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Gallery: Dodger Jackie Robinson Would Have Turned 94 Today
Gallery: A sampling of Google Doodles' birthdays, anniversaries and major events
The Internet gurus at Google celebrated the life of Pasadena's own Jackie Robinson on Thursday by creating a Google Doodle of the baseball star and civil rights icon on its homepage.
On what would have been Robinson's 94th birthday, the man who broke baseball's color barrier graced the Google homepage adorned in his Dodger jersey and with a bat in hand.
Google's logo in the background makes use of the Dodgers signature "baseball weiner" font in perfect Dodger blue.
"By celebrating Jackie today, we're hoping to spread his message of respecting each other as a human beings," Mike Dutton, the artist who created the image, said by email Thursday. "Nobody else has changed the game quite as significantly — and with the same kind of poise and dignity in the face of adversity, no less — as Jackie Robinson."
The tribute to Robinson came as a surprise to the Dodger organization.
"I'd love to take some credit for the organization, but that was all Google," Dodgers spokesman Joe Jareck said in an emailed statement Thursday. "It's a strong testament to the power of Jackie Robinson's legacy and what he stood for on and off the field. I know that everyone who works for the club and saw that image this morning was bursting with Dodger pride."
It also came as a surprise to those close to the Robinson family.
"We are absolutely thrilled that the No. 1 destination on the Internet has created this extraordinary Google Doodle that will share to the world what an extraordinary and iconic figure he was," said Allison Davis, communications director for the Jackie Robinson Foundation, a nonprofit that helps underprivileged students pay for college.
Robinson grew up in Pasadena, and was a star football, baseball, basketball and track and field athlete at John Muir High School, Pasadena City College and UCLA.
In 1947 Robinson broke Major League Baseball's color barrier when he debuted for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Robinson's play in what had been a segregated league, marked a major accomplishment in civil rights.
In 1962, Robinson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
"He represents the fight against intolerance," said Beverly Tate, PCC diversity coordinator. "He taught us not just about breaking the color line in baseball, but he fought against inequality."
And it was his significance beyond baseball that motivated Google to place Robinson on its homepage.
"Besides being the first African-American in Major League Baseball and having a legendary career, he was a great advocate for civil rights, inspiring people, regardless of their race or color, to live up to their full potential," Dutton said via email Thursday.
In memory of Robinson, this year's PCC baseball team kicked off the season outfitted in throwback "42" jerseys like those worn by Robinson.
"It was an opportunity for our ball players to both honor Jackie and learn about him," PCC President Mark Rocha said.
Robinson actually wore 34 and not 42 during his playing days at PCC, Rocha said. But the school picked 42 as it is the iconic number that most people associate with Robinson.
Robinson grew up in a small house on Pepper Street in Pasadena. The home has since been demolished, but a plaque marking where it stood remains.
Robinson came from a family equally committed to athletics as it was to social justice.
Robinson's brother Mack Robinson won a silver medal at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Mack Robinson finished second to iconic sprinter Jesse Owens.
Mack Robinson would return to Pasadena where he was community leader.
Both Mack and Jackie attended PCC, and another alum from the college is making his own contribution to Jackie Robinson's legacy.
In April, acclaimed filmmaker and PCC graduate John Singleton will release "42" a biopic about Jackie Robinson.
Tate said PCC is trying to work with Singleton to have an advanced screening of the movie in Pasadena.


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Delivery is included for UK mainland, if you require delivery to "Highlands and Islands or elsewhere" please contact our sales team on 0845 1250 000 (local rate) or firstname.lastname@example.com
500 Litre capacity
2x 3/4" BSP threaded ports to provide 1x tap connection, 1x low-level drain-down.
1 x 3/4'' metal tap
32mm holesaw for the optional filter
3 x pre-marked positions for the filter collector.
Supplied with a metal tap, wall fixing bracket and screws.
Can be supplied with Filter Collector Universal (at an extra cost) for filling the tank with rainwater from your down-pipe. Please remember to choose the colour of the filter when ordering.
Physical dimensions of the tank
Height 1840mm
Diameter 650mm
Weight 27.5Kg
Material PE (Polyethylene)
Available in Grey, Green or Charcoal
Filter Collector Universal is an optional filter/diverter, which is suitable for roof areas up to 70M2 and can easily be installed into most downpipes.
Fits all down-pipes from 65mm square to 100mm round. Unique adapter makes installation easy. By filtering the water optimum results can be achieved. Durable and long lasting. Easy to maintain, with a simple cleaning routine.
Supplied with 300mm of filter to tank hose (not shown)
See the Column installation instructions here
Delivery information and arrangements
Delivery is usually arranged within 3 working days of receiving an order.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
August 23, 2016
PROD0000000000448038 1 | August 23, 2016Talking Point August 23, 2016 Robo advice - when machines manage your assets (Fintech #8) Author www.dbresearch.com Deutsche Bank Research Management Stefan Schneider Thomas-Frank Dapp firstname.lastname@example.com Many of the things that had us gasping in amazement when we watched science fiction films just a few decades ago have now become a mass-market reality. Today, Hollywood shows us what we can expect if we continue to develop digital technologies at the current pace. Of course, artificial intelligence and its use in all areas of our lives are undoubtedly still a long way off. However, substantial progress is being made especially when it comes to pattern recognition, modern data analysis and the use of self-learning algorithms. Without this technological progress, we would no longer be able to cope with the exponential growth in data volumes and data potential of which we can still only begin to conceive. We need the machines. Fintech start-ups that provide professional digital services, for example, are increasingly exploiting the niche between traditional banks and clients with so- called robo advisors . Contrary to what the name may suggest, robo advice has nothing to do with actual robots. A robo advisor is an algorithm-based software program, while an algorithm is a set of instructions that describes a number of steps required to solve a (mathematical) problem. Essentially, robo advice involves a digital asset manager offering computer-generated investment recommendations that are not based on human intuition or dependent on human decisions. This is how robo advice works With just a few targeted questions and without any human interaction, the client's risk appetite, financial situation and investment preferences are used to configure investment and portfolio strategies with the aid of diversified financial market products. This allows the young entrepreneurs to offer their clients access to professional asset management, which would often not be or, at least, not have been profitable for traditional providers. In this way, the newcomers are putting pressure on established providers to innovate, which in turn is creating new momentum. However, as the technology is still in its infancy and is heavily dependent on the quality of the software, when it comes to the choice of financial products most robo advisors are (currently still) limited to Exchange Traded Funds, known as ETFs. These index trackers allow clients to participate (via their investments) in the developments of numerous companies and sectors as well as the bond markets. But it is still early days. In the future, we will undoubtedly see the automated management of other products with robo advice. However, as the currently rather standardised robo services become increasingly complex, the regulatory and supervisory requirements will become Deutsche Bank Research Robo advice - when machines manage your assets (Fintech #8) 2 | August 23, 2016Talking Point increasingly stricter. At present, most robo advice providers from the non-bank sector merely act as investment brokers, which means they are not subject to banking supervision. Issues concerning liability and consumer protection, for example, will have to be re-examined in the future. Advantages of digital robo advisors For traditional providers, it is only financially rewarding to offer personalised investment advice to clients with larger sums to invest, while our colleague the algorithm sells a similar product but dispenses with personal client contact. As the robo advisor sells digitally, the marginal costs, i.e. the costs that come from managing an additional unit, are close to zero (as is, incidentally, the case for all digital services). As a result, robo advice is accessible to a broader public, making it more interesting for retail investors to participate in capital market developments. Most providers require a minimum investment of between EUR 1,000 and EUR 10,000. The fees are generally less than 1% of the amount invested, which is considerably less than the costs for traditional asset management and advisory services. In addition to the lower costs, the new technology-driven providers also claim that their digital services produce a higher return than traditional advisory services. However, this is very difficult to assess given the lack of empirical data. Market niche offers major growth potential A study by Oliver Wyman forecasts major growth potential for the sector. Hence the reason why large, traditional financial players are increasingly joining the fintechs in the market for algorithmic investment products. Last year, the global volume of assets managed by robo advisors was just USD 30 billion. By contrast, globally managed assets of approximately USD 500 billion are expected by 2020, with 50% of the asset pool managed in North America. For the German robo advice sector, experts estimate a volume of EUR 20 to 30 billion for 2020. The forecast growth is partly attributed to demographic developments as the key target group of tech-savvy over 35 year-olds is just beginning to build up greater wealth. However, it could still take some time before a critical mass of consumers becomes familiar with the technology and is used to allowing machines to make investment decisions. Ultimately, however, high net worth clients, especially those in the fifty-plus age cohorts, will also be attracted and take advantage of these services. Banks have the advantage of scale – if implementation proves successful As hardly any companies are generating profits with their existing robo advice strategies, consolidation will be unavoidable. Some fintechs whose only product is the robo advisor will be forced to abandon the market in the medium to long term or cooperate with rivals in order to remain competitive, unless they can compensate for the lack of profits by cross-subsidising with alternative sources of revenue. This is something that is likely to be easier for traditional banks. Moreover, if regulatory requirements for the robo business increase, traditional banks should also be better equipped to handle these thanks to their skills and experience in working with regulatory authorities. Deutsche Bank Research Robo advice - when machines manage your assets (Fintech #8) 3 | August 23, 2016Talking Point This market outlook offers both opportunities and risks for the new providers of robo advisors. Their agility enables them to swiftly extend their range of financial services in order to improve their position vis-a-vis traditional banks. After all, if all financial service providers were suddenly to offer algorithm-based asset management, in addition to the quality of the algorithm the decisive factor for market success would be the range of additional complementary services on offer. This is because, in the digital era, a provider that is able to offer a