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Warren Buffett gave the most extensive comments to date about the future of Berkshire Hathaway Inc after he is gone, saying he still expects the conglomerate to be a partner of choice for distressed companies.
Buffett, 82, also defended his plan to install his son, Howard, who has little investing experience, as non executive chairman, saying the younger man's role would be to ensure that Berkshire had the right CEO in place.
During the financial crisis and its immediate aftermath, Berkshire helped prop up a number of companies, among them blue-chips such as General Electric and Goldman Sachs Buffett's investments were viewed by many shareholders as a seal of approval from one of the world's most respected businessmen.
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Short-seller Doug Kass, invited by Buffett to Berkshire's annual meeting on Saturday to offer contrarian points of view, asked whether a successor would have the same heft. Buffett said it would not matter.
"Berkshire is the 800 number when there is really some panic in the markets, and people really need significant capital," Buffett said.
"If you come to a day when the Dow has fallen 1,000 points a day for a few days and the tide has gone out and you find some naked swimmers, those naked swimmers ... will call Berkshire," he added.
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Whoever ultimately takes over Berkshire will run a conglomerate that employs more than 280,000 people in dozens of businesses worldwide, covering everything from ice cream to insurance and retail to railroads.
Kass later asked what qualified Howard Buffett, a 58-year-old farmer and philanthropist, to step in as Berkshire's non-executive chairman when his father is gone. The elder Buffett insisted his son was ideal for the task at hand.
"He has no illusions at all of running the business. He won't get paid for running the business," Warren Buffett said. "He'll only have to think about whether the board ... needs to change the CEO."
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As in the past, Buffett talked about his successor as CEO without actually identifying him.
Speculation usually focuses on a small group of top Berkshire executives, among them insurance boss Ajit Jain and railroad leader Matt Rose.
One long-time Buffett-watcher said the legendary investor seemed to handle the pressure from Kass and others well.
"Buffett hasn't broken much new ground, but he's handled Doug's question well ... and, as always, reinforced the Berkshire culture every chance he's had," said Jeff Matthews, founder of hedge fund Ram Partners LP and a Buffett biographer.
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Economic Indicator
Berkshire's breadth means that its performance is seen as a barometer for the broader economy.
On Saturday, Buffett said he still stands by the actions taken by the U.S. Federal Reserve to stimulate the economy, even as he cautioned that the program could be "very inflationary."
"This is like watching a good movie, and I do not know the end," he said. "We have benefited significantly, and the country has benefited significantly, by what the Fed has done."
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Buffett also endorsed the last four years of deficit spending by President Barack Obama's administration, saying it is a problem to get off that program but much less of a problem than if the government had followed a strict austerity program instead.
"We are seeing some recovery in housing prices which has psychological effects," he said. "(By the next annual meeting) I think we will have moved forward...I don't think there will be a surge of any sort, but I don't think we will stall."
Earlier Saturday, one of Buffett's top lieutenants said things were picking up but could improve further.
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"It feels like a 2 per cent economy. If we want to see GDP click up to 3.5 percent, 4 percent, you need to see more consumption," said Rose, CEO of the railroad Burlington Northern, in an interview.
Rose said Burlington Northern was seeing "across the board" increases in demand to ship things like concrete, roofing tiles and cars.
No Twitter, Thank You
Buffett may be optimistic about the economy, but he is decidedly more cautious about technology. Earlier this week he joined Twitter, taking the handle @WarrenBuffett - but insisted he only knew enough about it to press a button when told to.
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On Saturday he said he disagreed with the recent guidance from the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission that lets companies release material information on Twitter. Some see that as a threat to Berkshire's press release service, Business Wire.
"The key to disclosure is accuracy and simultaneity ... I do not want it, if I am buying Wells Fargo (WFC.N), to keep hitting up their web page and hoping I'm not 10 seconds behind someone else for some important announcement," he said.
He also stuck by one of Berkshire's more controversial investments, its recent acquisition of a number of newspapers.
The annual meeting crowd applauded when CNBC anchor Andrew Ross Sorkin asked a critical question about the stable of papers.
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"It's not going to move the needle in Berkshire ... we are buying the papers at very, very low prices with (regard to) current earnings," Buffett said, adding that he expected to meet or beat a 10 percent rate of return, after-tax.
Yet as much as investors want to hear about Berkshire's growth potential and the state of the economy, some also attend the meeting just for a good laugh.
The meeting opened, as it does every year, with a video montage. This year's included a duet between Buffett and singer Jon Bon Jovi and a take-off on the TV series "Breaking Bad."
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Some of the best comedy, though, usually comes in the verbal sparring between Buffett and Vice Chairman Charlie Munger over the course of the day.
The two are close - they shared an oversize box of peanut brittle during the meeting - but Munger's acerbic tongue pops out from time to time.
"I come to see Charlie Munger needle Warren Buffett - only he can," said Sherman Silber, a doctor and shareholder.
(Writing by Ben Berkowitz; editing by Bob Burgdorfer and Matthew Lewis)


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Phoram Mehta
Senior Manager, PayPal Pte Ltd
Phoram Mehta is a Senior Manager for Information security and risk management for PayPal's Asia-Pacific region. Mehta recently re-located from PayPal San Jose to lead the InfoSec function in this region. Mehta has over 13 years of experience in facets of building and managing secure networks. He has a Master's in Computer Science with specialization in Networking and Security from University of Missouri – Kansas City.

subset: commoncrawl


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Turkish Delight
Box Includes:
1 x Assorted Donut
3 x Turkish Delight Bars
1 x Dairy Milk Chocolate Bar
To finish the box, confectionary is added to the base.
Every Celebration Box is hand made, so there will be some variation between boxes with flavours and confectionary.
Free personalised message included, please add the message to notes when you check out to ensure the message is added.
You can select a desired delivery date at the check out. We will send the gift box out the day before (apart from Monday)** using an overnight delivery service.
Auckland orders may (and generally do) arrive same day, however as we use a third party delivery service and have limited control over delivery, Auckland orders may also arrive overnight. We recommend Auckland Pick Up (Mt Eden, CBD).
Keep an eye on your tracking as this will be updated once the gift box has been dispatched by us.
We will try our best to get your order to you on the selected delivery date and 95% of the time we will, however, as we use a third party delivery service, delivery IS NOT 100% GUARANTEED on your selected delivery date. Rural addresses WILL take longer.
Out of Auckland orders booked for a Monday, will be delivered on a Tuesday, as the courier does not operate on a Sunday, so these will be packed and sent on Monday for a Tuesday arrival.
Auckland orders booked for a Monday may arrive same day, or overnight on Tuesday.
For more info about shipping & delivery, click here to read our FAQ


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Area items of interest
Final pool set for car give-away
Paul Gilbert, Rose Moore and Andrea Haddock are the final weekly winners named, bringing to 10 the number of United Way contributors who will have a chance to win the free 2011 Toyota Corolla.
Gilbert works at West Pharmaceutical Services, Moore is with the Lenoir County Health Department and Haddock works at Lenoir Memorial Hospital. The car is being donated by Massey Motor Company to benefit the Lenoir/Greene United Way.
The final drawing for the actual car will be held Monday.
Medicare Part D clinics continue
Lenoir County Seniors� Health Insurance Information Program, operating under the North Carolina Department of Insurance and in conjunction with Lenoir County Cooperative Extension, is continuing its counseling clinics during Medicare Part D open enrollment, which ends Dec. 6.
Remaining clinics this week include 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Pink Hill Wellness Center, 301 Pine St., Pink Hill; and 1 to 4 p.m. Thursday at the Cooperative Extension office, 1791 Hwy. 11.
Bring Medicare cards, correspondence from Medicare and all other insurance and prescription cards, along with all prescribed medication. Medicare recipients are seen on a first come, first served basis at all clinics.
Church plans anniversary service
Greater Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church is having a centennial anniversary celebration at 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday at the church, 311 E. North St. Guest speaker will be the Rev. Shelton Murphy.
Commemorative services also will be held at 11 a.m. Sunday, with the Rev. John Flowers Jr., pastor, and at 4 p.m. with the Rev. Joe Jackson of Best Grove Missionary Baptist Church of Goldsboro. A reception will follow the 4 p.m. service.
For more information, call 252-523-3333.
Arts center offers workshops
A holiday ornament workshop will be from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Community Council for the Arts, 400 N. Queen St.
Amanda Lehtola will teach how to construct and green glaze ceramic ornaments for your tree and for gifts to share. Projects will be completed the day of the workshop and fired available for pick up Dec. 14. The workshop is open for children, adults and families.
Cost per person is $10 for members, $15 for non-members. Call 252-527-2517.


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Paula Suozzi
Stage Director
Ms. Suozzi is a freelance director of theater and opera. As Associate Artistic Director at Skylight Opera, she directed several notable new productions of operas: a new version of Romeo et Juliette which combined Gounod with Shakespeare; Copland's The Tender Land, filmed for PBS Television; Weill's The Threepenny Opera (Journal Sentinel's top 10 list); Britten's The Turn of the Screw and Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor. She has directed for the Lyric Opera of Chicago twice: bringing Robert Carsen's acclaimed production of Eugene Onegin to Chicago and as Associate Director remounting the Lyric's Tosca this past January. Most recently, she directed a new production of Britten's The Rape of Lucreita for the Toledo Opera. Other productions with regional companies include: Gounod's Romeo et Juliette at Cincinnati Opera; Verdi's Luisa Miller and Smetana's The Bartered Bride at Canadian Opera Company (Dora Mavor Moore nomination for Best Director); Mozart's Die Zauberflote at Tulsa Opera Association, and a remount of her production of Weill's The Threepenny Opera for Connecticut Grand Opera. Ms. Suozzi has been an assistant director with both the San Francisco Opera Association and the Metropolitan Opera Association, where she has also worked with the Lindeman Young Artist Program coaching the singers for the National Council Auditions. At Tanglewood Music Center, she served as acting coach to the opera singers. Ms. Suozzi's theatre directing credits include Harold Pinter's The Caretaker, Nicky Silver's The Food Chain, Shakespeare's Macbeth and Twelfth Night. Ms. Suozzi has been recognized in the Milwaukee Business Journal "40 Under 40" for success in her chosen field, and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Milwaukee Magazine have recognized her as someone to watch within her field.


