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The Committee of the Chiefs of Military Medical Services in NATO (COMEDS) is the senior committee for medical care within the Organization. It acts as the central point for the development and coordination of military medical matters and for providing medical advice to the NATO Military Committee.
The military medical community plays a key enabling role within NATO and, more specifically, within NATO's defence planning process. The military medical community not only provides medical care, but also preventive health care, veterinary support and psychological support for deployed troops. It provides essential combat service support, making it one of the key planning domains for operations, along with armaments, logistics, air traffic management and other areas of specialization.
COMEDS makes recommendations concerning the development and assessment of NATO military medical policy and procedures for medical support. It seeks to improve existing arrangements between member countries in the fields of co-ordination, standardization and interoperability. It also helps to improve the exchange of information between countries so, for instance, advances made by one member state are available to all. Additionally, COMEDS undertakes studies of general and particular interest such as preventive medicine, dental service, food hygiene and military psychiatry. For this purpose, it has several subordinate working groups and expert panels to which subject matter experts contribute.
The meetings of the chiefs of Military Medical Services are conducted bi-annually and include participants from member and partner countries.
Roles and responsibilities
As explained above, COMEDS advises the Military Committee on military medical matters affecting NATO. It also acts as the coordinating body for the Military Committee regarding all military medical policies, procedures and techniques within NATO. In recent years, COMEDS has come to represent the medical community at NATO HQ, in the NATO Standardization Organization, as well as in specific areas such as defence planning and the chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) field.
COMEDS' objectives include improving and expanding arrangements between member countries for coordination, standardization and interoperability in the medical field and improving the exchange of information relating to organizational, operational and procedural aspects of military medical services in NATO and Partner countries.
The military medical support system
COMEDS is a key component of the Alliance's military medical support system, principally in the preparation phase of an operation. It facilitates the development of medical capabilities in individual countries and helps to improve the quality and interoperability of capabilities between them.
Generally speaking, the military medical support system contributes to preserving the "fighting strength" and meeting the increasing public expectation of an individual's right to health and high quality treatment outcomes. Medical services make a major contribution to force protection and sustainability. Effectively, health is a key force multiplier of fighting power.
Countries that allocate forces to NATO retain responsibility for the provision of medical support to their own forces. However, upon Transfer of Authority, the NATO commander shares the responsibility for their health and will determine the medical support requirements. Multinational arrangements usually require more responsibility of the NATO commander.
Working mechanisms
- Frequency of meetings – COMEDS meets biannually in plenary session and reports annually to the Military Committee.
- Composition – The chairman is elected by the committee in plenary session for a three year term. The country of origin of the chairman is also responsible for providing a Liaison Officer to NATO HQ. He/she is the point of contact for military medical matters for NATO HQ and individual countries. For practical reasons, this Liaison Officer cooperates closely with the medical branch of the International Military Staff, which also supports his/her work. COMEDS also cooperates closely with the medical branch of Allied Command Operations (ACO) and Allied Command Transformation (ACT) in developments regarding defence planning, capability development, standardization needs, training and education and certification.
In December 2009, the chairmanship of COMEDS was transferred from Germany to the Netherlands.
- COMEDS is composed of:
• the Chiefs of the military medical services of all member countries;
• the International Military Staff medical staff officer; and
• the medical advisors of the two strategic commands – ACO and ACT.
Its meetings in plenary session, as well as its activities benefit from the participation of the following observers:
• the Chiefs of the military medical services from all Partnership for Peace, Mediterranean Dialogue and Istanbul Cooperation Initiative countries;
• the Chairman of the Joint Medical Committee;
• a representative of the NATO Standardization Agency, the Military Committee, the Senior NATO Logisticians Committee, the NATO Military Medical Centre of Excellence, the Human Factors and Medicine Panel of the NATO Research and Technology Agency, the Health and Societal Dimensions Panel of the NATO Science for Peace and Security Committee, and the CIOMR, the organization of military medical reserve officers.
COMEDS can also invite partners from "Contact countries", non-NATO troop-contributing countries and organizations.
- Subordinate working groups
To assist in carrying out its tasks and in addition to the bodies referred to above, COMEDS has a number of subordinate working groups which meet at least annually and address the following topics: military medical structures, operations and procedures (including planning and capability development); military preventive medicine (force health protection); military healthcare; standardization; CBRN issues; emergency medicine; military psychiatry; dental services; medical materiel and military pharmacy; food and water hygiene and veterinary medicine; medical training; mental healthcare; medical naval issues; and medical information management systems.
- Evolution
Historically, medical matters within NATO were regarded strictly as a national responsibility. Consequently, for the greatest part of the Alliance's existence, there was not a high-level military medical authority within NATO.
New NATO missions and concepts of operations have placed increased emphasis on joint military operations, enhancing the importance of coordination of medical support in peacekeeping, disaster relief and humanitarian operations.
COMEDS was established in 1994 for that purpose.
Today, COMEDS is very active in developing new concepts of medical support for operations, with emphasis on multinational health care, modularity of medical treatment facilities, and partnerships. Increasingly, the developed doctrines are open to non-NATO countries and are sometimes released on the internet.
In 2011, COMEDS established the Dominique-Jean Larrey Award in recognition of a significant and lasting contribution to NATO multinationality and/ or interoperability within military medical support or healthcare developments in NATO operations and missions ¹. The award is named after the French surgeon general of the Napoleanic imperial forces, who invented amongst other things the field ambulance, which helped to significantly improve medical care in the field.
1. Any individual belonging to the military medical service may be nominated to receive the COMEDS Dominique-Jean Larrey Award. In exceptional circumstances, the award may be given to more than one individual where it is clearly demonstrated that the nominees have individually and collectively met the selection criteria. This includes a military medical organisation and/ or structure. The Award is granted no more than once a year.
From NATO Website


