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Many celebrity contestants of "Dancing With The Stars" often experience an addition perk from the show besides learning some solid dance moves and a little more press: weight loss.
Even though Chaz Bono has not officially hit the "Dancing With The Stars" stage yet, his partner Lacey Schwimmer says the LGBT advocate has already shed some pounds.
"He's lost five pounds in six days," Schwimmer told People. "It's so great. He says he's not eating any differently, he's just dancing."
"He's such a great guy," she added. "He is so nice, and he's such a kind person. He's awesome. I couldn't have asked for a better partner this time."
Schwimmer says that Bono is slowly loosening up and willing to be a little silly on the show. However, Bono, who is the only child of musicians Sonny Bono and Cher, does not want to dance to his parents' tunes.
"Chaz has already told me he doesn't want to dance to any of his parents' songs," the professional dancer told the magazine. "But the show really wants it to happen, so we'll see."
Schwimmer recently Tweeted about how well the two were working together and was "thrilled" to have Bono, who is the first transgender contestant to compete on the show, as a partner. Bono was born Chastity Bono but underwent a sex change in 2009.
Bono talked about working with Scwimmer during his interview on Ryan Seacrest's radio show, saying that the two "instantly hit it off" and Schwimmer "has a great attitude for teaching me."Cher recently asked fans to defend her son against "haters" who didn't agree with Bono participating on the popular competition series.
"Lovelies! Chaz is Being Viciously Attacked on Blogs & Message boards about being on 'DWTS'! This is Still America right ? It took guts 2 do it," Cher wrote on Twitter Wednesday. "Can u guys check out sites & give him your support? BTW ... Mothers don't stop Getting angry with stupid bigots who [expletive] with their children," she said in another Tweet.
For more information on the contestants, check out our gallery.
"Dancing with the Stars" returns with a two-hour season premiere for Season 13 on Monday, Sept. 19 at 8 p.m. on ABC.
ABC is the parent company of OnTheRedCarpet.com.


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New Manchester United signing Wilfried Zaha gave a showcase of what Old Trafford fans can expect to see next season.
The Crystal Palace winger was man-of-the-match as England Under-21s defeated their Romanian counterparts 3-0 on Thursday night, where Zaha opened the scoring with a stunning strike.
Brazil international Hulk is ready to make the switch to Chelsea after growing tired of life with Zenit St Petersburg.
According to reports, Chelsea tried to sign the powerful striker twice before he moved to Russia and he is now keen on making the switch to Stamford Bridge.
Thomas Vermaelen says he is not worried about his Arsenal future after being dropped to the bench for the last two matches.
The Gunners skipper also admitted his form in recent months had been poor but would not comment on reports claiming he is a summer target for Barcelona.
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has been given a vote of confidence by the Citizens chief executive in response to rumours his position was in danger.
Ferran Soriano insisted Mancini was "a champion" and dismissed suggestions he would be leaving the Etihad Stadium at the end of the season.
Tottenham Hotspur winger Gareth Bale is a fitness doubt for Wales in their World Cup qualifying clash with Scotland on Friday.
According to his international captain, Swansea City's Ashley Williams, the White Hart Lane star has been unable to train all week due to illness.
Barcelona defender Gerard Pique believes Pep Guardiola would have stayed on as manager at Camp Nou had they beaten Chelsea in the Champions League last season.
The Catalan club were knocked out at the semi-final stage and Pique revealed the players thought they could persuade the new Bayern Munich boss to stay another year had they got to the final and won.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Hopefully this will be a close game but I fear the worst. The Cards could win a shootout if Harry Douglas and Mario Urrutia are back but without them (especially Douglas) it would take an out of character performance from the defense. I see this as the first major test for the Cincy defense. UofL's passing game is far beyond that of Rutgers and they're decent running the ball when they don't fall behind big early. Cincy has lived on turnovers but Brohm plays smart and doesn't throw many interceptions. The first quarter will likely set the tone. In their three losses Louisville has fallen behind big early and has to throw constantly to catch up. Another good performance by the Cincy defense and they'll affirm their position as a legit Big East contender.
How they compare:
U of L vs. UC
Points scored: 44.0 - 43.3
Points allowed: 30.7 - 12.7
Rushing yards: 172.7 - 185.8
Passing yards: 405.7 - 259.5
Opp. Yards rushing: 161.2 - 85.0
Opp. Yards passing: 283.3 - 255.2
Turnover margin: +5 - +15


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Howard College men embarrass Brookhaven, women rout LCU J.V.
Howard CollegeMenHead Men's Basketball Coach Mark Adams said a wide margin of victory over Division III Brookhaven College on Friday was likely, but the final score of 110-53 exceeded even his expectations."We have a team — as far as scoring goes — we score easily," Adams, who has a NJCAA national championship title on his resume, said. "We can make plays and score points. It was a good win for us."The Bears never had a chance, as the Hawks quickly went up 9-0 before Brookhaven managed to put two points on the board.The tempo of the game remained the same throughout the affair, with the Hawks leading by as many as 57 points at one time.Howard College is now 11-0 and will be traveling to Mesa, Ariz. For a three-day tournament with conference play beginning Jan. 7 against Midland College at the Dorothy Garrett Coliseum at the Howard College campus.WomenLUBBOCK — The Lady Hawks extended their win streak to seven games Friday with a 71-44 win over Lubbock Christian University's J.V. Squad.Howard College (9-3) will make a trek to Victoria on Jan. 2 to take on Victoria College.Big SpringBoysMONAHANS — After winning two straight, the Steers ran into problems as they opened the Monahans Sandhills Tournament on Friday with a 62-43 loss. Big Spring played Midland Greenwood Saturday. Details will be in Monday's edition of the Herald.GirlsMONAHANS — The Lady Steers opened the Sandhills tourney with a 39-24 win over Kermit, but didn't fare as well in Game Two, as BSHS fell to Seminole 38-24. The Lady Steers played Monahans on Saturday. Details will be in Monday's edition of the Herald.CoahomaBoysSTANTON — The Bulldogs were defeated by Tahoka in their first game at the Stanton Hooptown Tournament on Thursday, but redeemed the loss with a 72-66 overtime win against the Sweetwater Mustangs on Friday. Tanner Ruiz had a game-high 29 points while Braxton Iden added 14 and Alex Hill 10.Coahoma played Midland High in the consolation final Saturday. Results will be in Monday's edition of the Herald.GirlsSTANTON — Bulldogettes Head Coach Paul Hartman was pleased to get a win over Midland Greenwood J.V. On Friday after falling to Sweetwater in the tournament opener Thursday. Coahoma's Julia Castilaw put up 13 points and Kaeli Yeager added 12 in the 68-21 rout. The Bulldogettes will met Lamesa in the consolation final Saturday. Details will be n Monday's edition of the Herald.ForsanBoysGAIL — The Buffaloes three-game win streak came to an end Friday as Forsan lost to Lubbock Christian 61-55 at the Borden County Tournament.Dillon Bagnall had 13 points, Tyler Evans and J.T. Breyman each added 12, Aric Hernandez put up 10, Kade Fannin chipped in six points and got 11 rebounds and Jerol Womack contributed two points.GradyBoysWATER VALLEY — The Wildcats have won three consecutive games at the Water Valley Classic Tournament. The first two came Thursday and the third Friday as Grady' Brandon Lucas scored a game-high 29 points, with Brett Glaze adding 20 and Taylor Polson 10 in a thrilling 65-64 win over Iraan.The Wildcats met host team Water Valley on Saturday. Results will be printed in Monday's edition of the Herald.GirlsWATER VALLEY — Midland High got the best of the surging Lady Wildcats on Friday, notching a 45-32 win despite Ellyn Avery's 24 points. Grady (8-3) took on Lovington, N.M. On Saturday. A game summary will be printed in Monday's edition of the Herald.Other scores:Garden City (boys) defeated Roscoe, 70-30, Friday at the Highland Hilltopper Classic. Thomasson, 24 points; Zant, 15 points.Sands (boys) defeated Tahoka 56-28 at Stanton Hooptown Tournament.


