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A monthly editorial piece of masterful opinionated writing (insert joke here) regarding life and times in the big town of Tuscaloosa coupled with the musings of a guy nicknamed "Oz."
There's already a conflict.
How on earth does this happen? Dost the masses not understand the unwritten rule of the south - the rule that states, and I quote, "Thou shall not schedule important and/or life-altering events during any given Saturday for the duration of the fall season?"
Yet somehow, it occurs. A blind eye is turned. The rule overlooked. The statute ignored. The priorities flushed.
In the college football fan attendance and viewing playbook for the upcoming season, November 7, 2015, looked to be one of those days of perfect gridiron engagement bliss. Alabama vs. LSU. Auburn vs. Texas A&M. Tennessee vs. South Carolina. Arkansas vs. Ole Miss. The list goes on…
The football scheduling brass looked down upon their work. They savored their craftsmanship, as they had created a gift to all SEC college football fans of the world. They celebrated their achievement with high-fives and self-adoration, while visions of advertising dollars danced in their heads. The people approved. And they were pleased.
Harmonious celebration was sure to ensue. Birds chirping. Children laughing. Fathers rejoicing.
But in the distance, a thunderstorm was evolving, in the form of an intrusive, upper-level low made up of everlasting commitment and impending nuptials - a disturbance caused by a jet stream of affection; a cold front of love.
Indeed, a friend scheduled his wedding on Nov. 7, and out of state to boot.
Suddenly, the vision of tailgating and grilling and chips and dips became blurry. The glory of the first game starting at 11 and the last game ending at 11 and never missing a moment of it became distorted. The outlook was grim, and the future uncertain. Gloom, despair and agony were soon to be followed by deep dark depression and excessive misery. If it weren't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all.
After coming to grips with the certain doom, the football Gods smiled, and as luck would have it… the happy couple changed their wedding date. But there is no way I was going to erase all of this and start over.
Rest assured, something will come up. It always does, just like it did 10 years ago. And sometimes, certain events trump (not an endorsement) other events.
To be fair, and for all of those keeping score at home, yours truly got married in the month of October which, of course, is smack-dab in the middle of football season. It was a gorgeous day, with lovely weather and low humidity. But most importantly, it was to a beautiful woman who has managed to put up with my eccentricities for almost 10 years. She deserves an award, and she most definitely deserved her wedding day whenever and wherever she wanted it. And she got it.
That's how it happens. And that, my friends, is priority.
Happy Anniversary, Honey.
I tweet insignificant things @ozborn34.
Derek Osborn is the Executive Director of PRIDE of Tuscaloosa by trade and writer by hobby. He lives in Tuscaloosa with his wife, Lynn, and daughters Savannah and Anica.
Article sponsored by Bradford Health Services.
Find them on the web at: https://bradfordhealth.com
Most Haunted Places in Alabama19 Oct 2015
By Tori Linville
Maybe it's a silhouette out of the corner of your eye. It could be hushed voices when no one's around. Maybe something falls off a shelf unexpectedly. Or a cold rush overcomes you and the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.
These are just a few experiences you could have in some of Alabama's haunted places – some people have already had them. We've listed some places around your area that are known for their supernatural residents. Feel free to visit – if you dare.
Sloss Furnaces
There's a reason both paranormal reality shows "Ghost Adventures" and "Ghost Hunters" have investigated the happenings at Sloss Furnaces. Creepy stories and legends practically hold up the walls to Sloss Furnaces, the old pig iron manufacturer. More than 60 workers died during the furnace's heyday. The deaths were nasty accidents, though some contest that some were murdered. Here's what has been experienced:
· apparitions of figures throughout the furnaces
· sounds of workers moving behind/beside visitors
· pipes banging and other residual noises
· two investigators reported having been slapped in the face
Hotel Highland/Pickwick Hotel
The Hotel Highland features many unexplained events that leave visitors scratching their heads. Known also as the Pickwick Hotel in the 1950s, the building used to be known as The Pickwick Club before that. It was also once a medical building. Some say a nurse still roams the halls of the hotel. Here's what's floating around:
· ghostly figures sighted frequently, including a little girl, a man in a suit in the dining room and a woman in a long dress entering the elevator
· eerie, cold feeling in basement gym, which used to be a morgue, along with strange smells
· feeling of being touched
· feeling of being watched
The Jemison Center at Old Bryce Mental Hospital
There are several things said about "Old Bryce," and most is usually fiction. Some claim that former slaves were forced back into slavery at the facility. Since it wasn't founded as a health care provider until the 1920s, the slave theory doesn't make much sense. Regardless, the patients who lived in the facility most likely did live through the abuse that occurred for many mental patients during the time. Here's what people have recorded from their visits:
· unexplained voices, footsteps
· unexplained slamming doors
· unexplained hair pulling
· sensation of being hit or kicked
If visiting Old Bryce sounds like fun to you, we wouldn't advise it. Trespassers caught on the grounds will be prosecuted for breaking the law.
Moundville Archeological Park
Down the road in Moundville, the Moundville Archeological Park is home to the remains of a large settlement created by the native peoples who lived in the area beside the Black Warrior River. The mounds in the settlement helped support residences, were used for a mortuary and had other uses. It's said the spirits of the Moundville natives can still be felt among the grounds. Here's the spooky run-down of what's been seen and heard:
· faint drumming heard at night
· light coming from one of the larger mounds, taking the shape of a pyramid
Kate Shepard House Bed and Breakfast
The gorgeously decorated bed and breakfast has said to have visitors that are always checked in. Run by friendly staff and teaming with Southern charm and history, there's no questioning why the masses flock to the breathtaking home. Here's what those who got to check out have reported:
· an apparition of an elderly woman seen in guest rooms
· strange presence felt by staff and customers
Battle House Renaissance Hotel
A member of the Historic Hotels of America, the Battle House Renaissance Hotel is known for its luxurious ways. The hotel regularly aces customer reviews, and lists a 4.8 for service and cleanliness via a 5.0 scale on its website. While the hotel has been renovated, history can't be removed like drywall. Here's what's been reported:
· unexplained voices and apparitions
· faucets turning on and off by themselves
· unexplained photo evidence of apparitions
Once known as the state's capital, Cahaba, Alabama is now a certified ghost town. Eerie, empty buildings are only maintained by the Alabama Historical Commission. Abandoned streets, cemeteries and ruins are the only markers that anyone ever lived in the town.
Check out hauntedplaces.org for more ghostie fun.
Article sponsored by Alabama Power.
Find them on the web at: http://www.alabamapower.com
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By Courtney Corbridge
By the time summer rolled around each year, the only things left in my trick-or-treat pillowcase at the base of my closet were a few rolls of Smarties and a bunch of empty wrappers. Summer popsicles and ice cream cones set my sweet tooth at bay, but by September, when I found myself back in school, I often had one thing on the edge of my mind—Halloween. I dreamed of dressing up, bringing home my weight in chocolate, and then trading out treats with my siblings on the living room floor. It was one of the great meccas of childhood.
But not for everyone. In fact, while almost all of my friends loved dressing up and going from house to house, a few of them got the short end of the stick when it came to trick or treating. And the biggest setback was typically allergies! One of my closest friends was actually allergic to chocolate! Can you imagine? Others had peanut allergies, and others weren't allowed to have sugar. Unfortunately, this is a fairly common thing for a lot of kids. The most common kid allergies include milk, eggs, nuts, and wheat. So how can we help those deserving kids find the magic in Halloween and trick or treating as well? Here are a few alternatives you can consider to your typical candy-in-a-bowl routine.
--Mini Nail Polish
--Spider Stamps
--Hair Accessories
--Crazy Straws
--Small Bags of Legos
--Mini Whistles
--Mini Bubbles Bottles
--Foam Masks
--Halloween Cookie Cutters
--Finger Puppets
--Mini Notepads or Coloring Books
--Temporary Tattoos
--Bouncy Balls
--Mini Slinkys
--Halloween Rings
--Halloween Erasers
--Mini Playdoughs
--Sticky Hands
--Fake Dracula Teeth
--Mini Flash Lights
Last year Food Allergy Research and Education, Inc. (FARE) started an awareness program for kids with allergies called The Teal Pumpkin Project. Families who are committed to giving healthy alternatives on Halloween can put a teal pumpkin by their doorstep so that trick or treaters and their parents can identify allergy-friendly homes. If you would like to join in, please visit http://www.foodallergy.org/teal-pumpkin-project#.VfhBtxFVikp to learn more.
Article sponsored by Lakeside Dental.
Find them on the web at: http://www.lakesidedentalsmiles.com
Moundville Archaeological Park is celebrating its annual Native American Festival this weekend, and if you're looking for something exciting and unique to do with the whole family in our area, this is it. The four-day event, which begins on Oct. 8, is one of the premiere tourism events in the state of Alabama, drawing thousands to the Park in Moundville each and every year.
Visitors to this year's Moundville Native American Festival can enjoy performances, browse wonderful arts and crafts displays and watch great demonstrations designed to entertain and educate everyone about the rich culture and heritage of Southeastern Indians. Children are invited to get hands-on by playing native games and making crafts in the special Children's area.
"Moundville Archaeological Park is undoubtedly the most important prehistoric site in Alabama," said Betsy Irwin, education outreach coordinator for the park. "The massive amount of labor and skill involved in leveling the plaza and constructing the mounds reflects the sophistication of the ancient people who once lived here. Less than 15 percent of the site has been excavated, making Moundville the best preserved site of its kind."
One of the highlights of any visit to Moundville Archaeological Park is the University of Alabama's Jones Museum.
"This is very important to Native Americans, many of whom consider these mounds to be sacred," Irwin said. "In close consultation with Southeastern Indian tribes, we developed the Jones Museum exhibits to reflect their culture from the past as accurately as possible. Moundville and the Jones Archaeological Museum are both treasures that belong to everyone."
Festival admission is $10 for adults and $8 for children.
The Festival will take place October 8 and 9 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and October 10 and 11 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
For more information on the Moundville Archaeological Park, including more information about the 2014 Moundville Native American Festival, visit www.moundville.ua.edu
Photo: Jeff Perrigin
Article sponsored by Trade Partners Exchange.
Find them on the web at: http://tradepartnersexchange.com
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By Mike Green
In August, our youngest child, Ross, packed most everything he owned into his 2003 Toyota Corolla and started a 2000 mile trek that would end in Los Angeles. This California destination will be his home for at least the next nine months and his mother and I are nervously wondering if it may be a permanent move. Ross has been "out of the house" for most of the past five years, but he was never more than a 45-minute drive from Tuscaloosa. This move is, of course, much more significant for him and for us.
As parents of young children, then teenagers and eventually adults, our relationships with our kids go through many significant transitions. Navigating those transitional phases can be scary. Dropping a child off at college or giving our new 16-year-old the keys to the car and the freedom that goes with it can test all our previous commitments to trust our son or daughter. With two adult children, I have faced several of those transitions and I am sure I could learn much from many of you who have navigated far more of these "opportunities" than I have. But I would like to share a few insights that might just help those of you who will face them in the coming days.
First of all, trust yourself. After 13, 16 or even 20 plus years you have invested thousands of hours into your child's development. And yes, you made far more mistakes than you think you should have. You were not the perfect parent. But I know you care about your child. Why? Because you are taking the time to read this article. And though you are a flawed parent, your child has learned much from you. Even if some of their decision making as a teenager makes you question that. Here is one thing I have learned about teenagers: Sometimes they are very adept at not revealing that they are actually learning something. But far more is sinking in than you can imagine.
Second, trust your child. This is a general principle and not a hard and fast rule, so give me a little grace here if you will. Our kids love to rise to the level we expect of them. Let your children know you trust them. Verbally communicate that trust. Let them know that this new stage of life will test them and that you "can't wait to see how they perform." Then celebrate together when they do well.
Third, trust God. As I wrestle with my shortcomings as a parent this one gives me much needed peace. The bottom line is, your children are more God's than they are yours. He loves them, aches for them when they are in pain, celebrates with them when they succeed and has the omniscient ability to be concerned with their well-being even when we are busy working our jobs, attending to other children or getting away for a much needed vacation with our spouse. I am convinced God is good. And that goodness means He is constantly concerned for our kids.
Mike and Laura Green have two grown children, Brittany and Ross. They serve on staff with Tuscaloosa Youth For Christ. Their first grandchild is due in September.
Photo Caption: Mike and Laura Green
Article sponsored by Tuscaloosa Youth for Christ.
Find them on the web at: http://www.tuscaloosayfc.org
By Marlena Rice
Fall is finally here: Hello cooler weather, back-to-school, and football! Parents who have gotten all too familiar with the easier flow of traffic from home to work are now readjusting their morning schedules to entertain the influx of school buses and University traffic that were easily forgotten during the summer months. As parents, as we adjust to our new schedules, our little people are adjusting as well. But with new schools, new classrooms, new teachers and new friends comes butterflies and anxiety that we may not be used to seeing in our children. See below a list of ways to combat "school refusal," a common form of anxiety that many of our children experience, whether it is easily recognizable or not.
So what is school refusal? I think all parents have experienced excess clinging during morning drop-offs to school, avoidance, flat-out defiance and the good old-fashioned tantrum. In older children, this refusal may occur in terms of "not feeling well" in attempts to stay home, away from all things that are causing their anxiety (the fear of not knowing the correct answers in class, having to meet new friends, or even worries about who to sit with at lunchtime), as well as real physical symptoms, like stomachaches, or nausea.*
Usually, these childhood fears dissipate over the course of learning a new routine. We have to wake up a little bit earlier to avoid the additional school traffic on the road in the mornings, and our children have to adjust their minds to what is new in their lives before becoming comfortable.
How can we, as parents, help to combat school refusal?
· Don't rush your mornings. Prepare lunches and backpacks the evening prior to bedtime and wake up just a little bit earlier in the mornings. This gives you time to eat breakfast with your child, talk about the day's expectations and gives the child a chance to voice any concerns they may have.
· For little ones entering a schooling environment for the first time, adjust them to school in small doses. Once assigned a classroom and teacher, ask if you can start dropping your child in for a few hours a day to help them adjust.
· Talk with your children about their fears and feelings, and find solutions together for things that may cause them stress or concern. A good time to do this is during a family dinner when your child is relaxed and comfortable.
· Encourage playdates for little ones and extracurricular activities for older children. This will help them relax while being around people their age in a similar environment. Having your child build excitement over activities that are school-related will not only encourage them to like attending each morning, but it may very well make them more in tune with the classroom aspects of school.
· Most importantly, make yourself known at your children's school. Know your child's principals, directors, teachers and part-time aids. Not only is this a great way to let educators know just how involved you are, but your child will be proud that you are involved.
*While some of these symptoms are normal and affect a large majority of children, should you notice
your child not getting better, consult a mental health professional.*
Marlena Rice is a local mom and author. Her new book, "Pacifiers, Flatbeds and Barn Wood Thingamajigs, a 'Come to Jesus Guide' for the New, Southern Mom," will be available on Amazon.com this fall. Follow Marlena on Instagram at marlena_rice.
Article sponsored by ERC Roofing and Construction.
Find them on the web at: http://alabamaroofingexpert.com
By Allison Adams
September. Is it really already here?! With the temps rising to the triple digits in July, I have to say I welcome the end of summer.
But isn't that what the seasons are really about? They provide change for us just in time, bringing much-needed relief from monotony. We can't help it, we are wired this way, and our super-fast technical lives are making it even more difficult for us to learn to relax.
We anticipate and eagerly await summer as she rolls in, the sun and some warm patches heating up our springs, until we are full-blown into the middle of summer. We enjoy a little time at the beach, in a boat on the lake, but then suddenly we find ourselves in a little round plastic tub in desperate search of activities for kids and relief from the heat.
Just yesterday I felt a cool breeze on the back side of a pop-up thunderstorm. It was like a touch of fall breeze heaven caressing my face. Well, maybe it was still in the low 90s, but to me, it smelled a bit like fall.
Fall is on the way, tempting us just as summer did. You can see it coming in the store displays, as owners scurry about, getting ready for the influx of students. The lake has even been quieter than usual, as everyone squeezes in a last-minute vacation before buckling down to tackle school supply lists and soccer sign ups. You can almost feel the football fever coming across the rocky cliffs that surround the waters' edge on Lake Tuscaloosa. The thought brings chill bumps to my arms! But for now, let's make the most of the summer that we have left with the kids.
I find it amusing that even here in the South, we have to work to relax. There are classes on relaxation. We create rooms to help us find our Zen. We drink to take the edge off. We exercise to de-stress. We spend money for counselors who are supposed to help us find our "center."
Why would we "work" to relax when all around us, God has rolled out the best therapy. Relaxation is guaranteed when you stop and immerse yourself in a sunset, walking along the lake's shore, and then you look over and spot a turtle sliding off a log, enjoying an evening dip. There is no better Zen than to listen to a stream trickle down a hill to the lake below. Paddling in a canoe or kayak can add some vigorous workout to your search for "chi."
May you embrace the heat and push through. Before long, we will be deep into fall and wishing for some winter winds to get us through 'til spring. Hey! It's how we roll!
If you've been hiding out in the A/C all summer and didn't realize summer was just about over, you still have time to make those special family summer memories. If you are all out of ideas, no one can resist loading in the truck (we have been known to just go pick up the neighborhood and take them in the RV for ice cream) and heading to Sonic for a cold blast of something. Or try some night bowling in the air conditioning before it is filled once again with college students. After all, right now, we locals still have the run of the place!
Blessings from Lake Tuscaloosa, and Happy End-of-Summer,
Allison Adams
Photo: Allison Adams
Article sponsored by Interlinc Mortgage Services.
Find them on the web at: www.interlincmortgage.com
A Parent's Guide to Teens and Credit Cards06 Sep 2015
By Courtney Corbridge
When it comes to teens and their financial responsibilities, no two homes will do it the same. And they don't have to. One teenager may benefit from access to a credit card early in order to learn how to be organized, meet deadlines, and be careful with the quick swipe of a card. Another teenager, however, may quickly become trapped by the buy-now, pay-later rationale and establish a pattern for debt.
Parents often decide to give their teens credit cards for emergencies, to teach responsibility, or help them establish credit from an early age. But before you take the leap, here are a few questions to ask before deciding if a credit card is right for the teens and soon-to-be independents in your home.
Are you in debt?
Of course kids can learn from our mistakes, but they can also follow them. If you have a habit of overspending or a large collection of credit card debts, it is likely that your child will too. This is yet another case where "do what I say and not what I do" will fall short.
Do your children "nickel and dime themselves to death"?
Aside from mortgages, student loans, and car payments, it's often not the big things that cause college students and teens to go into debt. It's the daily expenditures they forget to keep track of and fail to live without—a pizza here, a concert there. Budgets are broken on the small stuff.
Do they already save and budget?
Letting your child save up for a summer trip, a car, or a musical instrument can be good ways to test if your teen is ready for a credit card. If they already have a history of saving their funds and keeping track of them, it's likely those skills will carry over once they have a plastic card instead of cash.
Have you talked to your children about building credit?
College-aged students are more likely to open lots of credit card accounts—one with Target, one with Gap, another with Amazon etc. On many campuses they'll be offered anything from a free T-shirt to a free pizza to apply for credit cards, or at the very least to subscribe to a lifetime of banking junk mail. Teach your kids about the wisdom of only having a few credit cards and paying them off on time. Teach them about building credit, why they will need good credit, and how to maintain good credit. Sit down with them. If they are unwilling to learn about the advantages and repercussions of a credit card, they probably aren't ready to have one.
Have they already had a debit card through a personal checking account?
Many parents find that debit cards are good options for teens who already have jobs. This gives them experience with tracking their money online and through bank statements without giving them the full buying power of a credit card. With joint checking accounts, parents can also transfer funds to them in the case of emergencies. For this phone savvy generation, most banks have apps that teens can download to keep track of their expenditures, and they will often send texts to warn them when their funds get low.
Article sponsored by the Lift Fund.
Find them on the web at: http://alabama.liftfund.com
The Land of Oz
A monthly editorial piece of masterful opinionated writing (insert joke here) regarding life and times in the big town of Tuscaloosa coupled with the musings of a guy nicknamed "Oz."
If you are anything like me (and bless your soul if you are), you might have looked at the calendar recently and asked yourself, "Hey… where in the heck did summer go?"
Technically, it's still here. But for all intents and purposes, it begins when school lets out and ends when school resumes. Or does it?
Whether you have kids or not, there is a direct correlation (especially in the thriving metropolis of Tuscaloosa) as it relates to our living conditions. This includes, but is not limited to: much lighter traffic conditions, no lines, no wait at local eateries, and no dreading the approach to the unavoidable intersection at 15th and McFarland (hurry up with that Krispy Kreme turn lane, will ya?). No matter where you live, you've no doubt dealt with this issue.
Seasons seem to get shorter every year and unscientifically speaking, maybe it's because that for a couple of brief months, life gets a little easier to navigate. Literally. Getting from point A to point B is a lot less hectic.
But it also may be because of timing. Let's face it: The last week of May and the first week of August are a wash. If you're not decompressing from the hustle of spring, you're prepping for the upcoming hustle in the fall. Some of us never come out of the hustle to begin with, but at least the commute is a little less painful.
Eliminate those two weeks, and you have exactly two months remaining. After various sporting camps, and vacation bible school, and finishing baseball, and dodging bacteria in the neighborhood pool, and swim lessons, and reapplying sunscreen, and potentially squeezing in a vacation from which you return and need a vacation… it's over.
In a puff of smoke, the school supply list is staring you in the face and we're all mulling over preseason football polls.
Other school systems perform their summer break dance a little differently simply by altering dates while maintaining the allotment of off time.
As an example, certain systems in other necks of other woods shift the grand finale of the academic year until the end of June and then recommence after Labor Day. I'm not sure which is worse. The only sure positive is that statistically, July and August are the hottest months, and at least the kids would return as the weather is beginning to somewhat cool down.
Regardless, the summers seemingly continue to get shorter. And if the powers that be eventually shorten the actual break, then by the measurement of the title of this article, enjoy your one week of summer. Time flies when you're reapplying sunscreen.
I tweet insignificant things @ozborn34.
Derek Osborn is the Executive Director of PRIDE of Tuscaloosa by trade and writer by hobby. He lives in Tuscaloosa with his wife, Lynn, and daughters Savannah and Anica.
Keeping it Colorful31 Aug 2015
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By Cokie Thompson
School has started, and elementary school students across the state are all stocked up on fresh paper, unbroken crayons, and if their parents were feeling generous while back-to-school shopping, a new coloring book. This year, those parents might even get in on the fun.
Last fall, Secret Garden: An Inky Treasure Hunt and Coloring Book made its way to the top of Amazon's bestseller list. It might be interesting for any coloring book to reach that status, but this one is especially notable: it's for adults.
Articles from Slate and Huffington Post have highlighted the stress-relieving benefits of coloring for all ages, especially adults with lives that don't seem to allow them to slow down and breathe.
Allison Adams, an Alabama artist, drew Southern Scribblings after years of journaling and following Julia Cameron and The Artist's Way. She believes in the power of setting aside time to relax and get in touch with her creative side. Her book incorporates exercises beyond filling in the lines to help people sort out things going on in their heads they may not be paying attention to.
"This one I was trying to also get people thinking about getting creative but also balancing their life," Adams said.
She said her goal is to help people open up to their creativity, and she hopes this will help them connect with their hopes and dreams from before they cared if they were coloring inside the lines.
"When people get to the point in life where they are asking, 'What am I doing? Why am I on this treadmill?' almost always they go back to that thing that they loved when they were five or six," Adams said.
At Caring Days Adult Day Care in Tuscaloosa, adults with Alzheimer's disease get creative with coloring books too. Artwork from current and former patients covers the walls and keeps the facility warm and feeling like home.
Executive Director Vicki Kerr said while it can be tricky defining what is or isn't within a patient's skill set, coloring has had a positive impact on Caring Days.
"I don't ever want to do anything that seems to be demeaning," Kerr said. "When it's your kids, you're proud, but of course with Alzheimer's patients it goes the other way."
Whether it's through Wild West themed-coloring books or watercolors on paper, Kerr said Caring Days patrons are able to express some of their deepest feelings.
"What you see come out is from their heart," Kerr said.
Arts 'n Autism in Tuscaloosa works with children on the autism spectrum through after-school programs and summer camps. Amy Grimes, the art teacher for the program, said she could see how adult coloring books would help people relax.
She uses Zentangles, a drawing method, to help calm her students who have difficulty with transitions. The task is focused, but not fraught with potential error, and helps them work through anything that is frustrating them.
"Particularly if you have kids who are used to doing things in an order," Grimes said. "It does center them and make them feel quite comfortable."
Like Allison Adams, Grimes said helping people engage their creative side can be difficult at first.
"When you try to get them to revisit it, they're frightened by that, but it's amazing if you give them step one or step two, they aren't as overwhelmed," Grimes said.
Whether you're stressed about bosses and clients or learning how to read, a coloring book might help you unwind.
Article sponsored by Belle Chambre.
Find them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/BelleChambreTuscaloosa