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Angeles, a City Reborn
Angeles is a highly urbanized first-class city in Pampanga. It is an autonomous city that was previously dependent on the largest U.S. military installation outside of the U.S. mainland, Clark Air Base. Mount Pinatubo's eruption in 1991 caused the premature base pull out. Today, the city is home to the Clark Freeport Zone and is served by the Clark International Airport, constructed at the former U.S. military base. The city has also completely recovered from the devastation caused by the eruption of Mount Pinatubo and has been deemed as one of the best places to live in the Philippines in 2008.
Tourism Hub
Angeles today is the hub for tourism, aviation, industry, and business. It is also Central Luzon's gaming and entertainment center. This place is the origin of the delicious dish called "sisig," a method of preparing pig heads that were bought cheaply from the commissary when the U.S. base was still in the city. The pig's head is boiled until tender, then grilled or broiled before being chopped into very small pieces for frying, and is usually served on a hot plate with lemon juice, onions, and chillies.
Angeles Airport & Airlines
Tigerair Philippines, formerly called SEAIR, used to have flights from Manila's NAIA to Clark International Airport, but has been stopped. There are no direct flights from Manila to Angeles, which can easily be reached by bus or taxi, as it is only about two hours away from Manila.
While the airport generally serves the Angeles area for domestic, international, and cargo flights, it technically serves Manila as well. It becomes the alternative airport when NAIA is congested or there is inclement weather in Manila that makes landing difficult or impossible. The airport is operated and managed by the government-owned Clark International Airport Corporation.
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Posted by Editoress on 06/21/03
American Velodrome Challenge Race
Courtesy Keith Bruneau
The Greater Victoria Velodrome Association would like to announce the Innaugural American Velodrome Challenge Race for our track from July 11-13.
There will be a minimum $5000 cash prize list plus merchandise.
For more information about the GVVA check out the website: www.gvva.bc.ca
Nas-track Madison Season Opener Detroit, Michigan
Courtesy Rob Good
A total of 9, 2 man Madison teams were entered in the first evening of the Nas-track Madison Series at the Velodrome in Detroit. The tight 200m board track is in it's 2nd season of providing bicycle racers, & race fans an action packed 2 hours of action.
The evening began with a touching tribute to fallen fellow racer & track announcer Michael R. Rabe, who was killed while riding his bike in May.
In Nas-Track racing the teams are arranged to even the playing field, all teams are matched on ability, each week the teams change, This week I was paired with a very good racer out of Toledo Ohio, Piero Eldonas.
A very respectable first night crowd of 450 spectators were in attendance to cheer on the riders, as well the Wolverine Blues Band were playing music all night..
To explain how the evening works, each team participates in 5 events different events & accumulate points throughout the night. At the end of the night the team with the most points wins the bike race.
The events:
Team Madison Pursuit: From a standing start, one member of a team begins the 4 lap dash, while his partner is waiting for the Handsling (exchange) which for the top & most experienced teams takes place at over 60 kph The second rider is handslung in & completes the remaining laps to the finish. In 2002 the quick time during competition was 55.8 sec. Last night with opening night jitters, the best time was 57.9, our team was a very close 2nd in a time of 58.2 seconds. Next week all teams will do much quicker times.
Second event is the 8 lap sprint race: One member of each team races in an all or nothing sprint race. Only the top teams earn the valuable points in these races. Piero had very good legs & managed a 2nd place finish in his heat. I wasn't as fortunate, Still spent from the pursuit I was up against 5 senior 1-2 riders from the Detroit area, (notice: you always have to have an excuse) needless to say I finished, no points.
Third event, the always entertaining Devil (Miss & Out) race: One of the toughest races in track racing because every 2 laps if you are last rider across the line is eliminated from the event, Our team was very well positioned and earned a very hard fought 4th place finish. This moved us into 4th in the points standings at the end of 3 events, Still 1 hour of racing was ahead.
Madison #1
Since it was the first night of racing, all teams were instructed to ride tempo 35 kph to get a feel for the exchanges & racing. The first 5 minutes were neutralized, the bell rang the race was on, The first hard Jam lasted over 7 minutes with the average speed over 54 kph Things settled down and 4 teams set the pace for the remainder of the Madison, with 12 laps to go Ripp'n Ronny & Dave Cassal jumped opened a little gap, which we closed after chasing for 7 laps, when I looked at my computer we were at 57 kph The last exchange for the final sprint went very well and we managed to stay in contention for the sprint points at the end of the first Madison. One Madison down & one to go.
Madison #2
All teams were winded after the opening 4 events, but the Show must go on, In the second Madison there is a Sprint at half distance, The final sprint of the night is worth double points, Tempo again for the first 5 minutes, then the race was on. This section of the night started like the first Madison ended, Hard ,Fast & a little out of control, Bike handling skills are at a premium in this style of racing. Lots of tired riders handslinging one another at 45 kph could be a recipe for disaster, however to the credit of all the riders lots of action no crashes. mid-way sprint saw Ripp'n Ronny nip Rick St. John at the line, for the points. Piero & I were still in the hunt, but losing those points meant we were racing for 3rd. The last 10 minutes were again very difficult, we were positioned well in third, the pace went to 55 again in the last 3 laps, we hung on in the sprint (not much of one) when your legs exploded with a 2 laps to go, The final exchange was good and we hung on to 4th in the final Sprint.
In the final points calculation we finished a very respectable 4th. All of the teams had a Blast, and we all will be back racing next Friday night at 7 PM
For more information, check out the website: www.nas-track.com
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Blogging isn't always easy. It can be a lot of work with quite a few lessons along the way.
This month marks five years since I started this blog about multiculturalism, being Asian Australian and cultural stereotypes. Reflecting on this milestone, I never anticipated this blog would still be going today. I also never imagined my blog would have a bit of a following and helped me become a better writer. To be honest, blogging has been challenging.
The more you blog, the more your blog becomes a notable part of your life. The more you blog, the more you realise it can be hard keeping up the blog and juggling it with the rest of your life – but it's doable. Here are some valuable, reality-check lessons that I've learned from being a blogger.
Time management is your best friend
To achieve something, you have to show up and do that thing you want to do. A blogger needs to blog to make a blog. For many bloggers who focus on exploring certain themes and niches within their blogs, putting together each blog post takes planning, takes time.
Brainstorming blog ideas. Scheduling and writing posts in advance. Engaging with the comments section. Social media promotion. Reading other blogs to see what other bloggers are up to, making connections and finding inspiration from them. This is all what a dedicated blogger typically does. In 2016, a survey of 1,055 bloggers around the world by web design firm Orbit Media revealed more bloggers are spending more than 6 hours writing a blog post (average length 1,050 words), 95% promote their blogs on social media and more are blogging monthly. As a blogger, you need to make time for your blog and work that around your life in the offline world.
Most of my blog posts come from ideas I've been mulling over for a year or two. Each post (one post a month) is usually written a month or two month in advance. Writing each one involves jotting down my ideas, Googling to see what has been said, then reflecting on my ideas, and then drafting and editing the post. Visiting and commenting on blogs is something I do for an hour or a bit more most days.
Most weeks I'll make time after work to work on a blog post for a few hours, after taking care of things at home or catching up with friends. Usually it takes about three weeks to finish a post (including post-processing photos), sometimes much longer. Somehow I've been pretty consistent with my posting schedule and today there are 164 posts on this blog.
Failure is an option
Many bloggers blog with goals in mind. Sometimes they will fall short of these goals and may want to rethink their blog approach. Some share their day to day lives, but perhaps not when life gets tough. Others bloggers blog strategically to make a tidy profit off blog traffic and sponsorships which aren't always guaranteed. There are over 440 million blogs across various online platforms today and over 81.8 million posts are published on WordPress each month, and so making your blog stand out – even as part of a niche – can be hard.
Initially I started this blog to share my academic works on multiculturalism, racism and cultural studies. I also wanted to connect with Australian writers and grow my skills and presence as an Australian writer. The former has eventuated but the not the latter. Most of my readers are from the States; this could be because there is less of a blog scene in Australia. In 2010, social media analytics company Sysomos analysed more than 100 million blog posts; most bloggers were located in the US at 29.2%, and Australia was located 10 places below at 2.2%.
Two years after starting this blog, I decided to switch up my writing style and narratives – shifting from academia linguistics to colloquial semantics, writing more about universal human experiences from a cultural perspective. Since then, my writing seems to have become more relatable and it has been challenging finding time to engage with the quite a few of you who stop by here – and as much as I want to read everyone's blogs and every one of your posts, it's impossible and maybe it's also time to do less of it 😦
Not everyone will like your blog. Not everyone will agree with what you share online. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. At times others will incessantly make themselves be heard (think internet trolls, warrior keyboards, flamers), and bloggers and readers alike may find themselves on the receiving end of opinionated perceptions and bullying. Pew Research Centre conducted a study of online harassment on 2,849 web users in 2014. It found 40% personally experienced it and 22% mentioned this experience took place in the comments section of websites.
When I published the post Understanding the Asian-Girl-White-Guy Relationship, many disagreed with my take on this topic in the comments section and through email. To quote, some readers commented I'm using my blog to 'aid (my) dream of getting a white man', implied I am a white worshipper with 'hidden agendas', told me to 'stop being racist' and that I should 'remove the world multicultural from anything talking about yourself. It's an embarrassment'. These assumptions were very amusing to read because I never have and never will talk about my romantic relationships online, and am simply putting common thoughts about the world out there.
Aside from verbal criticism, I've encountered bloggers who copy-pasted my work onto their own blogs without my permission. As bloggers, we are vulnerable. We put ourselves and what we're passionate about out there with the best of intentions – one bad word about what we do can bring ourselves down unless we are thick-skinned enough to move along from a bad moment and move forwards.
More than just a blogger
Bloggers are more than their blogs. Being a blogger often involves multi-tasking, thinking outside the box and perhaps learning and taking on different roles over time. As a blogger, you're an entrepreneur, and your blog is your small business.
Through blogging, I've learned how to use a camera and take photos for this blog, and in the process became a once-off paid, published photographer. Learned to promote my blog across social media. Learned to brand my blog as SEO-friendly and turn it into a portfolio of written works, which has opened up freelance opportunities.
Consequently, a blog can be a springboard towards career-wise goals or artistic ventures. According to best-selling author and digital nomad Danny Flood, a blog can open up 'side hustles': creating a product-facing blog instead of focusing on getting more page views is key to building the right relationships and sustainable networking opportunities.
Being a blogger who wears many hats, you learn what you never thought of before and learn what you couldn't do and do it. You learn to become more than your blog, and you learn to become more than who you once were, online and offline.
Not everyone will be your friend
Not everyone will be drawn to your blog. Not everyone will come back for a second look. Everyone has their own tastes and it's up to them how they want to spend their time, reading a blog or not.
It's humbling to have regular readers on this blog, readers who leave a reflective peace of their mind as opposed to just leaving a quick 'Like' for a 'Like'. At the same time, it's sad seeing some readers fade away and some bloggers one day deciding not to blog anymore (likely moving forward with their lives sans blogging for the better).
In the real world, the number of my friends who read my blog (and encourage me to write), I can count on one hand. With most of my friends, we rarely talk about my blog when we hang out. It's not a bad thing: it's cool I'm a multicultural blogger, but my friends see me as much more than that.
* * *
When you've achieved what you wanted to achieve, where do you go from there? For many artists, change is the motivation we need to keep creating our art, to keep finding fun and purpose in it, to keep doing it. Blogging is an art given that it almost always involves creating something from scratch and so, bloggers are artists.
Over the last five years, I've achieved what I wanted to achieve with this blog: built an outlet and writing portfolio expressing thoughts on culture and the world, became a better writer. There have been things I got out of blogging that I didn't expect: been invited to give a few talks on multiculturalism, led me to be a published book author in Lady by the River, landed freelancing writing gigs and met some of the nicest people on here.
For many artists, time is what we need to create what we want to create. Separate from that, we need to be in that headspace that allows us to create. As writer Jeff Goins said, when we're not feeling creative sometimes we have to give up our passion momentarily and solve creative blocks with uncreative solutions. Whether or not we feel creatively inspired can depend on where we are at in our lives. At different phases of our lives there'll be different priorities. Some phases we'll go hard at our craft and other times the call of an extended break beckons.
Over this past year, I've thought a lot about walking away from this blog, packing it all in and closing this chapter on a high. Today, without coffee, weekdays for me involve working an office job all day (which I don't mind at all), then settling down at home, then working on the next blog post/visiting blogs/freelance work/book and then crashing into bed around 1am or 2am. Weekends are pretty much packed too. When it comes to living my life, I never like doing anything half-arsed – it's either 'go hard or do none' in everything that I say yes to, every conversation I choose to have or even doing something I don't like but have to do. But admittedly the introvert in me would love to have more time taking life at a slower pace.
The different roles we play in our lives shape who we are. Success and satisfaction come to each of us in different forms in different roles at different times. While blog recognition and blog traffic is nice, in the grander scheme of things being present in the offline world is more important to me. However, in the offline world this also includes doing what I love and writing is what I love and so is sharing and entertaining with my words…and ironically the easiest way to do that offline is here online like so many other writers today – offline is online and online is offline.
Where and who I am today has got a lot to do with this blog, and everyone who silently reads or chooses to say something here has an impact on that. So, thank you 🙂
* * *
A big challenge I've encountered while blogging is writing about topics that speak to me. Blog posts from a few years ago read vastly different to the posts I write these days, and I've thought about re-writing some of them. Writing about universal topics such a music concerts and introversion has been fun, the kind of topics I want to do more of – but I don't know what.
What do you want to see me write on this blog?