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WOCCU Supporters Reception Scheduled for Chinese Embassy
February 14, 2008
WASHINGTON, D.C.—As a prelude to CUNA's Governmental Affairs Conference, World Council of Credit Unions will host its annual WOCCU Supporters Reception Sunday, March 2 at the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Washington, D.C. With a new embassy building under construction, attendees at this year's reception will be among the last credit union visitors to the current embassy headquarters.
The reception includes an introduction to the World Credit Union Conference, to be held in Hong Kong from July 13-16. Special guest Charles Yip, president of the Credit Union League of Hong Kong, will preview the conference, expected to attract nearly 2,000 executives and directors from credit unions worldwide.
Melvin Edwards, WOCCU's chairman, and Pete Crear, the organization's president and CEO, will share the stage during a short program describing WOCCU's activities globally and the important role WOCCU Supporters play in the organization's continuing service to developing countries and their credit union movements.
"This is a personal opportunity to thank our WOCCU Supporters and tell them the difference they make helping people in difficult places climb the ladder of success," Crear said. "This is made possible by bringing together credit union people with an interest in helping grow the movement."
The WOCCU Supporters Reception will take place from 5:30 - 7 p.m., with program speakers beginning at 6 p.m. Current WOCCU Supporters and guests are welcome to attend with an advance registration. To see if you or your credit union qualify as WOCCU Supporters, or to become a Supporter, go to www.woccu.org/support or call Valerie Breunig at (608) 395-2055.
Reception attendees must RSVP. On-site registrations are not accepted due to embassy security requirements.
World Council of Credit Unions is the global trade association and development agency for credit unions. World Council promotes the sustainable development of credit unions and other financial cooperatives around the world to empower people through access to high quality and affordable financial services. World Council advocates on behalf of the global credit union system before international organizations and works with national governments to improve legislation and regulation. Its technical assistance programs introduce new tools and technologies to strengthen credit unions' financial performance and increase their outreach.
World Council has implemented 300+ technical assistance programs in 89 countries. Worldwide, 68,882 credit unions in 109 countries serve 235 million people. Learn more about World Council's impact around the world at www.woccu.org.


text: I am just finishing my entry level Java class, but think i am going to take the next semester off from school. To keep studying, I want to work on a text based RPG. Do you think this is too large to take on so early? My questions off the bat are how can I emplement a container, like a backpack where the user can check the enventory, or add/drop items. I would like to give the bag a maximum value and then assign each item a value, giving the bag a limit to what it can hold. Also, I would like to incorporate graphics, really .jpgs, but am not sure how to implement them. I would like one at title, and then maybe some at certain points of the game.


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In the event that this equipment requires any repair or service you must visit www.mackcam.com and arrange for service to obtain a Repair Authorization Number and current shipping charges.
The equipment will be restored to proper operating condition at no charge to you (this includes warranted parts and labor for manufacturer defects). Such service, repair, adjustment of the equipment is assured the registered contract holder, provided the equipment has not been tampered with, modified, damaged as a result of liquid, sand, grit, impact and physically broken parts.
Questions? Please contact a PCNation Account Manager at 1-800-235-4050


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When the new college basketball Top 25 comes out later today, you'll see the Duke Blue Devils take a significant jump to either the number two or three position. That's because Duke Basketball is winning and doing so against a schedule that has featured some of the nation's top teams. Already this season, Duke has registered victories over the then-#2 Kentucky, #2 Louisville, not to mention a Minnesota team picked fifth in the very difficult Big Ten and a pesky Virginia Commonwealth team nobody purposefully schedules.
We're not even out of the month of November and Duke is probably the most battle tested team in the country, and if not, they're close to it. Coach Krzyzewski is at his best when faced with stiff challenge, and he'll face another this week when Ohio State comes to town for the ACC-Big Ten Challenge and they, too, will be ranked second or third in the country, setting up yet another prime time matchup of Top 5 teams.
There have been many factors contributing to Duke's success thus far. Senior leadership quickly comes to mind, as Mason Plumlee, Seth Curry and Ryan Kelly are providing years of experience. Playing in their final season at Duke, the trio seems committed to not permitting another early out, and their memories from the loss to Lehigh have obviously made them work to make sure it doesn't happen on their watch.
Already, Mason Plumlee is showing that his off-season work is paying off; there is no place better to start than his improved free throw shooting. That shooting has made him a 20-10 point and rebound guy to date, but he has also been very efficient. But the most important thing is that he is avoiding untimely and unnecessary fouls much better than in the past, and he has seemingly learned how to play while in foul trouble.
Seth Curry came into the season battling pain from a recurring injury, and it was thought that his time could be limited. But he toughed it out in the Blue Devils three games in three days in the Battle for Atlantis. Curry has been steady and confident and like Plumlee, a solid free throw shooter. He is playing like a leader and he is playing in what seems like a happy place.
A happy place, you say? Another key for these Blue Devils has been team chemistry. Krzyzewski most recently said this team seems to like each other and the melding of personalities is always a plus. And here is where we talk of Ryan Kelly, who has also showed an improved game, mainly on the defensive end where he's gotten some key blocks. Kelly has not had one of his better offensive games yet, but he's been solid and twice led the team in assists.
Another major factor in the quick start for Duke has been the emergence of point guard Quinn Cook. All he's done to date is win the MVP of the Battle for Atlantis in what might be remembered as his coming out party. Cook is aggressively taking on the role of the team's quarterback and while still a work in progress, it's clear that he's here to stay. The next step for Cook is handling expectations and staying humble and steady, and if he's up to that challenge, Duke will win a lot more games.
You know that Krzyzewski is also pleased with the play of freshman Rasheed Sulaimon, who has started as a true freshman and put up nice numbers in a most unselfish way. Sulaimon gives Duke a great on-ball defender, a penetrator and a scorer and you can just see how much potential he has. Sulaimon just fits and makes his teammates better, and that's the kind of guy that is always welcomed.
The Blue Devils have also gotten good minutes from a much improved Josh Hairston and the always steady influence of tough nose Tyler Thornton. And while some want to point to a lack playing time and try to spread various rumors, I see it as a positive that Duke has two other freshmen in Amile Jefferson and Alex Muprhy that can develop, and they'll have that chance in a stretch of home games coming up. And we didn't even mention Marshall Plumlee, who I expect will be ready to see game action shortly after sitting out with a foot injury.
So, there are plenty of early season positives for Duke, but the one which is most evident is an improved defense. That is an area the Duke staff has obviously worked on the hardest, and that work has paid off.


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High-level event: UNCTAD XIII must be new pillar of change, Qatar Museums Authority Chairperson says, hailing women as 'cornerstone' in quest for equitable development, human dignity
Doha, Qatar, (22 April 2012)
Change in favour of equitable and sustainable development in the Arab world and around the globe must be achieved by women working side by side with men at all levels, Qatar Museums Authority Chairperson Sheikha Al Mayyasa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani said today as the Thirteenth Ministerial Meeting of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD XIII) held a high-level event on "Women in Development".
"Women are the cornerstone in the process of development," said Sheikha Al Mayyasa as she opened the one-day event.
"We are looking for a world where all human dignity is realized."