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Red Lunch napkins (20pk)
Save 60%
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Handloom Ikat Silk Saree In Yellow Color
The Pochampally Ikat weaving technique is one of most complex tie-dye technique. The weavers at Pochampally have mastered this art over centuries.
* Fabric: Silk; Blouse Piece: Attached;
*Color hues may slightly vary from that which appears in the image.
* Do not squeeze or wring
* Dry in shade
* Hang the saree for longer life


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Give someone your heart...or another shape from our simple and sweet keyring collection.
My MulberryPlease sign in to your Mulberry Account to save items to your Wishlist.
Having an account with Mulberry will allow you access to:
- Enjoy faster checkout
- Save items to your Wishlist
- Save and view your orders
- Access to online returns
- Manage your account details and email preferences


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Referencia: Z-200-H
Connection base for all DETNOV ranges of conventional, analogue and carbon monoxide detectors.
This base has 4 stainless and metallic contact trips and has been designed to be a low-profile device. It is made of injected white ABS plastic and is equipped with an anti-theft system which lets you block the detector head. A tool is needed to extract the detector once it is blocked.
■ Base compatible with all Detnov's detectors
■ Compensates irregular surfaces
■ Connection for a remote indicator
Base (height x Ø): 5 mm x 100 mm
Base (height x Ø): 5 mm x 100 mm


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Providing a quality Catholic education for students in the Ponchatoula area since 1896.
St. Joseph School was established in 1896 to serve the Catholic students of St. Joseph Church Parish. It has been a landmark of the Ponchatoula area for generations. The school is operated by the church parish which for years has been served by the Dominican fathers.


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Turnabout on Global Outlook Darkens Investor Mood
U.S. Job Growth Estimate Friday to Provide Next Clue
A series of sudden, unfavorable events has in just a matter of weeks changed bright optimism about the pace of growth in the global economy this year to a deepening sense of doubt.
The warning signs are plentiful: Tumbling stock prices around the world, disappointing economic reports in the U.S. and China, hasty interest-rate increases in major developing countries including Turkey, India and South Africa, and whispers of disappointment in corporate earnings conference calls. They are combining to send a signal that the global...


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NCIS: New Orleans Season 5 Episode 24 () - Watch Online
NCIS: NEW ORLEANS is a drama about the local field office that investigates criminal cases affecting military personnel in The Big Easy, a city known for its music, entertainment and decadence. Leading the team is Special Agent Dwayne Pride, aka "King," a native of New Orleans who is driven by his need to do what is right. Working with Pride is Special Agent Christopher LaSalle, who plays hard but works harder; and Special Agent Meredith "Merri" Brody, a charismatic and tough interrogator who transferred from the Great Lakes office in search of a fresh start. Supporting them is coroner Dr. Loretta Wade, who is as eccentric as she is smart. This colorful city that harbors a dark side is a magnet for service personnel on leave, and when overindulgence is followed by trouble, Pride's team is at its best.
NCIS: New Orleans Season 5 Episode 24 () Links
Do not miss the latest episodes of all the hottest TV shows you enjoy watching. They are waiting for you here at Watchseriestv.tv. You can watch the episodes that have been updated the most recently, but you can also go back to some older episodes that you missed or want to see again. There is a grand collection of popular TV shows and all their seasons are included, with all the episodes they contain that are neatly arranged so you can find everything you want to see with a lot of ease.


text: At its best, "Friday Night Lights" is about failure. The original basis for the television show was Buzz Bissiner's non-fiction book along with Peter Berg's movie version that trace the defeat of the powerhouse high school football team, the Permian Panthers, in 1988. When Berg brought his movie to television, he had to dilute the emphasis on crushing defeat. Even if viewers might tolerate a bleak drama, losing would require the show to end. Continue reading


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For the third time in four years, the Cleveland Cavaliers have won the lottery for the top pick in the NBA Draft.
The Cavs had a mere 1.7% chance at the top pick, but beat out the Bucks and 76ers for a chance at Joel Embiid, Andrew Wiggins, or whoever else they'd like.
Here's the complete order:
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
2. Milwaukee Bucks
3. Philadelphia 76ers
4. Orlando Magic
5. Utah Jazz
6. Boston Celtics
7. Los Angeles Lakers
8. Sacramento Kings
9. Charlotte Hornets
10. Philadelphia 76ers
11. Denver Nuggets
12. Orlando Magic
13. Minnesota Timberwolves
14. Phoenix Suns


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The purpose of this page is to provide basic FERPA information for Bluegrass Community and Technical College faculty and staff. BCTC is legally and ethically obligated to protect the confidentiality of our students. In our high-tech environment, how we handle or mishandle student information could have significant consequences.
Please visit the FERPA F.A.Q.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, commonly known as FERPA, or the Buckley Amendment, is a federal law governing the privacy of educational records. FERPA gives students five rights:
FERPA defines an educational record as: "Information about a student that is maintained by the university as part of the educational process."
The following are not considered educational records:
Be aware, though, that contents of an educational record may appear in a variety of forms, such as:
FERPA allows colleges and universities to classify part of the educational record as "directory information". Normally, schools may disclose directory information without the written consent of the student. Directory information includes:
Students have the right to require that directory information about them not be disclosed. To activate a privacy flag, a student must submit a request in writing to the Registrar's Office. Please note that students who request suppression of directory information usually do so for serious, even dangerous, circumstances. It is critical that their absolute privacy be protected in every situation.
If a student has elected to suppress all directory information, the college will respond to all inquiries as follows:
"There is no information available for any student by that name."
Non-Directory Information is any educational record not classified as directory information (this includes grades, social security number, GPA, etc...). This private information may not be released to anyone, including parents of the student, without written consent from the student. College staff may access this information only if they have a legitimate need to use it to fulfill official duties. There are some legitimate exceptions to this rule, however. Directory and non-directory information may be released without the student's consent in the following instances:
Please remember that if you have access to student data, you are responsible for its proper handling. No matter what the form or content, you are accountable for handling student records in accordance with the law and college policy. It is always better to err on the side of caution where confidential information is concerned. Please contact the Registrar's Office if you have any further questions.


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A conversation between me and my sister:
Me: Let's have a tea party for the kids.
My sister: Why? Do you have a tea set?
Me: I got 4!
My sister: Wow! For a non tea drinker like you, I can't believe you got 4 sets!
Me:( just laughing)
Unlike my sister who loves green tea, warm tea or just about any kind of tea, I only drink flavored iced tea. I have a collection of teapots, tea cups and saucers of various styles and colors. They are bits and pieces that I collected to create a set. Instead of allowing these tea sets to collect dust in my cabinet, I'd like to put them to good use and so the tea party is born!
So last Sunday I hosted the first ever mini tea party for my nieces. It was so much fun we (me, my sis and cousin) decided to have a themed tea party ( or any mini themed party on a budget) for the kids once a month. But if no budget, no party! hehehe! We will keep it fairly simple but fun and memorable for the kids.
For the Food:
In addition to marshmallow tea cups that I made, we had assorted cookies for the kids to nibble on . Sis baked some dried cranberries and white chocolate chip cookies while my cousin Rome prepared adobo flakes bruschetta. You can check out their food blogs for the recipe. Others were store bought.
DIY tiered serving tray that I made. I used hot glue to hold all the pieces together.
I made marshmallow tea cups which were a hit!
mini cupcakes were store bought
Cinnamon twistix, chocolate coated cookies( from my aunt's fridge), chiffon bites, dried cranberries and white chocolate chip cookies courtesy of sis
Adobo Flakes Bruschetta courtesy of my cousin Rome.
The kids had lemon flavored tea ( Nestea to be exact) This tea set is not expensive. I bought the cups for Php29 ( 4 cups), the teapot for Php70. The green saucers are from a different set which I will use next time.
Sis and Cousin had Apple, cinnamon and raisin tea while I had my own secret drink! hihihi!
Want some tea?
Plants strategically placed for the venue to look like a garden. hehehe! How I wish we had a beautiful garden where we can hold mini tea parties like this.
Big thank you to my wonderful sister and cousin who took part in making this party an unforgettable one. One of them will host the next tea party. I just hope my other nieces will be able to join this time. Sis made the party more fun for the kids by holding a cake decorating contest after the party. You can check it out here.


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Tonight at 2am, remember to set your clock an hour forward. Look forward to both more sunlight at the end of the day and unfortunately, an earlier rise to work. Wikipedia explains why:
Adding daylight to afternoons benefits retailing, sports, and other activities that exploit sunlight after working hours, but causes problems for farming, evening entertainment and other occupations tied to the sun. Traffic fatalities are reduced when there is extra afternoon daylight;[6] its effect on health and crime is less clear. Although an early goal of DST was to reduce evening usage of incandescent lighting, formerly a primary use of electricity, modern heating and cooling usage patterns differ greatly, and research about how DST currently affects energy use is limited and often contradictory.
Emphasis on energy usage, all mine, to match my surprise. I did not know that. Did you?
Oh, apparently Wilson did. And the energy savings are BS these days, say some. So remind me why we still use this system? [Wiki]


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To best capitalize on the growing demand for agricultural products, including the recent spike in demand for clean biofuels, agribusinesses require comprehensive strategies that allow for diversification of growth.
Accenture has helped the world's leading global agribusinesses with investment management strategies that most efficiently accelerate production. Accenture offers consulting services to help realize new ideas, design new operating models and create opportunities for growth.
Mergers and Acquisitions
In an era when mergers and acquisitions are mandatory to maintain profitable growth, top performing agribusinesses evaluate potential acquisitions carefully and integrate new companies quickly and seamlessly. Accenture has a range of services to help in all areas of the deal cycle—from building a strategic roadmap to operational integration. With unmatched M&A leadership, our highly efficient, proven processes are scalable and can be used to help clients create their own in-house capabilities with processes and platforms that can be applied to all stages of M&A. As a result, organizations realize more value while being able to concentrate on their normal day-to-day business.
Portfolio Management
As agribusiness is growing through many different initiatives, it's important to decide where and when to make investments. Having a well-shaped portfolio management capability is crucial to ensure the right investments are made by applying structured and standardized go/no-go decisions to new and current initiatives. Accenture provides services in helping clients plan and manage their investment project portfolio, and to build their portfolio management capability.
Capital Investment Management
Asset-intensive companies such as agribusinesses need to build and operate production facilities and assets reliably, safely, and cost-effectively. In recent years, this has become increasingly difficult due to issues such as aging assets, workforce trends, the complexity of capital projects and increasingly rigorous environmental, health and safety standards.
Accenture provides agribusiness with a comprehensive capability for new plant strategy, permitting, engineering, procurement and construction. For operating facilities Accenture offers services to help reduce operating costs, improve asset reliability and optimize production performance.


