existing servers, but what do we know?
The SMART SSDs use 2-bit MLC NAND and not the faster single layer cell stuff, with SMART crediting its Guardian technology for making the MLC fast, reliable and long-lived. The two have not said when any joint product will appear, restricting themselves to this canned statement:
"Under the terms of the agreement SMART Storage Systems and Diablo will jointly develop the new ULL SSD product. The product will be exclusively sold by SMART Storage Systems and will be jointly supported by the two companies' world-class customer support teams."
If we had to guess, we'd say 2014 would see the product appearing on the markets. ®


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What makes a healthy and satisfying snack for children? A well-balanced snack with good nutrition can help kids grow and provide them with the proper support and energy needed for school, sports and other daily activities.
Parents have the best intentions when looking for nutritious options for their children, but challenges related to lack of access or knowledge of nutritious foods have contributed to an alarming trend.
Read more: Help boost your kid's lunch and activity at school
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, childhood obesity rates in the U.S. have more than doubled in the past 30 years, with over one-third of children currently overweight or obese.
Kids and snacking
A number of factors contribute to obesity rates, with snacking as a major culprit. While parents need to consider what they provide their children for three main meals a day, what they eat in between is equally important.
Research by DuPont Nutrition & Health shows that children eat two to three snacks each day. Other studies confirm that American kids are consuming more than 700 calories in afternoon and evening snacks alone.
Read more: Kid-friendly smoothie recipes
Aside from the fact that these calories make up a substantial part of the total daily recommended caloric intake for children, most of the snacks commonly consumed by kids are high in saturated fats or simple sugars in the form of salty snacks, candy and beverages — such as fruit drinks — according to a University of North Carolina study.
Healthy snacks on the go
Parents face many practical challenges in providing healthful snack options to kids who are on-the-go and may not have access to refrigeration or re-heating capabilities. This often leads to snacks which lack the essential vitamins, minerals and protein a growing body needs. While snacking is essential to give kids the energy they need for the day, it's important to provide snacks that contribute to daily intake goals of nutrients to support healthy growth and development.
"For many parents, the primary reason for giving snacks to children is to stave off hunger until their next meal," said Megan DeStefano, Global Strategic Marketing at DuPont Nutrition & Health.
"When choosing a snack, parents should avoid those high in carbohydrates, such as simple sugars, since they tend to leave children feeling unsatisfied quickly and often craving additional unhealthy snacks."
Understanding better snacks
It's important for parents to know what to look for in a snack. For example, protein helps kids feel full longer, which may support weight management. In fact, numerous studies have confirmed that protein is more satisfying than either carbohydrates or fat. And lean proteins, such as soy, can meet needs to support growth and development without contributing to fat or cholesterol intake.
It's challenging for parents to determine what snacks are best. DeStefano shares some tips on healthful ingredients parents should look for in snack foods.
Protein packs a powerful punch
Vegetable proteins are a great way to consume protein without increasing the amount of saturated fats and cholesterol in your child's diet. If you are considering vegetable proteins, try soy protein. Soy protein snack options can be found in a variety of tasty products such as ready-to-drink beverages, bars, cereals and dairy alternatives. Soy protein is also the only widely available vegetable protein that provides all the essential amino acids in the proper amounts that are needed to support growth and development of children.
Parents can also rest easy knowing that soy protein delivers cardiovascular benefits as well. According to clinical research published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition conducted in both children and adults, soy protein has been shown to help reduce LDL cholesterol, also known as "bad" cholesterol, increase HDL, also known as "good" cholesterol, and decrease triglyceride levels. Just 25 grams of soy protein a day, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.
Read more: Simple, wholesome lunch and snack ideas
Find a fiber-filled option
Fiber is another important ingredient to look for when looking for healthy snack options. Many kids are falling behind on their fiber intake. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children only consume half the amount of fiber that is recommended. For proper digestive health, it is recommended that children get 25–31 grams of dietary fiber per day. Snacking provides another opportunity to help kids to meet this goal. Including a fiber-rich food can also eliminate cravings for additional snacks.