harmonised range of different (financial) services from a single source, digitally integrating technology, services and individual demand, will be the one to succeed in the market (the buzzword being the Internet of Things). Of course, this is assuming that traditional banks recognise this evolutionary step and also integrate robo advice into their product range. Will machines replace people entirely? Cut-throat competition between "digital and human advisors" is not anticipated in the near future. Firstly, because the use of robo advisors should be regarded more as supplementing human advisors rather than replacing them and, secondly, because there will always be clients who prefer the human touch. Particularly in times of extreme market events, investors tend to feel an increased desire to talk to someone with a view to potentially restructuring their asset portfolios. Those clients will also be willing to pay for this human contact. In addition, many clients come from different jurisdictions and the current algorithms are not (yet) able to take this optimally into account. For the time being, with the current cutting-edge technology, human intervention remains essential, not least because human experience and the ability to think outside of the box allow people to correct potential errors in the programmed algorithm. Conclusions for competitors and clients For traditional banks, the use of robo advice is certainly to be recommended because it allows them to tap into an additional data source. The increasing volume of new and often personal data being generated enable banks – with their clients' permission – to offer further useful and personalised financial services from a single source. Ultimately, the way (personal) data are handled will decide to what extent traditional banks will be able to hold their own against the new fintechs in the market. Depending on how swiftly the regulator intervenes with regard to liability and consumer protection as well as other aspects, the new robo providers, which are currently operating simply as investment brokers, will be forced to adjust their business models in the medium term. Consolidations and strategic alliances will be unavoidable. As for the clients who receive robo advice, it is undoubtedly a distinct advantage if they have a certain amount of capital markets experience. But robo services are also – or even particularly – interesting for those client groups who are consciously seeking an easy way to invest without having to familiarise themselves with the finer details. Link to the series of fintech articles: Fintech #7 Fintech #6 Deutsche Bank Research Robo advice - when machines manage your assets (Fintech #8) 4 | August 23, 2016Talking Point © Copyright 2017. Deutsche Bank AG, Deutsche Bank Research, 60262 Frankfurt am Main, Germany. All rights reserved. When quoting please cite "Deutsche Bank Research". The above information does not constitute the provision of investment, legal or tax advice. Any views expressed reflect the current views of the author, which do not necessarily correspond to the opinions of Deutsche Bank AG or its affiliates. Opinions expressed may change without notice. Opinions expressed may differ from views set out in other documents, including research, published by Deutsche Bank. The above information is provided for informational purposes only and without any obligation, whether contractual or otherwise. No warranty or representation is made as to the correctness, completeness and accuracy of the information given or the assessments made. In Germany this information is approved and/or communicated by Deutsche Bank AG Frankfurt, licensed to carry on banking business and to provide financial services under the supervision of the European Central Bank (ECB) and the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin). In the United Kingdom this information is approved and/or communicated by Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch, a member of the London Stock Exchange, authorized by UK's Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and subject to limited regulation by the UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) (under number 150018) and by the PRA. This information is distributed in Hong Kong by Deutsche Bank AG, Hong Kong Branch, in Korea by Deutsche Securities Korea Co. and in Singapore by Deutsche Bank AG, Singapore Branch. In Japan this information is approved and/or distributed by Deutsche Securities Inc. In Australia, retail clients should obtain a copy of a Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) relating to any financial product referred to in this report and consider the PDS before making any decision about whether to acquire the product. Fintech #5 Fintech #4 Fintech #3 Fintech #2 Fintech #1 Details about the opportunities and risks of "Big Data"can be found here. Click here for more background on the Fintech movement. Fintech reloaded maps out a strategy showing how traditional banks should become a digital platform.


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Name: Dan
Gender: Male
Age: 32
Location: Alberta
I am a bisexual that is happily married with children. My wife and I have a great sex life. Every few months I get an urge to have sex with other men. I have acted out on this several times and always practice safe sex. She has caught me surfing gay/bi porn a few times and I think she knows that I have bisexual thoughts. She is interested in anal play with me and has used a dildo on me a few times. Should I come clean with her and risk divorce, which I don't want, or continue on the way I am going?
I am of the mind that being on the up and up with one's primary partner is a real good thing, regardless the issue. Practicing a deception, like you're doing Dan, will take a toll on the quality of life you share. It sounds to me like you're trying to have your cake and eat it too, or to make a pun…your Kate and Eddie too. Can't rightly say I think too highly of this.
Most of the bisexual men I know wouldn't approve of your arrangement either. Because most of the bisexual men I know are not living dual lives. Most are "out of the closet" bisexuals. They're happier and healthier then their closeted counterparts. They also are less likely to seek anonymous connections with other partners just to relieve their horniness, as you apparently do. In fact when a good friend of mine, a bisexual himself, read your message he was totally put off. He said you're the kind of bisexual that gives bisexuals a bad name. OUCH!
I may not go that far, but skulking around looking for cock, like you do, while keeping the little woman at home in the dark is a huge problem for me. This sort of behavior also militates against you forming any deeper connection with a guy than a quick furtive tryst might allow. How can years of this sort of thing be satisfying?
Also by siphoning off all your sexual energy like this you blunt the need to channel some of that energy into finding a creative solution to your sexual needs and desires with your wife. You say you have a good sex life together. She sounds pretty understanding and open minded. Most wives would freak for sure if they found their man chokin' the chicken to gay porn. Are you sure she'd fall apart if she knew you are bi? I'll bet not as much as she would freak if she comes to learn of your other life from someone other than you. Right? You're skating on some mighty thin ice, my friend. Besides, most wives have this sixth sense when it comes to this kinda thing. She may already know more about you than you give her credit for. Maybe she's just waiting to see how long it takes you to let her in on your little secret.
And about the anal sex thing. I suggest you incorporate more of that into your love making with your wife? Hell, get her a nice strap as a gift for being so understanding. You can find a nice selection HERE! I'd also suggest that you introduce your wife to your interest to "bi" porn. Check out some of the Recommended Titles HERE! Who knows where this could lead? It could open a whole new world to you both. It's not inconceivable that one day you could find yourselves in a three way or some group play. Stranger things have happened don't cha know.
So Dan, why not give the old honest, straightforward approach a try for a change. Jettison the duplicity. It's only gonna wind up biting you in the ass one fine day…and not in a good way.
Good luck


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No Fly Zone 4 Details:
No Fly Zone 4, hosted by Omega Motorsport, is just around the corner. This two-day side-by-side half-mile roll racing event will occur across a newly resurfaced runway at Minter Field in Shafter, CA on the weekend of March 29-30th. We will be there on Saturday to cover the action and search for potential feature cars. The annual event has yet to disappoint. Race gas is on hand for the host of supercars and speed-driven tuners already signed up, and we'd love to see you out there if considering the journey.
An airstrip event is the safest way to push the limits of a powerful vehicle in a straight line. No Fly Zone 4 will feature a speed trap for both lanes, food vendors on-site and no run groups, which means you can race against anyone at anytime. There is a 100-vehicle limit per day and a fee of $200 per vehicle, per day – discounted two-day packages available. Spectating fee is set at an affordable $10.
Full details: omegamotorsport.com
Photos provided by Omega Motorsport


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Hi! Have any of you ever been to Kam Man foods? No well I could probably describe the whole store in this post. First floor: Daifuku, Pocky, and almost any other sweet imaginable. Basement: Dum Dum Dum OVERPRICED BENTOS!!!NOOOOO!! I was told that they were in the $3-$8 range, wrong $30 for a very simple, very small, two-tiered bento box! Though that was the one with the purtey Sakura Blossoms. So I was forced to buy the $3 clear bento sigh oh well a bento is a bento i guess… Anyway I did like Kam Man Foods for their condiments and presses and things of the sort. I held off on a pretty Furoshiki cloth only because it was around the $17 dollar range which isn't totally bad… If you ever go to chinatown do stop in though don't get your hopes up for bentos… and can somebody PLEASE tell me how to use an egg mold. I can't read the package. Kam Man Foods: 200 Canal street Chinatown New York NY
Foodies do it better.
Now that's funny because the bento gear they have in their Quincy MA store (just south of Boston) is really inexpensive ($2 for the blue or red Lube Sheep box with polka dots). They also just re-merchandised the entire bento section and they have a lot more matching accessories and tools. I was just here this past weekend.
and can somebody PLEASE tell me how to use an egg mold. I can't read the package.
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Just been trying to read the Statement by JK Rowling , but something is wrong with the page formatting – the easiest way to read it was to copy and past the raw html.
Latest Announcements
J.K. Rowling explains why she is supporting the Better Together Campaign
Before you read the following, please be warned that it's probably of interest only to people who live in Scotland or the UK (and not all of them!) If you read on regardless, you need to know that there is going to be a referendum on 18th September on whether or not Scotland should leave the United Kingdom. If you're only vaguely interested, or pressed for time, there's a mention of Death Eaters in paragraph 5.
I came to the question of independence with an open mind and an awareness of the seriousness of what we are being asked to decide. This is not a general election, after which we can curse the result, bide our time and hope to get a better result in four years. Whatever Scotland decides, we will probably find ourselves justifying our choice to our grandchildren. I wanted to write this because I always prefer to explain in my own words why I am supporting a cause and it will be made public shortly that I've made a substantial donation to the Better Together Campaign, which advocates keeping Scotland part of the United Kingdom.
As everyone living in Scotland will know, we are currently being bombarded with contradictory figures and forecasts/warnings of catastrophe/promises of Utopia as the referendum approaches and I expect we will shortly be enjoying (for want of a better word) wall-to-wall coverage.