Comprising four thematic sessions, the day featured policy leaders, economists and other prominent personalities who discussed the links between macroeconomic policy, gender relations and macroeconomic outcomes.
Sheikha Al Mayyasa said the changes now occurring in the Arab world were the result of efforts by both men and women, and Qatar would spare no effort to achieve the internationally agreed Millennium Development Goals on gender by 2015, with the aim of ending high illiteracy among women and girls, discrimination against them and discrepancies in income and employment.
In that effort, UNCTAD XIII should be a new pillar of change, she emphasized.
Introducing Sheikha Al Mayyasa this morning was Abdulaziz bin Ali al-Kuwari, President of UNCTAD XIII and Qatar's Minister for Culture, Arts and Heritage.
Also making an opening statement, UNCTAD Secretary-General Supachai Panitchpakdi said women's empowerment was a crucial element of the Conference's vision of inclusive development.
Unfortunately, social inequality had increased in the past decades despite impressive economic growth, he noted, emphasizing that it not only posed a moral challenge, but was also a source of stability and a drag on economic growth.
Women still earned only 70 per cent of men's pay and accounted for 70 per cent of the poor, Mr. Supachai said, stressing that economic policy must be shaped proactively to foster inclusiveness in terms of gender, ethnicity, class and geographical origin.
UNCTAD studies on trade policy, in particular, showed that gender considerations were often ignored, that country-specific contextual analysis was needed and that aid-for-trade and other programmes were often useful in redressing the situation.
Preferential access to markets, for example, could have a positive impact on women's lives but leave them vulnerable if such arrangements ended and they remained untrained for other work, he said.
In meeting women's legitimate aspiration to play a more important role in entrepreneurship and social change, Governments, international organizations and civil society around the world had a major role to play, he said, affirming that UNCTAD stood ready to cooperate with all stakeholders.
Linkages with other organizations on that issue were being established during the Meeting itself.
Following those opening remarks, sessions were held on gender considerations in relation to macroeconomic policy (Session I); trade policy and poverty (Session II); agriculture, environment, food security and intellectual property (Session III); and the translation of educational gains into equal access to full employment and equal work, particularly in export-oriented sectors (Session IV).
In all four sessions, discussions ranged from the household level to the macroeconomic level.
All participants agreed that for women to be able to seize the opportunities offered by economic growth for purpose of empowerment — and to best shape inclusive development — education was a primary factor that enabled them to rise beyond the informal sector and unskilled jobs that would keep them vulnerable to all economic ebbs and flows.
Education was also a key to enabling women to participate in decision-making.
Child care and greater participation by men in domestic responsibility, freedom from violence and an improved legal framework of property ownership and the family were other critical elements.
Several participants described successful policies in those and other areas.
In all the sessions, women had been hailed as the heart of the development agenda, with speakers calling for strengthening the gender dimension of macroeconomic policies, Mr. al-Kuwari noted in his closing remarks.
Calls were also made for Governments to adopt polices that would provide women with greater access to health and education.
"Political commitment is necessary," he stressed.
To that end, he announced that the Government of Qatar and UNCTAD would establish a mechanism to ensure that the decisions and recommendations discussed, including on gender equality and women's empowerment, would be effectively followed up.
Mr. Supachai, in his own concluding remarks, announced the establishment of a Centre of Excellence in Women's Social and Economic Studies, to be hosted by the Doha International Institute for Family Studies and Development.
That initiative would provide a forum and space "for translating gender theory into action and devising creative responses to some of the most challenges issues of our time".
He emphasized:
"Gender equality is not just a Millennium Development Goal in its own right; it is critical to achieving broader agreed global development goals," expressing hope that the new institute would help feed the results of today's discussion into the creation of new international development goals for the post-2015 period.
The Meeting will reconvene at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, 24 April, to hold a round table on "Strengthening all forms of cooperation and partnerships for trade and development, including North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation".
Session I
Moderating the opening session of the high-level event, on the theme "Macroeconomic policy: Does gender matter?", was Abderrahim Foukara, Bureau Chief of the Al Jazeera Satellite Channel in Washington, D.C.
The panellists were
Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh; Tarja Halonen, former President of Finland; Aisha Alfardan, Vice-Chairwoman, Qatari
Businesswomen Association; and
Stephanie Seguino, Professor, Department of Economics, University of Vermont, United States.
Setting the stage for the thematic sessions that would follow throughout the day, the panellists discussed what was required to design — and implement in a sustained manner — socially inclusive macroeconomic policies geared towards empowering women.
They also focused on the need to ensure that women decision-makers played a significant role in crafting those policies in addition to ensuring that their decisions integrated gender-sensitive aspects such as women's household activities, work habits and spending patterns.
The panellists suggested methods for ensuring that women were able to take full advantage of the beneficial effects of macroeconomic adjustment and globalization, issues at the core of the UNCTAD mandate.
Prime Minister HASINA declared: "The world has finally realized that real and sustainable development of nations depends on equal participation of men and women," adding that eliminating gender inequalities would clearly result in high economic growth and macroeconomic stability.
Women tended to save more and invest in a proactive manner.
Their activities inside and outside the home not only supported households, but also enhanced the situation of children and extended-family members, thus ensuring that they too contributed to local economies.
"It makes good economic sense to invest in women, not only for gender equality, but for sustainable economic growth," she said by way of emphasizing that the world was falling short of the gender targets set in the Millennium Development Goals.
Women also continued to be the first group affected by natural disasters or economic shocks.
One way to overcome such obstacles was to boost education for women and girls, increase their political participation and ensure enhanced roles for them in decision-making bodies.
Highlighting her country's strenuous efforts and initiatives to ensure gender equality and women's empowerment, she said women and girls in Bangladesh were becoming increasingly visible in business, media, the judiciary and Government and non-government sectors.
Similar actions were needed at the international level, she said.
"Through globalization and the spread of [new media] the mindset of women and girls is changing, so the sooner we give them opportunity and space, the sooner we will all be able to address the looming challenges of the new millennium."
Ms. HALONEN said economic polices affected different segments of societies in different ways, so it was absolutely necessary for Governments carefully to examine how policy decisions were made as well as their impacts.
Finland had long understood that "everything starts at home", and had worked to bolster social policies while encouraging "education, education, education".
She said that after holding Finland's presidency for 12 years, she was proud to provide encouragement to women and girls around the world.
Agreeing that women were the first to suffer the impacts of natural hazards and climate change, she said they could, if empowered, play a vital role in crafting decisions to tackle such challenges.
Ms. ALFARDAN said women made up half the world's population while nurturing and educating the other half.
Yet, with all they gave to the world, their contributions were, unfortunately, often overlooked or ignored.
Moreover, women in developing and least developed countries continued to face serious social and economic challenges.
"While women are often seen as a problem, they are indeed the solution," she stressed, calling for new ways of thinking so as not to just tear down social barriers, but also to enhance their capacity to unleash their own potential.
The "Arab Spring" protests had heightened the position of women throughout North Africa and the Middle East, she noted.
As for Qatar, she said, the Government had taken "enormous steps" to put in place policies that promoted gender equality and ensured women's participation in all facets of society.
The key principal of participation was based on three pillars — education, health and employment.
"We are very proud to say that we have overcome education gaps between men and women," she said, providing statistics on the numbers of women and girls in the country's schools and universities.
Ms. SEGUINO said most of the world's women worked as farmers and domestic labourers, or in the informal sector.
As such, there was a need to increase their access to resources, education and employment at fair wages.
"Macroeconomic policies must be designed to deliver a 'win win' — simultaneously stimulating economic growth and advancing gender equality," she said.
It was also necessary to raise women's wages and improve labour standards in countries heavily dependent on exports.
