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French Guiana set to tackle bycatch
A new law requiring French Guianese shrimp fishers to use special devices that reduce unwanted fish catch will help better protect marine turtles and other vulnerable marine species in the region.
As of Jan. 1, the country's fishing fleet under the new law now has to use a device called the Trash and Turtle Excluder Device, or TTED, to limit accidental capture of larger marine species.
Widespread use of this device, which took three years to develop, will greatly reduce bycatch among shrimp trawlers. In French Guiana, tropical shrimp fisheries represent a major source of undesired bycatch. Without a bycatch reduction device in place, shrimp represents only 10 to 30 percent of the total catch, meaning the rest is made up of other marine species.
Nearly half of the world's recorded fish catch is unused, wasted or not accounted for, according to estimates in an April scientific paper co-authored by WWF. The paper, Defining and Estimating Global Marine Fisheries Bycatch, estimated that each year at least 38 million tonnes of fish, constituting at least 40 percent of what is taken from oceans by fishing activities, is unmanaged or unused and should be considered bycatch.
The TTED is an improvement of a previous device, the Turtle Excluder Device, that consists of a rigid grill inserted at a 45 degrees angle in the trawl with an opening toward the top or bottom. NOAA has documented in research a 97 percent reduction in marine turtle captures through using the device, and additional TED studies conducted internationally have shown a reduction in large marine organism bycatch of as much as 91 percent.
After three years of trials, a prototype combining the advantages of different systems was identified. This model, the TTED, offers numerous advantages, including a 25 to 40 percent reduction of fish bycatch.
In addition, the TTED reduces sorting time and risks of injury due to sharks and rays being caught. The new gear also improves the quality of shrimps, which are less likely to be crushed in the bottom of the trawl, and may also lead to a reduction in the amount of fuel consumed by the boats.
WWF will be talking about this successful project at the upcoming Seafood Summit in Paris, France, running from Jan. 31to Feb. 2.
The TTED is the culmination of years of research. With funding provided by the European Union and the DIREN (Regional Environmental Authorities), WWF commissioned a study from IFREMER (French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea) to determine which selective gear was the most adapted to fishing conditions in French Guiana. These initial trials, conducted under experimental conditions, were carried out on board a shrimp trawler.
Following this work, shrimp industry's members expressed the need to continue these experiments and to become more involved in the project. In response, WWF and the CRPMEMG (French Guiana Regional Fishery and Ocean Farming Committee) began working in close collaboration in order to test and develop the best gear for the French Guiana fleet.
With technical support from NOAA and IFREMER, the CRPMEMG carried out numerous at sea trials in close collaboration with French Guiana fleets. Specific parameters where tested such as the shape and spacing between the bars of the selective grid. These trials allowed the fleets and the crews onboard the shrimp trawlers to understand the advantages of a more selective fishing gear and the benefits of using it in French Guiana.
Based on the results and the captains' recommendations, the CRPMEMG decided to make the use of this TTED system mandatory by January 2010, when the annual fishing licences are issued.
The TTED was developed by the CRPMEMG and fishermen with the assistance of NOAA, IFREMER, the French Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Région Guyane, the European Fund for Fisheries (FEP) and the WWF.
SOURCE: http://www.wwfguianas.org/?187501/French-Guiana-set-to-tackle-bycatch


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Voting at company general meetings is a shareholder's key formal ownership right and it can be considered the bedrock of stewardship. With this year's voting season already in full swing, we have witnessed certain trends emerging for institutional investors.
The topic dominating the US voting season in 2015 is proxy access, the right of shareholders to nominate candidates for the board. Led by the New York City Public Pension Funds, over 100 proxy access proposals have been filed by shareholders.
Before the start of the voting season, some companies put forward alternative proposals in an attempt to prevent the discussion of shareholder proposals on this issue. But encouragingly a number of companies have embraced the concept and are moving to implement proxy access close to or at the so-called 3/3/25 rule recommended by the US Securities and Exchange Commission, which we support. The rule allows shareholders owning a minimum of 3% of shares for at least three years to nominate up to 25% of directors.
Proposals calling for the introduction of clawback clauses – to revoke and limit bonuses at times of underperformance – have also been gaining ground.
Significantly, an increasing number of shareholder proposals – 76 as of 31 March – have been filed on climate change, with energy companies receiving the most.
Oil and gas companies in the UK have also come under pressure from shareholders. As part of the Aiming for A investor coalition – which we support – shareholder resolutions on climate resilience were filed at BP, Shell and most recently at Statoil. This requires boards to focus on the long-term challenge to their business models. We welcome this overdue emphasis, an example of which was at the BP AGM where an hour of the three-hour proceedings was taken up by a combination of management comments and questions from shareholders on climate change.
We voted against board-proposed resolutions at a number of companies where they failed to commit to disclosing targets for executive incentive schemes either prospectively or retrospectively, making it impossible to appraise whether awards are proportionate to performance. Some companies lacked independent representation due to candidates being proposed as shareholder representatives or being connected to companies with which they have a significant commercial relationship. We opposed the recommendations of management in these instances.
In neighbouring France, the Florange Act has come into effect, which seeks to reward long-term investment by granting double-voting rights to shareholders registered for a continuous 24-month period. This provision will apply from April 2016, unless companies opt out by amending their articles of association. The Act also gives boards the ability to thwart takeover attempts by using any means necessary without the permission of shareholders.
We believe equal voting rights should be attached to shares regardless of characteristics of an investor. Therefore, we have urged French companies to maintain their current application of one-share, one-vote and the principle of board neutrality by exercising the opt-out clause.
The French government also undertook to increase its holdings in Renault to block other shareholders from supporting the proposal to maintain an equal shareholding structure. In response to this, we recommended that our clients avoid lending their shares in Renault, GDF Suez and Air France which are partly owned by the government.
Other issues at French companies that have caused us to oppose resolutions related to a lack of sufficient independence on boards, short performance periods for equity-based awards and a lack of disclosure on performance criteria.
Like France, Italy introduced legislation on loyalty shares in 2014, meaning Italian listed companies can grant up to a maximum of two votes per share to shareholders who have held their shares for at least two years. Hermes EOS voted against such proposals at AGMs in 2014 and this year, we co-signed a letter sent to various listed Italian companies to maintain the principle of one-share one-vote.
Pressure from institutional investors and non-executive directors at major Italian companies has recently led to Italy's government announcing that it would not make it easier for such measures to be adopted.
In Belgium, we opposed management where we found a lack of disclosure on performance criteria in incentive plans and too much focus on short-term performance periods. We also voted against non-independent board members at companies where fewer than 30% of board directors are independent.
Earlier this year, the Dutch Senate adopted the Act on Remuneration Policies in Financial Institutions. It limits variable compensation to 20% of fixed remuneration for employees based in the Netherlands, to 100% of fixed compensation for employees otherwise based in the European Economic Area (EEA) and to 200% of fixed compensation for employees based outside of the EEA, subject to shareholder approval. This makes the Netherlands one of the toughest among EU member states in terms of regulations on executive compensation.
Some German companies have asked shareholders to authorise their not disclosing individual remuneration of management board members. We voted against these proposals, as they go against market practices, as well as the best practice recommendations set out in the German Corporate Governance Code. Elsewhere, we opposed the re-election of non-independent board members where boards were insufficiently independent. We have also seen a few requests from shareholders for special audits, for example at RWE and Deutsche Bank.
In Switzerland the ordinance implementing the Minder initiative has created the most stringent framework for executive remuneration in Europe. On top of a binding vote on pay, which came into force in 2015, a number of practices, such as severance pay have been banned. Other rules, such as loans to executives and the maximum number of mandates board members can hold, have to be included in the articles of association.
We voted against management where the performance criteria for variable compensation was not clearly defined, where guaranteed bonuses are granted or stock-options vest earlier than three years and where non-executive board members were set to receive retirement benefits or performance-based equity compensation. In addition, we opposed resolutions on board structure where companies failed to establish a majority-independent board and where directors held an excessive number of board mandates.
In late 2014, Spain overhauled its corporate regulation by revising its Companies Law and publishing a new Corporate Governance Code. The code contains additional recommendations for the remuneration of directors, the notion of corporate social responsibility and the board of directors – which should be at least half independent and by 2020 comprise a minimum of 30% female directors. While we remain concerned about the widespread combination of chair and CEO roles and the lack of disclosure on succession planning, significant progress has been made on governance structures to ensure effective oversight of executive management. Spanish utility Iberdrola, for example, has significantly strengthened the powers of its lead independent director. Elsewhere, we voted against management recommendations on the re-election of combined chair/CEOs, especially where we deemed the board insufficiently independent.
In Japan, we expect more requests from companies for dialogue with shareholders ahead of the AGM season in June due to the introduction of the Corporate Governance Code.
In other Asian markets, a lack of disclosure on matters such as director elections, business transactions, remuneration and performance metrics were common reasons for us opposing resolutions. We also voted against some share option plans for executives and the issuance of shares without pre-emptive rights due to concerns that they would dilute the interest of existing shareholders, as well as unjustified significant increases in directors' pay and a lack of board independence.
Latin America
Across Latin America, we continue to see a lack of disclosure ahead of AGMs, in particular with regard to the names of director candidates and details of executive remuneration. In addition, the composition of boards can be an issue. Due to the number of shareholder representatives and related parties on the board, the level of independence can be insufficiently low.
In Australia, we continued to vote against remuneration reports where companies failed to disclose targets for bonus frameworks and where long-term incentive structures are based on measures such as absolute total shareholder return. Nevertheless, Australian companies are improving as a whole and as a result we are more supportive at annual general meetings than in previous years.
Hermes EOS
The intelligent implementation of our clients' votes is an important part of our service and our voting recommendations complement and support our engagement programme. We also engage on voting issues and seek to use the vote as a lever for improvement, encouraging companies that are committed to positive change by supporting the recommendations of their management.
Moving on up