In the interests of full disclosure, I should say that I am friendly with individuals involved with both the Better Together Campaign and the Yes Campaign, so I know that there are intelligent, thoughtful people on both sides of this question. Indeed, I believe that intelligent, thoughtful people predominate.
However, I also know that there is a fringe of nationalists who like to demonise anyone who is not blindly and unquestionably pro-independence and I suspect, notwithstanding the fact that I've lived in Scotland for twenty-one years and plan to remain here for the rest of my life, that they might judge me 'insufficiently Scottish' to have a valid view. It is true that I was born in the West Country and grew up on the Welsh border and while I have Scottish blood on my mother's side, I also have English, French and Flemish ancestry. However, when people try to make this debate about the purity of your lineage, things start getting a little Death Eaterish for my taste. By residence, marriage, and out of gratitude for what this country has given me, my allegiance is wholly to Scotland and it is in that spirit that I have been listening to the months of arguments and counter-arguments.
On the one hand, the Yes campaign promises a fairer, greener, richer and more equal society if Scotland leaves the UK, and that sounds highly appealing. I'm no fan of the current Westminster government and I couldn't be happier that devolution has protected us from what is being done to health and education south of the border. I'm also frequently irritated by a London-centric media that can be careless and dismissive in its treatment of Scotland. On the other hand, I'm mindful of the fact that when RBS needed to be bailed out, membership of the union saved us from economic catastrophe and I worry about whether North Sea oil can, as we are told by the 'Yes' campaign, sustain and even improve Scotland's standard of living.
Some of the most pro-independence people I know think that Scotland need not be afraid of going it alone, because it will excel no matter what. This romantic outlook strikes a chord with me, because I happen to think that this country is exceptional, too. Scotland has punched above its weight in just about every field of endeavour you care to mention, pouring out world-class scientists, statesmen, economists, philanthropists, sportsmen, writers, musicians and indeed Westminster Prime Ministers in quantities you would expect from a far larger country.
My hesitance at embracing independence has nothing to do with lack of belief in Scotland's remarkable people or its achievements. The simple truth is that Scotland is subject to the same twenty-first century pressures as the rest of the world. It must compete in the same global markets, defend itself from the same threats and navigate what still feels like a fragile economic recovery. The more I listen to the Yes campaign, the more I worry about its minimisation and even denial of risks. Whenever the big issues are raised – our heavy reliance on oil revenue if we become independent, what currency we'll use, whether we'll get back into the EU – reasonable questions are drowned out by accusations of 'scaremongering.' Meanwhile, dramatically differing figures and predictions are being slapped in front of us by both campaigns, so that it becomes difficult to know what to believe.
I doubt I'm alone in trying to find as much impartial and non-partisan information as I can, especially regarding the economy. Of course, some will say that worrying about our economic prospects is poor-spirited, because those people take the view 'I'll be skint if I want to and Westminster can't tell me otherwise'. I'm afraid that's a form of 'patriotism' that I will never understand. It places higher importance on 'sticking it' to David Cameron, who will be long gone before the full consequences of independence are felt, than to looking after your own. It prefers the grand 'up yours' gesture to considering what you might be doing to the prospects of future generations.
The more I have read from a variety of independent and unbiased sources, the more I have come to the conclusion that while independence might give us opportunities – any change brings opportunities – it also carries serious risks. The Institute for Fiscal Studies concludes that Alex Salmond has underestimated the long-term impact of our ageing population and the fact that oil and gas reserves are being depleted. This view is also taken by the independent study 'Scotland's Choices: The Referendum and What Happens Afterwards' by Iain McLean, Jim Gallagher and Guy Lodge, which says that 'it would be a foolish Scottish government that planned future public expenditure on the basis of current tax receipts from North Sea oil and gas'.
My fears about the economy extend into an area in which I have a very personal interest: Scottish medical research. Having put a large amount of money into Multiple Sclerosis research here, I was worried to see an open letter from all five of Scotland's medical schools expressing 'grave concerns' that independence could jeopardise what is currently Scotland's world-class performance in this area. Fourteen professors put their names to this letter, which says that Alex Salmond's plans for a common research funding area are 'fraught with difficulty' and 'unlikely to come to fruition'. According to the professors who signed the letter, 'it is highly unlikely that the remaining UK would tolerate a situation in which an independent "competitor" country won more money than it contributed.' In this area, as in many others, I worry that Alex Salmond's ambition is outstripping his reach.
I've heard it said that 'we've got to leave, because they'll punish us if we don't', but my guess is that if we vote to stay, we will be in the heady position of the spouse who looked like walking out, but decided to give things one last go. All the major political parties are currently wooing us with offers of extra powers, keen to keep Scotland happy so that it does not hold an independence referendum every ten years and cause uncertainty and turmoil all over again. I doubt whether we will ever have been more popular, or in a better position to dictate terms, than if we vote to stay.
If we leave, though, there will be no going back. This separation will not be quick and clean: it will take microsurgery to disentangle three centuries of close interdependence, after which we will have to deal with three bitter neighbours. I doubt that an independent Scotland will be able to bank on its ex-partners' fond memories of the old relationship once we've left. The rest of the UK will have had no say in the biggest change to the Union in centuries, but will suffer the economic consequences. When Alex Salmond tells us that we can keep whatever we're particularly attached to – be it EU membership, the pound or the Queen, or insists that his preferred arrangements for monetary union or defence will be rubber-stamped by our ex-partners – he is talking about issues that Scotland will need, in every case, to negotiate. In the words of 'Scotland's Choices' 'Scotland will be very much the smaller partner seeking arrangements from the UK to meet its own needs, and may not be in a very powerful negotiating position.'
If the majority of people in Scotland want independence I truly hope that it is a resounding success. While a few of our fiercer nationalists might like to drive me forcibly over the border after reading this, I'd prefer to stay and contribute to a country that has given me more than I can easily express. It is because I love this country that I want it to thrive. Whatever the outcome of the referendum on 18th September, it will be a historic moment for Scotland. I just hope with all my heart that we never have cause to look back and feel that we made a historically bad mistake.
BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour Takeover
J.K. Rowling will be one of five guest editors in BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour Takeover week, from 28th April to 2nd May 2014. She will guest edit the Woman's Hour programme on Monday 28th April, followed by Kelly Holmes, Naomi Alderman, Doreen Lawrence, and Lauren Laverne as guest editors on subsequent days. Her programme will look at such topics as the issue of orphanages, and why so many children continue to be cared for in institutions worldwide; the power and myth of the shoe in popular culture; and why Scotland has the highest number of multiple sclerosis sufferers in the world.
J.K. Rowling announces a new stage play project in collaboration with Sonia Friedman and Colin Callender, based on the Harry Potter stories
J.K. Rowling is pleased to announce that she is collaborating with the award-winning theatre producers Sonia Friedman and Colin Callender on a new stage play to be based on the Harry Potter stories.
What was it like to be the boy in the cupboard under the stairs? This brand new play, which will be developed for the UK theatre, will explore the previously untold story of Harry's early years as an orphan and outcast. Featuring some of our favourite characters from the Harry Potter books, this new work will offer a unique insight into the heart and mind of the now legendary young wizard. A seemingly ordinary boy, but one for whom Destiny has plans…
J.K. Rowling will also be a co-producer on the project, but whilst she will collaborate with a writer on the new play, she will not write the script herself.
J.K. Rowling said:
"Over the years I have received countless approaches about turning Harry Potter into a theatrical production, but Sonia and Colin's vision was the only one that really made sense to me, and which had the sensitivity, intensity and intimacy I thought appropriate for bringing Harry's story to the stage. After a year in gestation it is exciting to see this project moving on to the next phase. I'd like to thank Warner Bros. for their continuing support in this project."
Writers and directors are now being considered, and the project will move into development in 2014.
J.K. Rowling's statement regarding her screenwriting debut
Warner Bros. announced on 12th September 2013 that J.K. Rowling would be making her screenwriting debut with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the first in a new film series which is part of their expanded creative partnership with J.K. Rowling. The films will be inspired by Harry Potter's Hogwarts textbook of the same name, and will feature the book's fictitious author, Newt Scamander.
"It all started when Warner Bros. came to me with the suggestion of turning Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them into a film. I thought it was a fun idea, but the idea of seeing Newt Scamander, the supposed author of Fantastic Beasts, realized by another writer was difficult. Having lived for so long in my fictional universe, I feel very protective of it and I already knew a lot about Newt. As hard-core Harry Potter fans will know, I liked him so much that I even married his grandson, Rolf, to one of my favourite characters from the Harry Potter series, Luna Lovegood.
As I considered Warners' proposal, an idea took shape that I couldn't dislodge. That is how I ended up pitching my own idea for a film to Warner Bros.
Although it will be set in the worldwide community of witches and wizards where I was so happy for seventeen years, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is neither a prequel nor a sequel to the Harry Potter series, but an extension of the wizarding world. The laws and customs of the hidden magical society will be familiar to anyone who has read the Harry Potter books or seen the films, but Newt's story will start in New York, seventy years before Harry's gets underway.
I particularly want to thank Kevin Tsujihara of Warner Bros. for his support in this project, which would not have happened without him. I always said that I would only revisit the wizarding world if I had an idea that I was really excited about and this is it."
Goodreads celebrates the paperback release of 'The Casual Vacancy'
To celebrate the paperback release of The Casual Vacancy, reading website Goodreads asked fans of the book to submit any questions that they would like to ask J.K. Rowling- more than 1,500 questions were submitted, and from a poll of finalists the winning question was chosen. You can now read the winning question and find out J.K. Rowling's answer and insights about the book here.