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When it comes to hitting the dance floor, you've got the moves, you just need room to rock. Really let your expression shine as you turn your living room into a dance floor, let the moves flow and rock out to your favorite tunes in the first-ever Just Dance title designed just for kids. Whether you're moving like the thunder in "Naturally" or going on safari in "Surfin' USA," there's only one thing you have to do to have a blast — Just Dance.
With more than 40 hit pop and hip-hop songs re-recorded by kids, for kids, plus TV-show favorites for little brothers and sisters, Just Dance Kids has the beats to get everyone moving. Bigger kids can dance till they drop in Dance Party mode for one nonstop stream of songs, shake it to the rhythm to earn bonus points in Freeze and Shake mode and team up with their friends to rock the dance floor together. For the younger crowd, beloved TV personalities like The Wiggles and Yo Gabba Gabba make getting into the groove as fun as tuning in to their favorite shows, and classic favorites like "Wheels on the Bus" let the tiniest tots enjoy the musical magic. As kids bust a move and party with their friends, parents can track how many calories they burn in this healthy game that never feels like exercise.


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The chairman of the Colorado Democratic Party delivered what seemed to be a stinging rebuke as he welcomed Republican efforts to bring to the RNC to the state, but his one-liner was nothing compared to the verbal beating by Nevada Democrats.
Chairman Rick Palacio said he supported efforts by the Colorado GOP to host the 2016 Republican National Convention, and pointed to the success of the DNC in Denver in 2008.
"However, I would caution the GOP; as long as their party demonizes immigrants, ostracizes women, and pushes an outdated and extreme agenda, nothing, let alone a convention, will help them win over the independent-minded voters of our great state," Palacio said, in a news release.
Likewise, Nevada Democrats back efforts by state Republicans to host the RNC in Las Vegas that year, according to a November memo to RNC chairman Reince Priebus.
"The reason is simple," they said. "Putting the national spotlight on Nevada Republicans for a week-long national convention will do more to damage the Republican Party's brand than anything Democrats could possibly do."
That was just a warm up of a fascinating attack on Nevada Republicans and some of the headlines they produced in 2012. Read on:


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Guide: The Challenges Egypt and the Morsi Aministration Must Face
✚ Guide: The Challenges Egypt and the Morsi Aministration Must Face
This is a seriously through overview of what faces the Morsi administration by Bassem Sabry for al-Ahram — nearly 10,000 words. I have quibbles with a few things and the selection of issues (what are the priorities?) but this is a great place to start looking at, in an organized fashion, at some of the issues facing Egypt in the next year and more.
In fact I thought it was so useful I wanted an easier way to read it (right now al-Ahram links to each section separately), so I made it into a long form doc with a hyperlinked table of contents — available in PDF, RTF, HTML and, for true geeks, Markdown. I might use it as a base document to make my own running notes on the evolution of things.


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MC RADIO ACTIVE and MR HOOPER, hip hop concert, University Union Redwood Room, 7:30 pm, FREE!!!
For more info, visit our website: http://www.SacStateUNIQUE.comSponsored by the University Union UNIQUE Programs.All ages permitted. No alcohol sold or permitted at venue.For more info and to request accommodations (at least 5 business days before the event), please visit www.SacStateUNIQUE.com, call (916) 278-6997 or e-mail email@example.com.


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Google opened up a sort of pre-order contest for civilians (i.e., non-developers) this week for its new augmented reality headgear that should ship before the end of 2013 for $1,500 (for those with a clever enough idea.) The other significant news is that both CNET and The Verge report that "Glass will be able to connect via Bluetooth to both Android phones and the iPhone. Glass can pull down data from wifi or use the 3G or 4G feed from a connected phone, but it won't have its own cellular radio."
It's nice to see that Google is not escalating the platform wars by locking iOS out of the Glass ecosystem. In truth, that would not have been in Google's best interest. The whole point of Google's strategy is to increase the flow of information as many ways as possible. Also, as with the rumored iWatch, squeezing a cellular radio (and another data plan) into the device doesn't make much sense, especially since the entire target audience already has a smart phone.
The bigger question with Glass, for me, is how users will manage—and to what extent they will be allowed to manage—the huge potential torrent of data that this device will collect. The Verge's Joshua Topolsky had a hands-on (or face-on!) with Glass at Google's NYC HQ (and a local Starbucks) and found it very easy to acclimate to. "The privacy issue is going to be a big hurdle for Google with Glass," he writes. "Almost as big as the hurdle it has to jump over to convince normal people to wear something as alien and unfashionable as Glass seems right now."
I don't think fashionability is going to be an issue, boundaries will be. Glass, product director Steve Lee tells Topolsky, "It's a very intimate device. We'd like to better understand how other people are going to use it. We think they'll have a great opportunity to influence and shape the opportunity of Glass by not only giving us feedback on the product, but by helping us develop social norms as well."
Topolsky asks about "Glass etiquette," and wonders how "to answer questions about what's right and wrong to do with a camera that doesn't need to be held up to take a photo, and often won't even be noticed by its owner's subjects. Will people get comfortable with that? Are they supposed to?"
He hits on what is the most radical thing about Glass, the ability to record what is right in front of you, unobtrusively, in real time. Glass will so completely remove the friction from this process that we are all bound to record—and be recorded—without even thinking about it. This is great from a data flow perspective, and remarkable in terms of social science and, of course, marketing. But it places us smack in the middle of the user experience paradox of Glass.
Lee and lead industrial designer for Glass, Isabelle Olsson, told Topolsky about the questions that led them through the product development process. "What if we brought technology closer to your senses?" Lee asks "Would that allow you to more quickly get information and connect with other people but do so in a way—with a design—that gets out of your way when you're not interacting with technology?" So this is supposed to make us more present than the hunched over masses staring at their smart phones. "I don't want to do that, you know? I don't want to be that person," says Olsson.
But if the technology is so close to our sense so as to become prosthetic—a great outcome in terms of design—how do we maintain appropriate boundaries? This is the great experiment of Glass and really for the entire "connected world." In this way, Google is much farther ahead than Apple with its supposed iWatch. Glass's technology is even closer to us physically, even closer (it seems) in coming to market and more active. The iWatch, like most Apple mobile products, will be more about consuming than creating content. Glass, in contrast, will be a documentary studio in an eyeglass case!
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The Fragile Bee
Tuesday, September 11, 2018 - 12:00am
The UI Pentacrest Museums are buzzing with excitement to introduce our latest exhibit, The Fragile Bee. Artist Nancy Macko uses macro photography to create an exhibition featuring photographs, prints, and a mixed-media installation. The pieces teach the public about the plight of bees and raise awareness about humanity's interdependent relationship with them.
Exhibition organized through Katherine T. Carter & Associates
Old Capitol Museum
21 North Clinton Street
Room: Keyes Gallery for Arts, Humanities, and Sciences
Iowa City, IA 52240


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After all the hoopla regarding the unveiling of Nike's new line of NFL uniforms, the Chicago Bears threads look…basically the same, their classic "old school" look maintained. The Bears will debut their new Nike lighter and tighter uniforms this upcoming season. The other 31 NFL teams will be rocking new Nike uniforms as well because the company struck a deal with the NFL for the next five years.
There are a few key changes to the Bears new uniform, Nike worked hand in hand with Bears head equipment manager Tony Medlin, who kept the players in the loop. The jerseys are lighter, snugger, with shorter sleeves (this gives opponents less to grab onto), they obviously have the Nike swoop adorning the sleeve, but also feature something the Bears hold near and dear: the presence and prominence of the GSH patch, which stands for George S. Halas, the franchise's owner and a professional football pioneer.
Bears Chairman George McCaskey stated:
"Our family's biggest concern was, we wanted to make sure the GSH on the left sleeve went back to its original size," McCaskey said. "It had gotten smaller. Now, it's restored to its original, 1984 size, so we're very excited about that."
Here's a little before and after for you:
Brian Urlacher is looking fierce as always. Some subtle differences are in the sleeves and neckline. The NFL logo on the collar no longer has a white background. The stripes on the sleeves have been moved up, and the numbers are now on the shoulders instead of the sleeves. The shorter sleeves allow for less bagginess, in theory meaning less holding, which Urlacher believes will free up defensive end Julius Peppers for a wild season. I think my favorite touch is on the gloves, I've always been a sucker for accessories, check it out.
The biggest makeover happened for the Seattle Seahawks with some coloring changes, a patch look on the shoulders and what are allegedly feathers down the legs representing the 12th Man.


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December 27, 1928 - May 23, 2013
Port Jervis, NY
Barbara R. Fisher, age 84, of Port Jervis, NY, passed away Thursday, May 23, 2013 at her home.
She was born on December 27, 1928 in Walden, NY, the daughter of the late Herbert and Alvena Oliva Dunworth. Barbara graduated from the Lenox Hill School of Nursing in NYC, NY attaining her degree as a Registered Nurse. She worked at St. Francis Hospital, Port Jervis and the Milford Valley Convalescent Health Care Facility until her retirement. Barbara married LeRoy "Bud" Fisher, who predeceased her.
She is survived by her two sons, Bradford Fisher of Danbury, CT., and Blake Fisher and his wife, Teena of Port Jervis; her sister, Renee Ernst of Toronto, Canada; four grandchildren: Collin, Alexa, Victoria and Rebecca Fisher and several nieces and nephews.
Services and interment will be private. Rev. Patt Kauffman will officiate.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Port Jervis - Deerpark Humane Society, Route 209, Port Jervis, NY 12771.
Arrangements are by the Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, Inc., 154 E. Main St., Port Jervis, NY; for information, directions or to send a condolence note to the family, visit knight-auchmoody.com.