subset: commoncrawl


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The Houston Dynamo have acquired defender Jordan Graye in a trade with the Portland Timbers, the teams announced today. In exchange for Graye, the Dynamo sent their natural fourth-round pick in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft to the Timbers. The Timbers had selected Graye from D.C. United in the MLS Expansion Draft in November.
Graye, 23, completed his first professional season in 2010 with hometown club D.C. United, making 20 starts and playing 1,662 minutes in MLS play, fourth on the team. Graye can play either outside back position.
"Jordan is a promising young defender who is known for being a good athlete," Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear said. "He was pretty unheralded but played a lot of games for D.C. last year. I'm looking forward to having him in Houston and helping him continue to grow as a player."
Graye played in the D.C. United Academy while in high school but was drafted by the club after five years at the University of North Carolina. After seeing minimal college action in his first two seasons, one of which he redshirted, Graye saw increased playing time in 2007 and became a regular starter on squads that reached the NCAA College Cup in 2008 and 2009. He was selected by D.C. United in the fourth round of last year's MLS SuperDraft.
"I'm glad to come to Houston, and I already know some people on the team like Corey Ashe and Tyler Deric from UNC," Graye said. "They seem to enjoy playing for Houston, and I hear good things about the coaches, so I'm looking forward to getting a chance to play."
READ: Graye excited to know new home for 2011
The Houston Dynamo are a Major League Soccer club that has won two MLS Cup championships in its first five seasons and represented the United States in international competition four consecutive years from 2007-10. For more information, log on to www.HoustonDynamo.com or call (713) 276-7500.
-Forever Orange-
Position: Defender
Height: 6'2" Weight: 170 lbs.
Date of Birth: June 15, 1987
Birthplace: Washington, D.C.
Hometown: Washington, D.C.
Citizenship: United States
College: University of North Carolina
Last Club: Portland Timbers
How Acquired: Traded from Portland for a 2014 draft pick on December 13, 2010


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Moderator: B&F Moderator
The third disc will contain "RARITIES" unreleased stuff, and some stuff that has been released but is very obscure. One track by The Prophets titled 'Give Thanks and Praise' I had never heard although the dub is on the Beware Dub release. I even asked Yabby and he didn't remember. I found out through You Tube that Ton van Arnhem had it and he ended up gifting it to me which was just incredible and a really beautiful thing."
RB wrote:https://soundcloud.com/dkr-nyc/sets/yabby-you-oh-city-of-zion
Chaz wrote:Hard to believe that Patrick Andy's "Show a Little Love" hasn't yet turned up on a compilation:
Users browsing this forum: johnnyB and 4 guests