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Facing increasing competition, notably from Amazon's Kindle Fire, and fading demand, Apple is being urged to drop the prices on its iPad, analysts said.
Bill Shope, an analyst with Goldman Sachs, wrote in a note to investors that demand for the iPad is lessening and could be solved with lower pricing. From Business Insider Shope continued:
Price cuts have also been critical, and the iPad is overdue. While the rapid ramp of the iPad installed base is remarkable by any metric, it is even more remarkable when we consider the fact that it has occurred without any change in pricing or storage capacity. Indeed, the iPhone enjoyed several major retail price cuts in its first year. The 8Gb version of the first iPhone saw its retail price slashed from $599 to $399 in its first three months on the market. Apple further improved affordability with the shift to a subsidized pricing model in 2008, bringing the price for an 8Gb iPhone down to $199 (with a two-year contract).
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Shope said that a $399 iPad 2 could limit Android tablet domination and attract cost-conscious consumers even in a recession. But so far, despite rumors, Apple seems unwilling to drop $100 even for a pared-down model.
Bill Reitzes of Barclays Capital also pointed out that sales were 600,000 less than analysts predicted for Apple's fiscal fourth quarter, possibly indicating weaker sales and that the computer tablet field could be more open than first thought.
Enter Amazon's Kindle Fire, the $199, 7-inch Android tablet it released this week. While most critics agree that it compares less favorably than the iPad, the $199 price tag makes it easy to compromise.
"The Kindle Fire can handle about 80 percent of what I want to do on an iPad, for 40 percent of the price. And much of what's missing won't be missing for long," wrote Wilsom Rothman for MSNBC.
For the price of an iPad 2, consumers can get two Kindle Fires and have money left over for several e-books or applications. In the coming holiday season amid a devastating recession, the choice between the two will be clear to many buyers.
This move should be having Apple quaking in its boots, but so far the tech company has been slow to react to the changing market. While resting on its laurels is understandable, it shouldn't be the route of an innovative tech company. Apple needs to move quickly and produce a lower-priced tablet to compete in the global market.