"We very much need innovative thinking," she emphasized, explaining that gender equality must be at the heart of macroeconomic policymaking.
"Macroeconomic policies must be at the service of well-being."
Prime Minister HASINA, speaking as the floor was opened for comments and questions, said that as economic freedom allowed women to become more conscious and to take up stronger decision-making roles in their families and their communities, Bangladesh had put in place a number of initiatives for that purpose, noting for example that her Government was working to increase the number of women entrepreneurs through the disbursement of small loans.
Joining the ensuing discussion were a number of high-ranking officials and public figures.
The First Lady of Niger sought additional information about the prospects for rural women in Bangladesh.
SHARMIN CHAUDHURY, State Minster for Women and Children's Affairs, speaking in place of the Prime Minister, replied that there was an intense focus on social safety net protection, including a pregnancy allowance and cash incentives for lactating working mothers.
The panellists also responded to questions about the role of women in political uprisings, their historical position in the Arab region and national policies specifically targeted at benefiting women.
Ms. ALFARDAN said Qatar had adopted a national strategy on women, and expressed hope that the Arab world as a whole could adopt a more united policy on that matter.
The representative of
agreed with the panellists that women's empowerment must hinge on education, health and developing their skills, while other speakers focused on the importance of helping female retirees maintain active lives.
The representative of
asked whether too much emphasis on working outside the home could estrange women from their families, stressing the need to establish a work-life balance.
Ms. SEGUINO responded by saying that a policy shift was needed to help strike that balance.
Employers must make it possible for both women and men to take care of their families while still being able to work.
For his part, the representative of
said women had played an active part in his country's Arab Spring uprising.
Many countries had constitutions that allowed such participation, but that right was not often exercised due to tradition and social expectations.
That issue should be urgently dealt with, he said.
Ms. ALFARDAN agreed, noting that men and women were "miles apart" when it came to implementing rights.
Leadership and strong political will were necessary to drive change, she stressed.
Ms. CHAUDHURY added that men and boys must also be galvanized to help women exercise their rights.
Session II
The second session, on "Trade, poverty and gender: New insights from a contextual, country-specific approach", was also moderated by Mr. Foukara.
It featured panellists Anabel Gonzalez, Minister for Foreign Trade of Costa Rica; Aloysia Inyumba, Minister for Gender Affairs of Rwanda; Heidemarie Wieczorek‑Zeul, Member of Parliament and former Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany; Patricia Francis, Executive Director, International Trade Centre; Buthaina Al Ansari, Board Member, Qatari Businesswomen Association; and Massoud Karshenas, Professor, School of Oriental and African Studies, Department of Economics, University of London, United Kingdom.
Ms. GONZALEZ described her country's achievements in development, noting, however, that more than 20 per cent of its people still lived in poverty.
Women still needed to be better included in many areas, although Costa Rica was moving up the country standings in terms of their participation in the workplace.
They still earned lower salaries and bore greater obligations for child care, particularly in one-parent families, she noted.
While trade had opened up opportunities, such responsibilities kept them from taking them up.
Ms. INYUMBA said that after the 1994 genocide in her country, there had been a determination to include women in building a new Rwanda.
Their representation the national legislature exceeded 60 per cent, the highest in the world, she said, adding that land ownership, education and other areas had undergone equally great change due to legal changes and gender mainstreaming in formulating policy.
Ms. WIECZOREK-ZEUL, paying tribute to the three women who had recently won the Nobel Prize as well those working for change in the Arab world, said there was no real democracy if women's rights were neglected.
In Germany, education, access to family planning and quotas had been major elements of women's advancement, she said, noting that many women participating together in decision-making could change policy.
They must participate strongly in trade negotiations and other areas of international economic policy, as well as in climate change talks.
Ms. FRANCIS agreed that there was a need for women's participation in developing trade policy.
Training programmes aimed at adding value to agricultural products often did not include women, although they made up the majority of farmers.
Ongoing training for low-income workers was also critical to enabling them to "move up the ladder" with men and adapt to changing environments, and enhanced control of assets was critical for their empowerment.
Ms. AL ANSARI, discussing Qatar's programmes for women's advancement, said it was important to enhance the consequent progress through legislation, even though traditional views created obstacles.
However, it was now possible to change traditional attitudes, she noted.
Mr. KARSHENAS said there was a problem in the way economists looked at gender issues in development because there was not enough effort to understand gender roles in society and in family structures.
While the Arab region had enjoyed great achievements in the education of girls and women, with more women than men now attending university in most countries, there was still an imbalance of men over women in the labour force.
While fundamental family law still discriminated against women, those who were employed bore heavy family responsibilities.
The situation of migrant women in particular must be addressed, he stressed.
Clearly, education must include new views of socialization and family life if women were to advance further in the region.
In the discussion that followed those presentations, speakers agreed that education was crucial in overcoming obstacles to women's advancement.
Ms. GONZALEZ responded to questions by stating that a strong child-care network was a priority in encouraging women's participation in the workforce and other areas outside the home.
Ms. WIECZOREK-ZEUL, replying to a question about Libyan women's lack of interest in leaving the domestic environment, emphasized the importance of women creating examples for the generations to come and erasing their vulnerability to abandonment.
Ms. AL ANSARI added that while women had a choice of lifestyles, they should participate in shaping national life for the future.
Mr. KARSHENAS said family law often did not encourage women to venture beyond the domestic setting.
Ms. FRANCIS stressed that it was critical that women not be required to both work and shoulder family duties, adding that men should be willing to share the burden.
Session III
The day's third session, on "Agriculture, environment, food security, intellectual property and gender considerations", was moderated by Ghada Oueiss of the Al Jazeera news agency.
It featured Mary Robinson, Founder, Mary Robinson Foundation on Climate Justice, former President of Ireland and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights; Christian Friis Bach, Minister for Development of Denmark; Mannete Ramaili, Minister for Tourism, Environment and Culture of Lesotho; Kristalina Georgieva, European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response; Lakshmi Puri, Deputy Executive Director, United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (UN-Women); and Marcel Mazoyer, Emeritus Professor,
Institut national agronomique
, France.
Ms. ROBINSON said women were suffering disproportionately from the impacts of climate change.
Additionally, more than 80 per cent of farming in Africa was done by women, but they in turn owned only about 2 per cent of the land.
Agriculture must become "climate-smart" and women could be agents of that change, she said.
There was a chance to increase to 40 per cent women's representation of on all bodies of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the next meeting of which would take place in Doha later in the year.
That would mean women were "really at the table", she stressed.
Mr. FRIIS BACH agreed, noting that the implementation of women's rights in agriculture was a "very complex" topic, and that technology, electricity, credit and land rights were part of that conversation.
Social safety nets were also absolutely essential in supporting rural women and allowing them to avoid resorting to early marriage in times of crisis.
Ms. RAMAILI said women understood that food was the first need for survival — both for nutrition and for sale, allowing for a better life for children.
Lesotho had drafted sexual health and domestic violence legislation, she said, adding that the Government had also invested in technical and vocational education.
According to the World Economic Forum Gender Gap Index, the country was listed ninth out of 135 countries, ahead of the United Kingdom, the United States and France.
Lesotho was also making new investments in mining, water management and renewable energy to generate national revenue and boost its exports, she said, emphasizing that women and young people must be part of those changes.
Ms. GEORGIEVA said only a "very small" number of Europe's agricultural exports benefitted from some sort of subsidy, and the continent was also moving towards local purchasing.
However, unless the gender gap was closed, the world would never rid itself of food insecurity.
The European Union was engaged in many international aid programmes related to that issue, including one that provided women in Niger with $40 in cash each month so they could decide for themselves how to weather the current food crisis.