Snacking doesn't have to be bad for your child's health. There are several options that are tasty while delivering a healthy dose of cardiovascular or digestive benefits. With so many great possibilities, parents should continue to offer healthy snack options, with greater nutrient density to their children to help them stay energized throughout the day, while satisfying their hunger and taste.
Article provided by Family Features
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Commerzbank signs cooperation framework with China's largest bank
Commerzbank has entered into a cooperation framework with the largest Chinese bank, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC). Commerzbank will support projects linked to Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with a business volume totalling USD 5 billion in the next five years. are to be supported. "We are the only German bank to have a Memorandum of Understanding with ICBC", reports Nikolaus Giesbert, Divisional Board Member at Commerzbank. The Chinese "Belt & Road Initiative", also called the "New Silk Road", seeks to expand maritime routes and land infrastructure networks linking China with Asia, Africa and Europe to boost trade by connecting and promoting economic cooperation across these continents.
With a banking relationship spanning over 20 years, the two banks have worked on numerous deals together. The new cooperation will create further trade and investment links between China and countries along the route. The agreement seeks to explore further avenues of cooperation in Trade Finance, Corporate Advisory, Debt Capital Markets, Funding & Financing, Transaction Banking and Asset Management and leverage further potential of BRI.
Local and international expertise
These may offer good opportunities for German companies, as Giesbert adds: "As a market leader in German foreign trade it is part of our DNA to guide our clients in their investment ventures abroad. Commerzbank's strong distribution capabilities in Europe combined with ICBC's knowledge of the Chinese market will add value for German and European corporates as they navigate business opportunities along the trading corridors – and at the same time support Asian companies seeking to do business in Europe."
In addition, companies will also be able to hedge better against the risk of default involved in trade finance transactions and currency losses in countries with a high risk profile, such as Kazakhstan or Belarus. "We are able to support our clients in a majority of the 74 countries along the Silk Road with financial services", reports Jochen Müller, who is responsible for business with banks in Asia and Latin America at Commerzbank.
In the midst of trade wars and punitive tariffs, Commerzbank is clear in its support of international cross-border cooperation.
However, in respect of sanctions law, special caution is required if the transport takes place via the Silk Road through Iran. The US embargo against Iran prohibits transports through Iran. If a transaction bears a relation to the jurisdiction of the USA, e.g. through the currency USD, the transport through Iran entails a violation of the US embargo. Goods which have been transported through Iran are regarded as Iranian goods under US jurisdiction.


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Giovanni Battista Pergolesi - Adriano in Siria
Teatro G. B. Pergolesi, Jesi, 2010
Ottavio Dantone, Ignacio García, Accademia Bizantina, Marina Comparato, Lucia Cirillo, Annamaria dell'Oste, Nicole Heaston, Stefano Ferrari, Francesca Lombardi, Monica Bacelli, Carlo Lepore
Opus Arte
Giovanni Battista Pergolesi's opera works were popular in his lifetime, and the subject even of a famous dispute in France between those in favour of the Italian buffa opera style that he innovated and model followed by Lully and Rameau, but the composer died in 1736 at the age of 26 with only six operas to his name, and his works are rarely performed nowadays. Best known now for mainly for his Stabat Mater, few will have heard of Pergolesi's Adriano di Siria, one of the composer's opera seria works from 1734, so the opportunity to hear it played in authentic period style at the Teatro G. B. Pergolesi in the composer's home town of Jesi is tremendously exciting, particularly with the superb 2010 performance presented here on Blu-ray disc from Opus Arte.
You might not have heard of Adriano in Siria or be familiar with Pergolesi, but the chances are that if you've any familiarity with Baroque opera, you will at least have heard of Pietro Metastasio, the poet and dramatist responsible for librettos that were used and reused in literally hundreds of early compositions (Adriano in Siria had already been set to music several times before Pergolesi) – and if that's the case then you will have a fair idea of what to expect from the development of the plot and its treatment in an opera seria work. Historically or classically based, Metastasio's librettos often feature a powerful king or ruler, who is usually in love with a woman who is engaged to be married to another man. There are often a few additional variable complications where the man she is engaged to is in love for someone else, who is turn is actually in love with the king, and so on…
…cue confrontations between each of the principal figures during the recitative, with long heartfelt, reflective and repetitive virtuoso arias of despair, anger, love and compassion, according to the turn of events. These power-play games, which are more romantic in nature than political or historical, are usually wrapped up neatly with the ruler exercising their power wisely and each of the characters being matched to their appropriate partner. That applies as much to Adriano in Siria (relating to the Roman emperor Hadrian) as it does to Ezio, Il Re Pastore or La Clemenza di Tito (or even Tamerlano, which is not by Metastasio but clearly follows the model he defined). What distinguishes the adapting any Metastasio's libretto to music is of course the interpretation of the composer, and in this case Pergolesi's handling of this fairly dry and static dramatic material is every bit as brilliant and enchanting as Handel, Gluck or Mozart.
