text:
Today, on April 25th, we celebrate World Malaria Day. It's an opportunity to reflect on a serious disease that still affects far too many of the world's poor. For Africans like myself, it is also an opportunity to highlight an on-the-ground perspective of how best to control malaria.
We've seen that the most effective strategies don't rely on chemical solutions, but on a comprehensive set of tools like biological control of disease vectors, environmental management, individual protections and public health education.
While the global community has made great progress toward such solutions in recent years, in Senegal and in other African countries touched by the disease, this integrated approach is still underdeveloped and under-resourced.
With this in mind, PAN Africa and PAN Germany began a pilot project in 2011 to advance sustainable control of malaria in a Senegalese village called Beer. The approach is comprehensive and grounded in community, leading the villagers through a series of actions to control malaria which are based in environmentally sound and healthy methods.
The early results are promising and we hope to replicate them elsewhere in Senegal and other parts of Africa.
A long, determined battle
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly half of the worldwide population, living mainly in poorest countries of the world, are at risk of malaria every year. About 216 million people contract malaria each year, and as many 650,000 die according to official estimates — though the number may be closer to a million. By far the majority of cases are in Africa, and an estimated 86% of those who die of the disease are children under five years of age.
The tagline adopted for this year's World Malaria Day is "Sustain Gains, Save Lives: Invest in Malaria." Indeed, in the past decade several international efforts were initiated to control malaria in Africa and there have been impressive gains.
In April 2000, African governments ratified the Declaration of the Action Plan of Abuja (Nigeria) to "Roll Back Malaria" on the continent, and promised to take appropriate and sustainable measures for strengthening programs and health systems to support this goal.
In Senegal, the resulting efforts led to a national drop in cases of malaria from 35% of reported illnesses in 2001 to 3% in 2009. In the same period, malaria as a cause of death dropped from 29% to just over 4%. These dramatic and positive results were achieved without indoor spraying of the pesticide DDT, showing that it is more than possible to fight against malaria without using this dangerous insecticide.
Investing in safe & effective solutions
While malaria statistics are frightening, the solutions shouldn't be. Contrary to the proposals advanced by a handful of fringe advocates promoting widespread use of DDT to control malaria in Africa, effective solutions are both safer and more complex than any one "silver bullet." Integrated management can reduce the use of harmful insecticides and to assure the sustainability of the control of malaria.
On World Malaria Day, we honor the coordinated work of hundreds of people and organizations to advance real solutions. While we celebrate the gains that have been achieved in addressing the disease, we also recognize that they haven't been enough.
So, on April 25th, we should remember what works and take advantage of the opportunities before us:
- countries with malaria problems should take stock of the lesson learned, and share those experiences with each other;
- industrialized countries and donors should invest in and support safe and effective strategies of malaria control, especially at the local level; and
- academia and research institutions should redouble their efforts to find appropriate means of control that are neither dangerous for health nor the environment.
Dr. Abou Thiam is the director of PAN Africa based in Dakar, Senegal.


text: Finally making her triumphant return to the world of fucking on film after a motorcycle accident in 2012 is the one and only Sheena Ryder. Porn fans everywhere will instantly recognize Sheena Ryder's big whooty butt, 39 inches of squeezable and smooth perfection that claps, twerks, and swallows even the biggest of cocks whole. It took months of rehab for Sheena to be able to fuck like she used to after her accident, but this horny beauty is no stranger to a little hard work. Joining the military straight out of school, this patriotic big-booty cutie served her country for just shy of nine years before getting her introduction to the adult industry at a swinger's party. Her time in the military gave her the kind of filthy mouth that we love here at Brazzers, and hearing Sheena talk dirty as she takes a thick cock deep in her tight asshole is a real treat. An exotic mix of Puerto Rican and Greek, Sheena hikes and does squats obsessively to maintain her impressive posterior, and we couldn't be more grateful for her dedication. So if you call yourself an ass man, make sure to treat yourself to a Sheena Ryder scene today!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
by Tawny Aguayo, Student Contributor
Han Gia Ly, senior biology major at Alice Lloyd College, recently won third place in the 99th Annual Kentucky Academy of Science research competition for her presentation on botany research. Held on November 8-9, 2013 at Morehead State University, the prestigious meeting was attended by nearly 800 scientists, professors, and students from colleges all across the state.
For over a century, the Kentucky Academy of Science has hosted this annual meeting to provide scientists, student and professional, the opportunity to present their findings to their colleagues.
Ly's presentation, titled "The Effect of Nutrition Levels on Fern Gametophyte Success," was the product of many hours of experimentation lasting from spring to fall of 2013. The project stemmed from ALC professor Dr. Robert Hamilton's prior studies of Ceratopteris richardii, a type of aquatic fern.
When asked how her interest in research began, Ly credited and thanked Dr. Hamilton for his guidance and expertise.
"My freshman year, I participated in a DNA sequencing project with Dr. Hamilton," said Ly. "It was a very good start, and Dr. Hamilton was very patient in helping me practice my lab skills."
Ly plans to continue her education after graduating from Alice Lloyd College by pursing a doctorate in the fields of microbiology, immunology, and molecular genetics. Her future goal is to help find treatment for infectious diseases, such as cancer viruses, through research in medical microbiology.


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[fotoopa] just put up a Flikr build log of his 3D macro photography rig he uses to take pictures of insects in flight. Outside Hollywood or National Geographic, we've never seen a crazier photography rig.
[fotoopa]'s build is based around two cameras – a Nikon D200 and D300. These cameras are pointed towards the subject insect with two mirrors allowing for a nice stereo separation for 3D images. Of course, the trouble is snapping the picture when an insect flies in front of the rig.
For shutter control, [fotoopa] used two IR laser pointers pointed where the two cameras converge. A photodiode in a lens above the rig detects this IR dot and triggers the shutters. To speed up the horribly slow 50ms shutters on the Nikons, a high-speed shutter was added so the image is captured within 3ms.
[fotoopa]'s 2011 rig took things down a notch; this year he's only working with one camera. Even though he didn't get any 3D images this year, the skill in making such an awesome rig is impressive.
via (diyphotraphy.net)


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NCR Editorial and Columnist Support Bishop Robinson's Symposium Call to Re-think Sexuality
New Ways Ministry's Seventh National Symposium in Baltimore two weeks ago continues to make headlines. The National Catholic Reporter (NCR) has editorialized in support of Bishop Geoffrey Robinson's call to re-think the Catholic Church's official teaching on sexuality, which he made during a talk at the Symposium. An NCR columnist, Eugene Kennedy, the renowned psychologist and church observer, has also praised the Australian bishop's proposal.
After summarizing Bishop Robinson's main points (which can be read in the same newspaper's article about the talk), the NCR editorial notes:
"Robinson is not the first to articulate the need for a responsible reexamination of sexual ethics, one that takes seriously the radical call to selfless love, but the addition of a bishop's voice adds new dimension to the conversation. By rebuilding Christian morality in the area of sexuality in the way Robinson suggests, we will achieve a teaching that can better challenge the message about sexuality trumpeted by the dominant culture in television, music and advertising, a sexuality that idolizes self-gratification and that puts 'me' before 'you.' By placing the needs of the other first, our sexual ethic would reject sexual violence — physical and psychological, the idolatry of self-gratification, the objectification of people, and the trivializing of sex when it is separated from love."
The NCR rightly points out that Robinson's approach is not one of a wild-eyed radical:
"In the end, Robinson is making a profoundly traditional suggestion about sexuality, because what he proposes is rooted in genuine personal responsibility. He writes: 'Many would object that what I have proposed would not give a clear and simple rule to people. But God never promised us that everything in the moral life would be clear and simple. Morality is not just about doing right things; it is also about struggling to know what is the right thing to do. … It is about taking a genuine personal responsibility for everything I do.' "
The tradition that Robinson is following is the tradition of Jesus in the Scriptures:
"Robinson's take on sexuality — that it deserves deeper consideration than the narrow, rule-bound approach that has evolved in Christian circles — takes us to the heart of the radical approach Jesus took toward human relationships."
NCR columnist Eugene Kennedy has also praised Bishop Robinson's proposal. In an essay entitled "Bishop Robinson and the redemption of eros," Kennedy writes:
"Bishop Robinson's purpose is, in fact, that set out by Pope John XXIII as his reason for convening Vatican II, "To make the human sojourn on earth less sad."
"Indeed, in urging a much needed review of what and how the church teaches about human sexuality, Bishop Robinson draws on themes central to Vatican II. The first of these is found in placing the reality of the human person rather than the abstraction of natural law as the central reference point in church teachings and papal pronouncements about marriage and sexual activity.
"The second is found in the shift from an emphasis on objective acts to subjective intentions and dispositions in making judgments on the badness or goodness of how people behave. This rightfully emphasizes the impact that our actions or omissions have on other persons rather than on the ire that has idled within so many church leaders who have been so preoccupied with sin. . . .
"Robinson's convictions on the need for a thorough examination of the church's teaching on sexuality are significant in themselves but also because he has found a way to speak about this essential matter from within the church, even if in the mannered traditional way that dialogue moves, however slowly, toward a wider circle of prelates."
After Bishop Robinson spoke at the Symposium, many people told me that they felt something new and remarkable had taken place. One person told me that it felt like a new chapter had been opened in the church's discussion on sexuality. His talk offered not only hope, but a way forward that people felt was authentically human and authentically Catholic.
His experience as the Australian Bishops' Conference coordinator of pastoral responses to that nation's sexual abuse crisis transformed his thinking on how Catholicism approached sexuality and how that approach can be improved. As was evident from the style and content of his talk, Bishop Robinson had one three things that more bishops should emulate: he opened his ears, his mind, and his heart.
–Francis DeBernardo, New Ways Ministry