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Whether you're carrying an iPhone, Android or Palm Pre device, there's an app available to access ZumoDrive's cloud service. This means that you can stream nearly all your media and view most documents over Wi-Fi, 3G, and Edge.
ZumoDrive gives you 1GB of storage for free and offers plans ranging from $3 to $80 per month for additional space. Like some other cloud-based storage services, ZumoDrive offers a neat option to link folders in the cloud to folders on your computer for automatic syncing. This means that you could have an automatically updated music, video, or document library accessible from most of your devices.
The apps as well as 1GB storage are free and can be downloaded from the iTunes App Store, Palm's Software Store, or the Android Market right now.
New Apps Give Users Access to their Personal Media Libraries and Documents On-the-Go
BURLINGAME, Calif., March 16th, 2009 – ZumoDrive, the consumer service for easily accessing and storing media and documents across devices, today announced the release of ZumoDrive for Android and ZumoDrive for Palm Pre, building on the success of the company's iPhone application. With these mobile apps, consumers now can access and play their music, video and photos without having to bother with cumbersome sync or take up precious disk space on their smartphones. ZumoDrive is now available on Mac, PC, Linux, iPhone, Android and Palm Pre platforms.
ZumoDrive's ultra-thin file replication is an innovative approach to going beyond storage and backup to provide streaming access to music, video and photos at a moment's notice. This approach lets consumers easily access and play their entire iTunes library on their phones even though the songs are not locally saved. Additionally, ZumoDrive changes the equation from manually saving files to a specific location to a more seamless system of designating folders to be linked to ZumoDrive. The files within these Linked Folders are automatically updated in ZumoDrive and available anywhere.
"Consumers today purchase and use more devices than ever, and they expect to access their content on all of them," said David Zhao, founder and CEO of ZumoDrive. " ZumoDrive unshackles our users' content so they can enjoy it wherever and whenever they want, without worrying about syncing and downloading. With the new Android and Palm Pre applications, consumers can now access documents as well as share playlists or photo albums from even more mobile devices."
Features of the new Android and Palm Pre applications include:
- Video streaming from ZumoDrive directly to the device in MP4, H.264 format
- Music playback of all songs
- Music organized by artist, albums, and even playlists created on other devices
- Ability to stream music in the background
- Ability to listen to music over both 3G or EDGE networks
- Access to photo albums saved in ZumoDrive
- Easy document access and viewing for Microsoft Office documents and PDF files
- Ability to easily share files from ZumoDrive with anyone (Android)
The Android and Palm applications can be downloaded from here and here, respectively. The applications are also available as free downloads from Palm's Software Store or the Android Market. ZumoDrive offers tiered storage options so users can choose the plan that works best for their needs. See here for options.


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Reba McEntire's back in the studio this fall — but not to record new music. Instead, she's filming her new sitcom, Malibu Country, which premieres Friday (Nov. 2) on ABC at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT.
Starring McEntire and Lily Tomlin, Malibu Country is the country queen's second foray into television. Her first series, Reba, is currently being aired on CMT.
"They're both funny," McEntire says, comparing the two shows during a phone call with CMT.com. "They both have great stories for the family to watch."
The new show follows the character Reba Gallagher and her family as they adjust to a new home on the West Coast. After discovering her country-star husband, played by Jeffrey Nordling, has been cheating on her with his backup singer, Gallagher has just finalized a messy public divorce.
"She finds out during the divorce proceedings that he had bought this Malibu party pad," says McEntire. "She thinks it would be perfect for her and the kids and her mom to move into to get away from all the gossip and prying eyes in Nashville, so that's what we do."
To add insult to injury, Gallagher was once a promising country singer in her own right, before giving it up to be a mom.
"He was more popular than her because after her first two albums, she decided to slow down and raise their two kids, June and Cash," McEntire.
Now the family — Gallagher, the two kids and her feisty mother, Lillie Mae — hope to reignite Gallagher's career and move on with their lives amid the posh surroundings of Malibu, Calif. But all in all, McEntire says her character is pretty well adjusted.
"I think she's going to be a fun person to hang out with," she explains. "Especially if her mama's involved! (laughs) That's Lily Tomlin, and she's a handful. You never know what she's gonna do in each episode!"
Also serving as executive producer on the project, McEntire was pitched the idea by Eurythmics singer and songwriter Dave Stewart. He mentioned the concept to McEntire's stepson Brandon Blackstock during a flight from Nashville to Los Angeles, and word eventually got back to the Oklahoma native.
Other characters include overly open-minded neighbor Kim (Sara Rue) and record label assistant Geoffery (Jai Rodriguez), who helps Gallagher in her quest.
"The cast is a lot of fun," McEntire said. "They're very professional, very creative and very eager to get in there and start working. But more than anything, they're just really good people that I like to hang out with."
The first episode will follow the down-to-earth family as they travel from Nashville to their new home and meet their new friends. Gallagher is determined not to let the materialistic nature of their new seaside city corrupt her children's values.
Fans will be glad to hear that McEntire will do some singing on the show — she sings the main theme song as well as "a couple of others" that will be heard throughout the season — and that during the premiere they can Tweet their thoughts live with McEntire as they watch.
After being forced to cancel her regular spot hosting the ACM Awards in order to continue working on Malibu Country, McEntire admits it leaves little time for anything else, but says she truly enjoys being on TV.
"I really do," she says. "It's a five day a week schedule, and we run it just like a play. On the fifth day, we shoot it in front of a live audience, and that crowd just brings something out in us. I know we're all show dogs, so by the time the audience gets in there, we're ready to have an audience to perform for.
"So putting it all together, making sure every script and every concept on the show is meaningful with maybe a little something to learn from it, it's a lot of work," says McEntire. "But it's also a lot of fun. It's a job I love to do."


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We know that often American celebrities will do advertisements in other countries — or their home countries — that they might not necessarily want to be seen doing here. But that doesn't change the bewilderment of seeing David Ortiz ... doing a boner commercial? Really? Can anybody translate?
(UPDATE: Here's a translation:
"There are some at-bats where one can't afford to fail, the same is true during the intimate moments. Take Elevex. Take it from me, David Ortiz (big wink) 'Big Papi.'
(Thanks to Josh Q. Public for the link, by the way.)
G/O Media may get a commission


text: The Countess is stepping out of her role as a reality star on the "Real Housewives of New York City" and leaving behind her clothes for an appearance on "Law & Order: SVU." LuAnn de Lesseps will play an eccentric art patron who poses semi-nude for a painter. De Lesseps begins shooting tomorrow for three days at Chelsea Piers. The episode, to air Feb. 23, opens with a crime scene involving her character. De Lesseps is the first 'Housewife' of the Bravo series to land an acting gig, although some may argue the entire "reality" show is badly acted.