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Chemicals Found in Manufacturing Affect Some Childhood Vaccines
Key Excerpts from Article on Website of ABC News
Chemicals Found in Manufacturing Affect Some Childhood Vaccines
ABC News, January 24, 2012
Posted: 2014-05-05 11:23:01
New research finds that chemicals commonly found in non-stick cookware, microwave popcorn bags and other manufactured goods may make childhood vaccines less effective, perhaps making it easier for certain diseases to spread through the population. A study published [in] the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that exposure to perfluorinated compounds, called PFCs, before and after birth may lower a child's ability to make disease-fighting antibodies for tetanus and diphtheria later in life. Researchers studied nearly 600 children and their mothers from the Faroe Islands, a small nation in the North Atlantic between Iceland and Scotland. The study found that higher levels of PFCs in both mothers and children meant lower numbers of disease-fighting antibodies in the children. Study author Philippe Grandjean said very few chemicals are known to have such an effect on the body's immune system. "The PFCs make the immune system more sluggish, so that it doesn't respond as vigorously against micro-organisms as it should," Grandjean said. "If vaccinations don't work, there may be an increased risk of epidemics." The study authors said the marine diet of Faroese people may have influenced the levels of PFCs in the children in the study, since the chemical is commonly found throughout the environment, even in polar bears that live far from pollution sources. But exposure to the chemicals is also high in the United States. In 2004, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tested the blood of more than 2,000 Americans and found certain types of PFCs in nearly 98 percent of them.
Note: For more on major problems with many vaccines, see the deeply revealing reports from reliable major media sources available here.
Explore our index to revealing excerpts of key news articles on several dozen topics.
Don't miss amazing excerpts from the 20 most revealing news articles ever published.
Below is a sample of just three of those 20 articles.
U.S. Military Wanted to Provoke War With Cuba
2001-05-01, ABC News
In the early 1960s, America's top military leaders reportedly drafted plans to kill innocent people and commit acts of terrorism in U.S. cities to create public support for a war against Cuba. Code named Operation Northwoods, the plans reportedly included the possible assassination of Cuban émigrés, sinking boats of Cuban refugees on the high seas, hijacking planes, blowing up a U.S. ship, and even orchestrating violent terrorism in U.S. cities. The plans were developed as ways to trick the American public and the international community into supporting a war to oust Cuba's ... Fidel Castro. America's top military brass even contemplated causing U.S. military casualties, writing: "We could blow up a U.S. ship in Guantanamo Bay and blame Cuba," and, "casualty lists in U.S. newspapers would cause a helpful wave of national indignation." The plans had the written approval of all of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and were presented to President Kennedy's defense secretary, Robert McNamara, in March 1962. But they apparently were rejected by the civilian leadership and have gone undisclosed for nearly 40 years. The Joint Chiefs even proposed using the potential death of astronaut John Glenn during the first attempt to put an American into orbit as a false pretext for war with Cuba. Should the rocket explode and kill Glenn, they wrote, "the objective is to provide irrevocable proof … that the fault lies with the Communists." The scary thing is none of this stuff comes out until 40 years after.
Note: Why was ABC the only major news source to report on this highly revealing story? Read the shocking declassified documents on Operation Northwoods. Many military and political leaders look at the world as a grand chessboard. Sacrificing pawns (innocent civilians) is sometimes necessary to capture the queen. Explore revealing news articles on military corruption. Then check out eye-opening 9/11 news articles.
Inside the secretive Bilderberg Group
2005-09-29, BBC News
How much influence do private networks of the rich and powerful have on government policies and international relations? One group, the Bilderberg, has often attracted speculation that it forms a shadowy global government. Every year since 1954 [they have brought] together about 120 leading business people and politicians. At this year's meeting in Germany, the audience included the heads of the World Bank and European Central Bank, Chairmen or Chief Executives from Nokia, BP, Unilever, DaimlerChrysler and Pepsi ... editors from five major newspapers, members of parliament, ministers, European commissioners ... and the queen of the Netherlands. The chairman ... is 73-year-old Viscount Etienne Davignon. In an extremely rare interview, he played down the importance of Bilderberg. "I don't think (we are) a global ruling class because I don't think a global ruling class exists." Will Hutton ... who attended a Bilderberg meeting in 1997, says people take part in these networks in order to influence the way the world works, to create what he calls "the international common sense". And that "common sense" is one which supports the interests of Bilderberg's main participants. For Bilderberg's critics the fact that there is almost no publicity about the annual meetings is proof that they are up to no good. Bilderberg meetings often feature future political leaders shortly before they become household names. Bill Clinton went in 1991 while still governor of Arkansas, Tony Blair was there two years later while still an opposition MP. All the recent presidents of the European Commission attended Bilderberg meetings before they were appointed. Informal and private networks like Bilderberg have helped to oil the wheels of global politics and globalisation for the past half a century.
Note: Why is this meeting of top world leaders kept so secret? Why, until a few years ago, was there virtually no reporting on this influential group in the major media? Thankfully, the alternative media has had some good articles. And a Google search can be highly informative. Explore many other revealing major media news articles on powerful secret societies. And for those interested, check out reliable, eye-opening information covering the big picture of how and why these secret societies are using government-sponsored mind control programs to achieve their agenda.
[9/11] Hijack 'suspects' alive and well
2001-09-23, BBC News
Another of the men named by the FBI as a hijacker in the [9/11] suicide attacks on Washington and New York has turned up alive and well. The identities of four of the 19 suspects accused of having carried out the attacks are now in doubt. Saudi Arabian pilot Waleed Al Shehri was one of five men that the FBI said had deliberately crashed American Airlines flight 11 into the World Trade Centre on 11 September. His photograph was released, and has since appeared in newspapers and on television around the world. He told journalists there that he had nothing to do with the attacks. He has contacted both the Saudi and American authorities. He acknowledges that he attended flight training school at Daytona Beach in the United States, and is indeed the same Waleed Al Shehri to whom the FBI has been referring. But, he says, he left the United States in September last year [and] became a pilot with Saudi Arabian airlines. Abdulaziz Al Omari, another of the Flight 11 hijack suspects ... says he is an engineer with Saudi Telecoms, and that he lost his passport while studying in Denver. Meanwhile ... a London-based Arabic daily says it has interviewed Saeed Alghamdi. He was listed by the FBI as a hijacker in the United flight that crashed in Pennsylvania. And there are suggestions that another suspect, Khalid Al Midhar, may also be alive. FBI Director Robert Mueller acknowledged on Thursday that the identity of several of the suicide hijackers is in doubt.
Note: The deceptions in the official story of 9/11 are nowhere more clearly shown than in this important story. The FBI never revised its list of alleged hijackers, and these four are all later listed in the official 9/11 Commission report as the hijackers. Click here and scroll down a little over half way to see their photos in the official report. For more on this, click here. For an abundance of reliable information suggesting a major 9/11 cover-up, click here. For other revealing news articles on 9/11, click here.
The above three are excerpts from the 20 most revealing news articles ever published.
Below is a sample of the three articles most recently posted to this website.
China Is Launching Weather-Control Machines Across An Area The Size Of Alaska
2018-05-10, Forbes
China is launching the world's largest weather-control machine. China's state-owned Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation is implementing a plan to send thousands of rain-inducing machines across the Tibetan Plateau to increase rainfall along the region. The Tibetan Plateau is the source of much of China's water. The practice of artificially inducing rainfall in China is not new, the country manipulated the weather over Beijing just before and during the 2008 Beijing Olympics to ensure a rain-free event. The practice has only grown in scale as part of the Sky River Project aimed at increasing China's water resources. Tens of thousands of ... machines will produce very fine silver iodide particles that are then lifted into the atmosphere. By artificially "seeding" the Tibetan Plateau with silver iodide particles the Chinese government is inducing the formation of clouds where there weren't any before. Once the clouds become unstable, this leads to artificially induced rainfall. Each rain machine (chamber) is expected to create a 3-mile long strip of billowing clouds. When multiplied by the thousands of chambers China is installing along the Tibetan Plateau, it is estimated that China will be artificially controlling the weather over an area similar to the size of Alaska. China plans to monitor the system through weather satellites and supplement with silver iodide particles deployed from planes and shot out of ground artillery.
Note: If you are skeptical of claims that the weather can be manipulated on a mass scale, see this excellent article. The technology is also being used for military applications.
The Chemical Industry Scores a Big Win at the E.P.A.
2018-06-07, New York Times
The Trump administration, after heavy lobbying by the chemical industry, is scaling back the way the federal government determines health and safety risks associated with the most dangerous chemicals on the market, documents from the Environmental Protection Agency show. Under a law passed by Congress during the final year of the Obama administration, the E.P.A. was required for the first time to evaluate hundreds of potentially toxic chemicals and determine if they should face new restrictions. The chemicals include many in everyday use, such as dry-cleaning solvents, paint strippers and substances used in health and beauty products. But ... reviewing the first batch of 10 chemicals, the E.P.A. has in most cases decided to exclude from its calculations any potential exposure caused by the substances' presence in the air, the ground or water, according to more than 1,500 pages of documents released last week. Instead, the agency will focus on possible harm caused by direct contact with a chemical. Disposal of chemicals - leading to the contamination of drinking water, for instance - will often not be a factor in deciding whether to restrict or ban them. The approach is a big victory for the chemical industry, which has repeatedly pressed the E.P.A. to narrow the scope of its risk evaluations. Nancy B. Beck, the Trump administration's appointee to help oversee the E.P.A.'s toxic chemical unit, previously worked as an executive at the American Chemistry Council, one of the industry's main lobbying groups.
Note: For more along these lines, see concise summaries of deeply revealing news articles on government corruption and health.
Confused by Nutrition Research? Sloppy Science May Be to Blame
2018-10-29, New York Times
The unstated goal of most company-sponsored studies is to increase the bottom line. "It's marketing research, not science," [New York University professor Dr. Marion Nestle] said. Noting that nutrition research, especially that funded by industry, "requires careful interpretation," she suggests an approach that all consumers would be wise to follow: "Whenever I see studies claiming benefits for a single food, I want to know three things: whether the results are biologically plausible; whether the study controlled for other dietary, behavioral, or lifestyle factors that could have influenced its result; and who sponsored it." "Fifty years of research has demonstrated the influence of pharmaceutical companies on physicians' behavior — even giving doctors pads or pens printed with the brand name of a drug can prompt doctors to ignore a generic or competing brand," Dr. Nestle [said]. However ... while there have been thousands of studies of conflicts of interest among physicians who publish drug studies and those who prescribe industry-touted medications, she could identify only 11 such studies of the influence of industry funding on the outcome of food and beverage research in relation to health. Consumers who are not scientifically savvy can be easily misled by the findings of studies, especially when they emanate from a prestigious institution or professional association. Dr. Nestle says such organizations need to pay closer attention to both blatant and potential conflicts of interest lest they be caught touting sloppy science.
Note: Dr. Marion Nestle recently published a book on this topic titled, "Unsavory Truth: How Food Companies Skew the Science of What We Eat." Read more about the bias in industry-funded nutrition research in this article. For more, see concise summaries of deeply revealing news articles on corruption in science and in the food system.
The above three are excerpts from the news stories most recently posted to this website.
Explore our index to revealing excerpts of news articles on several dozen topics.
Don't miss amazing excerpts from the 20 most revealing news articles ever published.