It's possible that more could be made of the actual drama in the staging, but as far as this production at Jesi goes, there doesn't appear to be any attempt to impose a modern reworking or concept onto the opera, which is played and performed in a quite traditional manner. The set design is fairly static, the location an all-purpose, generic, classical ruin of antiquity, the costumes those of the period – togas, tunics and robes. The ruins however, while they relate to the results of the war between Rome and the Parthians in Antioch, can also been taken as a metaphor for the romantic conflict and the anguish that it causes each of the characters. Another metaphor in this production relates to birds, a real-life bird of prey carried on at the start of the opera, and caged birds are seen elsewhere, being particularly relevant during Farnaspe's gorgeous aria at the end of Act I, 'Lieto così tal volta' ("At times the nightingale is heard, still happily singing in its captivity"), which, sung by Annamaria dell'Oste with an onstage solo oboe accompaniment that evokes birdsong, gives an indication of the beauty and the wholeness of the production, singing, music and libretto working together in perfect harmony.
Elsewhere the musical arrangements perfectly reflect the nature of the characters and their emotional state at any given time. Later parts of the libretto make reference to tempests and torments (emotional as well as meteorological) and the Accademia Bizantina appropriately whip up a storm in the pit with a huge sound from what appears to be only an 18-piece orchestra. Most of the roles are female, or are females in some of the male roles (the part of Farnaspe however was originally a mezzo-soprano castrato role – one can only imagine how that would have sounded!), but the music is notably more aggressive with heavy percussive harpsichord rhythms, for example, when the only male character, Osroa (Stefano Ferrari), is on stage, full of jealousy or rage and with threats of violence. When contrasted with the aforementioned 'Lieto così tal volta', you get a sense of the whole dynamic of Adriano in Siria, which is sung simply and beautifully by all the performers, with da capo but no excessive ornamentation.
If that's not enough on its own, you get two works for the price of one here that demonstrate the range and innovation of Pergolesi. A comic opera Intermezzo would often be performed in the breaks between acts, and one of Pergolesi's buffa operas, 'Livietta e Tracollo', composed for a Neapolitan audience, is included in this performance in two parts in the intervals between the acts of Adriano in Siria as it would originally have been presented. There's very little plot to speak of here either, just disguises and farce as Livietta sets a trap for a notorious thief Tracollo and ends up marrying him, but it has two good parts for singers and they are entertainingly delivered with gusto and plenty of comic gesticulation by Monica Bacelli and Carlo Lepore.
The Blu-ray release for Opus Arte looks and sounds terrific, with a clear, sharp colourful transfer, the music and singing superbly reproduced in both the PCM Stereo and the DTS HD-Master Audio 5.1 tracks with crystal clarity and depth of tone, capturing the detail of the instruments and the ambience of the old theatre. Extras include a Cast Gallery and an Interview with conductor Ottavio Dantone. The inner booklet notes the intention of the Pergolesi Spontini Foundation to record and issue all of Pergolesi's surviving operas on DVD, which, if this first release is anything to go by, will be highly anticipated.


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Introductory Commentary
Chapter Two pertains to offense conduct. The chapter is organized by offenses and divided into parts and related sections that may cover one statute or many. Each offense has a corresponding base offense level and may have one or more specific offense characteristics that adjust the offense level upward or downward. Certain factors relevant to the offense that are not covered in specific guidelines in Chapter Two are set forth in Chapter Three, Parts A (Victim-Related Adjustments), B (Role in the Offense), and C (Obstruction and Related Adjustments); Chapter Four, Part B (Career Offenders and Criminal Livelihood); and Chapter Five, Part K (Departures).