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Henie-Onstad Kunstsenter
Overlooking the Oslofjord, some 15km west of the city centre in Høvikodden, the Henie-Onstad Kunstsenter (Henie-Onstad Art Centre) is one of Norway's most prestigious modern art centres. There's no false modesty here – it's all about art as an expression of wealth – and the low-slung, modernistic building is a glossy affair located on a handsomely landscaped, wooded headland. The gallery was founded in the 1960s by ice-skater-cum-movie-star Sonja Henie (1910–69) and her third husband, the shipowner-cum-art-collector Niels Onstad. Henie won three Olympic gold medals (1928, 1932 and 1936) and went on to appear in a string of lightweight Hollywood musicals. Many of her accumulated cups and medals are displayed in a room of their own, and they once prompted a critic to remark: "Sonja, you'll never go broke. All you have to do is hock your trophies." Despite her successes, Henie was not universally admired – far from it, not least because of her links with the Nazi elite both before and during World War II.
The wealthy couple accumulated an extensive collection of twentieth-century painting and sculpture. Matisse, Miró and Picasso, postwar French abstract painters, Expressionists and modern Norwegians all feature, but these now compete for gallery space with temporary exhibitions of contemporary art, making it impossible to predict what part of the permanent collection will be on display at any one time. After the museum, be sure to spend a little time wandering the surrounding Skulpturparken (Sculpture Park), where you'll see work by the likes of Henry Moore and Arnold Haukeland; plans of the park are available at reception.
Oslo and the Oslofjord
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The latest articles, galleries, quizzes and videos.


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Danica Patrick Aiming for Different Type of Goal at Talladega
TALLADEGA, Ala. - Danica Patrick knows the importance of having the right equipment and aiming for the openings, however slender.
Patrick scored on her first try during a "Shoot the Puck" promotion at intermission of Tuesday night's first-round playoff game between the Chicago Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild.
She said Friday at Talladega Superspeedway that she wisely switched from high heels to flats for her trip onto the ice. Her other three shots went wide.
Patrick is hoping for more consistency in Sunday's Aaron's 499.
It's the first restrictor plate race since she became the first woman to win a pole and lead green-flag laps at the Daytona 500. She says that eighth-place finish might have hiked expectations for Talladega but that winning on the big speedways requires "a whole lot of luck."
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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The TVP Cookbook -- 10% OFF
Quantity in Basket:
Code: The TVP Cookbook
Shipping Weight: 0.00 pounds
THE TVP COOKBOOK: USING THE QUICK COOKING MEAT SUBSTITUTE by Dorothy R.
Bates -- 10% OFF THE RETAIL PRICE OF $9.95!
High in protein, high in fiber, low in calories, and containing no cholesterol, texturized vegetable
protein (TVP) is perfect for burgers, burritos, "meat" balls, stir fries, curries, tamales, sloppy joes,
and more. The TVP Cookbook shows you how it's done. (paperback, 96 pages.)


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Lidell revs up the funk on new album
Jamie Lidell, "Jamie Lidell" (Warp Records)
British-born Jamie Lidell may have relocated to Nashville, Tenn., but his new album is anything but country.
His fifth full-length release - self-produced in his home studio - is an 11-track homage to the funkadelic days of 1970s and 1980s disco pop. Think Cameo and The Gap Band.
"I'm Selfish" is bouncy with vocals resembling Prince and additional synth, while "What a Shame" enters dubstep territory with its booming beat and catchy chorus.
The tune "why-ya-why," with its happy trumpets and uneven beats, oddly turns into a Skream & Benga effort halfway through. It's a heavily produced sonic assault - and that's not necessarily a good thing.
The album has loads going on, and at times you're almost begging for a timeout. Thankfully there's "Don't You Love Me," a mellowish, D'Angelo-esque love song, and it saves the day.


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Along the way we gathered a huge amount of material - photographs, interviews, short films, soundscapes - which we have now transformed into an educational project for 12-15 year olds.
We don't claim to have all the solutions to stop sea levels from rising. But we hope our work will help the next generation understand their responsibility to each other to build a sustainable future.
Explore @ The RGS - 18th November
Where is Bernie the Buoy?


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McGrory Glass
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McGrory is always looking for new and intriguing products to introduce to the A+D community. Part of our stringent procurement process includes working with partners who have the same ideals when it comes to environmental impact. This is evident not only in the products we offer, such as VOC-free back-coated glass, it is also demonstrated by the actions we take, such as our commitment to solar energy. McGrory Glass' energy use is 100% offset by the 2,800 solar panels installed on the 108,000 square foot facility roof in 2012. McGrory will continue to lead by example in its environmental stewardship as it moves into its 30th year of serving the A+D Community.


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Full-service marketing
communications agency
Whatwe do
Oxygen is a leading South West marketing communications agency with a fresh, integrated approach to brand growth and marketing.
Our clients come to us for our creative thought, hard-working attitude and commitment to service. We don't let them down.
Your success is driven by our people. We apply enthusiasm to the spectrum of services you'd expect from a marketing communications agency, with a focus on graphic design, website development, PR and marketing, and copywriting. We also operate a printing franchise.
Good people means good business™
Highest standards and we can prove it. Click here
If you need a graphic design agency that has high-level experience with top brands, then you've found us. We're strong in corporate and brand identity for organisations looking to stand out from the crowd. We apply brand and graphics to virtually all types of media – and we have the experience to make the first impression last.
- Corporate identity and branding
- Stationery design
- Advertising and promotions
- Direct marketing and mail
- Presentations incorporating motion graphics
- Web and email.
Our integrated approach to web design and app development – combining our web team with graphic design and marketing strategy – will give you a seamless presence across all media that keeps up with change and makes your business stand out. We back this with our ISO27001 information security certification – giving you confidence in our robust, secure and long-term approach to all aspects of digital development.
- Responsive website development
- WordPress and Joomla! development
- Bespoke coding and development
- E-commerce and database CMS sites
- Digital advertising and PPC campaigns
- Organic SEO and optimised web copy
- Social media management and engagement.
Much of what makes a strategy work is in the planning and the experience of the marketing agency.
Marketing strategy sits as the heart of what we do as a full service agency. So whether we're thinking about a tactical marketing plan, a long-term communications strategy, or which traditional and digital channels are right for you, we'll be thinking about giving you an edge. We handle internal marketing and external marketing campaigns. In summary we provide:
- Marketing consultancy and review
- Marketing planning and strategy
- Marketing research for products or companies
- Online marketing and digital strategy
- Social marketing, word of mouth and nudge theory
- Social media and search (SEO).
PR & Media
What do you want from a PR agency? Oxygen works on retainer for a number of growing businesses in the South West. We have a strong in-house PR team backed by marketing and creative that offers a fresh approach to generating publicity.
We get to know your business, get to know your industry and get to know the people and publications that matter. Then we apply a heads-down approach to getting you coverage – with no fluff, no nonsense.
Strong relationships and a hard-working knowledge of PR get results. And we deliver.
- Media relations
- Press release writing and distribution
- Digital PR and online visibility
- Crisis communications
- Reputation management
- Social media management
- Blog management
- Media training.
We tend to work for clients on retainer agreements. However we can work on medium-term contracts or for specific requirements such as product launches and events
Are you looking for a copywriting agency? Oxygen started life as a copywriting agency in Devon, and our managing director is a copywriter. This has influenced our capabilities when it comes to writing copy and developing brand communications. We have written copy for all sectors across all media and with some of the world's biggest (and smallest) brands. Our copywriting services include:
- Website copywriting
- Search engine optimised copy
- Long copy for brochures and direct marketing
- Short copy for ads, straplines and taglines
- Scripts for videos, ads and events
- Newsletters and emailers
- Blogs and social media updates
- Press releases and PR copy.
Our marketing communications agency is certified to ISO9001:2015, the international quality standard. It recognises the effort and investment we've put into providing you with a high quality service and constantly improving how we work with all our customers. We're certified and audited annually for our graphic design, website development, copywriting, PR, web hosting and print management services.
Our marketing communications agency is certified to ISO27001, the information security standard – and this sets us apart from most agencies. It demonstrates that information security is a priority for us; that we handle confidential and sensitive data correctly, and ensure your websites, artwork and projects are protected by a robust business continuity system. We are audited and have improvements built-in to our information security management system (ISMS).