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Bounding into the lead and opening up by nearly 10 lengths on his nine rivals, Five Iron galloped through a quarter mile in 24.52 seconds and a half in 47.51 over a "good" inner turf course.
As Five Iron's lead began to dwindle on the far turn, jockey Mike Luzzi asked the 4-year-old colt for another gear and he responded with enough to turn back the late charge from Summer Front.
"When I spoke with [trainer Brian Lynch] he basically told me he's a quirky, really strong horse," said Luzzi. "If you try to rate him, or take hold of him, he'll fight you and he'll run off. It probably looked like he ran off, but I had him.
"When we got that far in front, at the three-eighths pole, I said, 'Might as well get away now and not wait for them to catch me,'" he added. "It worked out."
The victory was the first since September for Five Iron, who in his only other journey to New York was a similarly front-running winner of the Grade 3 Saranac at Saratoga Race Course.
He subsequently was third in the Grade 3 Hawthorne Derby to close out his 3-year-old campaign and was ninth in the Grade 3 Appleton on March 29 at Gulfstream Park.
(Jenny Kellner) Trainer: Tonalist good for Peter Pan
Trainer Christophe Clement on Sunday stated his desire to run Tonalist in the Grade 2, $200,000 Peter Pan next Saturday after the 3-year-old breezed five furlongs last week at Belmont Park.
The 1 1/8-mile Peter Pan is New York's final graded stakes for 3-year-olds prior to the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes on June 7.
"He had a very nice work today," said Clement. "I have to talk to [owner Robert S.] Evans, but as long as he's comfortable with it I'd like to run him in the Peter Pan."
Tonalist, second to eventual Grade 1 Florida Derby winner Constitution on February 22, was originally pointed for the Wood Memorial on April 5 before he was withdrawn with a lung infection.
"We gave him the time, we took care of it, a few little problems," said Clement. "He trained well at Payson and trained well this morning. I'm excited with the work. Let's go."
Tonalist has a single win in three starts, having broken his maiden by four lengths on January 18 at Gulfstream Park after finishing fourth in his debut in November at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Hushion putting two in Ruffian
Trainer Michael Hushion has a pair of runners for Sunday's Grade 2, $250,000 Ruffian, with My Wandy's Girl slated to make her first start since winning the Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie Handicap on February 22 at Laurel Park and Parc Monceau set to step up in class off an entry-level allowance victory on April 4 at Aqueduct Racetrack.
The seven-furlong Barbara Fritchie was the second stateside stakes score for My Wandy's Girl, who won four stakes in Puerto Rico before being shipped to the United States by owner Guillero Berrios.
In the Fritchie, she dueled with La Verdad and gained the upper hand late to prevail by one length. La Verdad returned to win the Grade 2 Distaff Handicap on April 19 at Aqueduct.
Barry Schwartz's Parc Monceau cleared the first allowance condition in her ninth start by tracking the pace and drawing clear to triumph in a one-mile race on the main track at Aqueduct. In her lone stakes start, she was fourth in the restricted Broom Dance in July at Saratoga Race Course.
"Parc Monceau seems like she's going to take a step forward," said Hushion.
Jockeys reflect on derby
Rajiv Maragh and Irad Ortiz, Jr. are none the worse for wear after contesting yesterday's Grade 1 Kentucky Derby.
Maragh, who was aboard 6-1 second choice Wicked Strong, finished fourth, while Ortiz checked in 14th aboard Uncle Sigh, who led the field after a half-mile and three-quarters.
"The experience was great," said Ortiz of his first time riding in the Derby. "My horse ran well. He broke sharp and went to the front easily. I asked him to run at the 3/8-pole and he picked it up, but by the quarter-pole the other horses ran by him and he got a little tired."
Like Ortiz, Maragh came away feeling good about his mount's performance.
"My horse ran really well," said Maragh. "He came on nice at the end, but didn't have enough. A couple of times I had to alter course because of what was in front of me and where the openings were. He's more of a big, steady run horse. He felt like a horse that would really love the 1 ½-mile Belmont."
Jose Ortiz, who finished fifth aboard Samraat, took off his mounts at Belmont on Sunday after a spill in the final race at Churchill Downs on Saturday. He was discharged after being evaluated at a Louisville hospital.


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Change a Child's Life is an easy-to-implement change drive and a great way for credit unions to engage members in their fundraising efforts. The coin collection canisters are underwritten by CO-OP Financial Services and available to any credit union for no charge. CMN Hospitals suggests credit unions run the campaign for any eight weeks in March, April and May.
Marketing materials to help credit unions make the Change a Child's Life campaign a success can be found here.