Historical Note: Effective November 1, 1987. Amended effective November 1, 2011 (see Appendix C, amendment 758).
§2A1.1. First Degree Murder
(a) Base Offense Level: 43
Statutory Provisions: 18 U.S.C. §§ 1111, 1841(a)(2)(C), 1992(a)(7), 2113(e), 2118(c)(2), 2199, 2282A, 2291, 2332b(a)(1), 2340A; 21 U.S.C. § 848(e). For additional statutory provision(s), see Appendix A (Statutory Index).
Application Notes:
1. Applicability of Guideline.—This guideline applies in cases of premeditated killing. This guideline also applies when death results from the commission of certain felonies. For example, this guideline may be applied as a result of a cross reference (e.g., a kidnapping in which death occurs, see §2A4.1(c)(1)), or in cases in which the offense level of a guideline is calculated using the underlying crime (e.g., murder in aid of racketeering, see §2E1.3(a)(2)).
2. Imposition of Life Sentence.—
(A) Offenses Involving Premeditated Killing.—In the case of premeditated killing, life imprisonment is the appropriate sentence if a sentence of death is not imposed. A downward departure would not be appropriate in such a case. A downward departure from a mandatory statutory term of life imprisonment is permissible only in cases in which the government files a motion for a downward departure for the defendant's substantial assistance, as provided in 18 U.S.C. § 3553(e).
(B) Felony Murder.—If the defendant did not cause the death intentionally or knowingly, a downward departure may be warranted. For example, a downward departure may be warranted if in robbing a bank, the defendant merely passed a note to the teller, as a result of which the teller had a heart attack and died. The extent of the departure should be based upon the defendant's state of mind (e.g., recklessness or negligence), the degree of risk inherent in the conduct, and the nature of the underlying offense conduct. However, departure below the minimum guideline sentence provided for second degree murder in §2A1.2 (Second Degree Murder) is not likely to be appropriate. Also, because death obviously is an aggravating factor, it necessarily would be inappropriate to impose a sentence at a level below that which the guideline for the underlying offense requires in the absence of death.
3. Applicability of Guideline When Death Sentence Not Imposed.—If the defendant is sentenced pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3591 et seq. or 21 U.S.C. § 848(e), a sentence of death may be imposed under the specific provisions contained in that statute. This guideline applies when a sentence of death is not imposed under those specific provisions.
Historical Note: Effective November 1, 1987. Amended effective November 1, 1989 (see Appendix C, amendment 82); November 1, 1990 (see Appendix C, amendment 310); November 1, 1993 (see Appendix C, amendment 476); November 1, 2002 (see Appendix C, amendment 637); November 1, 2004 (see Appendix C, amendment 663); November 1, 2006 (see Appendix C, amendment 685); November 1, 2007 (see Appendix C, amendments 699 and 700); November 1, 2010 (see Appendix C, amendment 746).


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MOMMY GOT A J-O-B! That's right, I am going back to work...FULL TIME. Last week was spent scrambling around trying to find interview clothes (thanks, Jodi), remembering how to put makeup on so it didn't look like my four-year-old did it (thanks, YouTube), re-learning how to walk in heels so I didn't break my freshly makeup-ed face (thanks, Carrie Bradshaw), and reviewing my dictionary for words other than "stop", "don't", "put that down", and "here, let me wipe that" (thanks, Merriam-Webster).
It was a success, and as of May 9th I am employed. I definitely have mixed emotions going into it - like how am I going to adjust from being home full time to being in an office full time (and away from my kiddos)? And also, how am I going to fit in any kind of writing with working full time and being mommy? I don't know the answers, but I know it's all going to be okay.
So. What does this mean for the good ol' blog, and for you, my wonderful friends? It means I need to go away for a bit. I wish I could say that I could pull this transition off and maintain the blog at the same time, but the truth is, I am not
You know I'll miss you. And in case you don't know...I'LL MISS YOU.