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Progress Notes
January, 2010
We had begun digitizing content in December, in order to have material with which to test the work flow, scripts, and display. This gave us a jump on the planned amount of digitization for January. Scripts used, methodology, and work flow were added to the wiki in December and January.
Beginning a bit early enabled Amanda to train one existing Digital Services student, who was available to work the first week of January, while the other did not start until January 11th, and then had to undergo training. The award letter did not arrive until late in January, and the pre-award approval did not go into effect for the first student until the 25th. Therefore, though we used approximately 140 student hours for the project in January, only about 80 were covered by the grant funding.
Amanda, Jeremiah, and Jody met with Jason Battles, Head of Web Services, to sort out issues related to the promotional web display and the usability test. Amanda developed textual content and located a potential image of Cabaniss for the website, and Jody began a section of the Digital Services wiki for Cabaniss information, to be linked into the website. Jeremiah is tackling the IRB (Institutional Review Board) approval forms, picking up where Amanda left off in December. Jason provided a contact at the IRB and the names of others in the organization who have successfully navigated those waters. Jody contacted these folks for copies of their successful submissions, to use as models for our own. Amanda selected the Jemison Papers collection as being similar to Cabaniss, for the usability study. Jody analyzed the finding aids for Cabaniss and the Jemison collections and proposed questions for the study. Amanda developed the consent form and we met to finalize the design and application on Friday January 29th. Actual submission will be in early February.
- Total files digitized by the end of January, 2010:
- Total files online by the end of January, 2010:


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Proposed Canon
"Please hold for Charlie."
Strengths: Resilient, Cool Under Pressure, Tough, Committed to Charlie
Weaknesses: ?
First Appearance: LIAB Text 18
Hilary is an Archon serving Charlescomm. During the Battle of the Expository Bridge, she and five others (Brittany, Miley, Paris, Avril, and Lindsay) were dispatched to spy on Haggar's column and to report their findings back to the capital, while Arkendish communications were blacked out.
It was a dangerous assignment, their veil was blown upon the start of Haggar's turn and three of the Archons were croaked. Hilary immediately flew to the ground and surrendered once they were discovered but her partner was not as lucky. She was tortured by Prince Sammy and his retinue, sustaining a broken leg, injured eye, and other sundry harm but did not reveal anything about her mission or Charlie's plans. Fortunately, when it looked like things were about to get very bad for her, Charlie resumed communication (he ended his Caster link with Vanna) and asked Hilary to open a thinkagram so he could "negotiate" with Sammy.
While it is likely that Charlie managed to get her released as part of the deal/blackmail arrangement he forced Sammy to agree to, her current assignment and whereabouts are unknown.
Real World References
She is likely named for Hilary Duff, as her spy group consists of archons named after six young female starlets, five of them singers.


text: Meet a Specialist: Kevin S. Emerick, M.D. "One of the great things about Mass. Eye and Ear is that you can find someone who specializes in a patient-specific need and really focuses on that area. We are able to provide sub-specialized care that is really unique and special," says Kevin Emerick, M.D., of Mass. Eye and Ear's Head and Neck Surgical Oncology Service. Dr. Emerick treats patients with head and neck tumors, benign and cancerous, and is committed to providing the best available care for head and neck cancer patients. The treatment of head and neck cancer involves putting patients through a challenging array of treatment, more so than any other part of the body because of how it affects basic daily functions. Breathing, eating, speaking with other people, and appearance are all impacted by treatments. But by providing each patient with a compassionate, individualized approach, patients can be sure that they are walking away with the best treatment option available to them. A graduate of Indiana University, Dr. Emerick pursued his residency in the Combined Otolaryngology Program at Harvard University. He completed fellowship training in Head and Neck Oncology and Reconstruction at the University of Michigan, where he was also a lecturer in Otolaryngology. As a current clinical instructor in laryngology and otology at Harvard Medical School, he provides continuous opportunities for mentorship, a position he has found especially gratifying. His current clinical practice allows him to focus on providing great patient care while pursuing his interests in clinical research, and yet still integrating trainee education. This is reflected in the increasing complexity of his surgical practice, the progression in quality of clinical research, and the increasing responsibility in the education of future head and neck surgeons. Dr. Emerick has published several series and textbook chapters on different head and neck oncology topics including salivary gland malignancies and mucosal malignancies, and has also published several papers on reconstructive techniques ranging from complex calvarial bone grafts to free tissue transfer. His recent research has focused on better understanding of the impact of clinical and pathologic factors of head and neck cancers that impact on survival. This data will be used to create a prognostic calculator that will allow patients and clinicians more accurately assess their prognosis. Additionally, Dr. Emerick is actively researching and exploring the role of sentinel lymph node for high risk cutaneous malignancies. Despite the enormity of his clinical workload, Dr. Emerick is steadfast that patient education is a priority. He explains that if cancer hasn't metastasized in an obvious, visible place, the symptoms are easily dismissible. "A persistent one-sided ache in the mouth, a funny ear pain that doesn't seem to be related to a sinus infection or ear infection, changes in swallowing or voice or blood in the saliva are all potential symptoms. If someone becomes aware of these symptoms they should ask their physician to take a closer look," says Dr. Emerick. There have been exciting, recent developments in treatment options. Dr. Emerick explains that as we learn more about the behavior of different head and neck cancers, we are becoming better able to personalize a patient's treatment. We are better able to utilize surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy to achieve better oncologic outcomes while focusing on preserving function and quality of life. Similarly the growing experience with new techniques such as sentinel lymph node biopsy enables us to more accurately assess a patients risk of regional metastasis and further personalize and guide future treatments. Additionally we continue to expand our reconstructive techniques to allow us to improve function following major surgical procedures leading to improved function and quality of life. Contact Dr. Emerick's office at 617-573-4084. View Dr. Emerick's online bio for more information. Request an appointment. Contact Us Today! 617-523-7900


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Reader letters | McConnell and right-to-work; Affordable Care Act
Race to bottom
Recent letters in support of Mitch McConnell and his stand for a national right-to-work law are not in the best interests of the vast majority of working people in Kentucky. One complained of a family member being forced to join a union when working at Kroger. I shop at Kroger because they are unionized and use union labor contractors. Unions are under attack in the United States and that is nothing new
As social problems grow, workers and their unions are vilified while corporations that close in the United States and move overseas are praised. This may help the bottom line but low wages and declining buying power of millions of U.S. workers is stifling our so-called economic recovery. Being a retired union pipefitter and member of local 502 I have had a better life and career than I would have had as a non-union pipefitter.
Right-to-work is a ruse to allow some to not pay union dues and to enjoy the benefits and pay other workers earned by sticking together as union members. Union or non-union, American workers in many industries cannot compete with workers in countries that make vastly lower wages and often work in dangerous conditions.
When workers are paid higher wages they can purchase more which then causes demand to rise which creates jobs. Unionization benefits workers by raising their standard of living and millions more could currently better themselves by being organized and negotiating for a fairer pay and benefit package. Right-to-work is another race to the bottom idea for workers. Voting Mitch out and casting a vote for Alison Grimes would be the smart thing for Kentucky workers to do in the next election.
Louisville 40223 –
Dust-up over ACA
With the dust- up over the Affordable Care Act website, it seems that some think building a website is a cake. In reality it is a very detailed undertaking, requiring many hour of work by skilled code writers using numerous complex codes. In retirement I have put together several sites for non-profit organizations, churches and my subdivision and I can say from experience it is no easy task. The work that I have done pales in comparison to the complex health website.
To compare the writing of the code for the ACA site with a program most computer users are familiar with, look at the Windows operating systems that have been the mainstay for millions of computer users over the years. Most if not all Windows operating systems are being "updated" on a weekly basis. Most computer programs are also Beta tested or given to a select few who run the program for months, trying to find faults with it.
So don't use the in need of work website to judge the whole Affordable Care Act. It is just the connecting portal and does not reflect what the law represents. I believe those who would condemn the whole Affordable Care Act for the shortcomings of the website are just looking for a political axe to grind and nothing more.
Louisville 40242 –


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Staff writer
Carolan McFarland of Marion has been a massage therapist in Marion since May 1995. She currently operates out of St. Luke Integrated Health Care Clinic and also gives massages at Dr. Kodi Panzer's chiropractic clinic in Hillsboro. She plans to retire at the end of March.
Her daughter Tracy, co-worker Carol Wituk, and Janet Herzet are planning an open house in her honor from 2 to 5 p.m. March 30 in the basement of Marion Family Physicians.
McFarland began practice in 1990 in Kansas City after a 30-year career as a physical education teacher. She chose to become a massage therapist after she hurt her knee while playing tennis. A massage therapist helped her recover, and she realized it was something she could do. She was certified and practiced in Kansas City for five years before coming to Marion.
McFarland said she has given about 23,000 massages throughout her career. She sees about 95 clients a month, some who come from as far away as Wichita and Salina.
McFarland instituted a massage therapy course of study at Butler Community College, where she taught the course as well as yoga from 2000 to 2013. She has trained and certified 75 people in massage therapy.
As a member of a national organization of massage professionals, McFarland is engaged in an effort to persuade the state legislature to require licensing for massage therapists. The effort has been unsuccessful so far but is ongoing.
She said Kansas is one of only three states that don't require licensing, attracting people from other states when they have lost their licenses due to unethical practices. Licensing would ensure that therapists are adequately trained and certified and would allow better insurance coverage.
She said someone looking for a massage therapist should look for one who has national certification or a minimum of 500 hours of training from a state-accredited massage school and belongs to a national professional organization. The therapist also should complete a health history form and review it with first-time clients. The therapist should honor a client's request about the amount of pressure used during a massage and should maintain professionalism and ethics.
According to McFarland, the negative effects of stress can be greatly reduced with regular massage. It increases circulation, improves muscle tone, releases muscular tension, increases body awareness, and reduces or eliminates tension headaches.
Therapeutic massages are available for the upper body, whole body, hands, feet, or specified areas. Upper-body massages — neck, shoulders, and back — usually are a half-hour session. Full-body massages usually are an hour long. Trigger-point therapy is used for a specific problem such as a pinched sciatic nerve or a sinus infection.
"I love doing clinical massage, where there is a specific issue, and I have to figure out what I can do to relieve the tension," McFarland said. "All of the nerves originate in the spinal cord, and they end in our extremities, so working on hands and feet can affect certain parts of the body."
She said physicians, chiropractors, and massage therapists often refer clients to each other.
"That's why we call this integrated health care," she said. "Sometimes massage won't solve a problem."
Although not a native of the area, McFarland has been active in community affairs. She served as president of the St. Luke Hospital Auxiliary and served one year as secretary. She participated in numerous community service projects in Marion, Hillsboro, and Newton, doing chair massage. She also participated in various health fairs, conducted workshops on women's health, and gave talks to various groups.
She is an active member of the Presbyterian Church, serving as an elder and a member of the choir. She is a member of Marion County Democratic Women and treasurer of the Twentieth Century Club.
McFarland plans to move back to Kansas City later this year to be near her son and his family. She hopes to travel and have more time to read. She also looks forward to more time for gardening and yard work.
Eunice Christensen, the last client McFarland will serve on her final day, March 28, will be the first client she served in Marion 19 years ago.
She said she might become involved in some type of therapeutic massage again, such as palliative care for people in hospice care or in nursing homes.
"I love this occupation," she said. "I've become professionally very bonded to my clients, and I will miss them terribly, but my body tells me it's time to take a break."