J.K. Rowling's statement regarding 'The Cuckoo's Calling' by Robert Galbraith
"I hoped to keep this secret a little longer, because being Robert Galbraith has been such a liberating experience! It has been wonderful to publish without hype or expectation and pure pleasure to get feedback from publishers and readers under a different name. The upside of being rumbled is that I can publicly thank my editor David Shelley, who has been a true partner in crime, all those people at Little, Brown who have been working so hard on The Cuckoo's Calling without realising that I wrote it, and the writers and reviewers, both in the newspapers and online, who have been so generous to the novel. And to those who have asked for a sequel, Robert fully intends to keep writing the series, although he will probably continue to turn down personal appearances."
English PEN Auction
J.K. Rowling has contributed a personally annotated first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone to be auctioned at Sotheby's London on 21st May, as part of English PEN's First Editions, Second Thoughts sale.
The sale of the book will help raise money for English PEN (www.englishpen.org) and J.K. Rowling's own charity Lumos (www.wearelumos.org).
Upcoming Literary Event
Friday 8th March
8pm, The Forum, Bath Literature Festival
J.K. Rowling will be talking to Festival Director, James Runcie.
She will be signing copies of The Casual Vacancy after the event, for ticket holders only. In order to allow as many audience members as possible to have their book signed, it will be limited to one copy per person.
Tickets: £15
This event is now sold out.
Box office: 01225 463362
Website: www.bathlitfest.org.uk
This event is nearly sold out, so please book soon to avoid disappointment.
'The Casual Vacancy' wins Goodreads Choice Award
J.K. Rowling's first novel for adults, The Casual Vacancy, has been awarded the Best Fiction prize in the Goodreads Choice Awards 2012. The Goodreads Choice Awards is the only major book awards decided by readers in the USA, and originated in 2009. Winners in other categories include Veronica Roth, Stephen King and Terry Pratchett. For further details about the awards, please visit the Goodreads website.
This week The Casual Vacancy has also returned to Number 1 in the UK in the The Bookseller and Sunday Times book lists.
'The Casual Vacancy' TV adaptation
BBC One announces plans to bring J.K. Rowling's best-selling novel The Casual Vacancy to the screen.
BBC Once and BBC Drama have commissioned an exclusive adaptation of The Casual Vacancy from The Blair Partnership who represent J.K. Rowling. The series will be produced through an independent production company operated by Neil Blair and Rick Senat, on behalf of The Blair Partnership, which will engage the executive series producer. The deal was struck following discussions between Neil Blair and BBC One Controller Danny Cohen.
J.K. Rowling will collaborate closely with the project, with the number and length of the episodes to be decided once the creative adaptation process has formally begun.
Please visit the BBC website for more information.
Related Links
Live Webcast
J.K. Rowling will be doing a live global webcast all about Harry Potter from her home town of Edinburgh, on Thursday 11th October at 5pm BST (12pm ET/9am PT).
Produced and directed by her American publisher, Scholastic, it can be viewed live on both Scholastic and Bloomsbury's sites. The webcast takes the form of a virtual classroom visit, during which J.K. Rowling will answer questions about Harry Potter posed by children in schools in America, England and Canada. She will also be talking about Pottermore, and answering the question most requested by Pottermore fans in a poll: 'Which Pottermore house are you in?'
You can watch the webcast live at the Bloomsbury website.
Related Links
Literary Events
J.K. Rowling will be appearing at the following public events to discuss her first novel for adults, The Casual Vacancy:
Thursday 27th September
7:30pm Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, London
In conversation with BBC journalist Mark Lawson, followed by a book signing
Price: £15 / £12
Box Office: +44 (0)844 847 9910
Website: http://ticketing.southbankcentre.co.uk/find/literature-spoken-word/tickets/j-k-rowling-68813
Tickets on sale to members from 1st August and to the public from 3pm on 3rd August.
Saturday 6th October
6:30pm The Centaur, The Times Cheltenham Literature Festival
In conversation with writer and broadcaster James Runcie, followed by a book signing
Price: £15
Box Office: +44 (0)844 880 8094
Website: www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/literature
Tickets on sale to members from 13th August and to the public from 20th August. Membership available online.
J.K. Rowling will be signing copies of The Casual Vacancy after both events. In order to allow as many audience members as possible to have their book signed, it will be limited to one copy per person.
Friday 2nd November 2012
Further to her events in London and Cheltenham, J.K. Rowling will be appearing at the following literary event to discuss her first novel for adults, The Casual Vacancy:
Friday 2nd November 2012, 8.30pm
The Festival Marquee, Lennoxlove Book Festival, Haddington, East Lothian, Scotland.
In conversation followed by book signing for ticket holders only.
Price £13/£11 concs
Box Office: +44 (0) 844 357 7611
Website: www.lennoxlovebookfestival.com
Tickets on sale to members/Friends from 11th September and to the public from 13th September at 10.00am
Membership available from the Box Office number from 6th September.
J.K. Rowling will be signing copies of The Casual Vacancy after this event, for ticket holders only. In order to allow as many audience members as possible to have their book signed, it will be limited to two copies per person.
Related Links
'15 Years of Harry Potter' Competition – Announced by Bloomsbury on 26 June 2012
To celebrate the 15th anniversary, Bloomsbury Children's Books is launching the search for the biggest Harry Potter fan! Entrants are invited to write in no more than 50 words why they love Harry Potter, and post their letters in the special postboxes provided in their local bookshops and libraries.
Related Links
Warner Bros. Studio Tour at Leavesden – opened to the public on Saturday 31 March 2012
The Warner Bros. tour of the studios where the Harry Potter movies were made opened on Saturday 31 March 2012. For the first time, fans could go behind-the-scenes to see many things the camera never showed, from breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics.
Related Links
Final Harry Potter Movie premieres in London – Thursday 7 July 2011
On Thursday 7 July 2011, the final movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two, premiered at The Odeon, Leicester Square in central London. There were emotional farewells from the cast and producers in Trafalgar Square, watched by thousands of fans who had made the journey to be there from across the globe.
Related Links
POTTERMORE – announced on Thursday 23 June 2011
Pottermore, J.K. Rowling's exciting new website with Sony, was announced on Thursday 23 June 2011. It's the place to discover more about the world of Harry Potter and access exclusive new content from Jo about the characters, places and objects in her much-loved stories.
This is the only place to buy Harry Potter eBooks and digital audio downloads, for all reading devices, in partnership with J.K. Rowling's publishers worldwide.


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Kakashi x Iruka
|Hatake Kakashi x Umino Iruka
|Alternative name(s):
|KakaIru, IruKaka
|Gender category:
|m/m, yaoi
|Large and active.
|Click here for related articles on Fanlore.
Kakashi x Iruka, or KakaIru, is the relationship between the characters Hatake Kakashi and Umino Iruka from the series Naruto. Although Kakashi and Iruka have very little interaction in canon, they are a popular slash pairing. Some fans speculate that they are slashed because both are parent-like figures to the titular character Naruto. Fandom pairs Kakashi with a variety of characters, but Iruka is almost exclusively paired with Kakashi.
While many stories pair Kakashi and Iruka together romantically and/or sexually, some writers prefer gen stories about the two. These stories are sometimes set pre-series, when Kakashi and Iruka are both children.
As with many yaoi pairings, name order is often used to denote seme and uke. While KakaIru is by far the most common, there are also fanworks labeled IruKaka or KakaIruKaka.
KakaIru is the most popular Naruto pairing in Japanese fandom.
In Western Naruto fandom, KakaIru is commonly seen by the whole of fandom as not being very popular, though this may be because KakaIru fandom keeps out of general communities. The KakaIru LiveJournal community is the second largest pairing community for Naruto fandom.[1] KakaIru is also comparably active to the larger SasuxNaru community.[2]
Themes and Trends in "KakaIru" Fanfic
KakaIru fanfic ranges in tone from fluff to darkfic. Accordingly, characterization varies widely across fanworks. Kakashi is presented as anything from a socially awkward dork to a highly damaged man who is a danger both to himself and those around him. Iruka is sometimes a shy and blushing schoolteacher, and at other times, a prankster with a devious mind and a sly sense of humour.
There are a variety of themes that frequently appear in Kakairu fanworks.
The Chuunin Exams are frequently a turning point in Kakashi and Iruka's relationship in fanworks. The two men had a very public and heated argument in canon when Kakashi nominated Team 7 for participation in the exams. Iruka protested, feeling that the members of Team 7 were too young. In fanfic, this confrontation either leads to a frosty and awkward relationship between Kakashi or Iruka, or sparks the first feelings of curiosity and respect.
Kakashi can often be found stalking Iruka in fanfic. The reasons vary from fic to fic: he is sometimes suspicious because Iruka demonstrated an unexpected talent, sometimes he is simply suffering from boredom and idle curiosity, and in other fics, Kakashi is obsessed with Iruka and too socially maladjusted to figure out his own feelings or how to approach the other man. [3]
Sometimes, Iruka suffers silently--with or without input from his friends--from what he believes to be an unrequited crush on Kakashi.
A very popular trope in KakaIru fanfic involves giving Iruka special abilities that he hasn't been shown to possess in canon. These abilities range from reasonable skills (an affinity for traps, or a history with intelligence and infiltration) to OTT powers (stories dealing with the latter are sometimes referred to as Super!Iruka). [4]
Fans list a variety of reasons for the popularity of this trope:
- "For me, I think it's for the entertainment/creative value to read those. [...] I'm not thinking it's that authors are making Iruka *worthy* of Kakashi, moreover they want to create original content that still keeps both characters challenging and on their toes."
- "For me, I like the whole new level of problems it brings to the dynamic between the two, and the plot. Iruka is generally the more stable one in the relationship, and it's fun to bring that out."