Ms. PURI echoed the belief that rural women were at the heart of global food security, and that it was critical to empower them.
International norms on how to accomplish that goal existed in the form of the Beijing Platform for Action, a comprehensive 2011 General Assembly resolution and other landmark agreements, but they required implementation.
Sectoral policies must take the needs of women into account in a sustained manner, she said, adding that investment in rural women — which would yield "exponential returns" — was critical.
To date, UN‑Women had worked with countries to implement gender-responsive budgeting and planning, she said, urging more States to do the same.
Mr. MAZOYER said 3 billion people around the world were suffering from poverty and 2 billion from diseases caused by a lack of trace nutrients, while 9 million died each year, affected either directly or indirectly by under-nourishment.
An estimated 75 per cent of those were rural peasants, most of them women who were also subject to the double burden of housework and agricultural labour.
It was necessary to re-examine a global trading system in which the majority of poor and hungry people lived in rural areas, and in which land acquisitions in countries characterized by great inequalities must be restricted, he said.
Mr. FRIIS BACH, responding to questions, spoke of the need to assist rural development in favour of women's empowerment, while Ms. PURI affirmed the importance of land ownership in that context.
Ms. GEORGIEVA, in response to questions about population growth, said there was a tendency to shy away from discussing that issue, although an exploding population could make the poor much poorer.
She asked how her native country, Bulgaria, would be able to exist if its population had multiplied by five like that of some African countries.
Reproductive rights must be discussed, she stressed.
Ms. RAMAILI recalled that at one time, that issue had been widely discussed and women's organizations had actively worked on it.
Ms. ROBINSON said there was an unmet need for family planning, and millions wanted to space their children better but lacked access to family planning services.
It was a central issue for development, she stressed.
Session IV
The final panel, on "Equality of opportunity versus equality of outcome: How to translate women's educational gains into equal access to full employment and decent work", was also moderated by Ms. Oueiss.
It featured Sihem Badi, Minister for Women and Family Affairs of Tunisia; Akua Sena Dansua, Minister for Tourism of Ghana; Paul Mashatile, Minister for Arts and Culture of South Africa; Anne Ruth Herkes, State Secretary, Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology of Germany; Noor al-Malki al-Jehani, Executive Director, Doha International Institute for Family Studies and Development; and Jayati Ghosh, Centre for Economic Studies and Planning, School for Social Sciences, Jawarharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India.
Ms. BADI said there was a great deal of foot-dragging over women's empowerment in an era in which the general rhythm of progress was swift, and for that reason, new answers that would break with past trends were required.
Ms. DANSUA said young women need encouragement to empower themselves, and that was where education came in.
Determined to do that herself during her youth, in tandem with continuous education, her family had encouraged her.
To get a good job, one should equip oneself with the necessary education and skills training, she advised.
"The commitment must be there because nobody will do it for you," she said.
"It will never be equal," she added, affirming the slow progress of the women's empowerment project.
Mr. MASHATILE said there was a saying in South Africa that "if you empower a woman you empower a nation", going on to describe Government programmes aimed at accomplishing that goal, in view of the "triple oppression" that women had gone through as Africans, as women and as workers.
Ms. HERKES said that a strong women's movement had helped to close the gender gap in Germany over several decades.
However, there had been a number of disappointments, including the low number of women in high-ranking positions.
Many women still wondered how to balance work and family life, though that was not a problem that politics or Government was always equipped to answer.
"Be fearless; grasp the opportunity if it comes," she advised women, adding that it took individual choices to make achievements.
Ms. AL-JEHANI said women did not live in a vacuum, but in their families.
Both women and families, therefore, needed autonomy.
Women were pulled in all directions, and not only in the Arab world.
It was high time to ask politicians to support families, she emphasized, noting that, without stronger supporting policies, women in the workplace might as well be told to "go back home".
Governments, and not just employers, must ensure there was no discrimination against women at work, she stressed.
Ms. GHOSH said women were contributing to the economy in a variety of important ways, including through paid, unpaid and underpaid jobs.
Greater gender equality in education had been achieved in the last 10 years, but in the case of both men and women, educational success had not translated into employment.
Social spending on women must be dramatically increased as an economic growth strategy, she said.
During the ensuing dialogue, speakers discussed the gender sensitivity of fiscal policies, with some noting that taxation "is not gender-neutral" and that markets were not open enough to women.
The representative of
said that, following the financial crisis, the role of the State had "gone backward" with regard to the market economy, which now functioned without any social guarantees for women or vulnerable people.
Ms. BADI agreed, while pointing out, however, that women often had rights of which they were not aware.
The Arab Spring had been a change in political ideas, and it was to be hoped that the women's empowerment movement in Tunisia would continue to amount to more rights.
Still other participants discussed concrete ideas for involving women in economic markets, including a "project bank" of work that could be carried out by women in a particular country.
An official of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) asked how Governments could be convinced to see social spending on women as a true economic investment.
Ms. HERKES, noting that women who took a "family break" were vulnerable to being kept out of employment permanently, said that was one area where the State could intervene through supportive policies.
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Reseeding the Immune System -- An Encouraging New Approach to Erase HIV From Infected Individuals
August 27, 2012
There's growing excitement about what look like real cures of HIV infection, using donor stem cells to rebuild damaged immune systems -- even though the treatments are too brutal for any but the sickest cancer patients who also happen to have HIV. So we asked Rob Caldwell, Ph.D., to join us in this issue ofPositive Voice to give us some solid scientific background on the work being done with stem cells.
Rob received his Doctorate in Cellular and Molecular Pathology from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, specializing in Infectious Disease and Cancer Biology. He is currently a biochemist for a defense contractor in Washington, DC and can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.
When a researcher hears the words "stem cell," various diseases come to mind for which stem cell therapy may play a pivotal role in treatment or cure. Such diseases include diabetes, tissue regeneration and wound healing. Stem cell transplantation is already seen as a viable treatment option for acute myeloid leukemia (AML), for example. Stem cells can be considered the "Coat of Many Colors" in cellular biology. When exposed to different concentrations of various biological materials, stem cells can differentiate (or turn into) to a plethora of different mature cell types, such as CD4+ T-cells, macrophages, bone cells, and brain cells. But when a few researchers implanted stem cells into HIV-infected individuals, the results were astonishing.
This edition of "What's New In Research" summarizes the molecular biology and clinical outcome of the effects of stem cell transplantation on HIV infection.
To attach to and enter target cells, HIV requires both CD4 and a coreceptor, the most common being CCR5. The virus utilizes CD4 to bind to the target cell, whereas after binding to CCR5, the virus is able to "inject" its RNA and other "support proteins" into the cell. The pathologic importance of blocking the CCR5 coreceptor by drug inhibitors or through genetic manipulation has been highlighted in several studies. Results of these studies agree that, without complete or normal expression of CCR5, the vast majority of cells that normally could be infected by HIV are rendered immune to the virus. In fact, approximately 1% of the white population confers natural resistance to HIV infection due to a single mutation in the target cell CCR5 coreceptor. This fascinating CCR5 single amino acid mutation that renders HIV immunity is referred to as "CCR5 Delta32."
In February, 2009, the New England Journal of Medicine reported a scientifically intriguing study led by Dr. Gero Hütter from the Charité School of Medicine in Berlin, Germany, titled, "Long-Term Control of HIV by CCR5 Delta32/Delta32 Stem-Cell Transplantation." In this single patient study, the researchers successfully transplanted CCR5 Delta32 stem cells into the HIV-positive "Berlin Patient" to treat his AML. Prior to the transplant, the "Berlin Patient" had been maintaining a regimen of HAART for several years and his viral load and CD4+ T-cell count were well within a healthy range. After transplant, the patient discontinued HAART to aid in his recovery from the transplant. Although risky to discontinue HAART for any period, it was critical for the "Berlin Patient" to recover from his cancer. Startling was the effect of the CCR5 Delta32 on his HIV disease.