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At Town & Park, we understand that designing great urban spaces is about more than just seats and tables. It's about street furniture that complements its environment and provides solutions that are effective and attractive. Town & Park has the knowledge and experience to transform any urban space – whether it's a park, a playground, street scapes or any other urban area.
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text: 20 1 2013 05:00 Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, is offering free flights for 10-year-old guests* as a part of a year-long celebration of the airline's tenth anniversary. Children turning 10 in 2013 are eligible for one free Coral Economy class return ticket to any destination on Etihad Airways' route network, when booked and travelling with a paying adult. The offer is valid on bookings made between January 20 and February 7, for travel between January 20 and May 23, 2013. All travel must be completed by May 31, 2013. To book the offer, guests must visit an Etihad Shop. Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways' Chief Commercial Officer, said: "November 2013 will mark the tenth anniversary of Etihad Airways' first ever commercial flight. We intend to make this a full-year celebration, one which UAE nationals, our guests and staff will enjoy. "As the 10-year-old flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates, we are pleased and proud to extend our celebration to the people of the UAE and, with this offer, to our guests who share this special milestone with us. Stay tuned for more offers to come." *Terms and Conditions: Offer valid for guests born between January 1 and December 31, 2003, with presentation of valid passport with qualifying birth date. One free child per paying adult, travelling at the same time on the same flight. One complimentary ticket per valid passport. Subject to availability. Blackout periods apply. Not valid in Pearl Business or Diamond First class. Valid on all Etihad Airways-operated flights, as well as Air Seychelles' Abu Dhabi-Seychelles flights and airberlin's Abu Dhabi-Phuket flights. Taxes are applicable to the complimentary ticket and must be paid at time of booking. This offer can only be redeemed through an Etihad Shop. 피드백 만약 평가, 칭찬이나 불평, 또는 질문이 있으시면 여기를 클릭해주세요 좋아요 에티하드 페이스북 페이지를 방문하세요! 시청 저희 유투브 채널을 방문하세요! 팔로우 에티하드항공 | 에티하드 상품 | 에티하드 도움말 | 에티하드 보상


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They say a change is as good as a rest. Well, they're right. My wife and I have had the same living room layout since we moved into our home. As our home is small, we just assumed
I just spent $1200 on a facelift for my dog. Before you go telling me that I should be put down, let me explain that it wasn't elective surgery. My dog is a Pekingese, and say w
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text: Four-year-old Samantha McElroy gets a bird's eye view from atop her dad, Bob's shoulders of the cars at the Arby's Car Cruise during the kick-off night of the Salem Super Cruise. After the Super National's weekend the Arby's Car Cruise will continue to be held every Saturday night through October 26th with all proceeds going to the Salem Food Pantry. Admission for cruisers is $2.00 or two cans of of food. Money is also raised through a 50/50 raffle and the sale of T-shirts. Morning Journal/Patti Schaeffer


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I'm not talking about the silly Mayan nonsense regarding the end of the world.
I'm talking about the future of evolution and machines. A whole gaggle of futurists gathered in San Francisco last weekend at a conference called Humanity+ to talk about a future in which technologies such as robotics, nanotechnology, brain-computer interfaces and artificial intelligence converge. The result could be some kind of human-machine hybrid.
To some it may sound silly, but think about your life today without a smart phone. Hard to do, right?
As technology becomes indispensable and increasingly personal, there's little question it will become more integrated into our lives and potentially into our biology. Where does it go from there?
One of the speakers, David Pearce, predicted three possible alternatives for humanity. Here's his full talk, and here's a summary:
In the first scenario, biological humans will rewrite our genetic source code, recursively self-edit our own minds and bootstrap our way to full-spectrum superintelligence. Mastery of our reward circuitry will deliver life based on information-sensitive gradients of bliss.
In the second, Kurzweilian scenario, cybernetic brain implants will enable humans to fuse our minds with artificial intelligence and also allow humans to scan, digitize and "upload" ourselves into a less perishable substrate. In digital nirvana, the distinction between biological and nonbiological machines will effectively disappear.
In the third scenario, most closely associated with mathematician I.J. Good and The Singularity Institute, a combination of Moore's law and the advent of recursively self-improving software-based minds will culminate in an ultra-rapid Intelligence Explosion and an era of nonbiological superintelligence. Posthuman superintelligence may or may not be human-friendly.
Do you buy any of the scenarios?
If not, what do you think will happen between machines and humans during the next century? Before you answer, consider how much you already interact with a computer after a decade in the 2000s.


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My name is Aaron Presley Galvin and I am a Personal Trainer based in Limerick City. I hold A.C.E and N.C.E.F Qualifications amongst others but besides this my interests and skills have been developed long before I became qualified. From my teen years I have practiced natural bodybuilding, strength and conditioning while constantly researching various fitness information to improve my own workouts and progress in the gym. So, through these many years of practical knowledge and extra years of qualified training experience, I bring a service that goes beyond a day job. It has simply become my passion in life to train and educate others to the benefits of exercise, diet and that how living a healthy lifestyle is not an impossibility. Through my years as a trainer and interaction with hundreds of people in the fitness environment I have come to understand that people need knowledge, direction and motivation. Therefore my goal is to educate, train and empower you with the necessary skills to kick start the next stage of your life and get you on route to becoming a fitter, healthier, more confident You!
Public Gym
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White House Details Looming 'Doomsday' Budget Cuts
(WASHINGTON) -- The Obama administration Friday laid out on paper -- 400 pages of it -- the details of $1.2 trillion in automatic spending cuts that would take effect at the end of the year unless Congress strikes a deal. The picture is not pretty.
Billions of dollars would be slashed from defense operations and maintenance programs, says the administration. Medicare would take a two-percent hit, trimming millions in payouts to health care providers. Scientific research programs would be gutted. Aid for the poor and needy would be sharply curtailed.
More than a billion dollars would even be wiped from the State Department's diplomatic and consular program, including $127 million for embassy security, construction and maintenance and $2 million for the protection of foreign missions and officials, according to the document.
"The report leaves no question that the sequestration would be deeply destructive to national security, domestic investments and core government functions," the administration writes in the report, which was submitted to Congress as required by law.
"Sequestration" is the technical name for the across-the-board spending cuts that were agreed to by bipartisan majorities in both chambers of Congress last year as a penalty for failing to achieve a deficit reduction plan. They take effect on Jan. 2, 2013, unless lawmakers come up with a different plan totaling $1.2 trillion.
"It was intended to drive both sides to compromise, it was never intended to be implemented," a senior administration official said.
In releasing the report the White House emphasized that it had no discretion in deciding what programs would be cut or by how much. Those details were specified by lawmakers as part of the debt ceiling deal reached last year, officials said.
However, the document immediately provided fresh political fodder for Republicans, who have accused Obama and Democrats of being willing to stomach the deep cuts. The critics do not mention, however, that many Republicans also voted for the plan, including House Speaker John Boehner and GOP vice presidential nominee Rep. Paul Ryan.
"This report confirms that the president's 'sequester' is a serious threat to our national security and must be replaced," Boehner said in a statement. "But with only a few months before they're scheduled to go into effect, President Obama and Senate Democrats have taken no action whatsoever to avert these cuts."
House Republicans have passed a measure to avoid the drastic cuts, but Democrats have balked because their plan includes no new revenue (tax increases). To resolve the standoff, both sides will need to compromise on taxes.
"I want to be very clear that the administration does not support the indiscriminate, across the board cuts detailed in this report," a senior administration official said. "We believe, the administration believes, that these cuts should never be implemented."
Should lawmakers fail to reach a deal, some budget items will be spared: Veterans benefits, military personnel, and salaries for members of Congress, among other exempt categories.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio


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Editor's note: We've gathered several experts to offer suggestions on trimming expenses in light of tighter margins in 2014. This is one of 10 money-saving tips.
With the price of corn and soybeans projected to be much lower than previous years, margins will be tight and farmers might have to get creative to match break-even costs. As price expectations change, returns will change as well. This then leads to a need to re-evaluate cash rents, notes Gary Schnitkey, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics University of Illinois.
Additionally, Schnitkey encourages farmers to initiate conversations with landlords about cash rents. "I'm not expecting a decrease in cash rent in 2014, however," he adds. "The rubber will meet the road on cash rents in 2015."
According to Farmers National Company in Omaha, Nebraska, cash rents are seen as mostly steady in 2014. David Englund with AFM says, "Demand for high quality property is keeping both land values and rental rates strong."
Because of both high-priced rent and farmland values, be cautious about expanding, warns Mike Duffy, ag economist at Iowa State University. Economies of scale don't improve much once an operation hits 1,000 acres, Duffy says, and it might be better to invest in improving land to boost yields rather than acquiring more land.
Bottom Line
It's prudent to evaluate financial returns with and without high cash rent acres. Financial results could improve if high rent acres are not farmed and the farm lessens in size.
It also can work the other way. Dale Nordquist, University of Minnesota ag economist, says to calculate total farm impact before letting high-priced farmland go. Minnesota data shows that not renewing leases on high cash rent parcels in some cases can actually increase break-even levels. That's because fewer acres farmed drives up machinery costs per acre.
Visit AgWeb's Farmland Value Guide to find the average cash rent rates in your state and use the margins calculators.
The AgWeb corn and soybean margin calculator can help you determine your cost of production per acre and expected per bushel yields to determine your breakeven selling price. The improvement calculator can help determine how doing just a little better in cost control, yield or selling-price improvement to improve your bottom line.
Keep Your Production Costs in Check for 2014
With grain prices dropping, it's time to get creative. There is no one-size-fits-all-farmers answer, but there are numerous ways to more closely align costs with returns. Here are the money-saving tips we've gathered.