- "...For me it's because we know so little about Iruka but as fans we all just know that Iruka is awesome and so we like to come up with reasons/abilities to showcase that awesomeness.
- It also helps to balance out Iruka and Kakashi's relationship because (in my opinion) if Iruka really were just a run-of-the-mill chuunin, albiet a very sexy one, I don't think Kakashi would be all that interested in being in a lasting relationship with him. Not that there aren't a number of wonderful fics that feature Iruka with no special powers but I think they help hold Kakashi's interest; even if it's something as simple as "Iruka is an awesome prankster." [5]
. . . more
Notable Fanfic
How to File Form 39-B, by thehoyden
The Kakashi Mission, by JBMcDragon
. . . more
Twighlight had previously read several of thehoyden's Kakairu fic, but kansouame brought further attention to the art form when she began posting theskywasblue's Building Block series to the main community. [6]
Notable Fanart
A sampling of Kakashi/Iruka fanart can be found by browsing Tumblr.
There are also many popular artists who post to the main Kakairu comm, as well as deviantArt. Japanese fanartists post to a variety of websites, including Pixiv.
KakaIru is an extremely popular pairing in doujinshi, not just out of Naruto fandom but out of any fandom. It is repeatedly one of the top ten most represented BL pairings at Comiket.[7]
Doujinshi circles include . . .
- Hi-Liang!
- 牙流忍者隊 (Garyuu Ninjatai)
- WOLF銃G (Wolfgung)
- Retreat
- 幻の帝国 (Maborosi no Teikoku)
- Acute Girls
- Sannasubi
- Dragonfly Store
- Sudako Land
- Guru Guru
- Kuronoga
- 地下堂 (Chikadoh)
- Jerry Angel
- Karasu Dou
- DREAMNaruto
- 小区 (Xiaoqu)
- Core*Kuma
Notable English-language scanlation teams include Fighting Dreamers.org, Kaminari, and Arigatomina. There is also an active Russian scanlation community.
The KakaIru Livejournal Community
Fleeting Fancies - Fanworks Recommendations
- ↑ Information retrieved 2009 September 29: SasuxNaru has 3,949 members; KakaIru has 2,940 members. SasuSaku has 1467 members.
- ↑ Information retrieved 2009 September 29: SasuxNaru has 8,847 journal entries and 82,897 comments received; KakaIru has 9,275 journal entries and 101,677 comments received.
- ↑ Examples of this trope include maldoror-gw's Spring Fever, and WinterOfOurDiscontent's Outclassed.
- ↑ Examples of this trope include Silent Blade, Strangely Together, Uniquely Apart, Training Kakashi, All the Broken Pieces, Water Runs Red, Kitsune no Iruka, and many more.
- ↑ http://community.livejournal.com/kakairu/2688021.html KakaIru Themes (Accessed Sept. 23, 2010)
- ↑ Podfic tag at Kakairu (Accessed March 30, 2011)
- ↑ Copy of the Summer 2009 Comiket rankings where KakaIru was ranked 6th.
|Uzumaki Naruto • Haruno Sakura • Uchiha Sasuke • Tsunade • Nara Shikamaru
|Sasuke x Naruto • Kakashi x Iruka • Itachi x Sasuke • Shikamaru x Temari • Uchihacest
|In-Universe Naruto Timeline • Timeline of Naruto Fandom • Naruto Doujinshi • Naruto Challenges • List of Naruto Zines
|Part of the Fanlore Project on Naruto! Join us, say hello on the talk page, or join our Discord!


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Back to You: How to claim your own quiet space in a crazy house
I was broke. I lived in a cramped and cluttered apartment with a living room covered in gross carpeting. I didn't have access to a car during the week. OH! And I was a new mom.
Sounds like a parenting fairy tale, right? Now before you get all judgy about "no wonder your marriage ended" and whatnot, know that I was exahausted and overwhelmed and desperately in need of a professional organizer, but I was also happy. My newborn months were a blurry haze just like yours, except I felt relieved to be so tired I couldn't see the piles of unpaid bills and dirty laundry.
The ahhh-moment in my life was a Mommy & Me Yoga class. Another was a new motherhood support group at the same studio. I met mothers who I connected with -- from an Ayruvedic practitioner to user research specialist -- and we met on mats, rubbed our babies' bellies until they were happy, stretched our weary arms and legs, and talked about how to bring that same peace home.
I opted for meditation. Or at least to try meditation. For five minutes at a time, I took apart the layers of baby schedule, grocery lists and other stresses from my brain. I closed out the crying, the television, the blaring TV, the sound of something sizzling into a thick burnt spot on a pan in the kitchen. I waved off my irresistable and demanding baby. I stepped away from the husband I saw far too little. I didn't answer the phone.
I'd like to tell you that it worked and was heavenly. But it didn't. At first. I couldn't last thirty seconds in my first few meditation attempts because I felt like the walls (and baby monitor buzzing and cardboard boxes from when we moved three years earlier) were closing in on me rather than feeling like my mind was expanding. There was no open, solitary space in my brain because my whole home and life was jam-packed with stuff.
I got frustrated. But I didn't give up. Instead, I centered on where I felt most centered. And that place was the bathroom.
It was tiny in there. Part of the tile was peach, the other part pale blue. The paint on the walls was scratching off to reveal 1970s wallpaper with large ugly-yellow mums. The sink cabinet was deteriorating. The fan clanked. The light was too dim. It could have been the most depressing spot in the place, but to me it was an escape. I'd made it cheery with a fancy shower curtain, organized and reorganized shelves of baskets of make-up and toiletries. I'd already decided it would be a sunny spot no matter how much renovation it needed.
So I took my meditation to the bathroom, and specifically, sat myself right down in the tub. No water, no bubbles, no lavendar salt scrub or candles. Just me in the cold, hard porcelain, meditating.
It worked. Five minutes became ten. Then fifteen. I think I got to twenty once and that was plenty. The regular practice of meditating didn't last more than a few months, but the retreat into my tub did. Sometimes, I added water. Other times, I just took a time out to read People magazine or breathe through my son's wailing while I was sleep training him.
A few years later, when I was telling one of my best friends the excrutiating story of why I was suddenly leaving my husband, I took the call into the tub. It became more than a place I could crawl when I needed time to think. Or stop thinking. It became a safe spot in a house whose clutter became chaos. When I moved into a new place with my son, I felt a lovely kismet when I saw the phenomenal whirlpool tub, just waiting patiently for me to crawl in wearing jeans, boots and a giant sweater.
I don't think a mother has to teeter on the line of hoarder or be a horrible housekeeper or even leave her husband in order to find a woobie in her own home. In fact, I think having a retreat can keep a mother from being or doing all those things.
Most of us don't have the privilege of getting a weekly massage or adding on a mom-cave or cleaning out a guest bedroom to turn it into a Zen retreat. But that's the glory of the unfilled bathtub -- it proves our quiet hideaways can be unexpected and kind of uncomfortable.
My Back to You challenge this week is to claim your own quiet space in your home.
The rules:
Don't go knocking down walls. Don't buy anything. Remember anything worthy of a DIY reality show won't count. And running to the bar around the corner is considered cheating.
The task:
Find a space that soothes you, where you can lock away, close out or ignore the rest of the world, or at least bodies with whom you share genetic makeup. Find a place to sit. Stay there for at least five minutes. Then set your cell phone alarm or a calendar reminder and go back tomorrow.
Go ahead and steal the bathtub idea. Or sit on your washer in the laundry room, hide behind the bikes in the garage, snuggle up in the glider, crawl into a corner of the pantry. If you have a comfy bed where you won't be bothered or a sun porch where there is silence, for the love of all of us in small apartments, go there!
The reminder:
I won't be monitoring you. I won't judge you. If the space doesn't work twice, switch it up! If you need a cushion, get one! If you have to yell and slam a door to get that five minutes, so be it! You just have to commit to five minutes. No excuses.
The reward:
Five minutes (at least) to yourself. To read. To attempt to paint your nails in some impossible Pinterest motif. To read a trashy magazine. Tuck a book of affirmations or love letters near the space so you can read a few pages each visit. Listen to music that soothes your soul.
Although I recommend leaving your phone on the other side of the chaos, I know it would make me twitchy and un-do all the meditative good of the escape. So if you do bring it with you, use it for good, not evil. Visit a quote site, download some kind of nature sounds app, blast the white noise, play with the Zippo lighter until you've forgotten that someone's science project is due in twelve hours.
OH! And one more reward: A giveaway.
Because I believe in stealing away to small, unepected spaces and how it can seed peace, sanity and centeredness for moms in just a few minutes a day, I want to give one of you a little gift of encouragement.
As a token of "keep crawling in your tub/closet/under the desk, girlfriend" encouragement, I will send you a box of favorite drugstore bath stuffs chosen by Meagan and me just for you. It won't be too fancy, just to show that good moments can come from simple and inexpensive inspiration, but it will feel good. I promise.
I have purchased these lovely items myself as a way to connect -- lady to lady, mama to mama, waterless bather to waterless bather.
To enter:
Memorize this post and recite it to a friend. I kid. Leave a comment telling us which space you've claimed in your home and why. I'll randomly choose a winner on Friday and send a box of bath goodies to you. Sound good?
Back to You is a month-long project designed by Meagan Francis of The Happiest Mom and me to help moms remember to take care of ourselves during the busy back-to-school season. We will have great tips, giveaways, challenges and accessible activities to help you feel healthier, happier, gorgeous and even more fabulous.
More Back to You goodness:
Clear 1,000 emails (or more) in ten minutes


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BUENA VISTA, Va.-The Southern Virginia University softball team dropped both games of its doubleheader against Wesley College, each by scores of 14-1, Saturday evening at Harvey-Dryden Field in Buena Vista, Va.