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It is the policy of New York University (NYU, "the University") that all costs proposed or incurred on a sponsored project must comply with the terms and conditions of the sponsored awards in determining costs that are allowable or unallowable. At no time should unallowable costs be charged to the sponsored project. Proper accounting for unallowable costs is required to maintain the integrity of the University's Facilities and Administrative (F&A) Cost Proposal and compliance with Federal regulations.
The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines for defining and identifying costs that are unallowable for reimbursement from the Federal government and other external sponsors. NYU adheres to Cost Accounting Standard 505, Accounting for Unallowable Costs, other applicable government regulations including the Federal Office of Management and Budget Uniform Guidance (OMB Uniform Guidance) as well as sponsor terms and conditions in accounting for unallowable costs.
This policy is applicable to all schools, departments, units and personnel of the University involved in administering sponsored awards.
The Cost Accounting Standards Board (CASB) requires educational institutions receiving Federal funding in excess of $500,000 to comply with Cost Accounting Standards (CAS). In addition, for Federally funded awards, the University must adhere to the requirements of the OMB Uniform Guidance, in determining the allowable costs of work performed for sponsored programs and of indirect costs included in the University's facilities and administrative cost rate calculation. The purpose of CAS 505 is to facilitate the negotiation, audit, administration and settlement of Federal awards by establishing guidelines covering:
For the treatment of allowable and unallowable costs with respect to sponsored programs, please refer to the University Costing Policy. This policy summarizes the requirements of OMB Uniform Guidance and the CAS 505 requirements.
Activities and expenses which are unallowable for reimbursement on a Federally-funded award may still be appropriate, necessary and allowable on a non-Federally funded award. Departments may still incur these activities/expenses but they must be coded as unallowable so they can be readily identified and excluded from the indirect cost calculation. However, the accounting treatment prescribed by CAS 505 requires specific identification of these costs in the accounting records or memos and prescribes methods to prevent these costs from being included in any proposal, billing or claim that applies to a Federally funded award.
Unallowable costs are identified and segregated using the following methods:
Appendix A provides the rules prescribed by OMB Uniform Guidance and recommended procedures for selected items of cost. Some of these items are unallowable as direct or indirect costs for sponsored programs (e.g., alumni activities). Others require special treatment (e.g., student administration and services). Therefore, these items must be segregated to ensure compliance with CAS 505.
Effective Date Supersedes 09/01/13 Issuing Authority Sponsored Programs Administration Responsible Officer Assistant Vice President for Post-Award Administration
Unallowable Costs
Direct or indirect expenses that are not reimbursable under either Federal regulations or the terms and conditions of a sponsored award.