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Healthcare management companies face a formidable mandate: Build high-performing health management programs that improve quality of care and patient outcomes, keep costs under control and increase consumer and provider engagement.
Accenture Intelligent Healthcare Operations helps clients deliver on all counts by combining a cloud-based analytics platform with exceptional talent. We help payers, providers and government agencies drive breakthrough growth, increase customer engagement, improve health outcomes and reduce cost.
Claim edits, configuration testing
Claim suspends/pends adjudication
Adjustments, rework and correspondence
Health risk assessments
Program enrollment
Health outreach (e.g. post-discharge calls)
Prior authorization intake and clinical review
Concurrent clinical review
Post-service clinical claim review and appeals support
Benefits management and communication fulfillment
Case installation and member enrolment
Contract development and benefits configuration
Premium billing, accounts receivable and reconciliation
Data maintenance
Credentialing support
Claim and provider service support
Member and provider outreach
Medical records retrieval and review
Results Health BPS has delivered:
Applied analytics IMPROVED CASH FLOW BY $13 MILLION
Helped a client to save nearly $140 million in total medical costs by using Accenture Advanced Health Analytics Platform
Automation helped to strategically process claims, limiting late and inaccurate payments and avoid more than $15 million in penalties
Reduced costs by $30 million per year, a 33% reduction, by scaling 1,000+ non-clinical and licensed nurses in the Philippines, India and US
"Sometimes businesses suffer from an operational illness. As diagnosticians, we see what's wrong and know how to fix it. When we are in charge of millions of transactions or access points; we're really at the heart of operations, so every second counts."
Theresa Gaffney
Health Business Process Services Lead - Accenture Operations
Our experts blog about how intelligent operations harness talent, data, and intelligence to help organizations improve performance.Read more
We're looking for innovators to deliver continuous, rapid-fire innovation to help transform patient outcomes at Accenture Operations.Learn more


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Fuses being sold by discount store chain Poundworld have been recalled over fears of a potential safety issue.
Trading Standards have urged customers to stop using the product immediately, and return them to any Poundworld store for a full refund or exchange.
The affected items - 9 Mixed Fuses - have product code H-28570 and barcode: 5050577285701.
No other Poundworld products are affected by the recall.
A Poundworld statement read: " We apologise sincerely for any inconvenience caused and thank our customers for their co-operation".


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Commercial, Products, Services
By Staff Writer | March 4, 2014
Send Feedback
United Technologies company Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) and Milestone Aviation Group have reached a $75-million, 15-year agreement under which P&WC will offer its Flexible Turboshaft Engine Fleet Management program to Milestone customers. The agreement, signed at Heli-Expo 2014, will provide P&WC's customized engine maintenance support to helicopter operators worldwide leasing through Milestone. Initially 25 helicopters with P&WC PT6C-67C engines will be covered under the fleet management program, with the intent to expand the scope to include PW210S, PW210A, PT6C-67E, PT6B-37A, PT6T and PW207C engine models in the future.
Related: Engine News


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Best of Springfield 2009
The BEST OF SPRINGFIELD was a fresh idea in 1982 when we first asked our readers to identify the best burger in town. In the 27 editions since then we've worked to keep it fresh by shaking up categories, asking different questions. As you'll see over the next 30 pages, there's plenty to celebrate about the individuals and businesses that call central Illinois home.
How we do it: The ballot was available online and in print for two full weeks. There were 2,500 voters who participated but fewer than 100 used the paper ballot. The best thing about the online balloting is the votes are tallied automatically – and we're able to confirm one vote per e-mail address – so no one is able to stack the deck for any nominee.
Who put it together?Contributing writers include staffers Amanda Robert, Patrick Yeagle, Fletcher Farrar and Courtney Enlow who were joined by freelance contributors Tom Irwin, Jolonda Young and Job Conger. Many of these individuals contributed photography along with Dave Hine, who also designed most of the ads. Joe Copley is responsible for editorial design layout. Beth Irwin, Tia Schoen and Tauna King do an amazing job on the ad side and Brenda Matheis manages circulation and the business end. I have no doubt that together we are THE BEST OF SPRINGFIELD.
And now a word for our 'sponsors.' We could not do what we do without the 100 advertisers who send marketing messages through the pages of Illinois Times each week. In these challenging times that confidence in IT is more meaningful than ever.
Sharon Whalen, publisher
Xochimilco Mexican Restaurant
2941 West Iles Ave., 546-3116
3210 Northfield Dr., 544-9206
6901 Preston Dr., 438-1006
We sure love our fajita quesadillas and burrito specials, but Mexican wouldn't be Mexican without the pre-dinner crunch of chips and salsa. Xochimilco once again dominated in this category, but this year, La Fiesta, Café Brio, Los Agaves and Cancun all received 100 votes or more. Our readers really get behind their chips and salsa and often pick their favorite cantina accordingly. Should chips be salty, oily or crispy? And the salsa — should it be chunky or well-blended, mild or hot? You be the judge. Stop by any of Xochimilco's three locations, or visit its competitors for some variety.
Runner-up: La Fiesta
Xochimilco Mexican Restaurant
2941 West Iles Ave., 546-3116
3210 Northfield Dr., 544-9206
6901 Preston Dr., 438-1006
The perfect compliment to a great Mexican meal is an icy, sweet margarita, and Xochimilco has both. While the drink's origin is disputed, its ambrosial flavor is not. Xochimilco makes them in original lime, or you can be a little more daring and try the piña colada, peach or strawberry flavors. When one may not be enough, you can order a whole pitcher to accent the awesome free chips and salsa – the perfect way to shake off the weekday drudgery or welcome the weekend. If you're craving some sweet nectar, head to Xochimilco for a real treat.
Runner-up: La Fiesta
Xochimilco Mexican Restaurant
2941 West Iles Ave., 546-3116
3210 Northfield Dr., 544-9206
6901 Preston Dr., 438-1006
Xochimilco is to Springfield as shrimp, chicken, tendered steak and chorizo are to its fiesta fajitas. The longstanding institution belongs here, and year after year, our readers agree. Nearly 450 voters handed first place to the Mexican restaurant, which serves everything from burritos and chimichangas to the enchiladas supreme — five different enchiladas filled with beef, chicken, bean, cheese or beef tips, topped with melted cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream. We're equally intrigued by the huevos con chorizo, two scrambled eggs with Mexican sausage, served with rice, beans and tortillas. Cost-friendly lunch items, as well as vegetarian combinations, are also available.
Runner-up: La Fiesta
Six locations in Springfield
It's easy to think of Starbucks as this corporate coffee behemoth, but when you look into all they've done for the community, they suddenly seem a little more like Mom 'n Pop. Carol McFarland, manager of the Hilton location, tells us that one of their most important charity ventures is donating funds to families of teenagers who've been in car accidents to pay for their medical bills. They also give to churches, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and the Animal Protective League, in part because of the Hilton's dog-friendly policy. Other Springfield locations work heavily with Habitat for Humanity and support neighborhood projects with money and volunteers. Of course, the charitable nature doesn't begin and end with Springfield. Starbucks as a whole funds clean water education, gives Youth Action Grants, and is part of the (Red) movement to save the lives of those living with HIV in Africa. Have some ethics with your morning coffee.
Runner up: Grab-a-Java
Magic Kitchen
115 N. Lewis St., 525-6975
4112 N. Peoria Rd., 525-2230
The number of Asian restaurants around Springfield is growing at a gratifying pace, but an old favorite — Magic Kitchen – is always a good bet for Thai food. Their peanut sauce alone is enough to make our mouths water. When you're done with the delicate and crunchy egg rolls, dump the rest of the peanut sauce on the garlic chicken – it's delicious beyond description. If you're daring and would like something intensely spicy, go for the "hot" pad thai. It will not disappoint. Just be sure to get there early. It's a popular place, and it fills up quickly. As an added bonus, you can bring your own cooler of booze to their Peoria Road location. Does it get any better than that? Little Saigon was a close second, with their delicious crab rangoon and pineapple shrimp fried rice.
Runner-up: Little Saigon
Joe Rogers' Original Recipe Chili Parlor
820 S. Ninth St., 522-3722
When Rick and Rose Hamilton purchased Joe Rogers' Original Chili last December, they were well aware of this Springfield treasure, featured in the magazine, Bon Appetit and the Food Channel's "Man v. Food." Purchasing the restaurant meant inheriting the coveted "best chili" title. And just like its former owner, they are issuing you a challenge. Before you agree, you should know that this challenge just might fry your hair, curl your toes, and set your insides on fire. Still not backing down? Pull up to Joe Rogers' Original Chili, order yourself a bowl of "firebrand," and keep a pitcher of water real close because when you're done you'll want to extinguish the fire that's sure to be ablaze on your insides. Those who managed to eat the flaming hot bowl are honored with an inscription of their name on the wall.
What makes this chili so special? Perhaps it is the fact that the beans and the meat are cooked separately, giving customers the ability to tailor their chili with just the right amount of beans, meat and grease to their liking. Yes, we did say grease, which is sometimes ordered without the chili. (Yikes!) To give you an idea of just how popular this chili is, Rose Hamilton says they sell an average of 170 pounds per day. But don't flock to Joe's for dinner or on Sundays. The restaurant is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Second place goes to Steak 'n Shake, with Joe's Chili Bowl taking third place.
Runner-up: Steak 'n Shake
D'Arcy's Pint
661 W. Stanford Ave., 492-8800
D'Arcy's Pint bills itself as a "cozy, neighborhood-style tavern serving authentic Irish fare and American classics." Our voters must dig the best of both worlds — Irish Reubens, McCafferty's cheese steaks and bookmaker sandwiches on one hand, chipotle burgers, sausage grills and buffalo chicken sandwiches on the other — as nearly 300 of them turned out to tell us that the local pub takes the cake in the Best Bar Food category. Co-owner Glenn Merriman credits D'Arcy's bartenders, servers and staff for making the bar worth a trip, too. "We get a lot of repeats," he says. "People come a lot just to see the help."
Runner-up: Barrelhead
D'Arcy's Pint
661 W. Stanford Ave., 492-8800
Comfort food (n.) Tasty, uncomplicated food that feeds your soul. Forget mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese — for D'Arcy's Pint co-owner Glenn Merriman that means "stuff that gets you over the hump to the real meal." And really, after a long day at the office, who wouldn't want to kick back with a hefty mug of Guinness and a whole plate of Irish nachos, white cheddar cheese nuggets or battered portabella mushrooms? Oh, and nothing says contentment like D'Arcy's Irish boxty — traditional Irish potato cakes stuffed with jalapenos or bacon and scallions, drizzled with a homemade cheese sauce.
Runner-up: Cracker Barrel
D'Arcy's Pint
661 W. Stanford Ave., 492-8800
If D'Arcy's Pint is good enough for Al Roker from the Food Network's "Roker on the Road" and Adam Richman from the Travel Channel's "Man v. Food," it won't be beyond the pale for your dear granny from Vermont or your nitpicky in-laws from Arizona. Follow the rainbow…er, Stanford Avenue, to the authentic Irish pub and restaurant, where you'll find favorites like the Dublin pot roast — slow-roasted pot roast served on oven-baked ciabatta bread with Irish farmhouse cheddar and caramelized onion — and the Celtic Philly cheese — corned beef stacked on a grilled hoagie and smothered with grilled onions, peppers and cheese. For dinner, try the Taste of Ireland — a combo of Irish Rover's shepherd's pie, corned beef and cabbage and fish 'n' chips.
Runner-up: Ross Isaac
D'Arcy's Pint
661 W. Stanford Ave., 492-8800
Is anyone surprised that D'Arcy's once again snagged the top spot in this category? Along with simple, yet scrumptious, hamburger and buffalo chicken 'shoes — that's meat served over Texas toast, topped with fries and cheese sauce for you out-of-towners — the Irish eatery features a weekly special. One voter told us they crave the Celtic horseshoe: "I've only seen it eaten once, but man, oh, man, I pray it's the special every time I go." Caitie Girl's won second place, and after tasting its signature horseshoe, created with jalapeno cheddar cornbread, pulled pork BBQ and pepper jack cheese sauce, we know why.
Runner-up: Caitie Girl's