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Conservation and Environment in Costa Rica: Monthly Updates
Conservation in Costa Rica - Monthly Update November 2011
As we get closer to the end of the year we start moving our focus and attention to 2012, the investigation projects, large maintenance work and what we are going to change in regards to how we work.
The biggest thing that happens in November is closure of the investigation projects for 2011, the permits that we have with the government require us to provide a yearly report on the projects that we are running within the area, how many species we capture, where, if we discovered anything different and we need to process all of the data that we have collected so far to provide this report, obviously if we kept the projects running we would never be able to complete this task because we always be collecting more information! We hope to have the reports completed by the end of December when we will make sure we include a section in the newsletter telling you all what we have managed to achieve in 2011.
Closure of the projects doesn't mean that we have not be showing the projects to the volunteers however, obviously we want to show everyone what we are doing and we need to make sure that the staff stay in good shape and keep practising (fact - in 2011 each member of staff completed more than 104 hours of capture work with Bats, which is more than some professionals manage in a year!).
The investigation projects will be starting up again in January 2012, with a few new additions to the work we do and a lot of changes to what we are doing within each of the old projects!
As we have now moved completely into the dry season here, we have started the long task of maintenance again. During the last month we have completely cleaned every building in the camp and we have begun renovating all the volunteer rooms, which should be complete in the next few weeks! One of the biggest jobs we have started is the new drainage system for the kitchen, it was brought to our attention by a volunteer a few months ago that we should look into a more eco-friendly way of getting rid of the kitchen waste. We quickly constructed a waste pit for all of the waste food stuff that we get from the kitchen, which means that in a few months' time we will have a huge amount of 100% natural fertilizer to use in the Nursery garden.
We also began researching ways of treating the waste water from the kitchen...after a few searches on the internet we found a drainage system that uses old tires to filter the water, removing all the grease and soap from the water so that it filters into the ground 100% clean and will hopefully keep the kitchen in good working order for a long time to come!
One of the many things that we have been up to this month has included a visit to another national park which is now under administration from our old administrator Jorge Granados. We made the visit to investigate the possibility of using the park for our 2012 summer groups and I think it's safe to say that we are all very impressed with everything that is happening there in Diria National Park, the installations are nice and the park itself is amazing!
We only made a short visit but saw the main river that passes from the top of the park to the bottom the area of a city called Santa Cruz and eventually out to the Tempisque River and the sea, it is one of the most important rivers in the area. We saw some amazing views from the high hills that Diria has and we talked about some of the more important work that needs to be done in the area in preparation for the 2012 summer program...we hope that we can be working there in January 2012, to begin to get to know the park and the staff that are working there as well as talk more about the work we want to do with investigations and the work we need to do with maintenance to get everything ready in good condition for July and August.
During our visit we stopped off at a small house that the park has outside of its main administration area, the room has been left abandoned for many years and now has a huge population of bats living inside it, we made a quick estimate of about 500 individual bats living in the room, which leave each day from one small opening to hunt for insects!
All in all Diria seems to be a very exciting option for 2012 and there's lots to look forward to at Barra Honda too!
Richard Munday
Conservation Coordinator
Barra Honda National Park
November 2011


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Dorothy J Davison, the dean of Wagner College's Horrmann Library, was among the 10 winners of this year's I Love My Librarian Award, given on December 18 at the Times Center in Manhattan.
This national award for librarians is jointly sponsored by the American Library Association, the New York Times and the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The ALA has administered the award since it was first given in 2008.
Nominations were open to librarians working in public, school, college, community college and university libraries. In all, more than 1,500 nominations were received for this year's award.
Dean Davison earned her B.A. from CUNY's Richmond College, her MALS from Rutgers University, and her master's degree in library science from the Pratt Institute. Davison came to Wagner College from the New York Public Library in 1999, first serving as head of reference. She was named dean of the Horrmann Library in 2000.
Dorothy Davison's nomination for the I Love My Librarian Award was submitted jointly by eight members of the Wagner College faculty. One of those faculty members, sociology professor John Esser, described the context of Davison's achievement:
Given that the library is the heart of a liberal arts college community, what is a college to do when its library is on life support? In our case, Wagner College hired Dorothy Davison. …
Wagner College almost closed due to finances during the late 1980s. By the late 1990s, it had recovered somewhat, but the library was still cash-starved and mismanaged. The library was a too-small building, behind the times technologically, and stuffed with out-of-date books and periodicals. It offered few-to-no proactive services to faculty teaching students about research.
When Dorothy Davison was hired, she went about changing things. ... She quickly instituted a plan to bring the library to the edge of new technological developments. She concentrated the collections and used the space this opened up for a writing center, a smart room for classes, and smart labs for collaborative student work. She and her new staff established a program of [research-intensive] peer tutors. … In short, she thoroughly integrated the library, its resources and its services into the teaching curriculum of the college.
Art historian Laura Morowitz described the difference Davison's leadership had made in the research capacity of the Horrmann Library:
In her time at Wagner, Dean Davison has turned our library from a sleepy, not-quite-functioning unit into an excellent, up-to-date and incredibly useful facility. From her hiring of an excellent staff, to her commitment to keeping completely up-to-date on all technological advances, to the new labs taught by her librarians, her excellence has permeated the entire library.
Thanks to Dean Davison's stewardship, our students can now perform sophisticated research projects without leaving our campus. We now have access to a full array of journals and databases in our field. I am now confident that my students can find the assistance and materials they need for any research assignment I may give them by working at the Horrmann Library.
More information about the I Love My Librarian Award can be found online.
(Photo by Rita Reynolds)


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Hey team!
I know my blog has always been dedicated to WoW and I also know a portion of our readership (you guys!) is also testing the waters with Rift. Now I myself don't have the time to pick up and give Rift a spin. Got the whole writing thing, the whole dragon killing thing and the whole guild running thing.
Anyway, instead of muddying things up around here with Rift content, I want to point you in the direction of our sister site dedicated solely to Rift. Planar Tear will feature the same great level of content you get at World of Matticus (sadly, it may not have my charm or sex appeal, but no doubt it'll actually have content relevant to you). Also, the writers there are always looking for great guest posts or thinking about writing full-time. Interested? Drop them a line. We're excited to add a new site to our little world, and look forward to building another awesome community.
UPDATE: The server has been taking a beating all day, we are currently in the midst of a server switch and should be back to 100% in the next few hours.
UPDATE2: Looks like things are finally settled on our new host. Might be a hiccup here or there while DNS entires update.


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Frequently Asked Questions
We have often been asked about legal issues, union affiliation, faculty governance and about collective bargaining in general. We have tried to make our answers as accurate yet concise as possible. If you have any questions that either aren't answered here, or aren't answered thoroughly enough, please let us know. We want you to make a fully informed decision.
Legal issues surrounding union representation and collective bargaining.
- Does a signed contract have the full force and effect of law?
- Can a contract be unilaterally changed by a party to that contract?
- If we form a faculty union, will we have to go on strike?
- If we form a faculty union, must we defend a faculty member who is unfit to continue in his/her position?
- If we form a faculty union, must everyone join the union and pay dues?
Collective bargaining in higher education
- What is collective bargaining?
- Why should faculty collectively bargain?
- Are other faculty members around the nation members of unions?
Shared governance, union representation, and collective bargaining
- What would happen to the faculty senate and shared governance if the faculty were to vote in favor of union representation and collective bargaining?
How a faculty union and collective bargaining would affect the faculty
- Will union representation and collective bargaining enhance our salary and working conditions?
- What is the record of negotiations at other higher education institutions in neighboring states?
- Does a negotiated contract offer greater security than the current shared governance agreement?
- What are some of the benefits and services NEA provides faculty unions?