In game one, the Knights took an early 1-0 lead through two complete innings. Despite Wolverine pitcher Lindsay Siok recording two quick outs in the bottom of the first, Southern Virginia was able to rally behind smart base running and key hits. Chance Hegsted provided a two-out single, then stole second before freshman McKenzie Packard recorded an infield single. A double steal attempt brought home Hegsted to give the Knights the lead; however, this would be the only run Southern Virginia would score.
Neither team would score in the second inning, but the Wolverine bats came alive as they would score in four consecutive innings, highlighted by an eight-run sixth that would seal the game.
Jamie Pinkston (0-4) took the loss for the Knights giving up six runs, 11 hits, and five walks while striking out two in five innings.
Wolverine starter Siok (6-2) earned the victory, giving up one run on three hits while recording three strikeouts in six innings.
In game two, the Knights (0-11) never led as the Wolverines (11-5, 0-2 CAC) jumped out to a 5-1 lead through four innings. Freshman outfielder Reilly Anderson scored the lone run for Southern Virginia in the bottom of the third.. After doubling to left field and advancing to third off a throw, Anderson crossed home plate off a MaKenzie Cox RBI groundout.
The Wesley offense would prove too much for the Knights as it scored nine runs in the top of the fifth that would end the game in five innings.
Wolverine starting pitcher Lily Engel (5-2) took home the win, giving up one run on five hits in five innings of work.
Pinkston took the loss for Southern Virginia giving up twelve runs – only four of which were earned – on nine hits while recording one strikeout in four innings.
Softball is back in action Monday as it hosts fellow CAC member and No. 2 nationally ranked Salisbury University in a doubleheader. Game one is slated to begin at 1 pm.


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Difference between revisions of "Khartoum"
Revision as of 23:03, 23 March 2013
Khartoum (Arabic: الخرطوم Al-Khartum) is the capital of Sudan and is located where the Blue and White Niles merge to form the Nile. The huge, spread-out city is actually made out of three distinct cities (Khartoum, Khartoum North or Bahri, and Omdurman) which are divided by the Nile and its two arms. The Blue Nile flows between Khartoum and Bahri, the White Nile between Khartoum and Omdurman, and the merged Nile between Bahri and Omdurman. The confluence of the Blue and White Nile, known as Al-Mogran, lies just north of the bridge between Khartoum and Omdurman.
Khartoum proper is the seat of the Sudanese government and is the largest of the three cities. The older part of the city lies beside the White Nile while the newer parts, such as Al-Amarat and Khartoum Two, spread out to the south, across the railway line and the ring road, and around the airport runway. The city, both the old part and its newer extensions, is laid out mostly in a grid. Omdurman has a more Middle Eastern atmosphere with maze-like streets and is home to the huge Souq Omdurman. Bahri is largely industrial and residential.
Get in
All visitors to Sudan need a visa and a passport as well as $500. Please see the Sudan page for details.
Permits and other legal requirements
Remember that all foreigners are required to register within three days of arrival. You will also need a permit to take photographs.
You don't have to have a travels permit if you're just traveling north of Khartoum. Elsewhere you will need it though.
By air
Khartoum Airport (KRT) is the main gateway into Sudan by air. The airport is served by various European, Middle Eastern and African airlines. Among the cities with direct connections with Khartoum are: British Airways (with connections to London), EgyptAir (Cairo), Emirates (Dubai), Ethiopian Airlines (Addis Ababa), Gulf Air (Bahrain), Kenya Airlines (Nairobi), KLM (Amsterdam), Lufthansa (Frankfurt), Qatar Airways (Doha) Turkish Airlines (Istanbul, on Tuesdays, Fridays, Sundays).
Sudan's national carrier Sudan Airways [5] links Khartoum and several African and regional capitals, as well as with Sudan's domestic airports at Port Sudan, Nyala, El-Fashir, Malakal, Juba, Dongola, Wadi Halfa and El-Obeid.
While departing from Khartoum, airport tax is SDG 35 for international departures which must be paid before you check-in. The counter for airport tax (small signboard) is on your left after you pass the first security check when you enter the the airport building. Go early as the airport can get a bit chaotic. Be prepared for long waits and queue cutting. Immigration checks and other security checks can also take a long time.
There is a bank facility to change money open during the night when there are flights.
Getting there/away: Khartoum Airport is located close to the city in Al-Amarat. Taxis should cost SDG 5-15 to any spot within the city, although locals may pay less. You can also walk out to the main road about 200 m from the airport terminal and catch minibuses that cruise along the road.
By road
The main tarred road goes south from Khartoum to Wad Medani then east to Gedaref (for the Ethiopian border at Gallabat), Kassala (for the Eritrean border, currently closed) and then to Port Sudan. South from Khartoum, a road also goes to El-Obeid, which then continues west towards the Chadian border via Darfur, which currently is a bit dangerous to use. From the north, the road comes in from Wadi Halfa via Atbara.
There are no road links to southern Sudan. The only option is to fly.
By bus
The chaotic Souq al-Shaabi (GPS 15°31'44.45"N , 32°32'34.85"E) used to be the main bus terminal for long distance south-bound buses in Khartoum, but a new terminal has been built which is more orderly. Buses leave for Port Sudan, Wad Medani, Kassala, El-Obeid and other cities. Going north long distance buses leave from Omdurman. Again, there are no buses to southern Sudan.
By train
Railway lines link Khartoum with Wadi Halfa and Port Sudan via Atbara. Trains leave Khartoum main train station is in Khartoum North (Bahri).
By boat
There are no boat services along the Nile to destinations outside Khartoum.
Get around
Khartoum is both easy and difficult to get around. It is easy in that much of the city is laid out on a grid, with long straight roads and the airport and Nile as easy reference places. It is difficult in that the city (or indeed the 3 cities) are very spread out, making walking a long and tiring option.
Maps are hard to come by, but Google Earth offers some good high-resolution images.
By taxi
These come in three flavours; bright yellow and often beaten up Toyota Corollas Model 1977, small 6 seater minivans, and modern comfortable air conditioned metred cabs (operated by LimoTrip 00249 183 591 313 or [email protected] - rates are reasonable by meter only and saves the haggling; the cabs are also radio controlled). Apart from metered taxis, taxi drivers always overcharge the foreigner and SDG 10 is the usual starting price for negotiations for short trips around town.
Fair 'foreigner' prices for taxis are roughly:
Crossing the river will usually double the price. From the city center, they may ask for SDG 25-30 to go to Afra Mall(currently closed). To get the 'Sudanese' fare, you need a bit of luck and be prepared to walk away when drivers refuse to drop to a reasonable price. Remember that petrol is around SDG 8.5 a gallon so drivers can make a profit even on a SDG 5 fare.
Finally be aware that most taxi drivers speak no English, can't read maps, and sometimes can't read Arabic either; (young)drivers often even have little idea about Khartoum's geography, especially about other parts of the city to where you pick him up.
By minibus
Minibuses are the cheapest way to get around Khartoum, especially between the three cities. There are easily thousands of minibuses and seeing all of them gather near the Great Mosque and Souk al-Arabi is a sight to behold. They are however quite complicated to use. None of them bear destination signs and you will have to be able to speak a little Arabic with their conductors to determine which minibus to take. They are also always packed to the brim. Fares are always less that SDG 1, even cross-river.
Most of the minibuses leave from the square near the Great Mosque (Mesjid al-Kabir) or nearby in Khartoum proper.
By car
Describing Khartoum's traffic as chaotic is a bit of an understatement. The current economic boom has seen many more cars on the road, although driving attitudes have not changed, resulting in almost comical chaos at intersections. As Khartoum is laid out in a grid, there are many intersections for cars from all directions to barge in to fight for space. Having said that, the slow speed of vehicles ensures that they are very few major accidents, at least in the city. If you are not used to such driving conditions, it is better to resort to taxis.
Car hire is available and costs a bit above the African average, around 150 SDG per day for a Corolla, and 300 SDG for a 4x4 (with compulsory driver). However if you want to head off in to the desert the costs mount further, as the 100 km is standard, and then its 1 SDG per additional kilometre, hence a trip to the Meroe pyramids adds 400 SDG to your costs. Fuel, however, is cheap, at around 1.8 SDG per litre (March 2008). 'Limousine' is the Arabic for car hire – try along Airport Road or Ibed Khetim Road (east of the airport) for car hire places.
By three-wheeled taxis
Called "bajaj" (like in India) or "raksha", they are cheaper than taxis but more expensive than buses so less than 5 SDG per trip. They are best used for short trips within each of Khartoum's three cities. It is better to use taxis or minibuses if you have to cross the Nile to travel between the three cities.
By boat
There are no ferry services between the three cities as they are well connected by road bridges.
There is a ferry service between Khartoum proper and Tuti Island, a rural islet in the middle of the Blue Nile. In Khartoum, boats leave from the river bank along Nile Street opposite the Friendship Hall to the west of the city center. A ferry also runs between Tuti and Omdurman (except on Fridays)
Khartoum (الخرطوم)
Bahri (Khartoum North)
There are many professionnal and international clubs spread around the three cities. Providing for sport, cultural activities or simply a place to meet, they are a lively remnant of British influence.
Cultural centers
In the evening
Most shopping is still done in street markets or souqs. The souqs here are not as attractive those in other Middle Eastern countries but are still interesting enough for a glimpse of Sudanese economics. And you can certainly buy everything you need, including handicrafts if you are a tourist, from these markets. Prices are not amazingly low due to transport costs for imported (mainly Chinese) goods, but cheaper than in Afra Mall or proper shops. Upmarket, Khartoum has only one shopping mall with a supermarket, several shops and food outlets.