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RTW News
Designed for Radio Broadcasting, Four-Channel Metering Solution Offers Parallel Monitoring of On-Air Signals and Other Sources
PARIS, FRANCE, NOVEMBER 14, 2012 — RTW, a leading vendor of visual audio meters for professional broadcast, production, post production and quality control, is proud to announce the debut today of its new TMR7 TouchMonitor at the Audiopole stand (B65), during SATIS (The Show for Audiovisual Technologies and Solutions) 2012. Specifically designed for radio broadcasting, the four-channel desktop unit features two AES3 digital (XLR) inputs that integrate all metering options required in radio broadcasting for a solution made to measure. The TMR7 is also making its Asian debut today, at InterBEE 2012 in Tokyo, Japan.
The technological basis of the TMR7 is the TM7 TouchMonitor with its flexible modular configuration. Similar to the TM7, the TMR7 also includes a seven-inch touchscreen and is available as a desktop unit, fitted, or as an OEM unit with 16 audio inputs. With its versatility, the TM7 supports all professional audio metering applications.
"Based on our TM7 all-round unit, the TMR7 TouchMonitor is a version specifically targeted at users in radio broadcasting environments," says Michael Kahsnitz, head of engineering at RTW. "It integrates all features required in radio production, two stereo inputs and extensive local configurability in an attractively priced package."
Separate true peak and PPM instruments, as well as a vectorscope and correlator for evaluating stereo signals, are available on each TMR7 input channel. Licensing options include an extensive loudness-meter implementation (EBU R128, ITU BS.1770-3/1771, ATSC A/85, ARIB) with graphical and numerical single-channel and summing views, as well as loudness range (LRA), MagicLRA and SPL metering. Licenses are also available for an optional realtime analyzer (RTA) and the Premium PPM package with moving-coil instruments.
The intuitive operating concept of the TouchMonitor range offers maximum flexibility. Users can move freely scalable instruments to any position on the graphical surface, allowing them to personalize the entire screen area. Views, scaling and metering standards are separately definable for each signal source. In addition, the convenient on-screen help function makes setting up the unit a breeze.
The four audio inputs provided by the two AES3 ports are flexibly configurable for mono, stereo or multichannel sources, providing separate instruments for each source. Plus, the GPIO interface for overall control, the Ethernet port, and the VGA output for external display units offer further functionality.
RTW CEO Andreas Tweitmann will be available at the Audiopole stand, B65, to demo the TMR7 and to discuss all of RTW's products.
About RTW
For more than 45 years, Cologne-based RTW has accompanied the steady technological progress in the professional audio industry with innovative instruments and technologies for visual audio monitoring in broadcast, production, post production and quality control. Its state-of-the-art audio and loudness metering systems have an excellent reputation throughout the world. With groundbreaking products such as the Surround Sound Analyzer, the company has been a key vendor of professional broadcast and audio metering equipment for decades.
RTW's range of products currently includes the SurroundControl series for monitoring, controlling and routing stereo, multichannel and surround audio and the TouchMonitor range, which truly marks a paradigm shift in visual audio monitoring and loudness metering. Combining maximum flexibility and modularity with an intuitive touch-enabled surface and multichannel signal analysis, the TM7 and TM9 units are the essence of many years of experience. The attractively priced TouchMonitor TM3 entry-level system opens new markets, targeting applications such as journalist cubicles, edit suites and small control rooms.
For more information on RTW, visit www.rtw.de, www.facebook.com/rtw.de or call +49 221 709130.
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For press inquiries please contact:
Kim Bang
Momentum PR & Marketing
+45 2083 4247


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Sure, the fountain of youth is as elusive as ever, but there's plenty you can do to stay young. With all that scientists are learning about the powers of exercise, antioxidant-rich roods, healthy fats, and brain-teasing games to keep you feeling and looking your best, age can really just be a state of mind. This head-to-toe guide shows how to beat the clock -- or at least slow it down.
"Bone is live tissue, like muscle, and it needs to be stressed to grow," says one expert.
Taking Care of Your Brain
What aging can bring: Forgetfulness, decline in mental agility, risk of Alzheimer's disease.
What the research shows: "Doing things that hit both the left and right sides of the brain, like word puzzles plus mazes and visuals, has been proven to build brainpower," says Gary Small, M.D., director of the University of California at Los Angeles Center on Aging. Swedish researchers believe there's also a connection between physical activity and cognitive decline. Their study found that subjects who exercised at least 20 minutes two or more times a week at midlife reduced their risk of developing Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia later by 60 percent. On the nutrition front, a study at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center showed that an essential omega-3 fatty acid counteracts the brain's production of neuron-damaging amyloid proteins. RealSimple.com: Tricks to improve your memory
What you can do: "Challenge yourself mentally and physically; as little as 10 minutes of exercise a day may lower your risk of Alzheimer's," says Small. Eat antioxidant-loaded foods, such as almonds, leafy greens, and blueberries; and if you don't eat enough fatty fish rich in omega-3 acids, such as salmon (at least two servings a week), ask your doctor about taking a daily 1,000-milligram fish-oil supplement. RealSimple.com: How to worry less
Taking Care of Your Skin
What aging can bring: Wrinkles, brown spots, skin cancer.
What the research shows: Sun exposure and smoking can cause the loss of collagen and elastin and changes in DNA that can lead to skin cancer. Avoiding these stressors is "the most important thing to for skin," says Kenneth Beer, a dermatologic surgeon in West Palm Beach, Florida. Antioxidants will help keep damage at bay by "allowing the skin to repair itself," says Beer. RealSimple.com: The ultimate skin-care guide
What you can do: Drink at least one cup of green tea (a powerful antioxidant) daily, and be sure to get enough vitamins C and E. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen (one that protects against both UVA and UVB rays) of at least SPF 30 every day; check the label for one or more of these ingredients: titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, and Mexoryl. Topical application of green tea and vitamins C and E, which are found in many anti-aging products, helps boost the skin's ability to fend off free-radical damage. And cover up outside whenever possible: Sun exposure can also lead to brown patches. RealSimple.com: Sun care products
Taking Care of Your Teeth
What aging can bring: Yellowing, gum disease, tooth loss, oral cancer.
What the research shows: "Teeth can last a lifetime," says Edmond Hewlett, associate professor of restorative dentistry at the UCLA School of Dentistry. A healthy mouth has a good supply of saliva, which contains minerals that can halt and even reverse early stages of tooth decay. If you have a drier mouth (a common side effect of antihistamines, antidepressants, and medications for high blood pressure), decay can spread faster, and you'll need to be even more vigilant with your care.
What you can do: "Anytime we eat, bacteria are left sitting on the teeth, so brush your teeth as soon as possible," says Hewlett. This will also help remove stains from foods and beverages such as blueberries, coffee, tea, and red wine. Brush for two minutes to cover all your teeth and gums, floss, and consider rinsing once a day with a mouthwash that contains fluoride. See your dentist for a cleaning twice a year (or more often if needed), and have a thorough checkup once a year for gum disease, cavities, and signs of oral cancer.
Taking Care of Your Lungs
What aging can bring: Loss of aerobic capacity.
What the research shows: "At any age, you can maximize your aerobic capacity with regular exercise," says Jerome L. Fleg, M.D., a medical officer at the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. And the fitter you are, the easier it is to perform daily tasks. If you are in good shape, you may need only 50 percent of your aerobic capacity to do something such as push a vacuum, depending on your age and sex.
What you can do: Intense activities aren't necessary; even "walking at a brisk pace on a regular basis can help maintain aerobic capacity in older adults," says Fleg. (Always consult your physician before starting an exercise program.)
Taking Care of Your Muscles
What aging can bring: Decreases in strength and muscle mass, loss of flexibility, loss of balance.
What the research shows: "Maximal muscle strength is achieved in the 20s and 30s," says Roseann M. Lyle, Ph.D., professor of public health at Purdue University, in West Lafayette, Indiana. "If you're sedentary, you will start losing strength after age 50 at a rate of 2 to 5 percent per decade." But if you keep using your muscles, through activities such as weight training, you can maintain strength and flexibility even into your 90s. It's also important to work on balance, which falters with age, and to keep muscles agile so you can react quickly.
What you can do: Add resistance moves to your workout, and mix in some fast, dynamic exercise as well -- dance classes, tennis, volleyball, anything that gets you "moving fast in different directions," says Lyle. Good balance builders are one-legged squats, yoga poses such as "tree," and even something as simple as standing on one foot and then the other while you brush your teeth or do the dishes.
Taking Care of Your Feet
What aging can bring: Dry skin, swelling, stiffness, bunions, hammertoes.
What the research shows: "Your feet may change size as you get older due to water retention or ligaments that relax," says Jane Andersen, a podiatrist and a spokesperson for the American Podiatric Medical Association. In extreme cases, badly fitting shoes can lead to problems such as bunions and hammertoes.
What you can do: Have your feet measured yearly (ideally at the end of the day), and vary your shoe types and heel heights. Bunions and hammertoes "come from repetitive motions," says Andersen, "and can often be prevented with supportive shoes that fit well, plus orthotics to neutralize foot position." Weight-bearing exercises will beef up bone density (the feet are a common site of osteoporosis). Andersen recommends moisturizing the feet nightly with a gentle exfoliator or an intense moisturizing lotion to keep them soft and supple. RealSimple.com: Why your feet hurt
Taking Care of Your Heart
What aging can bring: Cardiac disease, heart attack, stroke.
What the research shows: "High blood pressure is the number one culprit when it comes to heart trouble," says Michael F. Roizen, M.D., coauthor of "You: On a Diet." "If you know only one number, it should be your blood pressure." (The ideal is 115/76.) A diet high in sodium is linked to high blood pressure. As for cholesterol, the numbers to shoot for are a total count of less than 200, with an HDL greater than 60 and an LDL around 70. The two risk factors are linked: High blood pressure causes little nicks to form in arteries, which the body then plasters over with cholesterol. That attracts inflammatory cells, creating arterial plaque that can lead to clots, heart attacks, and strokes.
What you can do: Keep your diet low in salt and saturated fat and high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Aim for 30 minutes of aerobic activity four or five days a week. RealSimple.com: Food labels, decoded
Taking Care of Your Eyes
What aging can bring: Dryness, presbyopia, cataracts, macular degeneration, glaucoma.
What the research shows: Although presbyopia (trouble reading things up close) almost inevitably sets in around age 40, good nutrition may help with other age-related eye issues. "People who consume high levels of antioxidants have a reduced risk of macular degeneration [a disorder that leads to gradual vision loss]," says Emily Chew, deputy director of epidemiology and clinical research at the National Eye Institute, in Bethesda, Maryland. (Smoking, however, increases your risk.) And omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids help "open up the glands around the eyes, so patients with dry eyes make more, better-quality tears," says Michael Goldstein, an ophthalmologist in Boston, Massachusetts
What you can do: See an eye doctor regularly to catch early signs of trouble. Eat plenty of leafy greens and consider taking a fish-oil supplement. Protecting your eyes from sun exposure can help reduce your risk of cataracts.
Taking Care of Your Bones
What aging can bring: Osteoporosis, fractures.
What the research shows: In your 30s, your body stops storing calcium, so if you don't get enough in your diet, your body will start depleting its stores. Another cause of brittle bones is lack of exercise. "Bone is live tissue, like muscle, and it needs to be stressed to grow," says Carla Sottovia, Ph.D., assistant fitness director of the Cooper Aerobic Center, in Dallas, Texas. Anything that puts weight -- stress -- on the bones will help build bone mass, but "you want to stress them in as many different ways and directions as possible," says Lyle.
What you can do: Lyle recommends activities that include a variety of movements, such as racquetball and dancing. Women need between 1,000 and 1,200 milligrams of calcium in their daily diet or as a supplement, along with 400 international units (IU) of vitamin D and 350 to 400 milligrams of magnesium.
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All About Osteoporosis • Exercise and Fitness • Macular Degeneration