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These prices are based on the Higher Rate Motability Component. Pricing and offers are correct at the date of publication and are subject to confirmation. Pricing may not be accurate as pricing is updated quarterly. Unless otherwise stated, metallic paint at extra cost. Library image for illustration purposes only.
Fuel: Petrol
Body: Hatchback
Trans: Manual
Velour floor mats, Heated glass rear windscreen + timer control, ESP curve dynamic assist, Lowered comfort suspension, Hey Mercedes Voice activation, Direct steering, ECO start/stop function, Outside temperature gauge...
It's easy with Motability! You choose the car, we do the rest.
Combined - 53 mpg EC Extra Urban - 66 mpg EC Urban - 40.
Insurance Group
Insurance groups range from 1 to 50 and dictates the cost of the vehicles insurance. The higher the group, the higher the insurance will be for the vehicle.
Performance (BHP)
BHP rates the engine performance of vehicles and stands for the brake horsepower.
CO2 (g/km)
CO2 is the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by the vehicle in grams per kilometre travelled, the lower the CO2 emissions the cleaner the vehicle is for the environment.
Number Of Seats
The total number of seats in the vehicle.
Road Tax
Road Tax is based upon the CO2 emissions of the vehicle and is split into 13 bands from A to M. The higher the letter the greater the cost of tax paid to drive the vehicle on public roads. In addition to the road tax detailed below, any vehicle that had a manufacturers retail price in excess of £40,000 when first sold, attracts a road tax supplement of an additional £320 per year. This is charged until the vehicle is 6 years old.
The fourth generation Mercedes-Benz A-Class offers an even stronger proposition to buyers in the premium compact hatch segment. If you define luxury in terms of technology, you're going to like it a lot. The engines are all new this time round and one of them is the 1.3-litre petrol unit we decided to test in the A200 variant featured here.
This fourth generation A-Class model, according to its maker, 'completely refines modern luxury in the compact class' - quite a claim. The brand thinks that this 'modern luxury' is now partly defined by technology, so that gets a key focus thanks to the introduction of a completely new 'MBUX' ('Mercedes-Benz User eXperience') infotainment set-up, built into sophisticated cabin design that instantly makes rivals look dated. There's an all-new range of efficient petrol and diesel engines too, all of it sat on a fresh 'MFA2' platform that will underpin a whole future generation of compact Mercedes models. This makes possible the 30mm wheelbase increase needed to release extra cabin and luggage space. Plus there's autonomous driving tech, a new era of headlamp technology and another step forward to terms of safety provision. This then, is the compact hatch that Audi and BMW feared Mercedes might build. But both will be developing products to beat it. What kind of benchmark will this A-Class set for them to aspire to? Let's find out at the wheel of the popular 1.3-litre A200 petrol variant.
This fourth generation A-Class builds on the sporty-handling legacy of its predecessor. We don't think the 'Direct-Steer' steering system's quite as feelsome as it was before, but it still enables you to place the car where you'd want through the curves and really enjoy this Mercedes if you're a keen driver. Body roll's kept well in check and you're favoured with prodigious grip that's impressively untroubled by mid-corner bumps. Thanks partly to this model's slightly longer, slightly more sophisticated MFA2 platform, ride quality is a match for the premium segment competition - but could be better. And would have been had Mercedes not decided to equip all mainstream variants with low-cost torsion beam rear suspension rather than a more sophisticated multi-link rear set-up. As for engines, well the popular versions get engines developed by Mercedes in conjunction with its European Alliance partner Renault. As before, there's a 116hp 1.5-litre diesel for the popular A 180d derivative - or a couple of 1.3-litre petrol units: either the 136hp engine fitted to the base A 180. Or the variant we've decided to try, the 163hp A 200, which features cylinder deactivation technology. That's with a manual gearbox, but it's the 7G-DCT automatic that most buyers will probably choose. This self shifter improves the 0-62mph sprint time slightly to 8.0s.
There's a choice of either hatch or Saloon body styles. In profile, this model is visually extended by its longer wheelbase and a sharp character line that runs from nose to tail below the glass house. The wing mirrors are now mounted mid-way along it, rather than being integrated into the windscreen pillar, and the bonnet slopes down more heavily than it did with the previous car, emphasising what Mercedes hopes is a more dynamic, upright front end. The real story here though, is what lies within. Sure enough, it'll be like nothing you've ever previously sat in when it comes to a car of this class, the key change being the lack of the kind of cowled instrument binnacle that almost every other car on the market has to have. Instead, two elongated square colour TFT screens are provided, one for the centre-dash infotainment system, the other for the dials you view through the sophisticated three-spoke multi-function steering wheel. These monitors are both 7-inches in size as standard, but can be upgraded - as here - to 10.25-inches in size if you pay extra. The central one is your main interface for the brand's new 'MBUX' ('Mercedes-Benz User eXperience') multimedia system, which includes hard disc sat nav and the brand's latest - but sometimes rather frustrating - 'Hey Mercedes' voice control system. In the back, a six-footer might still struggle a little to sit behind another adult of similar height but overall, there's significantly more room for knees and legs than there was before. And the boot? Well at 370-litres in size, it's 29-litres bigger than the trunk of the previous model.
As before, most A-Class variants will be sold in the £25,000 to £35,000 bracket. There's a choice of five-door hatch or Saloon body styles and three basic levels of trim - 'SE', 'Sport' and 'AMG Line', with an emphasis on the latter two spec levels further up the range. The base A 180 1.3-litre 136hp petrol model is your cheapest way into A-Class motoring, but if you can afford to stretch up to and beyond the £25,000 price point, then your options widen. This kind of money gets you either the more sophisticated engine of the A 200 1.3-litre 163hp petrol version we tried, priced from around £27,000. Or what's usually been the best seller in the A-Class line-up, the A 180d 1.5-litre 116hp diesel variant. As before, a very large proportion of models will be sold with automatic transmission, an improved '7G-DCT' 7-speed unit. Where an auto gearbox is optional - as it is for example, on the volume A180 and A200 petrol models - it's a £1,600 option; we had it on our A 200 test car. As standard, all variants get 7-inch instrument binnacle and centre dash infotainment screens. You'll have to pay extra for an 'Executive' or a 'Premium' pack if you want the larger 10.25-inch screens we tried. Other standard kit includes 16-inch alloy wheels and the upholstery is trimmed in a combination of fabric and 'ARTICO' man-made leather. Navigation's standard too, as is a DAB radio, air conditioning, cruise control with a speed limiter, a reversing camera and a multi-function leather-stitched steering wheel.
So to the WLTP figures. The A 200 in manual or auto form manages up to 47.9mpg on the combined cycle and 135g/km of CO2 - or up to 47.1mpg and 136g/km in auto form. The warranty may be an industry standard 3 years but is for unlimited miles, handy to know if you spend a lot of time on the road. As usual with one of the Stuttgart brand's models, there's an ASSYST PLUS dashboard service indicator that monitors engine use and tells you exactly when a garage visit is due. For reference, servicing is usually required every 15,500 miles or every year, whichever comes first. Fixed price servicing is available across the range and most buyers opt for the Mercedes ServiceCare plan that could cost you as little as about £28 a month based either on a two-service/two year deal, three years with three services or four years with four services. Whatever package you opt for, it'll cover the cost of all recommended service items such as brake fluid, spark plugs, air filters, fuel filters and screen wash. It's also worth mentioning that the optional 'Mercedes me' connect services package includes remote self-diagnostic capability, enabling you're a-Class to monitor wear and tear items and alert your local dealer to let you know if something needs seeing to.
By Jonathan Crouch
If you're looking for a new Mercedes-Benz A-Class A200 Sport Executive 5dr Petrol Hatchback for sale, you've come to the right place. At Vertu Mercedes-Benz we don't just have the best Mercedes-Benz A-Class A200 Sport Executive 5dr Petrol Hatchback deals, we also offer friendly advice and help with all your enquiries to ensure your buying experience is a happy experience.
What are you waiting for? Make an enquiry online using the link above or call one of our friendly sales advisors today.
|Body Glass
|Electric front windows
|Electric rear windows
|Rain sensor windscreen wipers
|Heated rear window with timer
|Blue tinted glass
|Heated glass rear windscreen + timer control
|4 Electric Front and Rear windows
|Rear wiper
|Rain sensing windscreen wipers with two sensitivity settings
|Hill start assist
|Adaptive brake system
|ESP curve dynamic assist
|Active brake assist includes forward collision warning system with autonomous braking
|Adaptive brake assist with hold function and hill start assist
|ABS with Brake Assist
|ESP with ASR
|Electronic parking brake
|Lowered sports suspension
|Lowered comfort suspension
|Radio aerial integrated into roof spoiler
|Voice activation
|Voice control system
|Hey Mercedes Voice activation
|Dual bluetooth interfaces
|Preinstallation for Mercedes Benz link
|Driver Aids
|Direction indicators with lane change function
|Reversing camera
|Active park assist with parktronic system
|Collision prevention assist plus
|DYNAMIC SELECT with a choice of driving modes (ECO, Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Individual)
|Direct steering
|Active park assist with parktronic system including front and rear parking sensors
|180 degree rear view camera with parking guidelines
|DYNAMIC SELECT with a choice of driving modes (ECO, Comfort, Sport and Individual)
|Speed sensitive power steering
|Cruise control + speed limiter
|Attention assist
|Active lane keep assist
|Car wash mode
|Driver Convenience
|Stop/start system
|ECO start/stop function
|Driver Information
|Warning lamp for direction indicators
|Low fluid warning light
|External temperature gauge
|Service indicator (ASSYST PLUS)
|Bulb failure indicator
|Mercedes connect me with remote online services
|10.25" display screen
|Outside temperature gauge
|Service indicator (ASSYST)
|Brake pad wear indicator warning light
|7" colour screen in instrument panel
|Lamp failure indicator
|Mercedes me connect including emergency call system, accident recovery, breakdown management and maintenance
|Fluid level warning indicator for fuel, oil, coolant and washer fluid
|Trip computer
|Owners manual in English
|Wireless charging
|Smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay and Android auto
|Pre-installation for car sharing
|Pre-installation for Vehicle Monitoring
|Pre-installation for Vehicle Setup
|Driving Mirrors
|Electric folding door mirrors
|Auto dimming rear view mirror
|Auto dimming driver's door mirror
|Electric adjustable heated door mirrors
|Electric adjustable and heated door mirrors with integrated LED side indicators
|Body coloured door mirrors
|Embellishment Trims
|Chrome air vent surrounds
|Carbon fibre interior trim finishers
|Dark carbon fibre interior trim
|MBUX Multimedia system including digital instrument cluster and phone mirroring
|Multimedia System
|SD card slot
|2 usb ports in centre console
|MBUX multimedia system
|DAB Digital radio
|2 USB ports (type C) in rear stowage compartment and one in front of center console
|Mercedes-Benz sound system - 100W
|6 speakers
|Exterior Body Features
|Exhaust system - Twin trapezoidal tailpipes in polished stainless steel
|Chrome weather strip
|Active aerodynamics with AIRPANEL in the front apron
|Twin Trapezoidal tailpipes
|Body colour door handles
|Body colour bumpers
|Body colour side skirt
|Chrome beltline
|Diamond radiator grille with black pins with one louvre in silver + chrome insert
|Window line trim strip in chrome
|Exhaust system - Twin visible tailpipes in polished stainless steel
|Black weather strip
|Radio aerial
|Exterior Lights
|High level third brake light
|Headlamp assist
|LED daytime running lights
|LED headlights
|LED rear lights
|Rear fog lights
|LED third brake light
|LED high performance headlamps with integrated LED daytime running lights
|LED tail lamp
|Headlamp assist automatic headlamp activation
|Adaptive brake lights
|Air vents surround and cruciform nozzle in silver chrome
|Dual zone automatic climate control
|Two zone thermotronic luxury automatic climate control
|Black air vents with surround in silver chrome
|Interior Features
|Freight packaging without tie-down hooks
|Spectacles compartment for driver
|Illuminated glove compartment stowage
|Illuminated glovebox
|Storage compartment under load area floor
|Luggage compartment cover
|Black headlining
|Artico man-made leather upholstery
|Load securing rings in luggage compartment
|Illuminated cup holders
|12V socket
|Illuminated storage compartment
|3 spoke leather multifunction sports steering wheel
|Black roof lining
|3 Spoke leather multi function steering wheel
|Artico man-made leather/Fleron fabric upholstery
|Controller on centre console with chrome surround
|Front centre armrest with storage compartment
|Height/reach adjustable steering column
|Front seat backs luggage nets
|Front door sills with Mercedes benz lettering
|Twin front cupholders
|Gearshift paddles on steering wheel
|Touchpad on center console
|Interior mirror with reading lamps in black and frameless
|Interior Lights
|Front reading lamps
|Front footwell lights
|Rear Reading Lamps
|Front doors with ambient and signal light
|Cup holder and stowage compartment lighting
|Front signal exit lamp
|Handle recess/closing light
|Touchpad illumination
|Front vanity lights
|Exit lights
|Reading lights
|Interior door handle illumination
|Front reading lamps in left and right console downlighter
|Oddments tray lighting
|Footwell lights
|Front and rear reading lights
|Ambient Lighting
|Mirror package - A Class
|Light and sight pack - A Class
|Seat comfort pack - A Class
|Front side airbags
|Front passenger seat occupancy sensor
|Child proof door locks
|Front head airbags
|Driver and passenger head and side airbags
|Childproof locks manually operated for rear doors and electrically operated for rear power windows
|Warning triangle and first aid kit
|Dual stage Driver/Passenger Airbags
|Tyre pressure monitoring system
|3 rear 3 point seatbelts
|Drivers knee airbag
|Window airbags
|Active bonnet
|Front and rear seatbelt reminder
|Crash responsive emergency lighting
|Black seatbelts
|Urban guard vehicle protection system with immobiliser and interior protection
|ISOFIX Child seat top tethers and anchor fixings
|Height adjustable front seats
|Adjustable head restraints
|1/3 to 2/3 split folding rear seats
|Front head restraints
|Isofix rear child seat preparation
|Manual height adjustable front seats
|Front seat cushion length adjustment
|Seat occupancy sensor for front passenger seat
|Heated front seats
|Rear head restraints
|Auto Mercedes-Benz child seat recognition sensor
|40:20:40 split folding rear seats
|Front comfort seats with adjustable head restraints
|ISOFIX and top tether child seat fixing points in two outer rear seats
|Remote central locking
|Keyless ignition
|Keyless Go
|Remote central locking and crash sensor with emergency opening function
|Alarm system/interior protection/immobiliser
|Rear axle multi-link
|Rear axle torsion beam
|Vanity Mirrors
|Sunvisors with illuminated vanity mirrors
|Summer tyres
|Wheels - Alloy
|17" 10 spoke light alloy wheels painted in vanadium silver
|17" 5 twin spoke light alloy wheels painted in matt black with a high sheen finish
|Wheels - Spare
|Tirefit sealant with electric air pump
|Tirefit sealant kit
|0 to 60 mph (secs)
|0 to 62 mph (secs)
|Engine Power - BHP
|Engine Power - KW
|Engine Power - PS
|Engine Power - RPM
|Engine Torque - LBS.FT
|Engine Torque - MKG
|Engine Torque - NM
|Engine Torque - RPM
|Top Speed
Terms & Conditions: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information shown. However, errors do sometimes occur. The specification of each vehicle listed on the Vertu Mercedes-Benz website is provided by "CAP". Please note that the Images of each vehicle are range shots, these can include images which do not reflect the precise details of the vehicle you are looking at and are purely used for illustrative purposes. The inclusion of such data does not imply any endorsement of any of its content nor any representation as to its accuracy.