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Aviva Premiership
Bath sign Springbok Louw
ESPNscrum Staff
July 12, 2011
Louw faces a battle to be included in South Africa's final 30-man squad with the likes of Schalk Burger and Heinrich Brussow vying for a starting spot © Getty Images
Bath have announced the signing of South African flanker Francois Louw on a three-year deal from The Stormers.
The 26-year-old, who is currently part of the Springboks' preliminary Rugby World Cup squad, is set to link up with the Premiership club at the end of the year. If he fails to earn a place in Peter de Villiers' final 30-man squad for the World Cup then he will be on Currie Cup duty with Western Province until the end of October.
The seven-cap Springbok will replace former Bath captain and fellow South African international Luke Watson at The Rec following his decision to return home and join the SA Kings.
Louw hopes to make an impact at the West Country side, but has his sights firmly set on a Springbok jersey in the immediate future. "Whilst I am hopeful of playing my way into the Springbok squad for the forthcoming Tri-Nations and Rugby World Cup, I am very excited to be joining a side with such a prestigious past and exciting future as Bath," Louw said. "I'm looking forward to working hard and competing for a place in the team, in what is a very competitive squad, and helping Bath to become a real force, both in domestic and European competitions."
Bath's director of rugby Sir Ian McGeechan was suitably delighted with his new powerful backrow "Francois is an outstanding player and character who will add to, and complement, the squad at Bath," McGeechan said. "We are all very impressed with his qualities and are looking forward to working closely with him."
Rob Wagner, Managing Director of the Western Province, commented: "Francois has been an integral part of the Stormers and WP squads. A true modern professional, his athleticism and presence on the pitch has been matched by his commitment and passion for team and brand off the field. We wish him all the best at Bath and thank him for his loyalty and time in the Western Province."
Louw will be joined at Bath by fellow new signings England international Dave Attwood, rugby league convert Kyle Eastmond and former Leicester centre Dan Hipkiss. Bath have also reportedly agreed a deal to sign All Blacks fly-half Stephen Donald to replace South African stand-off Butch James.
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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As our own Mr. Smith has explained, the camera in the iPhone 3GS is pretty damn good for taking photos of cars. For even better photos, spend an extra 99¢ on pseudo-Polaroid app ShakeItPhoto.
Ahem, that word, better. It's a tough point to argue that a photo taken with a microscopic lens and put through destructive testing with weird filters can have any relation to better, but trust me on this.
What Nick Campbell's silly little program does is make fake Polaroids. You can even shake the iPhone to make them develop faster! But it creates those fakes with such a cunning algorithm that it borders on proper magic. The result? Point your tricorder at things and you will get pleasing images all the time. All the time. All you need to do is find pretty cars, like, say, a Ferrari 250 GT short-wheelbase, and you're set. Or plastic ladies in storefronts.
You may be wondering if living in Europe means you can walk out of your house and photograph a Ferrari 250 GT SWB in rosso corsa just like that and the answer is, of course, no. But please excuse my deceit in creating the photo above: it is there to show that ShakeItPhoto also works with your existing images, turning crisp and boring digitals into pseudo-analog pseudo-squares of vignetting fun.
As for the actual vehicle situation in my little slice of Europe, I'm afraid it's all motorcycles this morning. Just a boring Moto Guzzi and a boring Ducati. Don't tell your inner Wes Siler.
And to shred any illusion that this is just a 99¢ fart app you will discard after fifteen seconds, consider that David Guttenfelder—the chief Asia photographer of The Associated Press—is also a user. So if you're bored of cars, go and take photos of badass U.S. Marines in Afghanistan and feel like a pro.
Or badass U.S. Marines in Ferraris. Or badass U.S. Marines in Ferraris with M242 Bushmaster autocannons mounted on strut braces. You get the idea.
Photo Credit: David Guttenfelder (badass U.S. Marine) and the author
Update: Jalopnik reader Mike Bahurinsky has suggested another app called Hipstamatic, which also does the magic for 2 bucks. His photos from a recent VW/Audi meet:


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Working on a recent consulting job, I was asked to explain the difference in throughput, which is, measured in MB/s verses IOPS as I had recommended a storage array that would provide many more IOPS and throughput than what is currently in use.
For this client I had presented the expected IOPS per type of disk from 7200 RPM, 10K and 15K and how one would calculate the total IOPS per expansion unit but failed to explain the available throughput other than an increase in uplink speed to 6GB.
Throughput is a measurement of the average number of megabytes transferred within a period of time for a specific file size. Back in the day this was performed using a single computer making a single request for a disk, but in today's age with large storage arrays that are providing storage to a number of clients we need to measure based on a lot of small read/writes verses a single computer making a large request.
To measure throughput one can use the following formula.
MB/s = IOPS * KB per IO / 1024
With this formula your IO will be your block size. For an array with 10 10k SAS drives which provide approx 145 IOPS per disk we will use 1450 IOPS, in the real world this will differ based on RAID configuration. Other than RAID0 there is a penalty for writes. Not with reads. For RAID1 and 10 there is an I/O penalty of 2, for RAID 5 there is I/O penalty of 4 and for RAID 6 a I/O penalty of 6. RAID 6 is popular among SANs.
MB/s = 1450 * 64 /1024 or 90.625 MB/s
MB/s = 1450 * 128 /1024 or 181.25 MB/s
MB/s = 1450 * 256 /1024 or 362.5 MB/s
Hard drive manufactures will advertise 100MB throughput for a hard drive so why wouldn't you see 1000MB throughput in a RAID 0 configuration. Because in the real world you are not performing the edge cases they are doing. Your IO workload will be more than a single sector read. These disk manufactures don't share their engineering specifications or what criteria they used to benchmark their drives. One thing you can bank on is that they do what ever it takes to get the best results possible for marketing. Your results will vary drastically.


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Current Economic Climate, Shrinking Retirement Funds Leave Many Without Options
Public Company Information:
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June was another difficult month for American workers with a net loss of 467,000 jobs, compared with 322,000 in May. June represents the first time in the past four months that the number of jobs lost rose from the previous month. Despite diminishing employment opportunities and an economy threatening job security, new research by Charles Schwab & Co., Inc shows that as many as 9.5 million retired Americans are considering at least a partial return to the workforce and 32 percent of those currently employed expect to hold their job and delay retirement.
"It's a challenging time to be facing retirement," said Rich Rosso, financial consultant at Charles Schwab's Houston branch. "The situation many Americans have found themselves in illustrates the importance of long term retirement planning. But in the short term there are also a host of things people can consider to help smooth the ride."
Below are suggestions from Rosso for managing the financial implications of returning to the workforce or delaying retirement.
Strategies for Jumping Back In
For retired investors anticipating a jump back into the workforce, Rosso has the following suggestions for getting finances in order before making the move:
- Don't overlook possible tax deductions. You may be able to deduct certain job-hunting expenses such as employment agency fees, resume preparation, phone calls and transportation if you're seeking employment. These expenses are generally deductible as miscellaneous if exceeding 2 percent of your current income.
- Consider stopping your Social Security payments. It doesn't take much to make your Social Security payments taxable. If you can pay back what you've already taken out, it may be in your best interest to stop taking Social Security until after you stop working permanently.
- As age 70½ approaches, don't forget you'll need to start taking required minimum distributions from your traditional IRA. You have until April 1 of the following year to start, but that means taking two taxed distributions in the first year.
- Be sure to stay well diversified. So close to retirement, it is critical to develop a well-diversified portfolio and reduce exposure to any single investment, such as the stock of your ex-employer.
- Periodically review all the categories of your insurance coverage. Verify that you're not paying too much for the wrong kind of coverage. This should include life, property, casualty and liability insurance.
Tips for Putting Retirement on Hold
For investors expecting to extend employment into their retirement years, Rosso suggests considering the following strategies for making the most of a delayed transition:
- Continue to invest money up to the company match in your company retirement plan. Don't turn your back on what is essentially free money.
- Attempt to be as debt free as possible before pulling the trigger on retirement. Start with unsecured credit card and/or auto loan debt first. Then work to get your mortgage paid off if you plan to stay in your current residence for at least another 10 years.
- Remember to support your emergency fund. Consider expanding your three to six-month emergency fund to cover at least two years of living expenses for retirement. An emergency fund can help you avoid dipping into dedicated retirement savings or taking on more debt if you're in a cash crunch.
The information provided here is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered an individualized recommendation or personalized investment, tax or legal advice. Any investments and strategies mentioned here may not be suitable for everyone. You should consult with a financial professional for more information.
For More Information
Charles Schwab encourages individuals to take advantage of Schwab's Real Life Retirement Services, which provides a realistic approach to retirement, not only offering key insight into actionable ways to save for and manage retirement savings, but also providing guidance on products and services and access to stories from Americans who have successfully moved into life's third act. For more information please visit, www.schwab.com/RealLifeRetirement.
About the Study
The Charles Schwab Q2 Retirement Omnibus Survey was conducted by Kelton Research between April 13th and April 20th, 2009 using Random Digit Dialing of listed and unlisted numbers. Quotas are set to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the total U.S. population ages 18 and over. Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. In this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 3.1 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample.
About Charles Schwab
The Charles Schwab Corporation (Nasdaq:SCHW) is a leading provider of financial services, with more than 300 offices and 7.5 million client brokerage accounts, 1.5 million corporate retirement plan participants, 567,000 banking accounts, and $1.2 trillion in client assets. Through its operating subsidiaries, the company provides a full range of securities brokerage, banking, money management and financial advisory services to individual investors and independent investment advisors. Its broker-dealer subsidiary, Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (member SIPC, http://www.sipc.org), and affiliates offer a complete range of investment services and products including an extensive selection of mutual funds; financial planning and investment advice; retirement plan and equity compensation plan services; referrals to independent fee-based investment advisors; and custodial, operational and trading support for independent, fee-based investment advisors through its Advisor Services division. The Charles Schwab Bank (member FDIC) provides banking and mortgage services and products. More information is available at www.schwab.com. (0709-9750)
© 2009 Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. All rights reserved. Member SIPC
Charles Schwab
Lara Edge, 415-667-0588
Jennifer McClellan, 212-704-4567