text: A Place to Play, Swim, and Relax. Designed and later altered by renowned architect A.W. Tillinghast, Sunnehanna's challenging and enjoyable golf course stands as a testament to American golf. Home to the Sunnehanna Amateur Tournament for Champions, it meanders 360 degrees around a remarkable 1920's clubhouse, a gathering place for family-oriented activities, distinctive social engagements and delightful dining experiences. Rich in history and natural splendor, today, the Sunnehanna legacy continues with members and their families, business and civic leaders, acquaintances and friends... World-Class Golf. New Traditions Being Forged. Lifelong Relationships Being Built... The Legacy That is Sunnehanna.


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Even knowing that there are radicals in all movements, doesn't lessen the startling admission recently by lesbian journalist Masha Gessen. On a radio show she actually admits that homosexual activists are lying about their radical political agenda. She says that they don't want to access the institution of marriage; they want to radically redefine and eventually eliminate it.
Here is what she recently said on a radio interview:
"It's a no-brainer that (homosexual activists) should have the right to marry, but I also think equally that it's a no-brainer that the institution of marriage should not exist. …(F)ighting for gay marriage generally involves lying about what we are going to do with marriage when we get there — because we lie that the institution of marriage is not going to change, and that is a lie.
The institution of marriage is going to change, and it should change. And again, I don't think it should exist. And I don't like taking part in creating fictions about my life. That's sort of not what I had in mind when I came out thirty years ago.
I have three kids who have five parents, more or less, and I don't see why they shouldn't have five parents legally… I met my new partner, and she had just had a baby, and that baby's biological father is my brother, and my daughter's biological father is a man who lives in Russia, and my adopted son also considers him his father. So the five parents break down into two groups of three… And really, I would like to live in a legal system that is capable of reflecting that reality, and I don't think that's compatible with the institution of marriage."
(Source: http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/lifematters/why-get-married/4058506)
For quite some time, the defenders of natural marriage have attempted to point out that the true agenda behind the homosexual demands organizations is not marriage equality; it is the total unraveling of marriage and uprooting traditional values from society. (This will ultimately include efforts to silence and punish some churches that openly adhere to their religious teachings about marriage and sexual morality.)
While few have been as vocal as this lesbian activist was in this interview, we do have numerical examples proving her point. When given the opportunity to marry, after laws have been struck down relatively small percentages of homosexuals actually bother to marry compared to their heterosexual counterparts. This raises question about the true need to unravel marriage for the "fair" extension its benefits. Only 12 percent of homosexuals in the Netherlands marry compared to 86 percent of their heterosexual peers. Less than 20 percent of same-sex couples already living together in California married when given the chance in 2008. In contrast, 91 percent of heterosexual couples in California who are living together are married.
Clearly this is about cultural change and tearing down the traditional family ethic, since it seems that most homosexuals living together neither need nor desire to marry, though they do desire to radically change marriage.
Gays and lesbians are free to live as they choose, and we live in a society which roundly applauds them doing so like never before in our history, but they do not have the right to rewrite marriage for all of society.


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Milton Glaser: To Inform & Delight
By Maria Popova
Milton Glaser is one of the greatest graphic designers alive today, and a longtime favorite around here. From his iconic I ♥ NY logo to his prolific newspaper and magazine designs, logos, brand identities, posters and other celebrated visual ephemera, Glaser is as revered for his exceptional visual output as he is for his thoughtful reflections on the role of design at large. His work, equal parts playful and poignant, explores the intersection of form and light to inform and delight, these being the purpose of art as defined by Ancient Roman poet Horace.
That's the inspiration behind the title of the fantastic 2008 documentary Milton Glaser: To Inform & Delight, a remarkable debut by first-time filmmaker Wendy Keys. The film, now out on DVD, iTunes and Amazon Instant Video (free for Amazon Prime members, bless), offers an unprecedented glimpse of the ordinary moments of Glaser's personal life, his creative process and the cross-pollination between the two, revealing the genuine humility, warmth and extraordinary intelligence of a modern-day Renaissance man.