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Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard is facing a big question heading into Thursday night's nationally televised road game against the Boston Celtics: Will he or won't he?
Teammate Kobe Bryant again has urged Howard, sidelined with a torn labrum in his right shoulder, to play through the pain, ESPN.com reported, particularly now that Lakers forward Pau Gasol is sidelined at least six weeks with a torn plantar fascia in his right foot.
Later Thursday, Bryant told the Los Angeles Times he wasn't prodding Howard to return.
"Not even a little bit," Bryant said. "In this case, it's not legitimate. I was shocked."
Howard missed the Lakers' past three games—all victories—because of the shoulder, which he aggravated on the first game of the crucial road trip. But Gasol went out in Tuesday's game, and the Lakers had to go small and hang on to beat the Brooklyn Nets.
Howard is listed as day to day, and his status is uncertain for Thursday's game (8 p.m. ET, TNT) against the Celtics. According to the Times, he took part in the team's morning shootaround.
— Lakers vs. Celtics details | NBA numbers: Scoreboard | standings | stats
The Lakers hope Gasol's injury will prompt Howard to return "sooner than later," an unidentified team source told ESPN Los Angeles.
The Lakers (23-26) are 10th in the Western Conference race, three games out of the eighth and final playoff spot.
"We don't have time for (Howard's shoulder) to heal," Bryant said Wednesday in an exclusive interview with ESPN Boston. "We need some urgency."
The interview came a day after Bryant publicly challenged Howard, saying that playing with an injury is "something that you have to balance out and manage."
Howard didn't like that and, according to ESPN Los Angeles, shot back after the team's shootaround.
"That's his opinion. That's it," Howard said. "He's not a doctor, I'm not a doctor."
According to ESPN Los Angeles, what really angered Howard was Bryant's questioning his competitiveness.
"I want to play, I mean, why wouldn't I want to play? But, at the same time, this is my career, this is my future, this is my life. I can't leave that up to anybody else because nobody else is going to take care of me," Howard said, according to the website. "So, if people are pissed off that I don't play or if I do play, whatever it may be, so what? This is my career. If I go down, then what? Everybody's life is going to go on. I don't want to have another summer where I'm rehabbing and trying to get healthy again. I want to come back and have another great year. That's what I want to do."
For his part, Bryant said he wasn't pressuring Howard to come back early from the injury, The Boston Globe reported. "It's on the individual," Bryant said.
Part of the problem, Bryant told ESPN Boston, is that Howard is too preoccupied with how he is perceived by fans and the media.
"Dwight worries too much about what people think," Bryant said. "I told him, 'You can't worry about that. It's holding you back.' He says, 'OK, OK, OK,' but it's always hovering around him.
"He just wants people to like him. He doesn't want to let anyone down, and that gets him away from what he should be doing."
Bryant also speculated that Howard, in his first season in Los Angeles, may not be accustomed to the Lakers' high standards.
"He has never been in a position where someone is driving him as hard as I am, as hard as this organization is," Bryant said. "It's win a championship or everything is a complete failure. That's just how we do it. And that's foreign to him."
And while Howard preached patience in an interview with ESPN earlier in the week, Bryant—at 34—is sensing the urgency of this trip and the schedule heading into next weekend's All-Star break.
"We don't have three years," Bryant said. "We've got this year."


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ROME, May 12 (UPI) -- Ninth-seeded Richard Gasquet of France and Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov were among the Opening Day winners Sunday at the BNL International event in Rome.
France's Gasquet moved on to second round with a 6-2, 7-6 (10-8) victory over American Sam Querrey on the clay courts of the Foro Italico.
He'll next face Dimitrov, who triumphed over Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis 6-3, 6-4 at the Masters tennis event.
Other Day 1 victors included Uzbekistan's Denis Istomin, who recovered for a 5-7, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 decision over American John Isner, and Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov, who dispatched Italian wild card Matteo Viola 6-4, 6-3.
Also Sunday, South African Kevin Anderson breezed past Austria's Jurgen Melzer 6-1, 6-2 and Marcel Granollers of Spain moved on with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Russian Nikolay Davydenko.


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Drone use tightly limited for Texas residents, but new law makes big exception for police
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas is among seven states to recently pass a law limiting drone use in civilian airspace.
While discussion in almost every state legislature has mainly focused on protecting private citizens from too much surveillance by law enforcement, the new law in Texas limits the use of drones by public entities and ordinary citizens.
It also includes a broad exception that allows police to forgo required search warrants if they have probable cause or suspicion of wrongdoing.
Supporters say Texas is ensuring privacy protections keep pace with technology. But opponents worry the law may violate citizens' constitutional rights and bar the media from using unmanned aircraft to chase stories.
Still, the clamor to pass it was such that lawmakers in the Texas House chanted "Drones! Drones! Drones!"


text:
The writev filter method is called when multiple buffers of output data are to be sent. Filters that modify or consume outgoing data may choose to implement the writev filter method.
If a filter implements the write filter method but not the writev filter method, the server automatically translates net_writev calls to net_write calls. As a result, filters interested in the outgoing data stream do not need to implement the writev filter method. However, for performance reasons, it is beneficial for filters that implement the write filter method to also implement the writev filter method.
int writev(FilterLayer *layer, const struct iovec *iov, int iov_size);
The number of bytes consumed, which may be less than the requested amount if an error occurred.
FilterLayer *layer is the filter layer the filter is installed in.
const struct iovec *iov is an array of iovec structures, each of which contains outgoing data.
int iov_size is the number of iovec structures in the iov array.
int myfilter_writev(FilterLayer *layer, const struct iovec *iov, int iov_size) { return net_writev(layer->lower, iov, iov_size); }