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Columbus Crew vs. Portland Timbers | MLS Match Preview
COLUMBUS CREW vs PORTLAND TIMBERS
COLUMBUS CREW STADIUM, Columbus, Ohio
July 7, 2013 (WEEK 19, MLS Game #173)
5 p.m. ET (FS-OH; ROOT-NW)
Watch online with MLSsoccer.com's
Blacked out in Columbus and Portland (watch on FOX Sports Ohio or ROOT Sports)
The Columbus Crew return home with a massive task ahead of them, cooling off the Portland Timbers when the two clubs meet Sunday afternoon at Crew Stadium. The Crew saw their losing streak extended to three games in a difficult loss at midweek, the LA Galaxy scoring two late penalty kicks for a 2-1 win at StubHub Center. The Timbers return to league play after a weekend off, their undefeated streak now at 15 MLS games, following a 3-0 home win against the Colorado Rapids.
REFEREE: Jorge Gonzalez. AR1 (bench): Adam Wienckowski; AR2 (opposite): Eric Proctor; 4th: Sorin Stoica
MLS Career: 98 games; FC/gm: 25.0; Y/gm: 3.3; R: 33; pens: 24
DISABLED LIST: none
SUSPENDED: none
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: none
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: CLB: Federico Higuain, Jairo Arrieta, Tyson Wahl, Kevan George ... POR: Andrew Jean-Baptiste, Will Johnson, Ben Zemanski, Diego Chara
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: CLB: Jairo Arrieta (CRC) ... POR: Will Johnson (CAN), Rodney Wallace (CAN), Frederic Piquionne (MTQ)
ALL-TIME (3 meetings): Crew 1 win, 1 goal ... Timbers 1 win, 1 goal ... Ties 1
AT COLUMBUS (1 meeting): Crew 1 win, 1 goal ... Timbers 0 wins, 0 goals ... Ties 0
- The teams are meeting for the only time this season in league play.
- The teams have evenly split their three meetings all-time. Each team won 1-0 at home in Portland's inaugural MLS season, then the teams played to a scoreless draw last year in their only encounter.
- Coaches record: Robert Warzycha vs. POR: P3 W1 L1 D1 ... Caleb Porter vs. CLB: first game
The Columbus Crew went down to a third consecutive loss in bitter circumstances, the LA Galaxy scoring two late penalty kicks for a 2-1 win Thursday at StubHub Center. The Crew are in eighth place in the Eastern Conference with 20 points from 18 matches.
- The Crew took the lead in the 78th minute. Federico Higuain put in a free kick from near midfield and Bernardo Anor, just inside the Galaxy box, got his head to it and looped it over Galaxy 'keeper Carlo Cudicini into the upper-right corner.
- But the Galaxy took the points thanks to two penalty kicks. In the 85th minute, Jose Villarreal tumbled after taking a through ball from Marcelo Sarvas and going down after pushing it past Crew goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum. Robbie Keane fired the spot kick into the lower-right corner.
- Then in stoppage time, referee Sorin Stoica again pointed to the spot after Anor was called for pushing down Keane as he awaited a cross from Colin Clark. Keane again finished with a low shot inside the right post for the winner.
- Crew head coach Robert Warzycha made two changes to the team that suffered a 3-2 loss to Sporting Kansas City at Sporting Park. Matias Sanchez and Ben Speas came into the team for Tyson Wahl and Jairo Arrieta.
- COLUMBUS CREW (4-4-1-1): Andy Gruenebaum - Josh Williams, Danny O'Rourke, Chad Marshall, Chad Barson - Bernardo Anor, Matias Sanchez (Konrad Warzycha 66), Kevan George, Ben Speas (Ethan Finlay 66) - Federico Higuain, Dominic Oduro (Tony Tchani 90).
- The loss was the third in a row for the Crew, their longest losing streak of the season. Since the start of May, the Crew are 2-6-2, and have fallen from fifth place in the Eastern Conference to eighth.
- "We went up a goal so we tried to put some guys in different positions but today they stood up and then they played very well," said Crew head coach Robert Warzycha. "In the end we gave up two penalties but the defense was tremendous."
- The Crew conceded two penalty kick goals in a game for second time in club history, and the first time in 16 years. The only other occasion was a 4-2 loss at D.C. United on July 31, 1997; the Crew have conceded two penalties on two other occasions (Sept. 19, 1998 v COL; June 6, 2004 v NE), but both times their opponents converted just one.
- "Andy [Gruenebaum] said he got a hand on the first one," Warzycha said. "Bernardo was jumping for the ball. He wasn't trying to push the guy. It was shoulder-to-shoulder. Too bad they both happened at the end of the game."
- Said Danny O'Rourke: "When you get a lead, you have to do a better job of defending it."
- Federico HiguaÌn collected an assist for a second consecutive game, and now has five assists on the season. Of HiguaÌnís five assists, three have come on deadball deliveries (two from free kicks, one from a corner).
- In the starting lineup for a fourth consecutive match, his only four league starts of the season, Bernardo Anor scored his first goal of the campaign. Anor has scored one goal in each of his three MLS seasons.
- "Higuainís been serving in good balls all year and Bernardo (Anor) found himself in a good spot with a good snap header from inside the 18 (yard box) and it was a great boost for us," said Ethan Finlay. "It's unfortunate we dropped two late penalties but itís the nature of the game."
- Ben Speas returned to the starting lineup for the first time in two matches. He was taken off at the three-quarter mark in favor of Finlay, who had his longest shift in a league game since playing 27 minutes on March 16 vs. San Jose.
- For the first time this season, Danny O'Rourke dropped in central defense alongside Chad Marshall, with Gla˙ber out for the remainder of the season following knee surgery. Josh Williams shifted to his more usual right back spot after three games at center back.
- "When you sustain pressure for pretty much 90 minutes straight and to hold as long as they did itís a true testament to what we have as a team and we need to find a way to take pressure off those guys," said Finlay. "Josh [Williams] and Chad [Marshall] and Danny [O'Rourke] played really great tonight. Danny was really solid for us tonight at the back as well as [Chad] Barson, so those guys were tremendous for us and kept us in the game."
The Portland Timbers are reaching rarefied air with their undefeated streak, now at 15 games after their last league match, a 3-0 win against the Colorado Rapids on June 22 at Jeld-Wen Field. The Timbers are in a tie for second place in the Western Conference with 30 points from 17 matches.
- The Timbers jumped into the lead in the 12th minute. Rodney Wallace broke free down the left flank off a quickly-taken restart and fired a cross into the box for Frederic Piquionne, whose header beat Colorado goalkeeper Clint Irwin to the top of the goal.
- Portland struck again just before halftime when Wallace came down with a flicked-on goal kick, held the ball at the left corner of the box and found a charging Will Johnson. The Timbers captain popped the ball up in the air to get past the Colorado defense and then launched a left-footed shot past Irwin to the far corner.
- Portland put the game away in the 84th minute when Ryan Johnson buried a Wallace cross into an open goal after a Rapids turnover high up the field.
- Timbers head coach Caleb Porter made three changes to the team that played to a scoreless draw with the LA Galaxy at StubHub Center. Jack Jewsbury came into the back four for Michael Harrington, and Rodney Wallace and Frederic Piquionne came into the side in place of Kalif Alhassan and Ryan Johnson.
- PORTLAND TIMBERS (4-2-3-1): Donovan Ricketts - Ryan Miller, Pa Modou Kah, Andrew Jean-Baptiste, Jack Jewsbury - Diego Chara, Will Johnson - Darlington Nagbe (Ben Zemanski 73), Diego Valeri (Kalif Alhassan 84), Rodney Wallace - Frederic Piquionne (Ryan Johnson 60).
- The Timbers extended their undefeated streak to 15 games with the victory against Colorado. The streak is tied for the fourth-longest in MLS history, and it's the second-longest within a single season (FC Dallas, 19 games, 2010).
- "I think this team believes that theyíre one of the best teams in the league," Timbers head coach Caleb Porter said. "When I looked in their eyes after the [Colorado game], theyíre happy but it looked like they expected it. I think that shows that we have a realistic belief in this club that we can be a realistic contender to compete for trophies here. I donít know about benchmarks, but weíre moving in the right direction and the biggest thing is that locker room believes that we can be one of the better teams in the league."
- Frederic Piquionne scored his first MLS goal in Portlandís 3-0 victory against Colorado. Piquionne has a goal and four assists in the last five MLS games; in his last eight games in all competitions, he has six goals and five assists.
- Rodney Wallace recorded three assists in the Colorado and took over the team lead, with five assists in league play to go along with his four goals.
- "[Wallace is] having a breakout year; humble kid," Timbers captain Will Johnson said. "He found a position there on the left and has taken advantage of every opportunity. I think it goes without saying that weíre a better team when Rodney is on the field."
- Said Wallace: "I think itís just confidence and feeding off the guys around you. I think we have a great team with a bunch of players, who make it easy for you to go out there and play a good game. I think that everybody on the team is playing on cue right now and just feeding off each other."
- Will Johnson scored his team-leading sixth league goal, while also added a third assist on the season. It was the third time this season where heís been involved in multiple goals in a game.ìItís good. It gets even tougher now. No more flying under the radar, we've made too many statements. People know we're a good team and we're going to get everybodyís best shot now. We've got to be ready for it," Johnson said.
- Following the league match, the Timbers reached the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup for the first time and extended their unbeaten streak to 18 games in all competitions, coming back for a 3-2 win against FC Dallas in a fourth-round match in Frisco. The Timbers came back from a one-goal deficit as Darlington Nagbe, Diego Valeri and Frederic Piquionne scored within a 12-minute span.
- "I feel like it's becoming a habit, not losing," Nagbe said. "And if we continue to make it a habit, well be in great shape because we have good players and a good coach and a good organization and we just have to keep moving forward."
- Here's the Timbers team: Donovan Ricketts, Ryan Miller, Andrew Jean-Baptiste, Pa Modou Kah (Mamadou Danso 83), Jack Jewsbury, Darlington Nagbe (Ben Zemanski 74), Diego Chara, Diego Valeri, Will Johnson, Rodney Wallace, Ryan Johnson (Frederic Piquionne 57).
- Ahead of their return to league play, the Timbers defeated Monarcas Morelia 1-0 in a friendly at midweek at JELD-WEN Field. The lone goal came from a Futty Danso penalty kick; Morelia played the second half with 10 men.
ï Hereís the Timbers team: Milos Kocic, Sal Zizzo, Rauwshan McKenzie, Futty Danso, Ryan Miller (Anthony Machionne*, 71), Steven Evans, Michael Nanchoff, Ben Zemanski (Foster Langsdorf*, 46), Kalif Alhassan (Anthony Hobbs^, 46), Jose Valencia (Jesse Garcia*, 72), Sebastian RincÛn