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Philippines Environment Stats
Current issues:
This entry lists the most pressing and important environmental problems. The following terms and abbreviations are used throughout the entry:
Acidification - the lowering of soil and water pH due to acid precipitation and deposition usually through precipitation; this process disrupts ecosystem nutrient flows and may kill freshwater fish and plants dependent on more neutral or alkaline conditions (see acid rain).
Acid rain - characterized as containing harmful levels of sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxide; acid rain is damaging and potentially deadly to the earth's fragile ecosystems; acidity is measured using the pH scale where 7 is neutral, values greater than 7 are considered alkaline, and values below 5.6 are considered acid precipitation; note - a pH of 2.4 (the acidity of vinegar) has been measured in rainfall in New England.
Aerosol - a collection of airborne particles dispersed in a gas, smoke, or fog.
Afforestation - converting a bare or agricultural space by planting trees and plants; reforestation involves replanting trees on areas that have been cut or destroyed by fire.
Asbestos - a naturally occurring soft fibrous mineral commonly used in fireproofing materials and considered to be highly carcinogenic in particulate form.
Biodiversity - also biological diversity; the relative number of species, diverse in form and function, at the genetic, organism, community, and ecosystem level; loss of biodiversity reduces an ecosystem's ability to recover from natural or man-induced disruption.
Bio-indicators - a plant or animal species whose presence, abundance, and health reveal the general condition of its habitat.
Biomass - the total weight or volume of living matter in a given area or volume.
Carbon cycle - the term used to describe the exchange of carbon (in various forms, e.g., as carbon dioxide) between the atmosphere, ocean, terrestrial biosphere, and geological deposits.
Catchments - assemblages used to capture and retain rainwater and runoff; an important water management technique in areas with limited freshwater resources, such as Gibraltar.
DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-ethane) - a colorless, odorless insecticide that has toxic effects on most animals; the use of DDT was banned in the US in 1972.
Defoliants - chemicals which cause plants to lose their leaves artificially; often used in agricultural practices for weed control, and may have detrimental impacts on human and ecosystem health.
Deforestation - ...
Full definition - International agreements > Party to: This entry is derived from Geography > Environment > International agreements, which separates country participation in international environmental agreements into two levels - party to and signed, but not ratified. Agreements are listed in alphabetical order by the abbreviated form of the full name.
- International agreements > Signed, but not ratified: This entry is derived from Geography > Environment > International agreements, which separates country participation in international environmental agreements into two levels - party to and signed, but not ratified. Agreements are listed in alphabetical order by the abbreviated form of the full name.
Did you know
The worst natural disaster that Poles can usually expect is a flood. However, if you live in Guatemala or the Philippines, it can be anything from typhoons to volcanoes, earthquakes and tsunamis.


text:
Renewed Spirits
Wiccan Haus story
Merryn Dexter
September 20th 2016
A Desperate Woman
Wiccan Haus is Raegan's last hope for a miracle. Unable to produce
an heir for her husband, she finds herself abandoned and penniless. Raised to
be the perfect wife and mother, her failure has broken her spirit.
A Reviled Demon
Zamahl comes to Wiccan Haus seeking meditation and relief from the
never-ending sexual urges of his incubus nature. Driven to seek their true
mates, incubi are the ultimate one-night stand from which some females never
recover. Shunned throughout the para realms, he doubts he will ever find a
woman to satisfy the demon within.
A Forbidden Passion
When Raegan meets the copper-eyed stranger, a passion she never
believed herself capable of awakens. Zamahl is horrified by his burning
attraction to the timid little human. Humans, weak of mind and body, are to be
avoided at all costs.
As the Summer Solstice celebrations continue, Raegan must decide
what she really wants from life, and find the courage to claim it. She must
overcome Zamahl's doubts, the disapproval of one very unhappy were-tiger and
the fickleness of Fate to find true happiness.
Buy Links
Concentrating on his dinner
companions had been a test of his self-control and his self-congratulation at
keeping his cool dissolved the moment he watched her slip from the room. Need
had gnawed at his gut until Serena and Kaleb had excused themselves and he'd
found himself on the patio. The threat of Rekkus pounding his head into a solid
surface could not keep him away from this particular human.
Sitting close to her was an
act of supreme masochism. The urge to gather her into his arms and carry her to
his room crashed against his control as inexorably as the roll of the waves
into the rocks below.
Ready. Mine for the taking.
He shuddered, grabbing the
wicker frame above him in such a hard grip the wood groaned beneath his hands.
She was a contradiction; a puzzle. Her shy demeanor and hesitant questions at
odds with her throaty plea from their earlier encounter.
Touch me...
Lord and Lady, now she
talked about the hot springs. Images of her sliding into a steaming pool, pale
skin shining in the moonlight, flooded his brain and he moaned aloud.
"Are you alright?" Her
breathy voice sounded too close for comfort and he peered beneath his raised
biceps to see her perched on the edge of her seat, leaning toward him. The
angle provided a revealing glimpse of the tops of her lush breasts and the wood
beneath his hands cracked.
"Who's Marshall?" Husband? Lover? Tell me you are involved,
and I'll find some way to leave you alone.
She sucked in a shaky
breath, fingers balling around the handkerchief clutched in her hands. Her
expression clouded for a few long moments before clearing and he watched in
fascination as she smoothed the material over her knees and folded it into a
neat square. Shoulders braced, she stared him straight in the eye. "Marshall is
the past."
The demon screamed in
exultation and Sam cursed himself for asking the question. "Go to bed, little
mouse." He growled.
Confusion furrowed her brow.
"Excuse me?"
"You need to go away and leave me alone."
Publisher: Decadent
Publishing Company, LLC
Word Count: 26,300
Cover Art: Fiona Jayde
About the Author
Merryn Dexter is a military spouse who, after a varied employment
career (from selling sandals to old ladies with bunions to being a health and
safety coordinator for a construction company), is thrilled to be pursuing her
dream career as a romance writer. She likes The Winchesters, Spike, Hotch, Loki
and watching complicated European Noir. Her hobbies include crying at books,
crying at movies, crying at tv serials (there's a theme!) and believes all
stories should have a Happy Ending.
Contact links