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<—My First Contact Life on Board SS Port Morant 1902—>
Letter – from Becky Ross, Droop Street, Paddington, London
Lucy Sinclair, Constant Spring Hotel, Jamaica
July 1901
Dearest Lucy
It was lovely to receive your last letter. Martha was very interested with your remarks about Jamaican women and how fashion conscious they are. Maybe there is an opportunity for her skills over there, although at the moment she's got a "gentleman friend", a private in the army and they certainly do see a lot of each other.
I'm working as a governess in Kensington for a very nice young couple who have two children, Emily and Robert, but it's only a temporary position because they have an elderly governess who has been with the family for ages (handed down from generation to generation I think) but took a leave of absence and will be returning to her position in about two months. That suits me well, because when I finish I want to enrol in a housekeeping and basic cookery course with Marshall's Cookery School in Marylebone Road.
I think the more things I can turn my hand too the less chance I'll be pressured by Pa into marrying a man of his choice. Would you believe it, Lucy, in the past few weeks he has brought home three police constables to dinner with the express purpose of them looking me over to see if I am suitable marriage material. I've no intention of being press ganged into marrying someone I don't love even if it means I do end up a spinster of the parish.
It's wonderful to hear about your life over there. I read your letters over and over again, usually on the way home from work, freezing cold and trudging through London smog, snow or rain, Jamaica seems magical, like a fairy land.
Ma and Pa send their love to you and ask if you are going to mass on Sunday. I assured them that we were all too scared of the hell and damnation that would befall us were we not to.
Your loving sister (Signed Becky)
Letter from Lucy Sinclair, "Mon Repose", Jamaica
Becky and Martha Ross, Droop Street, London.
February 1902
Dearest Becky and Martha
It is barely a year ago that we arrived here; such a lot has happened in a short space of time. John has found a small estate for sale, about 1,050 acres, and it is within our budget so, we have bought it and named our first home "Mon Repose".
It's in the parish of St Andrews which is a few miles from Kingston and John says it is in a good position as it is on fairly level land and has a stream running through it. There are stables and a large barn which house some 50 or so cattle, 3 horses, 3 mules, a wagon cart and some other equipment that came with the land. The horses and mules will be useful but John is undecided about whether he wants to raise cattle. He is keen to grow more crops and make use of what he has learnt with Bertie Pollock.
The land is divided by wire fences, most of which need repairing and has considerable cultivation in bananas, coffee, pimentos, over 150 bearing coconut trees and other bits and bobs.
The house is quite large though it does need an awful lot of renovation because it has been empty for years, but its structure is sound. It has a drawing room, dining room and four bedrooms and is quite well furnished. That takes care of one immediate problem, having to furnish it. There is a kitchen and outside a water closet as well as an outhouse for bathing.
Oh it's perfect Becky. You and Martha must come and visit very soon. There is plenty of room in the house, lots to see, and so much I want to show you. Are you and Martha working on persuading Pa and Ma to let you come for a holiday?
Your loving sister (Signed Lucy)
Telegram from Martha and Becky Ross, London
Lucy Sinclair, Jamaica
Success at last!. Martha and I leaving Avonmouth at 4.45 pm on 16th July for Kingston on "S. S. Port Morant". All being well should arrive on 28th . Very excited. Longing to see you. Love Becky.
<—My First Contact Life on Board SS Port Morant 1902—>
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|Thread Tools
|2011-12-05, 06:42
|Link #141
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Australia
Spoiler for movie:
|2011-12-05, 17:08
|Link #142
Kana Hanazawa ♥
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: France
Age: 32
That was the weakest Shinkai movie so far, but I found it was quite an enjoyable watch nonetheless. In fact, I think it was a very good movie. I appreciate that Shinkai stepped out of his comfort zone and tried his hand at something different this time around. Adventure was an entirely new genre for him, and a refreshing change... at least, it would have been if it didn't feel so Ghiblish. That's probably what I disliked about this movie. It wasn't bad by any means but I couldn't help but think I was watching a poor's man Ghibli sometimes, the adventure aspect just felt weak.
What I enjoyed the most is that Shinkai departed from romance for once. The basic theme of the movie is still the same as usual: loss/separation; but this time it's a more extreme type of loss: the death of a loved one. Each of the three main characters had lost someone close to them and had to learn how to cope with it: her father for Asuna, her brother for Shin, and his wife for Moriaki (my favorite character of the movie). This movie is actually a lot more mature than it looks and a solid work. It's just not the best at anything.
|2011-12-05, 17:19
|Link #143
Blooming on the mountain
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Deep in their roots, all flowers keep the light....
For me the film was actually pretty good - just not "memorable", I guess. It reminded me of a strange cross between a Ghibli movie and the old Nadia: Secret of the Blue Water anime.
I'd give it a 7.5 out of 10 vote.
|2011-12-08, 03:41
|Link #144
Seishu's Ace
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Kobe, Japan
I've posted a full-length review of the film, but a few brief thoughts...
It would almost impossible to live up to "5 CM" - the first 25 minutes of which are IMO the most perfect film animation of all-time. And while this doesn't, it's still very, very good. Visually, of course, it's absolutely stunning. Shinkai remains an artist and animator of staggering talent. He also has a poet's soul, and one gets the feeling that every film he makes is a look inside that soul. Not just the beauty of the eye, but the elemental loneliness and longing of the characters.
For all that, I think the reason this film isn't a masterpiece is because it's Shinkai's most prosaic film, and poetry suits him better. He's not as good with big plots and keeping all the plates spinning as he is with very small, simple and pure stories. The feelings at the heart of this one are pure, but they're buried under too much polish and construction.
|2011-12-10, 11:35
|Link #146
Senior Member
|2011-12-15, 23:20
|Link #147
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: ¯\(º_o)/¯
It was nice to see Shinkai pay homage to Miyazaki by doing a Ghibli-esque adventure type film this time around. The scenery porn wasn't quite as strong as his previous films imo. Must be because the environment in this film isn't as industrial and city like as previous works, not lending itself too well in being hyper glossy and uber photorealistic as before. That's probably one of the main drawing points for me when I watch his works, the insane background visuals on everything so I was a little disappointed when it wasn't as strong as his earlier works. That's not to say it's bad by any means, the damn film still looks gorgeous as hell. It just falls a ltitle short of what I've come to massively expect after seeing 5cm Per Second, Beyond the Clouds and Voices of a Distant Star. You could probably say that I've been rather spoiled by him in this aspect I guess lol
Storywise, while the thematics were still within typical Shinkai territory they weren't as heart-tugging or breaking as before, which while different isn't necessarily poor or inferior per say. Just different, which I think is the main underlining factor of the film for me. It was different from what I've become accustomed to in Shinkai so I guess it caught me a little off guard in that respect.
A very worthwhile investment of 2 hours and I'm rather impressed that he's finally produced a film of such length since funnily enough 5cm per Second had a shorter runtime than than the preceding Place Promised in Our Early Days lol. I can't help but wonder though whether this extra run-time may've played part in better fleshing out the stories pacing as someone mentioned earlier and if it had affected the extreme levels of scenic porn that fell short of my initial expectations, but I digress on that part since said expectations may've been a little unfair to start off with lol
All up I think I still prefer his earlier style of works over this, but this was a nice change of pace too and is not bad by any means
~Hello, Goodbye and Hello
|2011-12-16, 08:57
|Link #148
Kana Hanazawa ♥
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: France
Age: 32
I agree that one wasn't quite as visually stunning as his two previous movies, which were more beautiful than real-life (5cm/s in particular). It's understandable since that movie had a lot more action, but it's still slightly disappointing. I missed my scenery porn. Of course, it was still gorgeous... just not porn level.
|2011-12-17, 14:11
|Link #149
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: God only knows
Last night, i watched it.
My first thought was "wow". My second, "why isnt it more stunning than 5CM/sec".
This film is certainly worthy to watch and Makoto Shinkai doesnt disappoint me in a way, most people are disappointed about. The sceneries are beautiful and precise in every detail(he likes the sun flare effect a lot ). There was always a great feeling of the current atmosphere(good lighting and perspectives). Also, the sound effects are very accurate and strong. I dont see that precision of visuality and audio often, that made this film very enjoyable to watch.
The story was good and something realy new from Shinkai. I wonder about the general popularity of this film, cause its not only for teenagers, but also for kids to watch. Even im not fan of those stories and chibi look, i still enjoyed this film a lot.
Still though, 5 Centimeter per Second was his best work so far. Maybe he will beat it next time.
EDIT: I listened to it all day long, but forgot to mention it here. The music is, like expected from Tenmon, beautiful. Fits the film very well. Good collaboration between Shinkai and Tenmon here, once again.
Last edited by Solafighter; 2011-12-17 at 14:44.
|2012-02-02, 15:08
|Link #150
Owe No Favours!
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: UK, Glasgow
Anyone in Scotland might want to know this movie's on the big screen in Glasgow on February 12th.
And out of interest, who else bought the collectors edition and what film strip did you get? I managed to get a good one this time round - one from the OP with Mimi in it when Tenmon's name appears
|2012-02-02, 15:42
|Link #151
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: God only knows
|2012-07-20, 08:04
|Link #153
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: ¯\(º_o)/¯
Coming to selected theaters around Australia during September!
|Thread Tools