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(Reuters) - Kellogg Co (K.N) reported higher-than-expected quarterly profit on Thursday as strong performance in its Pringles business offset costs related to a recall last month of Mini-Wheats.
The world's largest cereal maker reported net income of $296 million, or 82 cents per share, for the third quarter, compared with $290 million, or 80 cents per share, a year earlier.
The results included 4 cents per share in integration costs related to the acquisition of Pringles.
Analysts on average were expecting 80 cents per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
The company said higher commodity costs, a high single-digit increase in brand-building investments, and costs related to the recall last month hurt operating profit.
The maker of Corn Flakes, Eggo waffles and Keebler cookies recalled some packages of Mini-Wheats in October due to the possible presence of fragments of metal mesh.
In 2010, Kellogg had a massive recall of millions of boxes of cereal due to an unusual smell. In 2009 it recalled some Keebler cookies and Special K protein bars.
In 2011, Chief Executive John Bryant said the company had cut too many jobs in recent years, which had led to problems, including food safety issues. It said it would spend an additional $70 million to improve its manufacturing.
It said the latest recall cost it 6 cents per share, which was offset by better-than-expected performance of Pringles.
Net sales were $3.72 billion, slightly above analysts' average estimate of $3.69 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
Kellogg reaffirmed its outlook for full-year earnings per share of $3.18 to $3.30.
Its shares rose 44 cents, or 0.8 percent, to $52.76 on the New York Stock Exchange.
Reporting by Martinne Geller in New York; Editing by Gerald E. McCormick and James Dalgleish


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I have birthed two babies in the hospital and two at home. I believe that a woman will birth "best" where she is most comfortable -- physically, and more importantly, emotionally.
Over the years, the normal progression for people that take my class has been this:
Baby #1: Switch from an OB to a CNM, remaining in the hospital (just in case).
Baby #2: Switch from a CNM to a CPM and birth in a freestanding birth center.
Baby #3: Birth baby at home with a CPM and wish they had done that from the very beginning!
I decided to go through the homebirth blog posts I have written over the last three years and link to them this week. Enjoy!
I found so many other posts that were related to homebirth -- dozens when it was mentioned -- but these are probably the ones that homebirth is the main focus. Still aggravated after all these years that "homebirth" is flagged as not being a word.
Romy's Birth Story from Ceci Jane on Vimeo.
This video of my co-chapter leader for TCBN, Shannon, about sums up the beauty of homebirth. Ceci is another TCBN chapter leader and she did this amazing video. Shannon had an incredible team of women there, all hand-picked. Her husband was incredibly touched by the love and support they received as they welcomed their new baby into their family. It is evident on everyone's face this was a glorious homebirth. I am so lucky to work with such talented people. If you haven't seen this video yet, grab your tissues. Then go read all these homebirth posts I've written over the years!