text:
South by Southwest Eco
Photo by Rebecca Silver/Sierra Club
By Rebecca Silver, Sierra Club Publicist
Austin is known for many things, among them good barbeque, good music, and good times. And for the past three years in October, Austin has also been known as the gathering place for thought-leaders from around the country who are committed to finding positive solutions to the challenges facing the environment, economy and civil society.
South by Southwest (SXSW) Eco brings together professionals in business, government, non-profits, and academia to listen to innovative speakers, participate in three days of provocative panel discussions, and network with thought-provoking people. The Sierra Club has been a sponsor at this conference since its inception in 2011.
This year, the Club led the first-ever official conference hike to Bright Leaf Preserve, a 200-acre natural area within the Austin city limits (above and below).
On the second day of the conference, Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune, at center below, came to town for a session on adaptation, climate policy and solutions. This panel was part of the Bloomberg BNA's Policy Action Series, a collection of sessions whose themes were taken from the National Climate Assessment.
Photo by Dan Byrnes/Sierra Club
According to Brune, we need to focus on solutions that tackle multiple problems. The good news is that we're making progress with clean energy globally. As we move beyond coal, we're decreasing greenhouse gas emissions and protecting our water supply.
Plenty of other Sierra Club folks were in town, too, among them Jesse Prentice-Dunn (at right, below)of the Club's Beyond Oil campaign, who was a panelist on a session about bicycle systems and how Austin is modeling its programs around successful Dutch projects.
Photo by Dan Byrnes/Sierra Club
Austin-based Jennifer Walker, clean water coordinator for the Club's Lone Star Chapter, participated in a session about the cutting-edge strategies used to keep our rivers flowing in the face of drought, climate change, and increased competition for limited water resources.
During the exhibition, we asked attendees to join the national conversation about climate and tell us how they #ActOnClimate. We heard from one person who doesn't own a car and another who supports sustainable agriculture. Lots of people told us how they get outdoors -- and bring others with them! Whether folks shared big actions or small, concrete or abstract (one board just said EMPOWER YOUNG PEOPLE), it's clear that acting on climate and affecting change is a critical issue that's top of mind for everyone. And it will take all of us acting together to make an impact.


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"The world is a stage, but the play is badly cast."
Origins of Homo sapiens dramaticus[edit]
It has long been held in Darwinian theory that at some point in the dawn of mankind a genetic split occurred with the human genome of a species that survived by imitating other lifeforms around them such as plants and animals. The theory is still held to this day that this was in some way to enable the survival of ordinary man in the primeval, predator hungry world. As time progressed, and man learned to hunt and farm the land, the species fell into rapid decline and were reduced to very small numbers, performing re-enactments of everyday events they witnessed around them, and generally making fools of themselves. The fact that they survived to this day is still somewhat of a mystery genetically, as it was particularly noted in early historical texts that this section of the human race had very peculiar homosexual tendencies.
Research Notes on Attributes[edit]
Aside from the main attributes inherited from Homo sapiens (such as male/female/two legs/eyes etc.) a number of curious survival quirks were noted by scientists observing current specimens in the wild. One of the more curious attributes was a tendency to perform mating rituals in the company of either sex; this was more so noted in members of the male sex. Also, when put in the dark, they almost always went straight to sleep seemingly unable to function normally in darkness.
The researchers then subjected the specimens to bright artificial lights, where upon the specimens started a fast grooming ritual and started communicating with people around them in human speech patterns about scripts, camera angles, audiences, "what's new with you", and moaning while drinking coffee. However, researchers also noticed these questions tended to differ between subspecies. Actual specimens of the original, it seems, are rare.
Evidence in ancient texts recorded by such luminaries as Oscar Wilde and William Shakespeare, that Homo sapiens dramaticus may have produced some subspecies to greatly improve its chances of survival. It is feared that these subspecies have indeed already mixed bloodlines with the main Homo sapiens species and greatly reduced its chances of normal survival.
H. s. dramaticus mimicus It is currently being argued that a genetic fault at some time in the iron age spawned the subspecies now identified as H. s. mimicus - the silent actors who believed they were constantly surrounded by walls, and appear curiously to have lost the ability to communicate vocally with their fellow humans.
H. s. overdramaticus Another subspecies that appeared around the turn of the 20th century, particularly suited to cameras and artificial lighting. it is thought they first appeared in California, the home of Hollywood, though evidence also suggests sightings in London, England also around that time.
H. s. theatricus Thought to have appeared around William Shakespeare's time , this particular species has the curious habit of dressing in ancient costume and attempting to proclaim things to any area where there is a crowd of people, and they call these crowds "Audiences". It has been theorised that Shakespeare was in fact to blame directly for the appearance of this species and adds water to the theory that William Shakespeare was in fact a member of the Illuminati, and they deliberately wished the appearance of this species in order to serve a bigger plan.
H. s. comedicus This particular sub-genus seems to be locked into the curious idea that they are in fact funny, and that others laughing at them is a good thing, even though they are making absolute fools of themselves. They are particularly prone to other species of human predators such as Homo sapiens mediacircus (aka "the press"), and members of this species are rare due to frequent culls by the media.
Sightings in History[edit]
There are a few people who were discovered with much alarm to be members of the species; these include such well known names as:
Future of the Species[edit]
It seems possible now today that this species is in fact growing in numbers around the planet, though whether this growth is in line with general population growth of the Human species is still speculative. It is only a matter of time before their numbers get so great that cults could be called for in order to maintain a balance of species.
Charles Darwin predicts the actor will go the way of the Neanderthal, and try to stone us to death before being mummified by the blinking bat.