text:
You are here
John L. Brown II
John L. Brown II is the District Director of the U. S. Small Business Administration's South Dakota District Office. Appointed in June of 2005, Mr. Brown oversees a federal staff responsible for the delivery of all SBA programs and services throughout South Dakota, including the SBA's 7(a) guaranty loan and 504 loan programs, the government contracting and 8(a) business development programs, and oversight of SBA's technical assistance program partners.
A graduate of the SBA's District Director Candidate Development Program, Brown has served with the SBA in a number of capacities since 1983. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Brown served as the Acting District Director in several SBA offices, including Los Angeles, Wisconsin and South Dakota. He also served in the capacity of Acting Regional Administrator in SBA's Region IX and as Acting Deputy District Director in the Los Angeles District Office. Mr. Brown entered the SBA as a Presidential Management (Intern) Fellow in 1983 and subsequently served in progressively more responsible roles as a Commercial Loan Officer, Chief of Portfolio Management, and Assistant District Director for both 8(a) Business Development and for Economic Development, respectively. Mr. Brown has received numerous commendations over the years, including the Administrator's Award for Excellence in 2003 and the Gold Medal Employee of the Year, SBA's highest Agency wide honor, in 1996.
Mr. Brown holds a B.A. in Government from Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, PA and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Georgia. Mr. Brown's civic endeavors have included service as a Bradford Woods Councilman, Borough liaison to the North Hills Council of Governments, and member of the North Allegheny School Board Financial Systems and Services Advisory Committee. Mr. Brown has coached his older daughter's soccer teams for a number of years and is a Life Member of the National Eagle Scout Association and a private pilot. Interests include golf and travel, a pursuit that has led him to over 45 countries on 5 continents.
Mr. Brown has family roots in South Dakota dating back to a sod house in the Dakota Territory. Both his mother and grandmother were born in South Dakota and the extended family still maintains the old homestead in Bryant. Mr. Brown is married and has two daughters.


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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Andre Iguodala had 18 points and nine rebounds to spoil Kevin Love's surprise season debut in the Denver Nuggets' 101-94 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night.
Danilo Gallinari scored 19 points for the Nuggets, who withstood a furious start by a Timberwolves team buoyed by the return of their All-Star power forward.
Love scored 34 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, helping the Wolves take a 17-point lead in the first half. But he didn't get a whole lot of help in his first game in nearly five weeks. Nikola Pekovic had 10 points and seven rebounds in his return from a three-game absence.
After a sluggish start to the season, the Nuggets (6-6) have picked up two straight quality road wins against Memphis and Minnesota.
Ty Lawson had 18 points and nine assists and Kenneth Faried had 14 rebounds for the Nuggets, who overcame 20 turnovers.
Love broke his right hand on Oct. 18, about two weeks before the start of the regular season, and the team estimated a recovery time of six to eight weeks. But he quietly rejoined the team at practice during a four-day break between games, and the Wolves did their best to keep a lid on his return for as long as possible.
Coach Rick Adelman even dodged a question about Love's progress about 75 minutes before the game, but word leaked out a few minutes later that Love was back in the starting lineup less than five weeks from his injury.
The stunned Timberwolves fans roared like they haven't all season when he was announced in the starting lineup, and the surprises just kept coming.
During his halftime interview with FoxSports North, Love said he called his father on Wednesday to tell him he was playing, then asked if he had any advice.
``Let it fly,'' Stan Love told his son.
Did he ever.
Love scored 16 points on 7-for-12 shooting in the first quarter, an incredibly fluid performance considering his long layoff. J.J. Barea and Pekovic returned from injuries as well, and the Wolves led by 17 points in the first half, but Love's Olympic teammate helped Denver come roaring back in the third quarter.
Iguodala hit three 3-pointers and then unleashing a spin move in transition and a dunk over two Timberwolves to tie the game at 67. Lawson added another from long range and Faried threw down a dunk that gave the Nuggets a 92-87 lead with 2:41 to play, and Denver was able to hold on.
Barea finished with 12 points, but the Wolves missed nine free throws. Love missed six of those.
Andre Miller scored all 11 of his points in the fourth quarter for Denver.
NOTES: Faried had just four points before fouling out. ... Love picked up a technical foul in the third quarter for tossing former teammate Kosta Koufos to the ground after they got tangled up underneath the basket. ... Timberwolves PG Luke Ridnour picked up a rare technical foul in the third quarter for gesturing after a foul call from referee Danny Crawford. ... Crawford gave Faried a technical for the same thing later in the period