Khartoum North (Bahri)
Khartoum has a good sprinkling of restaurants, with new ones popping up every couple of months – other than restaurants attached to hotels there is little quality eating to be had in Khartoum's city centre. Amarat hosts the majority of the better eateries, although Ridyah and Khartoum 2 also have some places. Omdurman and Barhi have a light sprinkling of simple restaurants. All restaurants have about 15% goverment tax and 3-14% service charge.
Nile Street - Khartoum
Khartoum 2
East of the airport
It's best to prepare yourself to be alcohol-free for your stay: there are places serving 'special tea' dotted around and non-alcoholic beers are available, but in general it's more hassle than it's worth to track down alcohol during a short visit. For long-termers, however, the market does exist - via diplomatic bags and other routes... apparently.
Note that a 5% tourism tax and 15% VAT may well be added to your bill - Khartoum's hotels are inconsistent in telling you about these taxes in advance, and (especially for cheaper hotels) inconsistent in paying this money to the tax authorities. Remember to ask if there are any hidden extras before booking.
Mid range
Embassies and consulates
Get out
The ruins around Gebel Barkal include at least 13 temples and 3 palaces, that were for the first described by European explorers in the 1820s, although only in 1916 were archeological excavations started by George Reisner under a joint expedition of Harvard University and the Museum of Fine Arts of Boston. From the 1970's, explorations continued by a team from the University of Rome La Sapienza, under the direction of Sergio Donadoni, that was joined by another team from the Boston Museum, in the 1980's, under the direction of Timothy Kendall. The larger temples, such that of Amun, are even today considered sacred to the local population.
For these reasons, the mountain, together with the historical city of Napata and other ancient sites, were considered by UNESCO, in 2003, World Heritage Sites.
Buses leave daily from Khartoum to Kerma, However the most comfortable and convenient way of getting there is by Car. The route is tarmaced,but you will still require the best part of a day to get there.


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I've been eating these brownies for a few days now, feeling guilty about not sharing them with you. Last week was so busy with work, and it carried right into the weekend (but don't feel bad for me; work is good news if you're a freelancer). Now that things have calmed down a bit, I can finally get back to my blog!
This is an easy recipe that I found on here on about.com. "About" is not my favorite recipe source, due to a truly awful cookie recipe I tried years ago, but this one looked solid compared to a few of the other Guinness brownie recipes I turned up. Then I saw that one of my favorite bloggers also used it with good results. There is not a lot of sugar in this recipe, so I think the white chocolate is there to add some additional sweetness, and the brownies are definitely sweet enough for me.
I recommend a good quality bittersweet chocolate (I used Lindt 70% cocoa), but I'm sure you could get away with semisweet too. The texture is fudgy, but not in an under-baked sort of way. I think the Guinness imparts a unique bubbly lightness, so these brownies are not as dense and heavy as your typical fudgy brownie. To my surprise, I like them just as much as these peanut butter swirl brownies. Both are rich and chocolatey, but that's where the similarities end. Just give them a try for St. Patty's Day, and you'll see what I mean!
Guinness Brownies
Adapted from About.com and Cookie Madness
I used Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa powder; Hershey's or Green & Black's Organic are two other good brands. I used Lindt 70% cocoa bittersweet chocolate, which I believe is widely available in large, 3.5 ounce bars that cost about $2 each. I have to mention that this is also my favorite everyday eating chocolate. The price makes it a steal, and it's just as satisfying to me as more expensive brands. For white chocolate, I used a Ghirardelli white chocolate baking bar. I don't know if they are that different, but I think the bar has superior flavor to the Ghirardelli white chocolate chips, which I think are totally tasteless (but I'm not a fan of white chocolate). Finally, be sure the beer is at room temperature so you don't bring an unwelcome chill to your other ingredients.
Makes 24 brownies (in a 9 x 13 pan)
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes
8 ounces dark bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 ounces high quality white chocolate, chopped
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cup Guinness Stout beer, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with nonstick foil (or regular foil coated with nonstick spray); or, use a nonstick pan coated well with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa and salt; set aside.
Melt the chocolate in the microwave: In a medium glass bowl, or other microwave-safe bowl, combine the dark chocolate, white chocolate and butter. Microwave on medium power for 45 seconds and stir. Continue microwaving and stirring at 30 second intervals, reducing to 15 second intervals as the chocolate is nearly melted. Stop just when the chocolate is smooth (all microwaves are different, so take care not to burn it). Set aside.
Combine the eggs and sugar in a large bowl and mix on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add melted chocolate in two additions, beating on medium speed until combined. Add flour mixture in two additions, beating on medium speed until combined. Add one-third of the Guinness and the vanilla and whisk until combined. Repeat two more times with remaining Guinness.
Pour brownie batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over top. Bake for 23 to 27 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (mine took exactly 25 minutes). Cool completely in pan, cut into 24 squares and serve. These are excellent eaten within 24 hours (possibly longer; I'm not sure), and they freeze very well.


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If you like all of these great freebies and deals, make sure you sign up for my newsletter.
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Health records online, and why it'll be a failure
Recently, Microsoft announced a new website to hold users' health records. The project, called HealthVault, aims to store concerned citizens' records for later retrieval by a physician or hospital staff. Google and AOL have also announced similar plans to create their own brands of healthcare databases.
According to Microsoft's press releases, the company is teaming up with medical device manufactures so that patients can automatically upload the results of their glucose and blood pressure readings to HealthVault. No more keeping a paper log to bring to the doctor's office on the next visit. Simply plug the device into the computer and the Internet takes care of the rest. The process of saving health records in a central location sounds like a good idea. However, this website is doomed to failure. HealthVault and other similar databases have their novelty right now, but will eventually fade into obscurity for three reasons.
1. Privacy concerns. Given the recent break-ins of credit card and other high profile corporate databases, Americans are going to be weary about putting their private information in a central location that can eventually be hacked. According to the Wall Street Journal article, of the available technological options for storing data, the online warehouse is the least popular.
2. No standards. At least three private companies have announced similar plans to launch healthcare databases. Noting that Microsoft has a history of not following standards tells me that this database will not be interchangeable with other health information aggregators. Hospitals will have to re-live the multiple insurance hell through the Internet age by adopting various methods of downloading data from a variety of online databases. Further, users will have difficulty switching. I doubt that moving from Google to AOL will be as simple as finding a new physician and writing to the old one to ask for a transfer in records.
3. These databases don't hold enough usable information. While the benefits of having easily available charts for physicians to share is a major selling point, HealthVault will not contain enough useful information to become viable for hospital utilization. By only holding blood pressure and glucose readings, this website misses out on medication lists and progress notes—more worthwhile sets of information, particularly when seeing multiple providers.
In summary, while I would like to see an online database that stores patients' health records, HealthVault falls short by not employing standards, nor containing enough data to be fully usable. Once a more centralized, preferably non-profit database opens up, I'm sure more physicians and patients will want to embrace it. I can imagine Medicare pushing us in that direction. The federal government could benefit from aggregating patients' information to reduce billing costs by having a sole provider who can keep track of different specialists and prescriptions. Pharmacies could hook into this server to monitor refills and potential drug interactions when filling multiple medications.
1 Comment
www.topbloodpressureadvice.info » Health records online, and why it'll be a failure said,
[…] halfmd wrote a fantastic post today on "Health records online, and why itâ��ll be a failure"Here's ONLY a quick extractAccording to Microsoft's press releases, the company is teaming up with medical device manufactures so that patients can automatically upload the results of their glucose and blood pressure readings to HealthVault. … […]


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by Lou Mancinelli
Last September, when Po Flanigan's four-year-long tenant informed her the tenant would not be renewing the lease, she wondered what she would do with her property located at 1520 Bethlehem Pike, next to the Flourtown Fire House.
Four years earlier, in 2006, Flanigan had retired from her 25-year career as a jeweler and retailer in favor of taking up working as an artist at her home in Naples, Florida. Before that, Flanigan opened Popo Designs (PD), a fine jewelry store, first in 1989 in Erdenheim. She relocated the store to the Bethlehem Pike location in 1996, before leaving 10 years later.
But her friend and former PD manager Andrea Naticchione had recently lost her son. She had an itch to work again. When Naticchione heard the tenant at the old PD location was leaving, she contacted Flanigan to see if she was interested in opening another jewelry store.
As a result, Popo & Co. is the new fine and custom jewelry shop located in the old PD location. It opened for a few weeks last June and celebrated its grand opening in September.
In addition to the jewelry sales, the shop specializes in fine-engraving, consignment, estate or pre-owned jewelry and repairs. Its staff represents years of industry knowledge and experience on Jewelers' Row in Philadelphia and Manhattan. Emphasis is placed on featuring American-made products, from designers like Susan Shaw and Chewbeads, a Connecticut-based company that makes non-toxic jewelry for moms to wear that babies can chew. Inside there are sustainable approaches like recycled cases that have been turned and painted.
"It's different from the store before because she is doing more affordable custom jewelry," said current store manager, gemologist Laura Kaplowitz, a University of the Arts graduate who has worked in fine jewelry for 27 years. Her own line of jewelry is available online at www.fightorflightjewelry.com. "The product is different because we are really searching for jewelry you don't see everywhere."
Naticchione scans jewelry shops from Italy to Miami to Bucks County in search of unique pieces. Flanigan, who was raised in Chestnut Hill, transitioned into the world of silver, gold and rubies in 1984, when she decided she "would get a career." Before that, she worked as a secretary, a discipline she studied at Marymount University in Maryland, then an all-girls school.