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Story first published Aug. 25, 2010
Ms. Emily Marie has bouquets of roses and daisies throughout her Victoria condo. She's currently reading the Dali Llama. She cries every time she watches The Notebook. She practices yoga and kickboxing and sleeps with her dog at night. She's finally discovering her longstanding desire to work with pottery and sculpting. She's also one of the highest paid escorts in the city.
We're all too familiar with the weary woman standing on the corner, asking for anything just to get through the night. Or the 16-year-old girl who escaped from an abusive household only to end up trapped in a world of pimps and drugs. Their stories are all real. This, however, is not every story.
Marie, who advertises age 27, is from a small B.C. town. She graduated from college and trade school, and had been working an undisclosed professional job for years—a job she thought she was meant to do. But when she realized she wasn't happy, it took her only a few weeks of investigating the internet to make the decision to start her own private business—in the sex trade. Now, after being a paid companion for over a year, Marie is thrilled by her work. She's saving money like never before, she's learning things she didn't expect and she says she's happy.
"My business is similar to other businesses. I started by picking out a name, getting a business cell phone, deciding where to advertise and getting a business license," Marie says. "One of the things that's come out of paid companionship for me is that I have much more confidence now. I feel I could effectively manage a business in another field having done so [as] Ms. Emily Marie."
While most wouldn't consider it your typical nine-to-five job, Marie does have strict rules. She only takes calls between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. for safety's sake, except in rare circumstances. She won't answer blocked numbers. She spends long enough on the phone to assess if she and the caller are a good match and, while it's only been a year since she became a paid companion—the description she prefers—she has yet to be disappointed.
"Knock on wood, I am very fortunate. I meet very nice gentlemen," she says. "But I really listen to my intuition."
Marie mentions one phone call that raised the hairs on the back of her neck, and says she cancelled the appointment immediately.
"You should never feel like you have to take a call," Marie says, admitting that she doesn't consider herself street smart, but lives by her instincts. "If you were to be desperate in this job, it would have disaster written all over it."
But when things go right, Marie is afforded time and money enough to enjoy. She only takes one to two calls a day and, at a rate of $250 to $350 per hour (as opposed to the industry average of $180 to $220), she can earn in a day what most people make in a week. With wages like that, a person could make between $75,000 and $100,000 per year. And, yes, Marie does file her taxes—as self-employed. She's also inundated with gifts, bouquets and high-class evenings out.
Not your typical player
While loads of dough and a steady supply of sexy dates can sound glamorous, Marcela Mrnka knows there's no such thing as your average fairy tale in the escorting world.
"There is no 'typical' in sex work," says Mrnka, the executive director of the sexworker support group PEERS Victoria Resource Society. "One of the things we try really hard to do at PEERS is blow open the box. We're tired of the stereotypes. There are a million different forms of sex work and there are a million different experiences of sex work." (Indeed, Ms. Emily Marie agreed to appear in this article in her own effort to help break such stereotypes.)
Mrnka, who has an academic background in social work, emphasizes there is a huge difference between choosing sex as a job and being forced into it.
"Making an informed decision about going into sex work is like any other informed decision that a person has to make, whether it's 'Should I try heroin, or not?' or 'Should I become an airline stewardess as opposed to a nurse?' A person needs to be mature enough emotionally and cognitively to make that decision," says Mrnka.
Having said that, Mrnka—who was also in the sex trade, first as an exploited youth and then later by choice—admits that the choice theory flies out the window when talking about survival sex work. Being forced to pick between being evicted, feeding kids or turning a trick is not "choice" she says.
Still, Mrnka says this is not always the case—even a look through the escort ads in these pages will give a good indication that not all escorts fit the mould, she adds.
"I think what needs to be done in the media particularly, is to take away the stereotype of 'every sex worker is a drug addict and has a history of sexualized abuse.' That's true for a lot of survival sex workers, but survival sex work—what we see on the street—makes up only 10 to 20 percent of sex work. The rest of it takes place behind closed doors."
To buy or not to buy
While prostitution itself is not illegal in Canada, procurement is—that means you can sell, you just can't buy.
"If you think that's confusing, you're not the only one," says Mrnka. "Basically, just talking about sex work is illegal. If I was a sex worker, and you wanted to buy my services, it would be illegal to make a deal. But what's really great about the whole thing—and I'm being really sarcastic here—is that escort agencies are licensed by the city. So they have a legal license to operate, and everybody knows what escorting means. But because of the confusing legalities around it . . . it criminalizes sex workers."
While sex workers can't be busted for standing on a street corner, they can be the minute someone starts talking to them, says Mrnka. That's part of the reason jargon like "paid companion" is used—companionship is the provided service; what happens during that companionship is nobody's business.
"Primarily, it's the 'upstanding citizens' that are buying the services, but it's the sex workers who end up with the criminal record," Mrnka says. "It's so hypocritical."
With the stigma surrounding sex work, it's often hard not to see sex workers as oppressed victims. But the choice, Mrnka says, has to be a personal one.
"The person providing the service is the only person who can make that decision about whether or not it's right [for them]. Everything else is a moral judgment from the rest of us," Mrnka says. "We do not make moral judgments at PEERS. We're in the business of supporting people whether they want in, out or anywhere in between. And, if they want to stay in, we want to keep them safe."
That safety isn't just from customers or the pimps—it's also from "moralists," as Mrnka terms them, who endanger the lives of women and men in the business.
"Violence against sex workers—whether indoor or outdoor—is rampant. People have this notion that because someone has chosen, or not chosen, to be in this trade, it's okay to moralize, threaten and, literally, beat the living daylights out of them," says Mrnka.
It's easy to picture an angry wife, mad at the woman who helped her husband stray. But Mrnka says it would make more sense to take that anger out on the perpetrator—the husband.
"Most of the time, the sex worker has no idea why the guy is there. She's not a marriage counsellor—she's a service provider," says Mrnka. "But there's that whole thing out there that she's 'a hooker' and so we can lash out at her, whereas a woman might not lash out at the girl the husband is fooling around with at work."
Ms. Emily Marie herself has received dozens of hate calls from women threatening her. It's one of the reasons she won't answer blocked calls or leave the house without her dog. It's also the reason she's more intimidated by telling women about her line of work than men.
"I've had women phoning me just to call me every name in the book and say that they were going to eff me up if I didn't stay home," Marie says. "You just have to keep your nose out of people's business."
Familiar bondage
The judgment of strangers isn't all Ms. Emily Marie has to worry about. Since starting her new line of work, she's been excluded from her tight-knit family—the worst hardship for her.
"My parents and siblings don't like or accept what I do," Marie says. "I've become much more distant from them, and felt much less loved by them, since I began this last year. I do believe that they're well intentioned; they have their own belief systems and values, and they're worried about my safety. But it's been very difficult."
In many ways, Marie is forced into a split life. She has two names, two birthdays, two phone numbers and a stock of bed sheets that is constantly changing. She also has what she describes as a loving life partner who she met when she began her business—but he's seldom mentioned when it comes to pleasing other's fantasies.
"It's very mysterious," she says. "The funniest thing [about escorting] is having two identities. It makes your life complicated. And it makes me very cautious."
That said, Marie says she still tries to remain authentic, in and out of the work place. "I put my safety and privacy above all else, but when people come to see me for work, I have many of the same conversations that I have when I meet friends or others socially."
When it comes to real friends aside from her life partner, though, Marie says it's hard to have them.
"I get support from others who have been in the business, but it's hard to have friends while being in this industry, because the worst thing is disappointing friends," she says. "If you make plans, then you might miss a really good opportunity with someone you had a great time with and who is just back in town for the night. It's tough. And it's the hardest thing I struggle with on a daily basis."
Marie has to field both that always-on feeling and a tremendous amount of free time. Her work, and her cell phone, never leave her. Even while we're talking, she pauses to answer the phone four times and draws a bath to get ready for work. She says she spends a lot of time alone.
"There is always prep work you can be doing: buying candles, sheets and supplies. You go for lunch, go shopping, get your nails done, answer the phone, go to the beach with your dog, go swimming in the ocean everyday for, like, four hours. But you make sure you're close."
Marie actually spends most of her free time working on her other passion: art. She's invested herself into pottery, thread work and textiles, and hopes to eventually open up her own lingerie studio. Meanwhile, her dog, who she rescued from the SPCA, is her best confidant—and whether it's obedience training or just walking along the beach, the two spend little time apart.
The working woman
Given the inherent ups and downs of paid companionship, the question remains: is it all worthwhile? Marie says the main reason she stays is because the job is fun and just feels right.
"There were times in my life when I felt really starved of social contact with others. Now, I have the opportunity to meet all sorts of interesting people from different backgrounds and get various different views on life. I can't even tell you how much this has helped me personally," she says. "Often, I'll be struggling with a certain issue in my life and the right person comes around at just the right time to help me sort through it."
Marie believes the benefits are also two-fold.
"In one of my [online] reviews, the individual said something to the effect that spending time with me just made him feel better about himself . . . and a lot of times, men spend more time pleasing you than you do pleasing them."
Marie acknowledges that, just like in any career, she won't likely be escorting forever, though she hopes the reputation carries on for a few years yet.
"I'm never going to change my [business] name. So, I'll always be Ms. Emily Marie and hopefully the reputation will stay strong," she says. "I can't say where I'm going to be in my life in a few years, but, right now, this is working." M
Editor's note: to see our one-year follow up on Ms. Emily Marie, read the August 2011 article, "Fantasy girl: one year later."


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Brent Bozell's Media Research Center performs a great service in keeping tabs on the increasingly over-the-top left-wing media. The Center has just announced its 25th Annual Awards for the Year's Worst Reporting. You can read the winning entries in a number of categories and watch video of liberals going around the bend here.
This year's grand prize winner was MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry for this balanced account of American history:
As you can imagine, MSNBC figures heavily in this year's awards. One of the runners-up in the "Quote of the Year" category was Chris Matthews, for his barely-sane tribute to Hurricane Sandy:
There are lots more categories, and plenty of entertainment value. Thanks to Media Research Center for doing one of those jobs that most Americans won't do, because it's too depressing–documenting liberal media insanity.


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Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more.
To learn more, view Typing Certificates (PDF).
Show All Answers
All job openings are posted on the city website under employment. Online applications are accepted by simply clicking the "Apply" button that is located in the top right corner of each vacancy announcement. An applicant will then need to create or log into their Government Jobs account to submit their application.
The City of El Monte hires on a contingent basis. Whenever a position is vacant, we will accept applications for that position. If you are interested in a position that is not vacant at present, you may submit a job interest card online. We keep all Job Interest Card information for up to 12 months. If we recruit for the position listed on your Job Interest Card, we will notify you and let you know the deadline for submission of a City of El Monte Employment Application.
Please note that the employment verification will require a signed waiver from the employee. The employment verification form can be emailed to firstname.lastname@example.com. The verification will typically take up to a maximum of ten (10) days for return.
To verify employment in writing, please contact the City of El Monte Finance Department at:
City Hall East
ATTN: Finance Department – Payroll
11333 Valley BoulevardEl Monte, CA 91731-3293
For more information related minimum wage and the State of California, please visit State of California Department of Industrial Relations at https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/faq_minimumwage.htm.