I have made nothing on I [heart] New York, ever. There've been no cash rewards as a consequence of doing it. On the other hand, it really makes me feel very, very proud to have taken part in that shift in the city's consciousness from being indifferent to itself to realizing, 'We love this place.'" ~ Milton Glaser
As the creator of I ♥ NY and the moving sequel that followed 9/11, he may be the best-known graphic designer in the world. But they don't begin to even hint at the impact and significance of Milton Glaser's work. He's taken the gifts he had to start with and developed them along a dazzling variety of lines that have influenced every serious designer I can think of, and that have materially affected the way we get information, the way we buy things and, in fact, the things that we buy." ~ Ralph Caplan, Design Writer
With reflections from some of today's most acclaimed design critics and direct footage of Glaser himself talking about everything from humorous anecdotes pf the 1960s to the problem-solving capacity of the brain to the profound impact music has had on his life and process, To Inform & Delight is an essential piece of creative history and will inform and will delight. (Amazon also has the beautiful poster for the film, based on Glaser's iconic 1967 Bob Dylan poster, at 90% off.)
I [internalized] this idea that it didn't matter whether I was called an artist or a designer or an illustrator or whatever else it was. The core value was always the act of making things, and the transformation of an idea that you hold in your mind that becomes real or material. That, to me, still is the glory of any creative activity." ~ Milton Glaser
Thanks, Ruth Ann
Published July 22, 2011


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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- What becomes of Knowshon Moreno?
That's the first and most important question for the Broncos as free agency dawns. He is expected to test the market, as Executive Vice President of Football Operations/General Manager John Elway noted would be the case with his team's free agents at the NFL Scouting Combine.
But what will he find on the market? Rare is the running back who receives the break-the-bank contract, and even though it only takes one team to offer a surprisingly lucrative deal, teams may wonder about Moreno's middling production prior to 2011, when he began improving in earnest before tearing his ACL at Kansas City that November.
What Denver knows is that Moreno matured on and off the field, which helped make his renaissance possible. Another team may see that and think they can continue the process; if they break the bank for a deal, that would likely hand the Broncos' reins to 2013 second-round pick Montee Ball, with Ronnie Hillman, C.J. Anderson and at least one more runner to be named later via free agency, the draft and/or the undrafted pool.
But the door does not appear to be closed on a Moreno return. "Testing the market" doesn't mean his departure is a certainty. His status will bear close monitoring next week.
Knowshon Moreno, Denver: Is it the Broncos' offense that yields open lanes underneath, or Moreno's personal and professional growth that allowed him to have a career year in 2013? It's probably a bit of both. Moreno was an ideal back for the Broncos' scheme, an adept blocker, runner and receiver who was so effective in every situation that he only needed to come off the field for rest, and not for skill set or effectiveness.
Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville: Although he hasn't been as prolific as he has been earlier in his career, Jones-Drew has been effective -- although his average of 3.4 yards per carry last year was a career low -- and could enjoy a renaissance with a title contender. Jones-Drew turns 29 later this month and already has 2,012 career touches to his name (including receptions and returns). That workload might give some teams pause and will likely bring his price down. But this is a running back who averaged at least 4.4 yards per carry in all but two of his eight previous seasons, and even last year averaged one first down every 4.9 touches -- although that was off his career average of one every 3.9.
Ben Tate, Houston: After being the second half of the Texans' one-two rushing punch with Arian Foster, Tate appears set to become a primary runner after moving on from Houston. Tate has averaged 4.7 yards per carry, flourished when given opportunities for extensive work and seems poised to become someone's No. 1 back by this time next week.
LeGarrette Blount, New England:After consecutive 100-yard games leading into the AFC Championship was about how the Broncos would defuse the 247-pound bowling ball. Terrance Knighton pretty well took care of that, and the Patriots moved away from the run quickly. Nevertheless, New England probably gave up on Blount too quickly that day. The Patriots have cycled through running backs quickly in recent years and might not be willing to give Blount the kind of contract he could expect on the market after re-establishing himself as an effective big back.
Rashad Jennings, Oakland: Jennings found his groove last year with Oakland, averaging 4.5 yards per carry, 8.1 yards per reception and picking up a first down once every 4.3 touches, a rate similar to what his teammate, Darren McFadden, amassed before his 2011 foot injury. The only negative on Jennings is his age; he turns 29 later this month. But with just 497 touches (including returns) in his previous five seasons, he's a low-mileage back who is quicker than his size (231 pounds) would indicate. Jennings is perhaps the best bargain of the class.