Although discontinuation of HAART typically leads to a rapid rebound of HIV load within weeks, in the "Berlin Patient," no active, replicating HIV could be detected 20 months after HAART had been discontinued. This observation is remarkable because CCR5 Delta32 is associated with high but not complete resistance to HIV. Incomplete resistance can be explained by the behavior of non-CCR5-tropic HIV variants, such as CXCR4-tropic HIV strains (X4), which are able to use CXCR4 as a coreceptor. The switch occurs in the natural course of infection, and the proportion of X4 strains increases with ongoing HAART. Nevertheless, alhough the patient had non-CCR5-tropic X4 variants and HAART was discontinued for more than 20 months, HIV virus could not be detected in peripheral blood, or various HIV reservoirs such as bone marrow or rectal mucosa. Therefore, the "Berlin Patient" will not require HAART for as long as the viral load continues to be undetectable. The researchers' findings underscore the central role of the CCR5 receptor during HIV infection and disease progression, and serve as a novel therapeutic approach by which to hopefully eradicate HIV from the body -- by engineering the body a new immune system.
Following this study, another study was published that utilized stem cell transplantation as a modality to eradicate HIV from two patients. Two HIV-infected men are showing no traces of HIV in their blood after going through stem cell transplants similar to the one the "Berlin Patient" received, according to a study presented at the XIX International AIDS Conference by Daniel Kuritzkes, M.D., from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. Both patients underwent stem cell transplantation for treatment of lymphoma after being on HAART for about four years. The first patient was born with HIV and started HAART three to four years before the transplant, while the second acquired HIV through sex in the 1980s and started HAART in 2003 before receiving a transplant in 2007.
Prior to the transplants, both men had undetectable viral loads, but still had HIV in hidden reservoirs. In contrast to the "Berlin Patient", they received a milder form of chemotherapy just before their transplants and were able to stay on HIV treatment throughout the transplant process. While the "Berlin Patient's" donor cells lacked the key CCR5 receptor, the two men received donor cells that did have the CCR5 receptor and were fully susceptible to HIV. However, because they were able to remain on HAART during the transplant period, the donor cells were not infected with HIV.
"We believe that continual administration of effective ART protected the donor cells from becoming HIV infected as those donor cells eliminated and replaced the patients' own immune cells, effectively clearing the virus from the patients' blood lymphocytes," Dr. Kuritzkes said.
One of the men has been followed for two years and the other for three and a half years. While both are still on HIV treatment, neither shows traces of HIV in their blood plasma and purified CD4+ T cells. They are also showing a significant decline in HIV antibodies, suggesting a lack of HIV replication.
In conclusion, stem cell transplantation approaches to HIV therapy hold great promise for future curative interventions in HIV patients. Replacing lifelong HAART by a once-in-a-lifetime treatment would have numerous benefits for patients and the health care system.
This article was provided by National Association of People With AIDS. It is a part of the publication Positive Voice.
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This weekend (May 17-18) during PBS NewsHour Weekend, we take a look inside the Texas Quilt Museum in La Grange and hear about Love Your Block, Austin!, a mini-grant program being offered by the Austin Mayor's Office.
The Texas Quilt Museum in La Grange is drawing visitors from all over the world. It was founded by cousins Karey Bresenhan and Nancy O'Bryant Puentes, who have also written books about quilting and who founded the International Quilt Association and annual festival in Houston.
Museum Manager Julie Maffei said many people don't realize how valuable an old quilt they own might be.
"We get a lot of, 'Oh my God what did I do to my family's quilt?' And we've heard every kind of horror story there is, from dogs having puppies on them to wrapping water heaters with them in the winter, to using them to move furniture," Maffei said.
The museum is also becoming well known for melding the art of quilting with the art of garden design. Tune in to KLRU's Central Texas Gardener for an extended version of this story or find it on the CTG Blog.
Love Your Block, Austin! is offering $500 to $1,000 improvement grants to neighborhood groups in under-served areas of Austin. The application deadline is June 1 and so far the city has only received one completed application. 10-20 groups can get the funds.
"Love Your Block, Austin! is an amazing opportunity for anyone who wants to do an improvement that they can do on their own in the neighborhood," Grant Coordinator Nevena Pilipovic-Wengler said. "It's a really flexible application and it's a flexible process, it can take place on private and public property. We at Mayor Leffingwell's office just really believe in this program and believe that it can fund great improvement projects and really encourage people to apply by the deadline of June 1."
Pilipovic-Wengler told us a few groups are interested in funding community gardens between schools and neighborhood associations. In our story we speak to Ortega Elementary School PTA President Hilda Villalobos Alvarez about her community garden application.
If you have a project you think would be a good fit you can apply on the city's website: austintexas.gov/loveyourblock.
KLRU News Briefs air locally every Saturday and Sunday during PBS NewsHour Weekend at 6:30pm.


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Sat Aug 14, 2010 8:22 pm
Sun Aug 15, 2010 1:21 am
photocollector73 wrote:found this in my collection.
Got the photo from a person who sold the original transparency.
Sun Aug 15, 2010 1:34 am
Sun Aug 15, 2010 5:59 pm
Sun Aug 15, 2010 8:08 pm
Sun Feb 06, 2011 2:24 pm
Wed Aug 10, 2011 5:38 pm
Fri Aug 12, 2011 6:36 pm
Tue Aug 16, 2011 10:41 am
Mon Aug 29, 2011 1:26 am
Mon Sep 05, 2011 9:56 pm
Tue Sep 06, 2011 1:43 am
hilton22000 wrote:I don't know why, but these two photos looks like was taken in different day and different rooms...In 01 Elvis has his shirt close, and in other photos his shirt was large open.
Wed Sep 07, 2011 12:44 am
Tue Sep 27, 2011 12:47 am
Tue Sep 27, 2011 2:13 am
Bodie wrote:I think Davide should have his own section
Incredible photos.
Fri Dec 30, 2011 10:10 pm
Sat Dec 31, 2011 12:28 am
Fri Jan 27, 2012 7:37 am
Fri Jan 27, 2012 7:46 am
Greybeard wrote:I had an interesting thing happen to me this evening and it relates to this topic. I am a performer and was doing a show at a retirement community this evening. I did some Elvis songs as part of the show. I live in Northeastern Pennsylvania.
After the show while talikng to some folks who attended the show. One gentleman asked me if I knew where he could sell some Elvis items as he is getting on in years and no longer wishes to hold onto them. I told him there are several possibilties then asked what he might have. I expected the usual response- old records, magazine etc.
What I heard next was pretty amazing.
He went on to tell me that in 1957 he was working for the Highway Patrol and was on detail to guard Elvis when he did the show in Philadelphia! I asked how close he was, expectiing he was on general security. He smiled and said most times he was within 15 to 20 feet of Elvis. He said at one point Elvis actually was walking with his arm around his shoulder!
I asked what he remembered and he told of how once getting Elvis to the stage the police were ordered to pull back and be non intrusive to the show. He also told me that the security forces were told that when Elvis did one particular song it would indicate the end of the performance and they should start moving down aisle to the stage to get Elvis safely away. He unfortunately could not remember which song it was.
I asked what his opinion was of Elvis at that time. he told me that before meeting him (Elvis) he was unimpressed with the man. His opinion changed completely after this event though. He said Elvis was an incredibly nice person who was just the opposite of folks view of him in the early days . He said no one was better than Presley in his eyes.