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- Area: 60 m²
- Year: 2012
Photographs:Moch Sulthonn + Word of Mouth Architecture
Text description provided by the architects. Located on one of Bali's most exclusive shopping streets, the new Denimdenim store by Word of Mouth certainly demands attention. The refurbishment of the existing two storeys structure, with a petite floor plate of only 60sqm, saw the need to manipulate the building facades to create a strong street presence.
The new store is part of an existing chain already on the island, however because of the more exclusive location, the brief from the client requested that although this store should have a relationship with its counterparts, it should pursue a new direction for the brand and endeavor to attract a more discerning customer. The design therefore adopts elements of the industrial material palette of the other stores to maintain continuity within the brand, but seeks to create a new look and feel through the use of custom graphics, recycled elements and foliage.
The 'masculine' nature of the previous stores is carried through with the use of strong architectural forms. The store sits proudly on the street, giving the impression of two stacked boxes, rotated on their axis. This illusion works to effectively capture the attention of passing traffic from both directions, whilst complying with the site restrictions of the adjacent temple.
The boxes are given their form with the use of a black steel frame, in filled with a mesh and be-jeweled with thousands of recycled aluminium cans. The screen act as a sunshade while providing a network for creeping plants to grow. The cans create a striking effect from the street, a sparkling repetition of circular forms that only reveal themselves as recycled components upon closer inspection.
The small building footprint demanded a careful treatment of the space, in order to make the space appear as large as possible, even when full of merchandise. A giant angular void was cut in the centre of the space, which provided a vast double-volume filled with natural light. A custom "chandelier" dominates the void – a combination of gently glowing oversized bulbs and a series of found objects converted into hanging planters.
The void is also utilized for merchandise display, as clothing items float elegantly amongst the greenery. Mirrors are used extensively within the space to further enhance the perception of the void and the natural light it provides. One wall of the store is comprised of mirrored panels which surround glowing white shoe display boxes – these are concealed within the spaces of the existing column structure.
The neutral palette of polished concrete, recycled teak wood, black steel and recycled cans works to connect the exterior and interior spaces. The interior is intended to be light-hearted and introduce a bit of humour to an otherwise neutral material palette. Two mannequins sit watch over the void space, their heads replaced with plants.
A custom designed wall graphic is painted across the back of the shop – a combination of famous quotes that have been manipulated to illustrate a denim obsession, and graphics and patterning inspired by denim and stitching details. This also works to conceal the storage components behind the sales counter. The space encourages customers to not take it or themselves too seriously…


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Mobb Deep
Hey Luv (Anything)
f/ 112
To let it ride... {*echoes*}
[Prodigy] + (Slim)
Pshh, shorty come here (112)
Listen, listen, listen, I know, I know (Ooooh)
(Love you) God damn
(Need you) Hear me out though
(Let's ride..) Yo (Let's ride..)
Hey love, I wanna hold you and talk to you
Put my arm around your shoulder and walk witchu
Be that one that'll serve you, my word to you
I know that nigga don't be doin what he 'sposed to do
I got much more to give than homie do
And you so fine, I just wanna roll witchu
You a Queen bitch, you need a King close to you
You need a nigga like P to just flow witchu
And I gotta try, cause anything's possible
And you just might see things the way I do
I just wanna get next to you, friends witchu
Burn hundreds, wake up in the bed witchu
I love when you walk, how that body move
Pardon my mouth, I'm just being honest boo
I will pay for airtime just to vibe witchu
Kisses and hugs until the next time you swing through
[Chorus: 112]
So many things that I wanna do
Wanna kiss, wanna touch, wanna taste, never teasing you
Oooh baby, cause I only wanna be with you; girl you know
Anything that you need, I got it
Million dollar shopping spree, I got it
Anything that you want, I got it
You know, I got it, ask me, I got it
Ma I want you in the worst way, and I ain't thirsty or nuttin
But when I see somethin boo, I go hard for the button
Hit my cell, I'ma take you out to eat
And kill any misconception that you got of Mobb Deep
Throw that bug in ya ear, and it's about time
Cause a nigga like me, been wantin you for years
Bumped heads here and there, but never got the chance
Best to those who wait, once I get up in them pants
Ain't no one minute man
'Posed to be with him? Better change those plans
Anything you gotsta do, lie to screw
Must be out his monkey-ass mind - how the hell he gettin tired of you?
Lemme light that fire that yo' body desire
Get you back to being sexy, single "Free" like Mya
Cause I treats 'em right, you know how I rock
And where-ever you at girl I'm on the next flight
Sit back I got this, baby girl you straight
For sure, rest assured you in the arms of strength
Baby I'll die for my loved ones, make no mistake
I'm not that man, I keep my gun on bait
And it's a cold world, your man don't understand your pain
And I know you gettin tired of the same ol' same
He expect to keep you locked with that five karat ring?
Let's cop that old real while 112 sing
Anything you want, and anything you need
Just pick up the phone, and call me
Oooh anything, anything you want (anything you want)
and anything you need
Ooooh.. I'll come running!
[Chorus] - repeat 2X
Yeah.. 112...
Mobb Deep... (let's rock this)
Let's go.. (Prodigy)
Da-da-da-da-da.. (Havoc)
Ohhh.. Let's go..
Let's ride... (That's right..)


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As I was considering what to make for a warming November meal, I remembered this hearty bean, vegetable and pasta soup that I used to make at least once every winter. Served with crusty bread, this soup is always a filling and warming meal on a cold snowy day. Colorful and nourishing, it's also very easy to make. This time I served the soup with pumpkin scones for a very comforting meal on a chilly day.
Hearty Italian Bean and Pasta Soup |
Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Italian Published on November 17, 2008 Simple, colorful and delicious Italian tomato, white bean and pasta soup loaded with fresh vegetables — warming and nourishing on a cool day Print this recipe Ingredients:


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Hey, look. The Big Ten oaf who just wants to pound the football just hired the guy who coached Drew Brees at Purdue, and who made Tyler Bray the SEC's top passer this season. If you want to bitch about plucking the coach off of a 5-7 team whose head coach just got canned, chew on the fact that Tennessee managed to lose despite scoring 30 or more points FOUR TIMES in 2012, and eclipsed that mark nine times total.
Dude scores points, y'all. Official release from the University is below.
FAYETTEVILLE - Jim Chaney, who boasts experience in the NFL, SEC and Big Ten, has been named Arkansas' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, head coach Bret Bielema announced Wednesday.
"Jim Chaney's approach will blend well with my ideas as we work to put together a plan for the team we have and over time develop our specific philosophy," said Bielema. "While he was at Purdue, several of the best coaches in the nation sought his advice on how to use the spread offense. Jim went on to spend a few years in the NFL and gained a new appreciation for a pro-style offense similar to the balanced attack we will look to incorporate at Arkansas. He has spent his career developing numerous players for the NFL including Drew Brees. He knows the SEC, having coached at Tennessee, and is familiar with what it takes to be successful in this conference. He is an upbeat and positive person who has proven at every stop he is an elite coach in our profession."
Chaney spent the last four seasons at Tennessee as the Vols' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach and was the interim coach for UT's 37-17 win against Kentucky in the 2012 season finale. Prior to his time in Knoxville, he coached the St. Louis Rams for three seasons after nine years as offensive coordinator at Purdue. Chaney also has held recruiting coordinator duties at three different schools.
Chaney oversaw the development of UT quarterback Tyler Bray, who was named the Vols' starter as a true freshman. After playing in 28 career games, Bray moved into the top five in many of the school's passing categories, ranking fourth in passing touchdowns, fourth in passing yards, fourth in pass attempts and fifth in completions.
In 2012, Bray passed for 3,619 yards and 34 touchdowns. His touchdowns were the seventh-most in a season in SEC history, and his passing yards ranked 11th in conference history. Bray also broke the Tennessee single-game record with 530 yards passing, a record previously held by Peyton Manning and the second-highest single-game total in SEC history.
Also during the 2012 season, wide receiver Justin Hunter ranked third in the SEC with 1,083 receiving yards and was fourth in the conference with an average of 6.1 receptions per game. His 73 catches ranked as the second-highest single-season total in UT history, and his receiving yards ranked third on the school's single-season list. As a team, Tennessee led the SEC and was fourth in the NCAA allowing an average of 0.67 sacks per game. The Vols also ranked 16th in the country in passing offense, 19th in total offense, 23rd in scoring offense and 33rd in passing efficiency.
In 2011, Tennessee scored at least 40 points in three of their first four games and ended the season third in the SEC in passing offense and fewest sacks allowed. Wide receiver Da'Rick Rogers led the SEC in receptions with 67 and was second in the conference with 1,040 receiving yards on his way to earning first-team All-SEC honors from the Associated Press.
The 2010 offense produced 71 plays of 20-or-more yards, 19 which went for touchdowns, despite fielding a new quarterback, new starting running back and an overhauled offensive line. Hunter set the Tennessee freshman record with seven receiving touchdowns and averaged a team-high 25.9 yards per catch as he earned a spot on the SEC All-Freshman Team. Bray broke Tennessee freshman records with 1,849 passing yards, 125 completions and 18 passing touchdowns and became the first UT quarterback to throw multiple touchdowns in six straight games since Manning. Running back Tauren Poole also excelled, rushing for 1,034 yards in his first season as the starter.
Before his time at Tennessee, Chaney spent three seasons with the St. Louis Rams. He coached the offensive line two seasons and worked with the tight ends in 2008. Chaney's offensive line blocked for running back Steven Jackson, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards all three seasons Chaney was in St. Louis.
Chaney made the move to professional football after nine years as Purdue's offensive coordinator. In his first four seasons, he also was the Boilermakers' recruiting coordinator and helped break a 13-year bowl drought in his first season. In his time there, Purdue led the Big Ten in passing offense five times and passing offense three times. The Boilermakers were ranked in the top 10 in the NCAA in total offense six times, including in 2000 when they were fourth in the country.
While at Purdue, Chaney tutored quarterback Drew Brees, who was drafted in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers and was named Super Bowl XLIV MVP and the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year in 2008 and 2009. Brees led the NCAA in total offense in 2000, averaging 349.1 yards per game, and won the Maxwell Award. Chaney also helped direct Tim Stratton to the inaugural John Mackey Award, given to the nation's best tight end, in 2000. The 2000 team also won the Big Ten and advanced to the Rose Bowl for the first time in 33 years.
As recruiting coordinator, Chaney helped Purdue sign some of the country's top high school talent. The 1998 class ranked second in the Big Ten and 11th nationally, and each of his final five signing classes were in the top 30 in the nation.
Before Purdue, Chaney was at Wyoming for four years, serving as offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator from 1994-96 and was a graduate assistant coaching tight ends coach in 1993. Chaney began his coaching career at Cal State Fullerton in 1985. He served in many areas, including offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator.
A native of Holden, Mo., Chaney earned his bachelor's degree in physical education from Central Missouri State in 1985. He played nose guard for Central Missouri State and was named an all-conference performer as a senior.
Chaney and his wife, Lisa, have two daughters, Elizabeth and Sara.
Jim Chaney Coaching History
Dec. 2012 Arkansas (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)2009-12 Tennessee (Offensive Coordinator)2008 St. Louis Rams (Tight Ends)2006-07 St. Louis Rams (Offensive Line)2002-05 Purdue (Offensive Coordinator)1997-2001 Purdue (Offensive Coordinator/Recruiting Coordinator)1994-96 Wyoming (Offensive Line/Recruiting Coordinator)1993 Wyoming (Graduate Assistant-Tight Ends)1989-92 Cal State Fullerton (Offensive Coordinator/Recruiting Coordinator)1988 Western Michigan (Offensive Line)1985-87 Cal State Fullerton (Offensive Coordinator/Recruiting Coordinator)
Birthdate: Jan. 12, 1962
Home Town: Holden, Mo.
Family: Wife, Lisa; Daughters, Elizabeth and Sara
Bowl Games: Music City Bowl, 2010; Chick-fil-A Bowl, 2009; Sun Bowl, 2004; Capital One Bowl, 2004; Sun Bowl, 2002; Sun Bowl, 2001; Rose Bowl, 2001; Outback Bowl, 2000; Alamo Bowl, 1998; Alamo Bowl, 1997; Copper Bowl, 1993