Darren McFadden, Oakland: McFadden has not been the same since suffering a Lisfranc injury in 2011. Before it, he averaged 4.8 yards per carry, 5.7 yards every time he touched the football and moved the sticks once every 4.3 touches. In the two years since, his per-carry average is just 3.3 yards, his per-touch average is 3.7 yards, and he only gained a first down once every 6.2 touches. By the end of last year, Jennings was easily outpacing him and had become the Raiders' primary back.
James Starks, Green Bay:A career 4.4-yards-per-carry rusher, Starks had his most efficient season last year. Starks averaged 5.5 yards per rush and 8.9 yards per reception with four touchdowns -- one every 24.8 times he touched the football -- as he spelled Eddie Lacy. His value on the market will be determined by whether anyone sees the 28-year-old, 218-pounder as a No. 1 back, or the second part of a platoon.
Andre Brown, N.Y. Giants: Briefly a Bronco during the 2010 season, Brown has had multiple leg injuries the last two years, but in the 10 starts he made in that span averaged 4.0 yards per carry and 82.9 yards from scrimmage per game. He averaged just 3.5 yards per carry after returning from a preseason leg injury last year, but if he has recovered, could be a bargain.
Donald Brown, Indianapolis: A No. 2 back throughout his career, Brown had his most efficient and prolific season in 2013, setting career highs for yardage per carry (5.3), total touchdowns (eight), yards from scrimmage (751) and receiving yardage (214 on 27 receptions). He might not be a top back, but as part of a platoon, he is effective and will attract suitors for that specific role.
Willis McGahee, Cleveland: There wasn't a stampede to pursue McGahee after the Broncos released him last June, largely due to his age (he turned 33 in October) and tread on his tires (he went over the 2,000-carry mark for his career last season). McGahee didn't fare well, averaging 2.7 yards per carry behind an offensive line that featured one first-team and one second-team All-Pro selection. ESPNCleveland.com noted that McGahee has said he wants to play four more years (LINK: http://espncleveland.com/common/more.php?m=49&action=blog&r=17&post_id=28341). I salute his optimism, but given his injury history, age and previous workload, that's not happening.
Leon Washington, Tennessee: Washington is more of a kickoff returner than a running back at this point in his career, but at that, he is still devastatingly effective. The Broncos saw that Dec. 8 when he sprinted 95 yards to set up a Titans touchdown. He's also reliable; in the past three years, he's averaged just one fumble every 36.5 returns. (To compare, the Broncos have averaged one fumble every 12.8 kickoff and punt returns the last two years.)
Rashard Mendenhall, Arizona: In a cryptic blog post to the Huffington Post, he concluded by writing, "And as I write this, today is the day that the journey is over and I am fully at peace. Eagerly looking to a new way, which lies ahead." The Cardinals seem prepared to make Andre Ellington their primary back; he averaged 5.5 yards per carry to Mendenhall's 3.2 last year.
OTHERS: Kahlil Bell, Green Bay; Ahmad Bradshaw, Indianapolis; Ronnie Brown, San Diego; Delone Carter, Jacksonville; Anthony Dixon, San Francisco; Jonathan Dwyer, Pittsburgh; Toby Gerhart, Minnesota; Ray Graham, Houston; Jonathan Grimes, Houston; Peyton Hillis, N.Y. Giants; Rashad Jennings, Oakland; Felix Jones, Pittsburgh; Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville; Deji Karim, Houston; Spencer Larsen, Tampa Bay; Brian Leonard, Tampa Bay; Tauren Poole, Indianapolis; Darius Reynaud, N.Y. Jets; Bernard Scott, Baltimore; Chad Spann, Houston; LaRod Stephens-Howling, Pittsburgh; George Winn, Dallas.
Tashard Choice, ex-Indianapolis; Michael Hill, ex-Tampa Bay.
Joique Bell, Detroit: Lions general manager Martin Mayhew told reporters at the Combine that he intended to tender Bell, and that he'd be back, even if they didn't work out a long-term deal. Bell wasn't spectacular, but was steady, and finished with 1,097 yards from scrimmage.