One interesting tidbit that came up was the fact that somewhere,probably backstage somewhere, there was a piano that Elvis sat and played. He remembered it because he didn't know Elvis could play piano until then. He witnessed this event. He said he thought Elvis' piano playing was quite good!
It turns out the item(s) he wants to sell is an envelope given to some secutity team members by Elvis. It contains an autographed photo as well as some other items- possibly even a note.
I asked if the items were with him, figuring it was unlikely but hoping. He told me no but he still had them with belongings at one of his childrens homes. I was hoping to get a peek at them.
I asked if he could try to bring them to the site for me to see on my next visit. I asked if I could photograph some of it. He said that he would make an effort to make that happen.
I shook his hand and we spoke for several more minutes but the time was growing late.
I hope to take some photos from this thread and any others I may locate showing police with Elvis at these shows so that he may be able to identify if he is in any of the shots.
What a great night this was. I am so happy to have met this gentleman. I told him that I was going to add this story to this thread so all may see it...he smiled and said to tell all here hello. Nice man for sure.
Fri Jan 27, 2012 2:15 pm
Sat Jan 28, 2012 4:59 pm
Hosted by ElviCities


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Apple released the new 1.0.2 update today. It's not yet known what impact this will have on existing mods...but it is a full update, with a huge 91.2mb download for the full restore. I will post any learnings...
The update requires agreement to a new Terms of Service (TOS) as well as a brief description of what it does. I will upload the TOS word doc to MMi in case anyone is interested in the legal ramifications of the upgrade...
iPhone Software
Version 1.0.2
• Bug fixes
This version of the software includes bug fixes and supersedes all previous versions.
For feature descriptions and complete instructions, see the users guide for your iPhone at:
For more information about iPhone, go to:
To troubleshoot your iPhone, or to view additional support information go to:
New Apple Update for iPhone - v1.0.2


text:
* Weekend storm helped ease drought stress
* More snow and rain expected next weekend
* Moisture expected first half of April
By Sam Nelson
* Weekend storm helped ease drought stress
* More snow and rain expected next weekend
* Moisture expected first half of April
By Sam Nelson
CHICAGO, March 25 (Reuters) - Crop-friendly snowfall and
some rain moved across much of the U.S. crop belt over the
weekend offering slight relief to the drought while a new storm
system is expected by late this week, an agricultural
meteorologist said on Monday.
"They had a little less than they would have liked in the
southwest," said John Dee, a meteorologist for Global Weather
Monitoring. "Only 2 inches of snow fell in southwest Kansas and
the Oklahoma and Texas panhandles, but up to a foot of snow fell
in northwest Kansas and northeast Colorado."
Dee said 4 inches to 8 inches of snow was received across a
broad swath of Missouri and roughly the southern half of the
eastern Midwest.
"The southern Plains received about 0.30 inch to 0.80 inch
of moisture with isolated heavier amounts," he said. "There is
another system for the Plains that may move into the Midwest
late this week or by the weekend."
Commodity Weather Group (CWG) said drier weather would
return to the Plains and Midwest this week following the weekend
storm, but wetter conditions were expected during the first two
weeks of April.
"This will continue to aid winter wheat prospects, although
the southwestern quarter of the Plains wheat may still be
short-changed," said CWG meteorologist Joel Widenor.
Additionally, "the early April rains and cold weather will
continue to slow the northward expansion of corn seeding but
cool temperatures will begin to moderate," he said.
Light rains have helped reduce severe and extreme drought
conditions in portions of the U.S. Plains, but abnormally dry
weather lingered in the area that produces most of the country's
wheat, according to a weekly report issued on Thursday.
There was little rain in Texas, resulting in an expansion of
the state's "exceptional" dryness, the worst conditions as
classified by the Drought Monitor report issued by a consortium
of state and federal climatologists.
But in the top wheat growing state of Kansas, "extreme"
conditions moderated slightly even though the entire state as
well as the entire High Plains region, outside of part of North
Dakota, remains in a drought, the report stated.
The lack of rainfall and short top soil moisture levels
could stress the wheat crop and reduce yields at harvest. The
crop is ending its winter dormancy and recent below-normal
temperatures may also harm the young plants.
In a separate report on Thursday, the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration forecast an easing of drought
conditions and above-normal temperatures this spring in both the
Plains and Midwest regions.
(Additional reporting by Michael Hirtzer in Chicago; Editing by
Maureen Bavdek)


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Here's the problem with the Lincoln MKS, as it stands for 2011. The Ford Edge/Lincoln MKZ twins.
Yes, the MKS' new EcoBoost engine is awesome, providing an extra 82 horsepower over the standard 3.7-liter V-6 with better fuel economy to boot. But the rest of the car is largely unchanged.
This year, Ford is introducing MyFordTouch – MyLincolnTouch in Lincolns – a new graphical interface for the automaker's Sync infotainment system. First to get the new system are the Edge and MKX coovers.
Instead of the slick soft-touch buttons or optional touch screen system, the MKS, Lincoln's flagship car, soldiers on with Ford's old-style center console, old-tech instrument panel and antiquated steering wheel design.


text: Job Discussion Forums :: View topic - From South India want to teach in Europe Get TEFL Certified & Start Your Adventure Today! Job Discussion Forums"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!" FAQ Search Memberlist Usergroups Register Profile Log in to check your private messages Log in From South India want to teach in Europe Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> France View previous topic :: View next topic Author Message RenukaJoined: 06 May 2005Posts: 9Location: Coimbatore, India Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 7:39 am Post subject: From South India want to teach in Europe Dear friends, I am from South India and have completed my MA in English Literature. I have four years experience in teaching Technical and communication English in an Engineering college in India. I wish to take up a teaching job in any university in Europe or Australia. What are my prospects? Pl tell me what should I do furthur to increase my prospects? Regards Renuka Back to top daily chaiJoined: 16 Nov 2003Posts: 150Location: Brussels Posted: Sat May 14, 2005 3:34 am Post subject: If you want to teach in Oz, why not go through the immigration process? Then you're entitled to live and work there, although whether you would find a job is important to investigate prior. It's fairly open--NZ is even more open. Back to top go2guyJoined: 15 Apr 2004Posts: 74Location: France Posted: Sat May 28, 2005 9:04 pm Post subject: Renuka (if you're still coming back to read this) and just about anyone else looking for work in France: Unless you are applying to foreign universities who have operations in France (in which case you should apply directly to the university in its home country), the prospect of finding a teaching job from outside France is next to nil. I would estimate that 95% of the English-teaching jobs in France are only secured by being here, AND pretty much only if you have a European passport or you're married to a "local". So, the decision is whether or not you are willing to "take the plunge" and find out for yourself by moving here. If you're a skilled teacher, good communicator (French is helpful but not always essential), versatile, resourceful, patient, etc., there will be lots of opportunities for you in France. If you don't have the confidence to work under these circumstances (i.e. self-employment) then look toward Asia where full time work can be lined up in advance of going there (and where work visas will be easier to come by). Good luck all. Back to top NMBJoined: 20 Jan 2003Posts: 84Location: France Posted: Sun May 29, 2005 8:53 am Post subject: Daily Chai, Why do you say Australia is fairly open to immigration? I looked at the government Web site and didn't get that impression. Back to top eltbertJoined: 14 Feb 2005Posts: 12 Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2005 4:53 am Post subject: Australia might have a fairly open immigration policy but never to TESOL professionals. Renuka, what's your publication record like? And what are your research interests? Publications and teaching experience are important for getting a faculty appointment in Literature departments. For teaching positions in university ESL centres, you'd need a Masters level qualification in TESOL and some experience. Back to top daily chaiJoined: 