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So, Batman has Robin, Sherlock Holmes has Dr John Watson, Sheriff Andy Taylor has Deputy Barney Fife... Well, you get the idea: All heroes have a sidekick (if not, they are missing out).
You need a sidekick
Or at least, your desktop does.If your desktop is a Raspberry Pi, then you already know the life of a sidekick well, or at least you are learning it. This article is not really for you, although it might come in handy later. So, for all you Raspberry Pi owners who do everything on the Raspberry Pi, stay tuned to this blog for a future post: The Sidekick's Sidekick.
Unix, Linux or Mac Desktop
This will be smooth sailing. Open a terminal and type: $ ssh -X pi@raspberrypi
pi@raspberrypi's password:
Linux raspberrypi 3.1.9+ #168 PREEMPT Sat Jul 14 18:56:31 BST 2012 armv6l
The programs included with the Debian GNU/Linux system are free software;
the exact distribution terms for each program are described in the
individual files in /usr/share/doc/*/copyright.
Debian GNU/Linux comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY, to the extent
permitted by applicable law.
Type 'startx' to launch a graphical session
Last login: Tue Sep 11 15:32:33 2012 from v480-sunray
pi@raspberrypi ~ $
The first time you will be asked to accept the host key, say yes. Enter your password when prompted. If you entered the correct password, you are in. Windows (XP, 7, ...)
Ok, this is a little more involved.- Download Putty
- Enter the following information in the configuration:
- Hostname: raspberrypi
- go to the ssh tab and click X11 forwarding
- Entere for Saved Session: raspberrypi
- click Save
I'm not going to go through all the details here. Simply to say that you need to go to the ssh tab and click X11 forwarding download Xming server which will add an X server to Windows. You then need to start the Xming server from the start menu, then open the session in Putty. For more detail, go here
- Double click on raspberrypi (or select and click open)
With that setup however, you only get a fraction of the functionality of what we did for Unix, Linux or Mac.
What are we doing again?
You can now run any console application directly in that window, but even more interesting is the fact that you can run a graphical application on your Raspberry Pi, but the graphical display itself will be on your desktop.Look, Ma, no VNC! For example, you want to run the midori browser. In the ssh window, at the prompt, type: midori
$ pi@raspberrypi ~ $ midori
And you should get:
Or perhaps you want to write some Python code. After all, this is a Python centric blog...
$ pi@raspberrypi ~ $ idle
And you should get:
Now, remember, although the idle window is on my desktop, when I type import web, it is importing a library on the Raspberry Pi, and not from my desktop. By default, web.py is not installed by default.
To install:
pi@raspberrypi ~/Desktop $ sudo easy_install web.py
Searching for web.py
Best match: web.py 0.37
Processing web.py-0.37-py2.7.egg
web.py 0.37 is already the active version in easy-install.pth
Using /usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/web.py-0.37-py2.7.egg
Processing dependencies for web.py
Finished processing dependencies for web.py
In the above example, it actually didn't download the library, because I had installed it already. In fact, one of the first thing I did. Web.py is like duct tape for web applications. Or Web services. Or template driven apps. Or scripts that need database access. I could go on. Although a web framework, each module can be used individually, or can be replaced, or used alongside similar modules. On the screenshot, I did a dir(web) to show what modules are available. If there is some interest, I'll do a tutorial on using web.py, just let me know in the comments.
Concluding on this way of working, I could be editing python code in idle, while viewing the result of my web application in a web browser (either locally through midori or remotely using my desktop's browser). But that, is just touching the tip of the iceberg. There will be more to come in the coming weeks.
Part 2