Bobby Rainey, Tampa Bay: Fantasy owners got to know him during his late-season burst after Doug Martin was lost for the year. In the last eight games of the season, he scored six touchdowns (five rushing, one receiving) and ran for 566 yards, which put him on pace for 1,132 yards over a full season. That was good enough to get him a two-year contract.
OTHERS:Herb Donaldson, Tennessee; Da'Rel Scott, N.Y. Giants, Alfonso Smith, Arizona; Phillip Tanner, Dallas; Jordan Todman, Jacksonville.


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Kenny Chesney, 'Welcome to the Fishbowl' – Album Review
The most striking scenes of Kenny Chesney's 'Come Over' video aren't those of the bikini-clad beauty in the swimming pool or the panoramic shoreline. It's the singer himself… without a hat on. As it turns out, those images are something of a metaphor for Chesney's new 'Welcome to the Fishbowl' album.


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"This is a major breakthrough in immunotherapy research because we were able to use purified cancer stem cells to generate a vaccine, which strengthened the potency of antibodies and T cells that selectively targeted cancer stem cells," said Qiao Li, Ph.D., a research assistant professor in the department of surgery at the University of Michigan.
Cancer stem cells are tumor cells that remain present, and ultimately resistant, after chemotherapy or radiation treatment. Scientists disagree on whether these cells have unique properties, but those who support the uniqueness idea have argued that these cells regenerate the tumors that lead to relapse.
Despite the similar name, cancer stem cells are distinct from embryonic stem cells, and the two avenues of research are separate.
For the current study, Li and colleagues extracted cancer stem cells from two immunocompetent mouse models and used them to prepare the vaccine.
"We found that these enriched cancer stem cells were immunogenic and far more effective as an antigen source compared with the unselected tumor cells normally used in previous immunotherapy trials," said Li. "The mechanistic investigations found that when antibodies were primed with cancer stem cells, they were capable of targeting cancer stem cells and conferring antitumor immunity."
The researchers also found that cytotoxic T lymphocytes harvested from cancer stem cell-vaccinated hosts were capable of killing cancer stem cells in vitro.
About the AACR
Founded in 1907, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) is the world's first and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research and its mission to prevent and cure cancer. AACR's membership includes 34,000 laboratory, translational and clinical researchers; population scientists; other health care professionals; and cancer advocates residing in more than 90 countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise of the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, biology, diagnosis and treatment of cancer by annually convening more than 20 conferences and educational workshops, the largest of which is the AACR Annual Meeting with more than 18,000 attendees. In addition, the AACR publishes seven peer-reviewed scientific journals and a magazine for cancer survivors, patients and their caregivers. The AACR funds meritorious research directly as well as in cooperation with numerous cancer organizations. As the Scientific Partner of Stand Up To Cancer, the AACR provides expert peer review, grants administration and scientific oversight of individual and team science grants in cancer research that have the potential for patient benefit. The AACR actively communicates with legislators and policy makers about the value of cancer research and related biomedical science in saving lives from cancer.


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Kettle Potato Chips Want You to Crunch Proud
Do you love Kettle Potato Chips? Are they not the best potato chips you've ever had? If you haven't had them, you should really try them. They are awesome and if you're a lover you are now invited to join the Loud Food Club. The online promotion and sweepstakes is the first work from Cultivator Advertising & Design, Denver, for its new client, Kettle Foods, Salem, Ore.
At, Crunch Proud, a Loud Food Club meeting leader (with bullhorn) compares the sound of a Kettle chip's crunch to a monster truck, a lion's roar, and a electric guitar. He invites new members to take the LFC Pledge and then to download a membership kit, complete with interoffice disclaimer email, pictographic crunch courtesy instructions, an LFC pencil flag, and loud food crunch caution signage. Also available are a $1-off coupon and sweepstakes entry for the chance to win free Kettle chips for one year (but only15 bags per month. Um, that's a lot of potato chips).
So if you're a Kettle potato chip lover, this campaign's for you. Oh wait, no it's not. You're already branded. So do the brand a solid and tell your Ruffles-loving friends to check out Kettle.