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Halle Berry's X-Men
In the wake of her freshly finalized divorce last year from crooner Eric Benet, she found herself fretting that maybe she just wasn't marriage material, given her unfortunate track record of being victimized by infidelity and spousal abuse. Here, Halle opens up about reprising her role as Storm, about her biological clock ticking, about Oprah's Legend's Ball and she even updates us about her philandering ex-husband
Summation: In the wake of her freshly finalized divorce last year from crooner Eric Benet, she found herself fretting that maybe she just wasn't marriage material, given her unfortunate track record of being victimized by infidelity and spousal abuse. Here, Halle opens up about reprising her role as Storm, about her biological clock ticking, about Oprah's Legend's Ball and she even updates us about her philandering ex-husband
Caption: The ravishing Halle Berry
Halle Berry's X-Men
By Kam Williams
With X-Men 3, Halle Berry is back on the big screen for the first time in two years, unless you count her voiceover work last year as Cappy in the animated feature Robots. The Oscar-winning actress, who turns 40 in August, had been out of the public eye for awhile, recently returned to the gossip pages after the paparazzi caught her canoodling with Canadian supermodel Gabriel Aubry.
The whirlwind romance with the broad-shouldered, 6'2� blond boy-toy reportedly began last December when the two fell in love while shooting some Versace ads together. This relationship comes on the heels of the bronze beauty's brief fling with Michael Ealy, her cocoa-colored co-star in Their Eyes Were Watching God.
In the wake of her freshly finalized divorce last year from crooner Eric Benet, she found herself fretting that maybe she just wasn't marriage material, given her unfortunate track record of being victimized by infidelity and spousal abuse. Here, Halle opens up about reprising her role as Storm, about her biological clock ticking, about Oprah's Legend's Ball and she even updates us about her philandering ex-husband, but the coy cutie buttons her lips when it comes to her new beau.
BSN: Hi Halle, were you responsible for your character Storm enjoying an expanded role in X-Men 3?
HB: This time around, I just asked, "Please, please, please, can Storm have a voice? It's not about me having more, but, if I'm going to be on for ten minutes, can I say something important for ten minutes, because I think Storm does a little bit more in the comic books, and the fans aren't happy.� And then Brett [director Brett Ratner] came on board. And it's really due to Brett, because Brett felt the same way, that Storm needs a voice. And he saw to it that this time it actually happened.
BSN: Would you like to have a superpower like Storm or one or the other X-Men in real-life?
HB: I have a hard time trying to expand my brain to even fathom that, because I know it's not really possible. Keeping in line with what this movie is about, I would keep myself exactly the way I am. I would stay this mortal person that I am, and do life the way that I've been doing it. Because that's what I know and that's what feels good to me. And I honestly don't know if I would choose one of these powers. I don't want to change who I am. I don't want to pick a superpower. I want to be just how I happen to come here. That's good enough for me.
BSN: What was it like to participate in Oprah's Legends Ball?
HB: That was a wonderful, once in a lifetime event, for sure, to be there with such legendary women. Forget about the TV show. What was most meaningful was to be able to go up to each one of them personally and say what was in my heart. To look each one of those ladies in the face and say what I really wanted to say about they inspired me over the course of my life. To be able to do that and give each one a big hug, and say "Thank you!� was really the most meaningful part of it.
BSN: What sorts of feelings did you share with them?
HB: A lot of it's personal. I had some very personal moments away from the camera with Maya Angelou, and Tina Turner, and Diahann Carroll. And Coretta Scott King. Thank God I got to speak to her, because I'd never met her and she's since passed away. That is a memory that I'm always going to have now, because I got to say what I always wanted to say to her.
BSN: Are you ready to talk about your new boyfriend, Gabriel?
HB: No, sorry I ain't talking about him.
BSN: Can you at least say whether you're planning to start a family any time soon?
HB: You know what? Here's the thing. You say something once, and then it has a life of its own. Then everywhere I go, somebody asks me about it again, and then it keeps having a life. And that's how it becomes this big snowball.
BSN: Then this is your chance to clear it up once and for all.
HB: [laughs] But you see, the fact that you're asking again, adds another layer to the snowball.
BSN: Please.
HB: Okay, I'll tell you. Of course, I'd like to have a baby, and have a family. I mean I'm getting to the age where for women something usually just kicks in and you start to feel maternal.
BSN: How long have you felt this way?
HB: I've felt it since I was 30, that I need to have a family, but it just hasn't happened for various and sundry reasons. Hopefully, that's where I'm looking for something more in my life.
BSN: Are you interested in taking a break from acting?
HB: No, work is great, and it's provided me a lot of happiness and comfort and all those things. But I'm looking for that deeper layer of life. And it feels like children is that for me. So, hopefully, it will come into my life, when the time is right.
BSN: Does Eric Benet still try to call you hoping to reconcile?
HB: Un-unh, no, he doesn't try to call.
BSN: Would you consider adoption as an option?
HB: Oh yeah, sure. My sister [Heidi] has two adopted children.
BSN: Would you go overseas to adopt like a lot of celebrities seem to do nowadays?
HB: If I go that route, I think I would adopt a child from here. There are many children right here in this country who need homes. That's if I adopted. I don't know if I ever will, but if I did, that's what I'd do.
BSN: What advice would you give to aspiring black actresses trying to break into show business?
HB: I would say you just really have to love it. Honestly, if you don't just love it, love it, love it, then don't do it, do it, do it, because it's a tough industry. Many industries are today, no matter what you want to do, but in this one, you're faced with a lot of personal and public criticism and scrutiny. There's a lot of rejection, so you need a tough skin and a certain amount of strength that if you don't have, you have to develop really quickly. Therefore, this job isn't for everybody. Not everybody can withstand that pressure and that public scrutiny.
BSN: You must have a good attitude about criticism, since you showed up at the Razzies to accept the Worst Actress Award for Catwoman.
HB: Yeah, that was fun. You know what? This is really true. When I got there, and I walked out, they were so happy that I was there, that I had a real emotional moment. I know I was there to get the Worst Actress Award, but I had a real emotional moment when I realized that none of it matters, whether you're getting the Best Actress or the Worst Actress Award. The love that I got from the people who were in that room, who had voted me the Worst was sort of odd and twisted, yet it felt really good to be there, actually. So, I was really glad I went and had fun with it.
BSN: Will we see you in the Catsuit again in a sequel?
HB: I loved my Catwoman, but I doubt that's going to happen. It would've been fun, because I really loved playing that character. We could've had a better script, granted. I wish we had a second chance to do it again, and to do it differently. And we would do it differently. But I doubt that we're going to get that chance.
BSN: What's your favorite of your movies?
HB: Any time I'm channel surfing and I see myself, I'm like "Oh! Turn that off! I can't even look at it. So, I couldn't even tell you. I usually see them once, at the premiere. Or twice, if I have to, and never see them again.
BSN: Which film are you most proud of?
HB: Probably Dorothy Dandridge, because that was the first project that I produced. It was a labor of love, and I wanted to tell her story so much. When I think back about my happiest moments, it was when that movie got made. At the first screening of it, I thought, "Wow! I had an idea, and we did it!� It was surreal to see the finished product, before the awards, before the accolades, from just a thought in our minds.
BSN: Do you ever feel any pressure to present yourself in public in a certain way?
HB: I didn't used to, but now with all these paparazzi just out of control, and all these magazines that support seeing people at the dry cleaners, or going in and out of the doctor's office, it has added a new pressure. Because when you just go out being a normal person, you get put on this "When bad clothes happen to good people list.� Or they find a zit and they zero-in on it. Or it's, "Look, she's got cellulite.� It starts to make you feel like you can't go out anymore and just be a normal girl, and go without your makeup.
BSN: What's up next for you?
HB: Perfect Stranger which I just finished with Bruce Willis. It's a suspense thriller about the darkness of the Internet and how everybody has secrets and nobody is who you think they are. My character gets all tangled up in some mess. And then Things We lost in the Fire is with Benicio Del Toro for DreamWorks. That's an art movie about a woman with two little children who loses her husband and has to deal with the death. And Benicio comes into her life and helps her deal with the loss.
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I think you have "Filtered HTML" turned on here. If you switch to "Full HTML," it will probably...
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