text:
The Sweep: Vikings, voters and the charge of the Militant Middle
Tom Foreman
Washington (CNN) -- This is a political story, complete with angry voters, a frustrated candidate and a scholarly observer or two. So if that's what you're after, take heart.
But I'm going to start a long time ago. With the Vikings. Pointy metal hats. Horns. Dragon ships. Those Vikings.
The Vikings did not meet many foes willing to stand and fight, but when they did, they had an answer: born-and-bred sociopaths called berserkers. Stripped of armor, with a sword strapped to one hand and a battle axe to the other, the berserkers would charge into the opposing force like human wheat threshers, spreading carnage and terror as long they survived. The result was dramatic and demoralizing, and as the enemy fled, the rest of the Vikings swooped in to complete the massacre.
Which brings us to the Tea Party. Despite all the headlines about their impact on the upcoming midterms, I have a theory that out in the political heartland, the trashing by the Tea Partiers may be preparing the battlefield for a much more profound second wave of disaffected, independent voters, who could make the Tea Party look like, well, a tea party.
I've always called them the Militant Middle, and Gary Butts is a founding member. "It's about time the moderates stood up and said, 'Hey, we're in the majority here!'"
He is with ModerateVoters.org, based in Irvine, California, and he says the Militant Middle started growing and coalescing around a broad slogan of "Throw the bums out" long before the Tea Party even started brewing -- and now it's reached a boiling point.
He's not alone. Comedy Central's Jon Stewart stirred the waters with his call for a Million Moderate March on Washington the day before Halloween to "restore sanity."
Stewart tells his devoted audience, "We live in troubled times with real people facing very real problems; problems that have real if imperfect solutions that I believe 70 to 80 percent of our population could agree to try and could ultimately live with. Unfortunately the conversation and process is controlled by the other 15 to 20 percent."
Stewart is putting serious weight behind his words, hosting a week of "The Daily Show" from Washington leading up to the event. His comrade-in-charms, Stephen Colbert, is also jumping in with a tongue-in-cheek counter-rally -- a March to Keep Fear Alive.
On a more serious front, New York billionaire Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been hopping around the country lending his support to Democrats and Republicans with a moderate streak, convinced they hold the key to breaking the death grip of the partisans.
Such high-profile efforts are thrilling for Butts. As a young man, he was a page in the U.S. Capitol, and worked alongside and observed a master of mutual respect and bipartisan cooperation -- so much so that the man's colleagues on both sides of the aisle rallied behind him to be president of the United States in one of the nation's darkest, most divisive political hours: Gerald Ford. No wonder Butts finds the politics of today maddening. "I think people are sick and tired, and some of us in the middle are just horrified at the noise coming from the left and right."
There is also serious political science behind this notion. At Stanford University, Morris Fiorina is a professor who theorized well before many others that this rising middle was becoming a major force in American politics. Some of the political intelligentsia back east initially -- and some even now -- dismissed the idea.
"I take some satisfaction in being right," he says, with a faint chuckle. His best evidence that his prediction was spot on: President Obama, elected largely by independents and moderates who were furious at Republicans, yes, but also at the status quo and the deeply divisive politics practiced by the two main parties. "In part, Obama was elected on a promise to change the tenor of politics and it hasn't happened at all."
That has further fanned the flames of anger for the Militant Middle. In Philadelphia, Rick Bayan runs a website called The New Moderate, and he voted for Obama. "I thought he'd bring the kind of change I wanted. I thought he'd be another JFK, and it's been just the opposite. He's like an economics professor. He's a lot more establishment than I thought."
So day after day, Bayan now urges anyone who will read his online columns to join the bulging center of the electorate -- especially political types who might emerge as legitimate contenders. He has learned that electing one agent of change, no matter how powerful, just won't cut it. "We need more forceful, dynamic leaders," he readily admits of the movement. "Most people perceive moderates as timid, middle-of-the-roaders, who can't take a stand."
State Representative Kathleen Curry, pictured with her family, was a lifelong Democrat who ditched her party.
If they met state Rep. Kathleen Curry out in Colorado, they might not feel that way. She is precisely who Bayan is looking for: a successful, winning politician who has joined the independent cause. "I don't like the two-party stranglehold on votes," she tells me by phone from her office deep in the Rocky Mountains.
Curry was a lifelong Democrat when she was elected to the legislature six years ago, and a rising star in the state party as she was re-elected three times. Then last December she shoved the party aside. She was tired, she says, of party leaders who thought she should listen to them more than the folks at home.
"I have a diverse constituency," she says. Some voters on the right, some on the left, a lot in the middle. She was committed to serving them all, and convinced the two party system was designed to keep her from it. "It's hardwired to promote the interests of the two parties. And they're good people, but they're not motivated to change a system that keeps them in power."
Part of the problem cited by everyone I talked to is the primary voting system. Despite some highly publicized upsets, in most cases the parties still steer the early selection process toward faithful partisans. Such candidates are easier to raise money for, easier to differentiate from the opposition in ads, and more likely to do precisely what moderates do not want: Toe the party line.
The parties defend the practice by saying the electorate itself is polarized. But Fiorina says it is a self-fulfilling assessment. "You give people nothing but polarized candidates and you get polarized voting."
"Our voters," Curry adds, "are not being reflected at all."
Rick Bayan says Obama is "a lot more establishment than I thought."
Just outside of Washington, FairVote.org is trying to do something about that. Rob Richie is the executive director of the nonpartisan, nonprofit organization. He says fewer than half the states have open primaries in which anyone can help pick the nominees. He is fighting for a wider variety of candidates everywhere, and respects the challenges for independents once polling begins. "I can sympathize with where they are coming from. If you don't start off higher than 30 percent, you're demonized as a spoiler."
Hitting that mark demands buzz in the talk circuit, and that's tough to generate with a moderate message of gradual change, responsible spending and taxes, and a steady hand at the policy wheel. Bayan, a former advertising man, puts it more pointedly. "Nuance doesn't sell."
"So what you need is extremist moderates?" I ask.
"Ha!" Bayan laughs and then concedes, maybe so.
Fiorina admits that measuring the power of independents and moderates is tough because by definition, they don't sign up for party pot luck suppers. But they are, he believes, nonetheless united by an ethos.
"There is a moral thing here," he says. "Moderates believe good behavior should be rewarded and bad behavior punished."
That's why bailouts of the banks, Wall Street, and the big automakers made them so angry. He adds that other characteristics of independents are a belief that the two major parties are putting their own good above the good of the nation and that the political deck has been horribly stacked against the voters in the middle.
"They're right," says Curry, who despite her successful six years in office will be re-elected this fall only if enough Colorado voters write her name in.
Independents face hurdles that the two parties long ago knocked down for their own players, in terms of getting onto ballots, obtaining government campaign funding, being included in debates. The parties argue that they have been the vanguard of politics in this nation for many generations; they have earned certain privileges. But what I've heard from countless de facto members of the Militant Middle for several years now is, "We're fully a third of the electorate, and yet the gatekeepers from the parties keep us from being represented anywhere. How is that democracy?"
Still, there is also an intangible. The roughly one-third of voters on the left and one-third on the right often seem almost unable to comprehend what the middle wants.
"I'm just sick of hearing about the independents," a friend in New York told me some years ago. "They need to make up their minds."
What she did not seem to grasp is that they have. The independents I have met over the years, all of whom espoused generally moderate views, are often deeply concerned about politics, dedicated to their communities and their country, and utterly convinced that choosing either party is a mistake -- a kind of willful decision to ignore the possibilities and ideas offered by all Americans by joining a club composed of one slice of the country. Simply put: Partisans see independents as wishy-washy. Independents see partisans as blind.
So even as the parties mow down their own moderate voices, people like Gary Butts keep beating the drum. "If moderates really turned out in volume in primaries, we could get good moderate candidates."
It is worth noting that no one I talked to for this story seemed particularly interested in joining the Tea Party movement. But in a way, many seemed grateful for it. Because call them patriots, troublemakers, or berserkers, the Tea Party is giving both parties their first real scare since Ross Perot snatched up more than 18 percent of the presidential vote in 1992. And the Militant Middle thinks that could help.
Never mind that some Tea Partiers are virulently anti-moderate. As Democratic strategist and CNN analyst Donna Brazile told me, "The Tea Party is going to knock out the moderates in both parties."
The Militant Middle believes the nation overall is so moderate, and the moderates are so ready to be roused, that the Tea Party can't last. And they think once the rampage is over, both major parties may be so battered that they'll be more than willing to strike a deal with the middle to prevent a new uprising.
It's a long shot. It may be a pipe dream. But listening to all of them, I am reminded of one of my favorite sayings: Beware the fury of a patient man. The Militant Middle has been patient a long time, and with each failure of the two parties to repair faith in government, restore the economy, and get Washington working properly again, their fury grows.
They're just behind the berserkers, sharpening their swords and waiting to charge.
Originally posted at http://edition.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/09/29/foreman.militant.middle/


text:
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text:
Amid Israeli concerns of a new war with Hezbollah and other foes, there are doubts the anti-missile systems Israel's defense industry has produced or is developing will be adequate to defend the nation against sustained missile and rocket attack.
One of the country's leading missile-defense experts, Nathan Farber, says that the cost of developing, deploying and operating these systems is prohibitive.
He also said that it will take years to provide enough anti-missile batteries to cover the country, time that Israel may not have as things stand in the region.
"This is a plan based on fantasy that has no practical justification," said Farber, a former ballistic missile specialist at Israel Military Industries and now a lecturer at the aerodynamics faculty of the Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa.
He urged the government to buy U.S. laser weapons, such as the Skyguard system built by Northrop Grumman, or a variant of the U.S. Vulcan-Phalanx rapid-fire gun system. That has been proven in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan.
After lengthy deliberation, Defense Minister Ehud Barak decided in April 2009 to acquire Vulcan-Phalanx but the plan was dropped, apparently for political reasons, to rely on Israeli systems.
Farber argued that the U.S. systems would greatly extend the capabilities of Israel's anti-missile defenses to most of the country within 18 months of signing a contract, instead of 2-3 years if the military depends on indigenous weapons.
The Vulcan-Phalanx is a close-in weapons system initially designed by the General Dynamics Corp, now part of the Raytheon Corp., for the U.S. Navy to shoot down anti-ship missiles.
The land-based variant is known a the Centurion C-RAM, a radar-guided 20mm M61A1 Gatling Gun with a firing rate of 4,500 rounds per minute.
It costs $25 million per unit. Each battery of the Iron Dome anti-rocket system developed and built by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems now being deployed costs $80 million.
A parliamentary committee headed by former Defense Minister Amir Peretz says Israel needs at least 13 Iron Dome batteries to defend population centers in the north on the Lebanese border and in the south facing the Hamas-held Gaza Strip.
Israel has deployed two batteries and four more are scheduled to be built with $205 million in special U.S. aid.
But using indigenous systems is expected to cost Israel several billion dollars at a time when the defense budget is strained to the limit.
As it is, the cost of operating Iron Dome, which fired interceptor missiles at the short-range rockets used by Lebanon's Hezbollah and Hamas' Palestinian militants, is prohibitive.
Every Iron Dome interceptor costs around $50,000 while the projectiles it shoots down cost a fraction of that. Critics argue that Israel's foes could bankrupt the country by firing huge numbers of these low-cost rockets.
That's something of an exaggeration. Iron Dome's computer is capable of determining from the trajectory of an incoming rocket whether it is going to hit a populated area and the system could ignore those that aren't.
In Iron Dome's limited debut in southern Israel in March it shot down nine missiles heading toward the cities of Beersheba and Ashkelon but hasn't been fully tested in protecting towns closer to the border, where the rockets' flight time is much shorter, or against mortar rounds. The C-RAM downed mortar shells in Iraq.
Farber noted that in Israel's 34-day war against Hezbollah in the summer of 2006, the Iranian-backed guerrillas fired some 1,000 short-range Katyusha-type rockets at Kiryat Shmona a few miles from the northern border.
That was about one-quarter of the barrage of rockets Hezbollah unleashed against northern Israel during the conflict, against which the Israelis had no defense.
"Five hundred hit targets," Farber observed. "According to the scenario for the next war, Kiryat Shmona can expect 4,000 rockets. An Iron Dome battery … would be able to deal with just a small fraction of them."
That sort of battering would take place in other northern cities and towns, including the port of Haifa, which was hit during the 2006 war.
In 2006, Hezbollah possessed an estimated 12,000 rockets, mostly short-range weapons.
These days, Israel estimates Hezbollah has more than 42,000. These include hundreds of long-range missiles that can hit anywhere in the Jewish state in a sustained bombardment of unprecedented proportions.UPI