She took a number of courses in New York and Philadelphia, where she met other sellers and merchants in the industry and began buying and selling jewelry out of her Gwynedd Valley home.
Towards the late '80s, a recently divorced Flanigan, with her children out of the home at college, thought "so who am I? I might as well get a store." She eventually purchased the building in Flourtown that was built in 1787 to house a family of barrel makers.
"I always wanted to be an artist," Flanigan said about retiring in 2006. Over the years, she used to close PD during the summer and travel or spend time at the Jersey shore. She studied art in Italy and France, as well as at the Philadelphia Institute of Art and Springfield High School.
Flanigan still owns a home in Naples, where she spends six to eight months a year. This year her studio is part of the Friends of the Naples Art Museum studio tour, which brings around 2,000 people through an artists' studio in two days. While in the Philadelphia area, she paints in her Flourtown studio, The Art Snuggery, or at her Brigantine, New Jersey, getaway. She works with acrylic paint and often paints still life. Her work can be seen online at www.zoloftism.com.
At Popo & Co., the locally-raised Mt. Saint Joseph graduates, Flanigan ('67) and Naticchione ('76), want customers to feel more like friends.
"We want them to feel like when they come in, they know everyone," said Kaplowitz. "We try to get things that are a little different, but we also have basic pieces. And there is a lot of color in the store."
They have initiated things like the Clipper Club, a selection of about 50 pairs of earrings for those who prefer to remain without pierced ears.
As far as coming out of retirement, "Why not?" Flanigan said. "As long as I have time for my art career."
(Regarding her unusual first name, Po was born Joan Helen Flanigan. She was dubbed Po by her mother, who was watching "On the Riveria," a 1951 musical comedy, on television with a friend. A young Flanigan ran into the room just as the character Popo the Puppet appeared on the screen. From then on she was known as "Po" Flanigan.)
Popo & Co., 1520 Bethlehem Pike, Flourtown, PA . Tuesday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., Saturday, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., open until 7 p.m. Wednesday. For more information visit www.popoandco.com, call 215-233-3888 or email firstname.lastname@example.com.


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JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Oct. 7, 2009) - The ETSU men's soccer team is set to head to first place Mercer as the Bucs take on the Bears on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Bear Field in Macon, Ga.
The Bucs (1-4-3, 0-0-1 A-Sun) come into the match looking for their first conference win after taking a school record 33 shots in a draw against USC Upstate this past weekend. ETSU is led by sophomores Sean Hoek (Newburgh, Ind.) and Jaron Westbrook (Round Rock, Texas). Hoek leads the team with two goals, while Westbrook has the lone game-winner for the Bucs.
This is the second meeting between the two teams. Last year, the Bears came from behind to tie the game at 2-all in the 89th minute as the game ended in a draw.
Mercer (3-4-2, 2-0-0 A-Sun) currently sits atop the Atlantic Sun with six points after defeating both Belmont and Lipscomb last weekend. The Bears are led by Ian Cameron who is tied for second in the A-Sun with five goals on the season.
Live stats are available by clicking the link above. For more information on Buccaneer men's soccer or any other athletic news, please visit www.ETSUBucs.com.


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Mayor's Office
The nighttime closure of the 27th and Capital Parkway intersection has been moved up one day and is expected to be completed in only two nights. The intersection is now scheduled to be closed from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Wednesday, August 26 and Thursday August 27. The detour for these closures is Capital Parkway, Randolph St., 33rd St. and Capital Parkway. The intersection had been scheduled to close the nights of August 27th, 28th and 29th
The southbound lanes of S. 27th St. from Capital Parkway are now closed for resurfacing. Once those lanes are completed, they will be reopened, and the northbound lanes closed. The closure of the northbound lanes is now expected to take place at 6 a.m. Wednesday, August 26.
The detour route is Capital Parkway to "A" Street to 27th Street.


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Qwest Stresses Service Commitment to Safeguard Confidential Customer Information; Names Chief Privacy Officer
HELENA, Mont., January 28, 2002 - Qwest Communications International Inc. today announced that it is withdrawing its plans to share private customer account information among different divisions in the company. Citing customer concerns, the company said a decision on when and how it might share information within Qwest would be made after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has an opportunity to issue new rules, expected later this year.
"When many of our customers tell us that they're concerned or don't understand what we're doing, it's time to stop the process and make a change," said Qwest Chairman and CEO Joseph P. Nacchio. "Qwest takes seriously its obligations regarding privacy policies and procedures. We've worked hard and invested billions of dollars to improve service and our customers' perceptions about the value we provide them. We will not allow misunderstandings to unravel all the good we've done or minimize our best service results in more than seven years."
Nacchio also announced David J. Heller as chief privacy officer. Heller is currently vice president of risk management. He will oversee the review, improvement and enforcement of the company's privacy policies and procedures.
Nacchio stressed that Qwest's privacy policy is not to sell or disclose private customer account information to any other company or individual, except for people authorized to offer or help customers get Qwest services and to collect bills; to prevent the unlawful use of services; or if the company sells that part of its business. Private customer account information is confidential information about a customer's purchases and usage of telecommunications services. It includes information about the type of service a customer might have, the technical configuration of those services, usage information, and billing information for telecommunications services.
Qwest is the first company in the telecom industry to announce that it will not share private customer account information inside its company until the FCC has had an opportunity to issue new rules on the process. Qwest intends to notify its approximately 12 million local-service customers to explain that the company has withdrawn its plans to share private customer account information within the company.
Qwest had notified its customers last December and in early January that it intended to begin sharing private customer account information among different divisions in the company to design and offer new or different services to its customers in the future. The notice did not change the company's long-standing policy that it does not and would not sell or disclose private customer account information to other companies or individuals for their own marketing purposes.
The FCC began a rule-making process regarding the sharing of private customer account information in September 2001. The company expects the FCC to issue a ruling later this year.
"We take great care to safeguard customer information," said Rick Hays, Qwest vice president of policy and law for Montana. "Private customer account information may be used only by employees and other authorized representatives to help serve our customers. The bottom line is that we're serious about earning and maintaining the trust of our customers."
Focus on Service
Qwest has invested $1.8 billion to improve service in its 14-state region since acquiring U S WEST 19 months ago. The FCC has recognized that investment and the employee work as leading the telecommunications industry.
Last week, Qwest reported its second year of service improvement. Qwest
cited strong customer service improvements in 2001 in five key areas of
installation and repair for residential and small-business customers in
* Nearly 99 percent of customer installation commitments were met on time - the best annual results in six years;
* Repair commitments were met 95 percent of the time;
* Repeat repairs decreased by more than 15 percent from a year ago;
* Qwest repaired more than 92 percent of all service outages in Montana in 24 hours or less - an improvement of more than four percent over the same time a year ago - the best annual results in seven years;
* At the end of December 2001, no customer in Montana waited more than 30 days for the installation of the first telephone line.
The FCC report declared that Qwest leads the industry in service quality. In December 2001, the FCC issued its "Quality of Service of the Local Operating Companies" report, which showed that Qwest was first among the major local service providers in four of the seven critical customer service categories measured by the FCC and that Qwest improved in six of the seven.
About Qwest
Qwest Communications International Inc. (NYSE: Q) is a leader in reliable, scalable and secure broadband data, voice and image communications for businesses and consumers. The Qwest Macro Capacity® Fiber Network, designed with the newest optical networking equipment for speed and efficiency, spans more than 190,000 miles globally. For more information, please visit the Qwest Web site at www.qwest.com.
# # #
This release may contain projections and other forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements may differ materially from actual future events or results. Readers are referred to the documents filed by Qwest Communications International Inc. (together with its affiliates, "Qwest", "we" or "us") with the Securities and Exchange Commission, specifically the most recent reports which identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: potential fluctuations in quarterly results; volatility of Qwest's stock price; intense competition in the markets in which we compete; changes in demand for our products and services; the duration and extent of the current economic downturn, including its effect on our customers and suppliers; adverse economic conditions in the markets served by us or by companies in which we have substantial investments; dependence on new product development and acceleration of the deployment of advanced new services, such as broadband data, wireless and video services, which could require substantial expenditure of financial and other resources in excess of contemplated levels; higher than anticipated employee levels, capital expenditures and operating expenses; rapid and significant changes in technology and markets; adverse changes in the regulatory or legislative environment affecting our business, delays in our ability to provide interLATA services within our 14-state local service area; failure to maintain rights-of-way; and failure to achieve the projected synergies and financial results expected to result from the acquisition of U S WEST, and difficulties in combining the operations of the combined company. This release may include analysts' estimates and other information prepared by third parties for which we assume no responsibility. We undertake no obligation to review or confirm analysts' expectations or estimates or to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. The Qwest logo is a registered trademark of, and CyberCenter is a service mark of, Qwest Communications International Inc. in the U.S. and certain other countries.
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Large Pay Raises Being Reviewed by Governor
- Written by Bob Gabrielson
- Published in News
(4/4/14) Governor Scott Walker says he's reviewing large pay raises given to eight Wisconsin prison wardens recently.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel learned that the wardens got raises of up to 13-percent last month, to put their salaries close to 100-thousand dollars a year. The Republican Walker noted that state agencies do not go through his office in granting pay raises. But he said the correctional raises were quote, "obviously an area of concern," and he wants to see the documentation. The Journal Sentinel said the Corrections Department circumvented the government's salary rules by transferring wardens from one institution to another. The agency gave the newspaper one of its prior memos, comparing the wardens' previous salaries to those of other state workers and officials -- including the heads of the state's secure psychiatric facilities. The wardens' pay hikes came at a time when other state workers received one-percent raises. The wardens were given the one-percent hikes as well.