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Sony introduces Cyber-shot WX5, TX9
Sony updates its Cyber-shot roster today with the WX5 and TX9. Replacing existing WX1 and TX7 models, the new cameras bring updated features like Superior Auto Mode and 3D Sweep Panorama capability to the Cyber-shot line for the first time.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX9
Other new features being offered in these models include Superior Auto, Sweep Multi Angle and Background Defocus mode.
Background Defocus does exactly what it sounds like it does – creates a bokeh effect by combining one out-of-focus image and one with a focused subject to make a final image with a subject in focus and a de-focused background.
Superior Auto
Sony introduces a new shooting mode with the WX5 and TX9 called Superior Auto mode. Similar to the Intelligent Auto mode that's currently available on Sony cameras (as well as the new WX5 and TX9), Superior Auto will automatically recognize a scene and select a recording mode.
Unlike Intelligent Auto, Superior Auto can record multiple images with one press of the shutter button and overlap them into one final image. It's designed to recognize tricky scenes in low light or backlit situations and apply the right amount of processing to expose the scene evenly. The camera will record two to six images and process them in an effort to reduce noise and improve sharpness. Putting the images together takes several seconds to process, so Sony recommends using Intelligent Auto when speed is key.
3D Fever
To utilize the headline feature, 3D Sweep Panorama, you'll have need to be the owner of a compatible 3D HDTV, a 3D HDMI cable, and 3D glasses. Sony's 3D mode works by simultaneously recording images for the right and left eye as the user pans across a scene in 3D Sweep Panorama mode. If you've got all the necessary equipment, you'll be able to view the scene you recorded with a 3D effect on your TV.
Images can't be viewed in 3D on the camera's LCD. As an alternative, Sony has created a feature called Sweep Multi Angle. This mode will capture 15 images at different angles and combines them into one image. When the final image is displayed on screen, the user can tilt the camera to view the image through different angles, almost as if it's being displayed in 3D.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX5
Replacing the WX1, the Cyber-shot WX5 will be equipped with a 12.2 megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor, a 2.8-inch 460k-dot LCD, and a 5x optical zoom lens starting at a wide 24mm angle with a maximum aperture of f/2.4.
It will offer AVCHD 1080 video recording at 60i at its highest resolution. Along with the new Background Defocus and Superior Auto modes, familiar features like 10fps burst shooting and Optical SteadyShot stabilization are also included.
Build and design will be similar to the WX1. The WX5 takes on more of a deck of cards form factor than the ultra-slim TX Cyber-shots. A dedicated video record button has been added to the back panel, moving the zoom toggle to the top of the camera.
We reviewed the WX1 back in December, and it was an overall good performer. Low light performance was very strong.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX9
The TX9 replaces the Cyber-shot TX7, making it the new "flagship" TX model. The TX9 will contain a 12.2 megapixel Exmor CMOS sensor a 3.5-inch 921k-dot touch screen. It has a 24mm wide angle 4x optical zoom lens and Optical SteadyShot.
Like the WX5, it offers the new shooting modes along with AVCHD 1080 video recording at 60i. Both the TX9 and WX5 will also have a new Natural Flash feature, which combines information from a reference shot without flash and a second image using flash to, in theory, create a more natural-looking image.
Pricing and availability
Both the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX5 and Cyber-shot DSC-TX9 become available in September. The WX5 will cost $299 and will be offered in black and silver. The TX9 will cost $399, and will be available in red or dark gray.


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About Louis
Defined by soft curves and sheltering profile with large scroll arms, Louis dark grey velvet 4 seater sofa is generously sized and built for exceptional comfort with plump, feather-filled cushions.
Made in Italy, the sofa is upholstered in ultra-plush, velvet cover, removable for professional cleaning.
Part of the Louis sofa range designed by Habitat's in-house design team, and is available in various colours and sizes.
Will it fit?
We want you to love your sofa and enjoy it for years to come, so before you make your purchase, please check that it will fit perfectly into your home.Measuring Guide Buying Guide
Check out all of our buying guides here
- Assembled dimensions: W232 x H79 x D100cm
- Seat height: 55cm
- Seat depth: 62cm
- Width of armrest: 25cm
- Height of armrest: 76cm
- Packaged dimensions: Pack 1: W237 x H83 x D103cm.
Please note that this is just a guide - due to their handmade nature, our sofas may vary slightly in size.
Product Details
- Product Code: 243497
- Exclusive to Habitat.
- Removable Cover
- Feet require assembly.
- Cover: 86% cotton, 14% modal - Made in Italy.
- Structure: Spruce wood frame with chip board, plywood and particleboard panels, wrapped in foam and fibre.
- Seat cushion: 100% feather-filled for greater comfort.
- Back cushion: 100% feather-filled.
- Feet: solid oak with a matt lacquer.
Care Instructions
To keep your sofa looking fabulous, give its cushions a good squeeze regularly to restore their shape and rotate double-sided cushions so that they wear evenly. If your sofa is feather filed we recommend you plump and rotate once a week.
Professional clean only.
Covers (both removable and fixed) should only be cleaned professionally by an upholstery cleaning specialist.
Colour variation may occur between cleaned and un-cleaned sections. When cleaning, please ensure all components are cleaned at the same time to avoid colour variation.
Vacuum or brush your upholstery weekly as accumulated dirt will accelerate wear and dull colours.
Avoid exposing your furniture to direct and prolonged periods of sunlight and heat sources as fading may occur.
Avoid sharp objects.
Spots and Spills; DO NOT RUB! Carefully soak up any spillage by gently blotting with a clean, dry absorbent cloth. Do not use a wet cloth.
Delivery & Returns
Home Delivery to UK Mainland:
Orders under £500£15
Orders over £500£25