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If you live in Hawaii, California, British Columbia, Alaska or Baja California, here are some bad news: According to computer models made by scientists at the International Pacific Research Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa, all the debris washed out by the Japan tsunami is coming your way.
This is how the trash will spread through the Pacific and hit the West Coast of the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The model in the video above-developed by Nikolai Maximenko and Jan Hafner using data from drifting buoys that have been deployed over years through the Pacific Ocean-shows the unstoppable progress of the debris after the March 11 tsunami. The trash plume-formed by all kinds of junk, from pieces of houses and automobiles to consumer electronics-is now spreading eastward from Japan taken by the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre.
Read the full report via Gizmodo


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Remember this gorgeous dining room? When I posted about this house back in April, the color palette and beautiful furniture really resonated with all of you. It was designed by the talented Jen Dyer of Jeneration Interiors, who recently completed yet another glamorous project. This time, it's one of the chicest studies I've ever laid my eyes on.
{I love the palette of jade and deep plum. Notice the show-stopping malachite desk! The chairs and sofa all have such sculptural lines which lend a softness and femininity to the deep colors that were employed. The desk chair is the same as the coral one in the dining room in the previous image.}
{This office could easily fit right into the sets of one of the glamorous films from the 1950s, yet it maintains a modern sensibility. It's like Dorothy Draper meets Kelly Wearstler, which in my book is a huge compliment!}


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It's just another day for co-owners Mike Chernow (general manager) and Dan Holzman (executive chef) of The Meatball Shop, making meatballs, serving meatballs and--well, a given--telling (meat) ball jokes. The handsomely witty duo took some time out to chat with us about their delectable, soul-soothing specialty and share their personal favorite eats around the city (other than their own meatballs, of course).
Was there a specific incident that made you decide to go for it and open The Meatball Shop?
Mike: Yes, the fact that all the other ideas we had did not work...
Dan: I think it was during the Sunday Night investor dinners on Mike's roof when we realized we had something worth going for.
Were there other single category foods that you thought about tentpoling a restaurant on?
Mike: Nope, nothing else aside from the balls... We had one mind set: balls, balls, balls.
Dan: I remember considering fried chicken. I always wanted to open a fried chicken joint. I guess the timing just wasn't right for that.
How many ball jokes get bantered about during the average day?
Mike: Nonstop, all day long, never gets old. There are only a few topics that keep people laughing consistently, balls and farts... fun.
Dan: Seven ball jokes per day on average. If you wanna make me laugh, you gotta be clever at this point.
Which ball is your favorite?
Dan: I love them all, but I am a strong advocate for the spicy pork.
Mike: I have to agree with my partner here. The spicy pork are our simplest balls--only five ingredients, but so delicious.
How many meatballs do you think you each have eaten since opening up The Meatball Shop?
Mike: I would say roughly about 1800 to date.
Dan: I'm just getting started, probably somewhere in the 2,500 meatball range.
What are you favorite late-night bites?
Mike: Nothing better than a slice of piping hot pizza. I love to eat Artichoke late night. I also love going to Veselka for the cold borscht after hours.
Dan: Boca Bon Chon for the Korean fried chicken is my go to.
What are your favorite late-night pairings?
Mike: Crispy french fries and ketchup with an ice-cold root beer
Dan: Shot of Jack Daniel's and an ice-cold bottle of Budweiser
What are your favorite things to eat between two buns... other than your balls?
Mike: I love the Spotted Pig burger.
Dan: I'm always down to stop at a Halal truck and grab a grilled chicken kabob on a hot dog bun with that spicy sauce they have.
Where do you like to hang out on the nightlife scene?
Mike: Not much of a hanger-outer these days [because I'm] married with three businesses. If you would've asked me around seven years ago, the list would have been annoyingly long and obnoxious.
Dan: You might find me at Lit on Second Avenue or Maison Premiere if I'm feeling fancy on my way home.
The Meatball Shop - Lower East Side
84 Stanton Street
New York, NY 10002
The Meatball Shop - Williamsburg
170 Bedford Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11211


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Dr. Allon Friedman is a man after my own heart. He is associate professor of medicine in the division of nephrology at the Indiana University School of Medicine and a student of Palestinian fauxtography. When he saw the photo below published with this article by Joshua Mitnick in the print edition of the Wall Street Journal, he wrote to question its authenticity.
Dr. Rriedman wrote the Journal:
I wish to bring your attention to a highly suspicious photograph that was included on page A8 of the WSJ print edition yesterday (12/1/12) in an article entitled "Israel pushes housing after U.N. vote."
The photograph's caption states: "A Palestinian girl tries to push an Israeli soldier at a demonstration in the West Bank village of al-Masara…"
Even a brief perusal of the photograph raises a number of troubling observations:
1. The girl's arms are fully outstretched with her fingertips touching the plastic shield of the Israeli soldier. Judging by her stance and the position of her arms, there is no sense of physical strain on her part nor of force being exerted either by her or the soldier. In fact, the girl does not look like she is trying to push anything. Rather, it looks very much like what one would expect with a staged photo, where someone has asked the girl to walk up to the soldier and put her hands on the shield for a photo-op.
2. In addition, the "demonstration" is odd in that, at least in the photo, there is no sense of urgency or tension at all. Note the soldier in the background who is looking down at something as well as the empty space that surrounds the girl.
In summary, the photo was most likely staged. Unfortunately, there is copious documentation that the Western media frequently publish staged and/or manipulated photos of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Invariably, the photos fit an anti-Israel narrative, like the one I describe here (oppressed child vs. oppressor soldier). Often the photos can be traced back to Arab stringers or photographers who are simply biased against Israel or, on certain occasions, actually on the payroll of Israel's adversaries.
This would not be the first time that a staged photo was used in the propaganda war against Israel, but it is very troubling that a reputable newspaper like the WSJ has chosen to publish it.
I look forward to hearing back from you about this matter.
Allon Friedman, MD
The photograph is credited to European Pressphoto Agency. Dr. Friedman did not hear back from the Journal, but he also forwarded his message to the EPA and did hear back from its deputy editor-in-chief. I'm posting the message(s) below verbatim without trying to correct any of their typographical and other errors, but please note that the native language of the deputy editor-in-chief is something other than English. He responded as follows:
Dear Mr Friedman,
thank you for your email. We discussed your points within the management circle, our regional chief photographer in Jerusalem and with our photographer who had covered the demonstration in al-Masara for epa on 30 November 2012. The series of pictures of the event was viewed again and we had talks with our competitors who had photographers at the scene too.
We found that the picture was not staged nor manipulated which would have violated all ethical standards of journalism. epa has a high reputation in photography and is respected as one of the four major news photo agencies in the world. epa doesn't accept photographers or editors being biased.
According to the photographer at the scene the girl in our picture got close to the soldiers and tried to push her way through. All this happened in a few minutes. Our photographer confirmed to us that he at no point had spoken to the child but simply captured the moment of a spontaneous event.
Another image shows a boy in a similar situation, other pictures show adult protesters standing very close to the soldiers, all this underlines the statement made by our colleague, the accuracy of the caption information we had given and the authenticity of the picture.
When looking at the pictures we noticed an IDF soldier shooting video of the scene which might help you with your further analysis and to verify if the situation, as you suggested, was set-up by the press photographers present.
epa follows closely the reports about photographers who are influenced and biased against Israel or against Palestine which is serious and a matter of concern. All the same our work ethics are based on objective reporting not on opinion. We trust our photographers/editors and appreciate their highly professional work.
deputy editor-in-chief
Dr. Friedman is not easily persuaded. He responded to our man at the EPA:
Thank you for your quick response. Unfortunately, you have not offered any convincing evidence that the photo I emailed you about was not staged. I would be very interested in seeing the photo of the boy to verify that that photo was not staged as well.
With regards to the Israeli videotape, it would appear to me that it is your company's responsibility, not mine, to follow up with the Israeli army to ensure that your employees have been acting in an honest fashion, especially given the suspicious photo you disseminated. As you say, epa "doesn't accept photographers or editors being biased…" I therefore look forward to hearing from you as to whether the Israeli army's video corroborates your claims about the photo.
Allon Friedman, MD
I would usually say that we're not holding our breath for more from our man at the EPA, but he responded as follows:
Mr. Friedman,
epa did all the necessary to establish proof of accuracy and authenticity of the picture therefore we won't pursue this further.
Please feel free to visit our website www.epa.eu and search for 'al-Masara' for the pictures taken during the demonstration on November 30th. No password is required.
Whilst it is clear that epa's statement isn't convicing to your we consider that your enquiry has been taken serious, all the necessary has been done to investigate your points and satisfactory answers had been given.
best regards,
Dr. Friedman is a man of science, so he has examined the photos cited by our man at the EPA. He writes:
Here is the response I received back from Mr. [Name]. I did what he suggested and got back 10 photos. They ALL look staged to me. The only one that includes a boy — http://www.epa.eu/webgate/preview.php?UURL=536399e0c1e3ed0d403b0967f6061a96&IMGID=50617497 — is laughable for its attempt at authenticity.
The photo is below. Is Dr. Friedman too harsh? I concur with "laughable," but you be the judge.
UPDATE: A reader writes to make a different point:
I think the issue with the pictures is not whether they were staged or not. It is easy to picture a scenario where an adult tells the kids to go mess with the soldiers, push against them, try to push through them. The photographer is not aware of this and snaps the obvious photo op.
The issue here is the editorial choice of photo to publish. From the photos I see, it seems pretty obvious that people are demonstrating peacefully and there is a police presence standing by on the sidelines. The soldiers are relaxed, you can see some smiling in the background, and even soldiers right next to these "pushing" incidents aren't paying attention to them. It's a moot point whether the little girl is described to be "pushing" (maybe not entirely correct, though in a still photo you can't always tell exactly what motion is going on) or more correctly, "confronting". The choice by the editors is one which maximizes the big, bad, militaristic Israelis vs. the weak and vulnerable Palestinians narrative, but is not the best representation of the event being described.
I see another bias at work in the selection of all ten photos. All of them but one show the Israeli military presence, and the only one that doesn't has a caption which includes "…in front of Israeli soldiers (not pictured)…". The Palestinians are the actors here, they are the ones demonstrating. The Israeli soldiers are a big part of the story, to be sure, but in every single picture/caption?