16 Nov 2003Posts: 150Location: Brussels Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2005 5:18 am Post subject: Elt & NMB, it looks like Oz has enough ESOL teachers and university lecturers for a while, and have temporarily closed the doors for those professions. Other professions have more open doors, but alas that's not for most of us reading this. Go2guy, I'd be surprised if Renuka could get a job as an English teacher without a passport from an English-speaking country in Europe or Asia. Throughout most of Asia the standard is to have that kind of passport and a bachelor's degree for the entry-level positions at private language schools. In Europe it's that, plus an EU passport; and in some high unemployment countries it's starting to look like you'd need a unicorn hair and a letter from the Pope to get a job. My general impression is immigration to Oz is much easier than to the EU at this point. Renuka, to be honest be prepared for some racial discrimination in Asia in particular. It's not right, but it wouldn't be forthcoming to not reveal it's presence. A few days ago some idiot called me about private classes, and I referred him to a Canadian friend who speaks beautiful Chinese. He asked if she was ethnically Chinese, because he wanted a white person. I rang off after a few words. She's not, but that discrimination exists. If it's hard for a a Canadian-Chinese to get work in Taiwan, then it would be hard for an Indian with an Indian passport to get work in English teaching too. I hear regularly about Fillipino-Americans having a hard time getting work in Taiwan, because here Fillipinas are hired as household help. I honestly think you are in for a major challenge because your passport is not from the select few countries, and racial discrimination woudl work against you if you have Indian heritage. Are you a native speaker of English? That would also be a factor. I do know English-speaking Chinese young women with Indian passports who are college students in Taiwan, and work at a local Indian restaurant. There is also a presence of carpet dealers from India-Pakistan here, and many Indian women married to Taiwanese husbands. It's not France or Oz by any means, but this is just an idea of the local conditions if you were expanding your horizons to include East Asia. Please note that the spouses aren't able to work in Taiwan for years after marriage. It's a disgusting rule, but present nonetheless. I don't mean this to be discouraging. I just want you to be equipped for the challenges out there. If you went most anywhere with financial resources, ability, a good attitude, and determination you could find work eventually. Do your homework, and don't go to places with difficult work permission projects, rules that apply against your passport, and high unemployment rates. That's asking for trouble. What about looking at getting a doctorate in another country? Frequently you'd get permission to work limited hours too. Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> France All times are GMT Page 1 of 1 Jump to: Select a forum Where to Begin----------------General DiscussionNewbie ForumCurrent Events ForumTechnology ForumOnline Teaching Forum Africa Forums----------------General Africa Forum Asia Forums----------------CambodiaChina (Job-related Posts Only)China (Off-Topic)Hong KongIndiaIndonesiaJapanMalaysiaPhilippinesSingaporeTaiwanThailandGeneral Asia ForumVietnam Caribbean Forums----------------General Caribbean Forum Europe Forums----------------Czech RepublicFranceGermanyGreeceItalyMacedonia and the BalkansPolandRomaniaRussia & C.I.S.SpainTurkeyUkraineUnited KingdomGeneral Europe Forum Latin America Forums----------------ArgentinaBrazilChileColombiaCosta RicaMexicoMexico (off-topic)PeruGeneral Latin America Forum The Middle East Forums----------------BahrainEgyptIsraelKuwaitOmanQatarSaudi ArabiaUnited Arab EmiratesGeneral Middle East Forum North America Forums----------------General North America Forum Oceania----------------Australia/New Zealand You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forum This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling. 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text:
2012 Spring Issue 7 (May 18, 2012)
"Oresteia" Performance Stuns
Last weekend, the Carleton Players and Semaphore Reparatory Dance Company premiered their rendition of the Greek tragedy "The Oresteia" to a sold-out audience in the new Weitz Center for Creativity Theater.
Schiller Bust Appears on "Desperate Housewives"
Schiller's most recent appearance, on last Sunday's series finale of the ABC hit TV show "Desperate Housewives," is sure to continue his tradition of momentous appearances.
Horses and Riders Entertain on the Bald Spot
This past Sunday, the Carleton Equestrian team put on its annual Horses on the Bald Spot event (HOT BS), which publicizes the club's activities and showcases the skills of its riders.
Empty Bowls Raises Awareness of 'Hidden Hunger' in Northfield
Carleton's Empty Bowls fundraiser raises money for the Northfield Community Action Center's food shelf. Over 600 ceramic bowls were made by the Carleton Art Department.
Vive! Students Celebrate Latino Culture
Last Friday, the Latin American Student Organization held Vive!, their annual celebration of Latin American culture.
Behavioral Scientist Offers New View of Healthcare
In his presentation titled "Battling Over Healthcare", Carleton alum Peter Ubel '84 focused on "the weird clash of morality and psychology that threatens to bankrupt us."
Tai Chi Kicks Students' Taoism into Shape
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Everyone was prepared for Gov. Deval Patrick to ask for tax increases to pay for the major transportation and education initiatives he proposed earlier this week.
Everyone was prepared for Gov. Deval Patrick to ask for tax increases to pay for the major transportation and education initiatives he proposed earlier this week.
No one anticipated he would call for a tax cut.
In his State of the State address Wednesday, the governor did both.
To support the $2 billion a year in transportation and education investments he hopes will strengthen the economic future, Patrick called for an increase in the state's income tax from 5.25 percent to 6.25 percent, but a cut in the sales tax from 6.25 percent to 4.5 percent.
"There is no good time to raise taxes," Patrick said. "I know how tough times have been on the people and families of the commonwealth. I would not ask if I did not believe in my heart that investing meaningfully today in education and transportation will significantly improve our economic future. But because we all have a stake in that future, we should all contribute to paying for it."
With full funding for South Coast Rail, Patrick's plan addresses the historic inequities of funding for this part of the state. "In transportation, we can no longer tell ... the SouthCoast or Western Mass. to wait to share in the state's prosperity."
The governor's upcoming budget plan will outline the sales tax cut, with all proceeds dedicated to a public works fund that will support the transportation plan and school building.
The income tax increase will be used to fund the education initiatives. To make that increase fair to all, Patrick said he will seek to double the personal exemptions for every taxpayer and eliminate a number of itemized deductions, creating a tax code that is simpler and fairer.
Patrick did not address how the changes would affect the overall tax burden on individuals, but his office produced figures that reported that the 19 percent income tax increase would yield an additional $2.8 billion in annual revenue, while the sales tax cut would cost an estimated $1.1 billion. The governor will also propose eliminating some corporate tax deductions worth $200 million, netting the state $1.9 billion in annual new revenue.
"That is what I propose," Patrick said in his annual address. "There will be debate. I encourage it. We ... have choices to make. I choose growth."
Local legislators said they appreciated the governor's emphasis on SouthCoast in general and the rail project in particular.
"He certainly put an ambitious program out there," said state Rep. William Straus, D-Mattapoisett, who serves as chairman of the Legislature's Joint Committee on Transportation. "I think that it's as significant a change in concept as I've seen in any of these gubernatorial speeches that I've seen in the 20 years.
"If people thought he was going to sit back and enjoy lame-duck status, they certainly got a big surprise."
State Sen. Michael Rodrigues, D-Westport, called the governor's proposals "shrewd and well-thought-out." Using a football metaphor, Rodrigues said: "He threw long. Now it's up to the Legislature to catch the ball and see how far down the field we can carry it."
Entering the final two years of his second term, the governor hopes passage of these initiatives will cement his legacy: "I think most governors wonder 'What will last?' I submit to you that if we act in this bold way, if we recommit to support our schools and our highways and byways, and do it for every corner of our commonwealth, not only will we have done something meaningful for today but we will have affirmed our commitment to opportunity itself."