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Of Paramount importance: JPJ's manager takes over theater
While the Paramount Theater has had no trouble attracting notable national talent to its stage since its re-opening in 2005, the Paramount board has had a hard time attracting a permanent executive director. Following a tenure that brought crooner Tony Bennett, violinist Itzahk Perlman, comedian Bill Cosby, and $16 million in funds to the theater, president and CEO Chad Hershner resigned abruptly and without explanation in October 2006.
Ten months later, a national search identified Edward Rucker, a Charlottesville resident since 1988 and president and CEO of the Richmond Forum– an ongoing speakers' series that charged rock-concert prices for Richmonders to hear visiting dignitaries. Rucker's tenure saw continued booking success for the venue, with shows from the likes of Dionne Warwick, Judy Collins, and Peter Frampton. And yet, in May 2008, the Paramount once again had to announce a mysterious resignation by their top man, stating in a press release that Rucker had left "to pursue other opportunities," though at the time Rucker could not say specifically what that next opportunity was.
Now, instead of conducting yet another national search for a director, the Paramount board has enlisted the aid of a local entertainment industry heavyweight. No, Coran Capshaw has not added the renovated movie house to his empire. The Paramount is looking to Larry Wilson, general manager of the John Paul Jones Arena, and his company, SMG Facility Management, to take over.
"I'm doing pretty much everything," says Wilson. "We're under an exploratory, 90-day consulting agreement. Then if that goes well, we'll work with the board of directors to reach a more permanent agreement."
That means Wilson is presently doing double duty as JPJ's GM and as the Paramount's acting GM. According to Paramount spokesperson Kristin Gleason, the Paramount gig is no afterthought for Wilson.
"He's typically here few days every week," she says. "He's really tailored his services to fit the venue."
"It's been great," says Wilson. "Working with the board has been fantastic, and hopefully we'll be able to reach an agreement soon. If that happens, SMG will appoint someone to be general manager, and that person would report to me."
Should that eventuality materialize, it would pit SMG's Paramount against Coran Capshaw's Charlottesville Pavilion in competition for the downtown concert dollar. Already, the two venues' scheduled shows have overlapping appeal. Are you a baby boomer who's still digging the sounds of the '60s? The Pavilion has Creedence Clearwater Revival's John Fogerty, but the Parmount has the Band's Levon Helm.
More into classic southern blues and R&B? The Pavilion has a show with Memphis guitar hero B.B. King, but the Paramount just announced New Orleans piano man Allen Toussaint. Rhinestone-studded country more your style? The Pavilion booked Kenny "The Gambler" Rogers, but the Paramount has a double bill with twangy-spangly Travis Tritt and Marty Stuart.
Given the high ticket prices at both venues, and the declining economy driving consumer costs skyward, it may be that Charlottesville concert-goers choose one or the other and not both– (if either!).
Pavilion GM Kirby Hutto remains unfazed in describing his venue's relationship with the Paramount.
"I don't think it means anything for the Pavilion," he says. "The two venues are so radically different in terms of the type of experience you're going to have. The Paramount's not big enough to be going after the same artists, but I think the new shows may show that SMG has a pretty good handle on the market."
Moreover, Hutto says he's confident that local music fans won't have to pick and choose which shows to attend. However, if the Pavilion loses some business to the Paramount, Hutto has his sights set on a much larger geographic scale.
"We're drawing a lot of people from outside Charlottesville," he says. "People are coming from over in the Valley and the outer reaches of Northern Virginia like Gainesville and Warrenton. People come down from there all the time; they say it's easier to come to the Pavilion than to go to Wolf Trap or Meriwether Post Pavilion because they don't have to fight the traffic."
Then there's Capshaw's and Hutto's plans for the downtown Jefferson Theater, which Capshaw purchased from Hook editor Hawes Spencer in 2006 with the goal of converting it into a concert venue.
"We plan to have it open in about 14 months," says Hutto. "That will hit a different niche than the Pavilion or the Paramount– more of a smaller rock 'n roll type theater that's not quite as formal as the Paramount
and appealing to a younger demographic than either the Paramount or the Pavilion."
According to Chuck Taylor, programming director of WTJU and longtime veteran Charlottesville music wag, regardless of how the competition between the Paramount and the Pavilion goes, the bigger problem is the flagging economy affecting both venues.
"In this current situation, when everyone's watching their dimes, people just don't go out as much," Taylor says. "I would hate to be running a venue right now. It's pretty scary in this market."
Ultimately, Taylor thinks that means that both the Paramount and the Pavilion will book increasingly older acts to appeal to people with the money to spend on tickets.
"There's a growing retiree population in Charlottesville," he says, "and you'll continue to see both venues skew to that."
It could take a few years to determine how the gig grab goes, particularly since SMG has yet to book an entire season of shows at the Paramount. But at this point Hutto says the Paramount's new management doesn't scare him.
"I'm more concerned with gas prices," says Hutto, "than I am with what's on the Pavilion's calendar."
13 comments
Chuck Taylor is a music "wag"? Not to get all grammar-obnoxious, but wag denotes something of a jokester. You all are using is as synonymous with observer.
Regardless, the Jefferson cannot open soon enough!
Paramount snagging big touring acts is no great mystery. You pay, they show up, right? Whether Paramount is in the black is another question.
The Paramount is a non profit---unlike the Pavilion. I read that the Paramount did this so that they can have SMG focus on acts and then have other people focus on the theater's role as community theater, with education, etc.
I say more power to the Paramount.
Oh, and I have to laugh--is it just me, or isn't it obvious that both Hershner and Rucker were canned? I heard they were both total morons in terms of running a business.
I don't know if you were replying to me in saying "non-profit", but I imagine they still want to be in the black in whatever sense the board & donors see it. Capshaw's people have always said that Paramount was overpaying for acts, but I take that with a great grain of salt. My own mini-sorrow is how well Paramount can do with its canned, big name productions. If Live Arts could charge $75 a ticket for its high quality shows, it would never need another fundraiser &/or could pay actors a very good rate! But as in the rest of our economy, people go for the brand names. I'll never get over how many people went to CHS/MLK to hear David Sedaris tell pee-poop jokes. And waited in line an hour to have their books signed! I mean, he's funny, but not 9000% funnier than the next comic, or say, Stevie Jay. Same thing goes for retail (outside the Downtown Mall, *all* retail has become chain stores, within a vanishing margin of error). So the Paramount's model can work, but occasionally they step over the line of what the board wants and then someone must be fired. Scheduling Pirates of Penzance against our own local company's production (New Lyric Theater) the same week, for example. Look at the timing of the first firing vs. that show (October 2006).
Larry's a class act and I'm glad to see him involved.
The Paramount has booked some great acts and its a great place,unlike the Great White Eysesore.
However, I think venues like it and JPJ should book some music acts appealing to younger people.Its all very well to try and appeal to those of us from the Woodstock era, but today's youth will be the customers of the future.
Now I came along with the rock and folk acts of the 6os and 70s, but that does not mean I don't like some of the newer performers. Lets have Avril Lavigne, Green Day, Coldplay,Aly and AJ, and if she ever gets her life on track again, Britney Spears. And will some venue PLEASE book Melissa Etheridge! Charlottesville would be just the place for her.
Those I mentioned are only a few of the newer acts I am sure our young people would like to see, I just mentioned some I liked or was familiar with. (Not a Justin Timberlake fan, btw-the night he played here I was taking in Holly Near at Gravity Lounge). But I have Britney and Avril on my CD rack along with Joan Baez and Judy Collins-which amazes some people. But then I also like the Monkees,whom it was fashionable years ago for "hip" types to sneer at.
I agree. I'd love to see Britney team up with someone like Melissa Etheridge. Maybe the Indigo Girls! Yes!
Come on, SpaceCat! Let's get serious here.
So all these venues and what do we get? More mellow rock, more country, more crooners. ***sigh*** Wheres the real rock? The metal? The Punk? 80's hair metal is retro popular now so how about a little Twisted Sister or Poison or Alice Cooper in C'ville? If innsbrook can get them we should be able to.
Good Charlottes touring, as is Papa Roach, Billy Idol is playing Va beach and Joan Jett has played a couple virginia venues this year. Maybe the economy is suffering but I have the money to go to shows, it would be nice to see them in my own town but if that money has to go towards gas instead of into our local economy so be it.
How about Elton John, truly a titan of entertainment? Was glad to see the Pavilion get Rufus Wainwright, and I have already mentioned how we should get Melissa Etheridge. We've had the Indigo Girls a couple times to good crowds( I was front-row at the Paramount for their last show here). And Janis Ian, Holly Near,Tret Fure, and others at Gravity Lounge.
The gay and lesbian community should not be overlooked when it comes to acts to be brought to town.
"Rucker's tenure saw continued booking success for the venue, with shows from the likes of Dionne Warwick, Judy Collins, and Peter Frampton." -HA!
someone else there internally is booking the shows.
Uh yeah. A little Good Charlotte and Papa Roach certainly would improve the quality of acts coming through town. The Paramount can be the perfect venue for particular artists (solo Steve Earle, Jeff Tweedy) and can allow Satellite/Jefferson Theater size acts the chance to vary up their setlists (last Nov's R.E. Keen performance). Now if only we could have a beer in there. The Jefferson will fill an empty void however it seems they're locking themselves into opera for much of the summer.


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Herndon wrote:
"Mr. Lincoln's religion is too well known to me to allow of even a shadow of a doubt; he is or was a Theist & a Rationalist, denying all extraordinary -- supernatural inspiration or revelation."
"At one time in his life, to say the least, he was an elevated Pantheist, doubting the immortality of the soul as the Christian world understands that term. I love Mr. Lincoln dearly, almost worship him, but that can't blind me. He's the purest politician I ever saw, and the justest man."
The letter isn't exactly scandalous, or jaw-dropping, in any sense. It does, however, shed more light on the complex, and evolving, religious beliefs of one of America's most important figures. And in a climate in which we debate the nature of religion as it relates to our nation's history, it reminds us that religious diversity and skepticism are as hardly recent developments, and are as American as traditional Christianity.


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No Super Bowl is complete without a gaudy display of militarism, and Super Bowl XLVIII featured a nine-helicopter flyover. Here's what it looked like from above.
This video was shot by SPC David Wilf, with the Army's 101st Airborne, from one of the Chinooks as it passed over MetLife Stadium. Nice view, capped off by fireworks on his six, and at least he didn't have to take the train.


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A few quick items. Expect the site to be moved during the week, so it might be down for a few hours during the week (but nothing major).Also the big surprise for the podcast is nearly complete and ready to go. So expect that in the next podcast.And my Spore surprise, I have that ready as well.And I'm working on the new site design as well (but that's going to take a little bit longer).So expect quite a bit in the next few weeks!!! It's going to get busy over here!
The suspense already killed my... but I had a fary.
Sam is basically right, he's just cranky.
Heh, I've been listening to the new "stuff" for the upcoming podcast (still not ready, before the end of the month though). When you guys hear this I think your heads just might explode. But I'll give you a little hint...What I've been working on is to make this not just the best gaming podcast out there but the best podcast ... period. I'm working to make this the "gold standard" that all other podcasts will try to live up to. Yes this might sound a bit presumptuous, but when you hear the next podcast I think you guys are going to understand, and hopefully agree. But let me tell you, it's going to be worth the wait and you will never be able to listen to the podcast the same way ever again!
The best podcast ever? Hes mad, mad I say! *cackels evilly* Then again is the competition for podcasts existant..? Meh, just give me some damn good Spore info in it or I'll put myself into a coma until the game releases.. >.>
Quote from: Gaming Peter Molyneux on Today at 04:18:36 PM
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