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Urbana Council Approves Hike in Tax Rate
Declining land values have forced Urbana aldermen to increase the property tax rate for 2012.
With little discussion, the city council last night unanimously raised that rate from a $1.29 per $100 of assessed valuation to $1.32.
But Mayor Laurel Prussing's Chief of Staff, Mike Monson, says the city is levying the same amount as last year, and the move will have virtually no impact on residents' tax bills.
"It's just the sign of the times with the economy, and the real estate bubble," Monson said. "We're still feeling the effects a couple of years later. The exact same thing happened in Champaign. Their rate went up a couple of pennies, and they decided to levy the same amount as last year."
Last week, Urbana City Comptroller Ron Eldridge said the 2011 tax levy marked the first time in his time with the city that he's seen the assessed value decrease. The actual amount went down nearly 2-percent. Eldridge also noted that Champaign's tax rate will still be be slightly above Urbana's (Champaign's rate is $1.3227, Urbana's is $1.3190.)
Without an increase in the tax rate, Urbana would have been dealing with a $200-thousand deficit in the current year's budget.


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PHILADELPHIA — Half of melanoma patients with the BRAF mutation have a positive response to treatment with BRAF inhibitors, but nearly all of those patients develop resistance to the drugs and experience disease progression.
Now, a new preclinical study published online ahead of print in the Journal of Clinical Investigation from Penn Medicine researchers found that in many cases the root of the resistance may lie in a never-before-seen autophagy mechanism induced by the BRAF inhibitors vermurafenib and dabrafenib. Autophagy is a process by which cancer cells recycle essential building blocks to fuel further growth. Block this pathway with the antimalarial drug hydroxycholoroquine (HCQ), the authors found, and the BRAF inhibitors will be able to do their job better.
"This study opens the door for combination therapy with BRAF inhibitors and autophagy inhibitors, which haven't been explored deeply as a therapeutic option for patients whose tumors are resistant," said Ravi K. Amaravadi, MD, assistant professor of Medicine in the division of Hematology/Oncology at the Perelman School of Medicine and co-leader of the Cancer Therapeutics Program at Penn Medicine's Abramson Cancer Center . "Here, we show that the BRAF inhibitors induce autophagy as a way to escape cell death, which gives us clues on how to interfere with this mechanism of resistance and improve outcomes for these patients."
Based on these promising preclinical results, Dr. Amaravadi and his team have already launched a clinical trial for patients with advanced BRAF mutant melanoma to see how well-tolerated HCQ is with the BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib. "So far," he said, "we are seeing a benefit to patients and low toxicity."
BRAF inhibitors are a first line of treatment for melanoma patients who harbor the BRAF mutation, which is an abnormal change in a gene that causes some melanoma tumors to grow and spread more aggressively. While 50 percent of patients initially respond to that treatment, nearly 100 percent exhibit disease progression seven months after treatment, making it imperative to find a way to re-sensitize the tumor to treatment.
Autophagy has emerged as a key pathway that cancer cells use to survive in the face of assault by chemotherapy and radiation; however, autophagy as a potential druggable mechanism in patients who become resistant to BRAF inhibitors has not been investigated.
Using tumor biopsies from BRAF melanoma patients treated with either BRAF inhibitors or with combined BRAF and MEK inhibitors, a recently FDA-approved drug combination to fight the other mechanisms of resistance, the researchers found that tumors resistant to the BRAF inhibitors had increased levels of autophagy compared with baseline tumors. Moreover, the level of therapy-induced autophagy was correlated with lower response rates and shorter progression-free survival times.
The researchers also examined BRAF mutant melanoma cell lines, and found that BRAF inhibition induced autophagy by way of an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response. The binding of a BRAF mutation to the ER stress gatekeeper GRP78 is a new and unexpected molecular interaction driving resistance, and establishes a new signaling axis that has multiple drug targets, Dr. Amaravadi said.
What's more, the researchers found that blocking this mechanism with HCQ–a drug used to treat malaria that has been shown in previous studies to block autophagy–limited BRAF inhibitor-induced autophagy and enhanced cancer cell death in mouse models.
"As the use of BRAF inhibitors become more widespread, we'll need to discover new options for our patients so they can overcome this destined resistance," said Dr. Amaravadi. "Here, we have a new pathway that links the BRAF mutation to ER stress and autophagy that could be exploited with an already-approved FDA drug, which I believe could be a game changer for this group of patients."
Next steps are to continue to enroll patients in the clinical trial investigating autophagy inhibitors in combination with BRAF inhibitors and potentially other, emerging new drug combinations proven to improve patient response.
Other Penn authors include Xiao-Hong Ma, Sheng-Fu Piao, Quentin Mcafee, Giorgos Karakousis, Lori S. Hart, Samuel Levi, Janice Hu, Xiaowei Xu, Wei Xu, Lynn M. Schuchter, Jeffrey Winkler, Constantinos Koumenis; Jessie Villaneuva, Gao Zhang, and Meenhard Harlyn from the Wistar Institute; Rossitza Lazova and Vincent Klump from Yale University; and Michael A. Davies from MD Anderson Cancer Center.
This study was supported by National Institutes of Health grants K23CA120862, P01CA114046 and 1R01CA139362.
Editor's note: Inquiries for the clinical trial (a phase I trial of vemurafenib and hydroxychloroquine for patients with BRAF mutant melanoma; clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01897116) may be directed to Victoria Baldassarre 215-662-7615.
Penn Medicine is one of the world's leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and excellence in patient care. Penn Medicine consists of the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (founded in 1765 as the nation's first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System, which together form a $4.3 billion enterprise.
The Perelman School of Medicine has been ranked among the top five medical schools in the United States for the past 16 years, according to U.S. News & World Report's survey of research-oriented medical schools. The School is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $398 million awarded in the 2012 fiscal year.
The University of Pennsylvania Health System's patient care facilities include: The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania — recognized as one of the nation's top "Honor Roll" hospitals by U.S. News & World Report; Penn Presbyterian Medical Center; Chester County Hospital; Penn Wissahickon Hospice; and Pennsylvania Hospital — the nation's first hospital, founded in 1751. Additional affiliated inpatient care facilities and services throughout the Philadelphia region include Chestnut Hill Hospital and Good Shepherd Penn Partners, a partnership between Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network and Penn Medicine.
Penn Medicine is committed to improving lives and health through a variety of community-based programs and activities. In fiscal year 2012, Penn Medicine provided $827 million to benefit our community.


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"That's a Deal Breaker!"
What better way to celebrate the return of contemporary television's greatest comedic achievement than to steal one of its taglines for an hyperbolic thrashing of the MLB seasonal awards?
That's what I thought.
Shall we?!?!
American League Cy Young
Um… no brainer, y'all. Justin FRACKING Verlander. Anything else is just… stupid. And dumb. And Cubbish.
American League Most Valuable Player
Though my repugnant and oft pedantic colleague, Mr. Allen Krause, would like you to believe Mr. Verlander is the "most valuable" to his team, let's not lose sight of what's really going on here. You can argue semantics all you want, Mr. Krause, but we all know that the MVP is reserved for a position player. How do we know this? Because the pitchers ALREADY HAVE THEIR OWN AWARD. And that, my friends, is a deal breaker! So the MVP goes to Curtis Granderson. Close your eyes and imagine the Yankees without him this year. Scurry, ain't it!?!
National League Cy Young Award
Halladay or Kershaw or Halladay or Kershaw or Halladay or… wait, Kershaw? It's a fine line. And my gut says Kershaw; however, upon further review (and I know using stats from 2010 isn't fair, but who says I'm fair?), in a galaxy far, far away, Adam Dunn took Kershaw deep. Twice. In one game. And THAT'S A DEAL BREAKER. Congratulations, Roy Halladay. Again.
National League Most Valuable Player
My instincts say Ryan Braun deserves this award BUT Ryan Braun is a Brewer and yep, that's a deal breaker! So Matt Kemp, come on down! In fact, if Lance Berkman hadn't done such a nice job, I might also hand Kemp the Comeback Player of the Year Award because, let's face it, compared to '09 and '11, he was nothing short of regurgitated fecal matter last year. Think about it.
Yes, they have other awards too, like, Manager of the Year, Silver Slugger, Gold Glove, etc… but honestly, who cares? Quick, name the 1989 National League Manager of the Year. See, you can't. 'Cuz nobody cares (it was the Cubs' Don Zimmer).
And if nobody cares, well, then THAT'S A DEAL BREAKER!
Hate me, it's all good. Just don't hate me 'cuz I'm right.


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(businesspress24) - Saturn Minerals and Vector Exploration form Joint Venture for Saskatchewan Oil Play
Saturn Minerals Inc and Vector Exploration Corp. have mutually agreed to amend an existing farm-in agreement for the Little Swan and Bannock Creek properties, two of the largest oil and gas permits in Saskatchewan. Under the 50/50 joint venture agreement each company will retain 50% working interest in both properties.
Stan Szary, Saturn President and CEO, a native of Saskatchewan recalls, This part of the Williston Basin was sparsely explored but it was always believed to hold oil.
While exploring a substantial coal seam Saturn had discovered, drills showed what appeared to be oil source rock with total organic content as high as 17% and exhibiting signs of oil generation. This prompted further investigation. While searching through the provinces archives, Saturn found information documenting the first known oil discovery in the area, the Trail Blazer Oil Discovery, made in 1935 near the town of Hudson Bay. Continued geophysical work on Saturns lands, including examining dozens of government files on potash, coal and water wells drilled since the 1970s, created a compelling case for a live petroleum system in the area; Stated Szary, almost every hole drilled in this part of the basin, whether for coal, potash or water, has not gone very deep, but an overwhelming number of them have encountered some signs of oil & gas activity from deeper in the basin. Most of it is very faint, so you would not necessarily notice it unless you were specifically looking for it. We were, and the evidence is compelling.
Late in 2011 Saturn began the process of assembling land and bidding on oil rights, eventually resulting in a Special Exploration Permit. An aerial survey to determine depth showed a large depression over 1000 meters deep. Further work showed both porous rock and cap rock and additional historic evidence of live oil seeps at surface were discovered.
Saturns mission says Szary, is to find oil in this part of the Williston Basin, creating a new oil play in Western Canada. To accomplish that Saturn has assembled a very large land package (over 370,000 acres), which includes oil rights in every zone, from surface to basement, with a permit life of up to 8 years.
We have partnered with a well known, highly respected team gathering detailed data, including comprehensive seismic data, to put together viable drill targets. That partner is Vector Exploration Corp., a private Calgary based company owned by long time oil executive Murray Swanson, who in addition to 30 years of oil and gas industry experience in western Canada has international experience, has worked for major companies including Shell and Chevron, and has founded, operated, and sold several Private E&P and service companies.
Joining CEO Swanson on the Vector team is President and COO Christopher Barton who also has more than 30 years industry experience in western Canada, much of it in southern Saskatchewan. Bartons experience includes well-known companies like Unocal Canada, Conoco Canada, Pinnacle Resources, Paramount Resources and Kereco Energy. Since 2008 he has been President of Shadow Energy providing geophysical consulting to many public and private oil and gas companies.
Also on board is Craig Boland. During his 28 year career he has held Senior and Executive positions with Major and Junior Exploration and Production Companies both domestically and internationally where he has been instrumental and created significant returns to shareholders. These companies include Texaco Canada, Imperial Oil and Gas, Intensity Resources, Archean Energy, Grizzly Resources, Ironhorse Oil and Gas and Century International. Boland was the Vice President of Exploration and founding partner for both Grizzly Resources and Ironhorse along with being the Managing Director of Century International Oil and Gas where he was responsible for all of Archean Energys international exploration operations including West Africa and the United Kingdom. Besides these regions he has explored and operated in Western Canada, Offshore Eastern and Northern Canada, South America, West and North Africa, South East Asia, onshore US and Gulf of Mexico. Since early 2007 Boland has been the Principal of Boland Exploration Consulting where he has been providing technical evaluations, opinions, financing, energy advice and has been facilitator/broker for both startup and established energy firms worldwide.
Prior to founding Vector Exploration Corp Swanson as CEO and President and Barton as Manager of Geophysics, ran Reliable Energy Corp., an oil and gas exploration and production company which successfully identified and drilled over 70 wells in Manitoba and southern Saskatchewan, achieving 1100 barrels per day in oil production (100% oil) before being sold to Crescent Point Energy Corp in 2012 for just under $100 million.
Discoveries to date in the Williston Basin show estimated ultimate recoveries of more than 3.8 billion barrels of oil. The Little Swan and Bannock Creek properties are expected to be a conventional oil play with no horizontal drilling required and no fracking. Drill costs are expected to be in the range of $500,000 to $600,000, about one tenth of the cost of horizontal drilling.
Whats next? Over the next 30 to 60 days the team will be completing the final seismic survey, confirming their drill targets and putting together schedules and budgets for drilling.
Saturn Minerals Inc. trades on the TSX.V (SMI) and the FSE (SMK). To learn more contact the company at 604-685-6989 or go to www.saturnminerals.com.
Saturn Minerals Inc. (TSX.V: SMI) (FSE: SMK) ist ein kanadisches Junior-Energieunternehmen, das eine Reihe von Erdöl- und Kohleprojekten in Saskatchewan und Manitoba erschließt
Date: 05/30/2014 - 05:33
Language: English
News-ID 1298710
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Firma: Saturn Minerals Inc.
Stadt: Wien
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A federal judge said that the U.S. Justice Department will likely be able to show evidence that Apple was part of a conspiracy with book publishers to raise e-book prices -- before the start of the trial.
The federal trial is set to begin June 3, and U.S. District Judge Denise Cote will be presiding. Cote gave her tentative view in a pretrial hearing Thursday, according to Reuters.
"I believe that the government will be able to show at trial direct evidence that Apple knowingly participated in and facilitated a conspiracy to raise prices of e-books, and that the circumstantial evidence in this case, including the terms of the agreements, will confirm that," Cote said, according to Reuters.
U.S. & World
She stressed her view wasn't final and it was based on only some of the evidence she read but nonetheless her comments could pressure Apple to settle the lawsuit. The suit by the U.S. Justice Department accuses Apple of conspiring with book publishers to inflate e-book prices to hurt online competitor Amazon.com and raise profits for publishers.
Apple lawyer Orin Snyder, said in a statement, "We strongly disagree with the court's preliminary statements about the case today."
Apple is now the sole defendant remaining in the lawsuit. The five publishers in the suit settled earlier.
Cote also said that her final decision would be based on all of the evidence and made at the end of the trial.
The judge's remarks may not bode well for Apple, who as the lone holdout in a lawsuit will be facing legal fees and possible fines. Settling the case would mean a quick end to controversy, but after spending so much time and money fighting the U.S. Department of Justice, is Apple willing to do that?


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2020's Conventional home loan limits for Bryan County, GA
Look up the Conventional home loan limits for Bryan County, GA as published on The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA).
|One-Family is a single family home or condominium
|Two-Family is two separate living units (duplex)
|Three-Family three separate living units (triplex)
|Four-Family four separate living units (fourplex)
Amounts shown below are maximum limits allowed by the provisions of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008. The specific high-cost area loan limits are established for each county (or equivalent) by FHFA. Lenders are responsible for ensuring that the original loan amount of each mortgage loan does not exceed the applicable maximum loan limit for the specific area in which the property is located.
Tip: Before to apply on home loan, always compare at least 3 different lenders to find the best offer.
Helpful links:


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Need tires? We can help with that as well. We can combine these wheels with a set of tires and ship them to you as a complete set. We will mount and balance every wheel package for free as well as include the lug nuts. All this, and the shipping is FREE to your door within the continental U.S. Give us a call if you have any questions.
Need wheels to go with the tires? All Star Motorsports has a vast selection of wheel models that come in multiple sizes and finishes. If you combine the tires with a wheel package, we include not only free mounting and balancing, but also free locks and lugs, as well as free shipping to the continental US. So you get the complete package ready to be installed on your vehicle!
Trust in our fitment experts to ensure right fitment for your vehicle. Lifted or lowered, with our vast knowledge and many years in the industry, our experts will get you the right fitment guaranteed. Every wheel and tire is checked for quality and packaged with the utmost care to ensure your order arrives without any damage. Feel free to call us with any concerns.


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Samsung has finally come clean about its next generation Android tablets, the Galaxy NotePro and TabPro. The Note Pro is a 12.2-inch tablet sporting the usual Note-series stylus, and like the rumors said, the TabPro comes in a whole range of sizes: 12.2, 10.1, and 8.4 inches.
Despite running Android, the devices come with a Windows 8-style tile interface called "Magazine UX," which Samsung says is better optimized for large screens. The usual Samsung accoutrements like split-screen apps and floating windows are present, which should be even more useful on such a huge screen. It looks like the "Pro" moniker here is all about the bundled software (and marketing), as Samsung is pre-loading a remote desktop app, Cisco WebEx Meetings (a video conferencing app), Samsung e-Meeting (a content sharing service), and "approximately $700 worth of the premium pre-paid, long-term subscription offers from best-selling news, social media, and cloud storage providers," like a subscription to The New York Times and Dropbox storage. Samsung's Knox security software will also no doubt be a selling point, as Samsung looks to push into the enterprise and fill the hole left by the cratering BlackBerry.
The 12.2 and 10.1 inch devices are meant to be used horizontally, with Samsung's hardware buttons located on the horizontal edge. The 8.4-inch version has the buttons and branding in a vertical orientation. It looks like Samsung is sticking to its traditional motto of "bigger is better" as, for now, a new 7-inch tablet is out of the question.
The Wi-Fi versions of the devices use the Samsung 1.9GHz Exynos 5 Octa CPU (four 1.9 Ghz cores and four low-power 1.3Ghz cores), and the LTE versions use a 2.3Ghz Snapdragon 800. Everything runs Android 4.4 KitKat on a 2560x1600 LCD (even the 8.4-inch model) and has 16 or 32 GB of RAM, an 8MP rear camera, a 2MP front camera, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.0, and a microSD Slot. The big internal differences between devices are the battery and RAM. The 12.2-inch device has 3GB of RAM and a 9500 mAh battery. The 10.1-inch TabPro has 2GB of RAM and an 8220 mAh battery, and the 8.4-inch version has 2GB of RAM and a 4800 mAh battery.
The software is the real star of the show here, which unfortunately doesn't come across in a press release very well. We will do our best to play with this at some point tomorrow and grab some video when the CES show floor opens.


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There really is something entertaining about the way that Barack Obama had to get Senator Jack Reed to try to shepherd Chuckie Hagel through the Senate confirmation process. Reed is more or less a nonentity; I had to look him up to see if he had any distinguishing characteristics from all of the other liberal Democratic Senators.
Not really, sorry. (more…)