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Stephen LendmanMore About: Police State
Judge Stays Terry Williams' Execution
by Stephen Lendman
A previous article discussed Terry's fight for life. He was scheduled to die on October 3. Philadelphia Common Pleas Judge M. Teresa Sarmina spared him for now. More on her ruling and what's next below.
Terry was raised violently. His mother abused him physically and emotionally. She beat him mercilessly for any reason. She used fists, belts, extension cords, switches, anything she could get her hands on.
His siblings got similar treatment. His clemency petition recounted one incident his half-sister Theresa described:
"One time my mother poured hot boiling water on me when I was a toddler. I remember being in the hospital after my mother burnt me. The nurses would put white towels on the floor and try to help me walk."
"I would look behind me and see my own bloody footprints on the towels. For a long time after I got out of the hospital, layers of skin would peel off my feet when my mother bathed me."
Terry's mother (Pat Kemp) beat him at home and at school. His elementary school classmates and teachers recalled one incident. On a flight of stairs, she "wail(ed) on him as hard as she could."
She beat him on the head and back. He tried putting his arms up for protection. He begged her to stop. She ignored him. Blood flowed freely from areas struck.
At age 10, his mother married Ernest Kemp. He was alcoholic and violent. His older siblings, Theresa and Thomas, fled home to escape. Terry was alone. He'd hide in his room. He locked his door. Ernest broke through and beat him. No one was there to help.
At age 6, an older boy raped him. So did a former teacher and another older man. He was raped multiple times for years. He was traumatized. He lived in constant fear. He suffered terribly. He turned to alcohol, drugs, and self-mutilation to cope.
His lawyer said years of "unrelenting abuse and neglect made (him) an easy target for sexual predators." They took full advantage.
He never got counseling or other supportive help. Instead, people he turned to abused him. Tragedy resulted. At age 16, he was convicted on burglary charges.
He was interned at a juvenile detention center. Two older males gang raped him. He said he "always felt that just around the corner someone might be coming." He had nowhere to hide or anyone to turn to for help.
At age 17, he struck back. Rage overwhelmed him.
He killed one of his abusers. He stabbed Herbert Hamilton multiple times to death. He got 27 years imprisonment on third-degree murder charges.
Sexual abuse expert David Lisak said he "suffered a succession of sustained traumas over the course of his childhood…." They "utterly undermined his development" and affected his behavior.
The way he killed Hamilton reflected "desperat(ion and) rage that (he) was increasingly feeling towards all of the men who had exploited, abused, and raped him over the course of his life."
At age 18, he killed Amos Norwood. He raped Terry multiple times. He directed a Youth Theater Fellowship. He also led acolytes (alter boys) at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Philadelphia. He took full advantage. Terry was one of many children he raped.
He did so violently. He'd pin Terry down, hit him in the face with his belt, and bite his ears. Over time, beatings worsened. On June 10, 1984, the day before Terry killed him, Norwood violently assaulted him. He drove him to an isolated unlit parking lot. Terry described what happened as follows:
"He made me lean against his car and he penetrated me from behind….He was rough….I felt hurt and mad because he was rough with me that night. He forced himself into me. I told him to stop. He kept on. I was clenching my anus so tight trying to stop him, but he wouldn't stop, and it hurt so bad I screamed."
At home, his underwear was bloodstained. The next day, he was still in pain. His anger built steadily for months. He described how he felt, saying:
"I was very angry and very scared, and I just snapped. I wanted him to feel the pain that he made me feel. I couldn't think clearly. I felt such anger and betrayal at everyone who used me and betrayed me. I couldn't think of anything else."
His lawyer called his first 18 years devastating for his psychological and emotional development. Those years "were nothing short of tragic."
"He was physically (and emotionally) abused by his mother and stepfather and was raped and sexually assaulted repeatedly by adults who should have protected him."
Over time, he became confused, conflicted, scared and enraged. Years of abuse took its toll. The juvenile center gang rape incident traumatized him further.
He suffered nightmares about being raped or attempts to do it. He awoke in "utter terror." He became increasingly broken, withdrawn, and angry.
Lisak said "the violence and abuse (he) suffered was so severe, and so sustained, that I would not expect any child subjected to such unrelenting trauma to emerge without severe and long-lasting psychological damage."
He suffered from PTSD, borderline personality disorder, and major depression. At age 44, he still has secondary PTSD symptoms, constant anxiety, uneasy sleep, and nightmares.
As a high school senior, his behavior was erratic. He'd scream and yell for no reason. He was paranoid. He thought everyone was out to get him. At night, he'd cry himself to sleep. He thought he was someone no one could love or respect.
On the day he killed Norwood, he was three and a half months past his 18th birthday. Legally he was an adult subject to the death penalty if convicted and so ordered.
Lisak said the killing was caused by his acutely traumatized state. Fear, terror and rage built up for years. Norwood's death resulted. So did Hamilton's months earlier.
On September 17, Williams' clemency plea was denied. His lawyers re-petitioned. On September 27, his second hearing was held. On September 28, the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons took his plea under advisement. It didn't say when it would rule.
The same day, Judge Sarmina stayed his execution. She cited prosecutorial suppression of evidence. It might have persuaded jurors to spare him.
Pennsylvania's Supreme Court will decide whether to uphold or reject her ruling. District Attorney Seth Williams denounced it. That's what prosecutors do. They want convictions, not exonerations. They don't like having their malfeasance exposed to public view.
Philly.com (Philadelphia Inquirer) writer Joseph Slobodzian headlined "D.A. appeals stay of Terrance William' execution," saying:
He wants him killed, not spared. He'll have to wait until High Court judges decide. If they uphold Sarmina, Governor Tom Corbett "would have to sign a new warrant setting a new execution date."
"It's virtually new terrain for the Supreme Court and governor." Since capital punishment was reinstated in 1976, Pennsylvania only executed three prisoners.
They did so after "individuals gave up appeals and asked to die." The last one put to death was in 1999. "The last contested execution in which last-minute appeals were an issue for the state Supreme Court and governor was in 1962."
On September 28, attorney Shawn Nolan issued a statement following Sarmina's ruling. In part he said:
"On behalf of Terry Williams, we are extremely pleased that Judge Sarmina….vacated the death penalty based on misconduct by the prosecution….The Philadelphia District Attorney should stop appeal(ling) and stop fighting to have Terry executed."
Attorney General Seth Williams had detailed evidence of how Terry was abused for years. He and his assistants concealed "critical evidence from jurors and continued hiding it for 28 years."
Sarmina found that he "played games and took unfair measures to win."
Nolan expressed confidence that High Court judges won't overturn her ruling. It's "well-reasoned" and accurate based on clear evidence.
He's also "hopeful that Governor Tom Corbett and the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons will now grant clemency in light of Judge Sarmina's decision and the significance of" prosecutorial malfeasance.
Previous Attorney General Linda Kelly "voted in favor of clemency. Surely, after considering new evidence, they will not allow this execution to go forward."
A previous article said clemency isn't good enough. If granted, he'll be spared execution by lethal injection. He'll still face life imprisonment without parole. It's hard deciding what's worse - a living death or the real thing.
Terry endured torment from age six. Aren't 38 years enough? He deserves professional counseling, support, love, care, and release when able to cope on his own.
Odds for a Black man getting this type justice are virtually nil. Jim Crow prosecutors and judges prefer throwing the book at them. Doing so increases their advancement prospects.
A Final Comment
As of April 2012, nearly 3,200 US prisoners are on death row. California, Florida and Texas are top ranked. Pennsylvania is number four with 204 sentenced to die. Most nationwide are Black or Hispanic.
Many were wrongfully convicted. Rarely do any get second chances. While heading Northwestern University's Medill Innocence Project, Professor David Protess and teams of students uncovered 13 wrongful death penalty convictions. One was just hours from execution.
In 2000, their work got then Illinois Governor George Ryan to declare a capital punishment moratorium. On January 11, 2003, two days before leaving office, he cleared death row.
He commuted sentences for 163 men and four women to life in prison. He extended a moratorium on future executions. In March 2011, Governor Pat Quinn signed legislation prohibiting them henceforth. He did so saying it's impossible "to create a perfect, mistake-free death penalty system."
Protess' landmark work created a media and university firestorm. It unfairly led to his dismissal. He literally was suspended by email with no explanation. Doing the right thing got him fired. In the process, he rattled powerful cages.
Prosecutors, judges, and other state and local officials don't like being held to account. Dirty linen goes with their territory. They want it buried and forgotten. Protess revealed what they wanted concealed.
His treatment constituted textbook academic lynching. His distinguished work deserved praise, not denigration and banishment.
He now heads the Chicago Innocence Project (ChIP). He continues his non-profit investigative work. Its mission statement explains:
"The Chicago Innocence Project investigates cases in which prisoners may have been convicted of crimes they did not commit, with priority to murder cases that resulted in sentences of death or life without parole."
"We involve college students, community residents, private investigators and journalists in the reporting process."
"We do not represent clients in criminal cases, but after our investigation is completed, outside counsel may bring new evidence of innocence to court."
"Our fundamental goal is to expose and remedy wrongdoing by the criminal justice system."
Isn't that what judicial fairness is supposed to be? In America and too often elsewhere in so-called democracies, it falls woefully short.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at email@example.com.
His new book is titled "How Wall Street Fleeces America: Privatized Banking, Government Collusion and Class War"
Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.


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Diary of a Product Recall: How Setton Pistachio Survived A Food Company's Worst Nightmare
Diane Toops speaks with Mia Cohen, of Setton Pistachio, who sets the record straight and shares the company's product recall experience.
Mia Cohen, COO of Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella Inc., Terra Bella, Calif., sets the record straight and shares the company's recall experience with Food Processing readers in the hope that other companies can avoid such an occurrence. Responsible for the planning and execution of strategic corporate initiatives, her role entails overseeing the development, implementation, operation and improvement of the company's initiatives, which focus on providing quality food products to its customers/consumers.
In March, Setton Pistachio announced a voluntary nationwide recall of pistachio products, many used in finished food products, because Salmonella was found in a small number of bulk cases of roasted shelled pistachios. On April 6, Setton expanded its voluntary nationwide recall to include all roasted shelled pistachios and roasted in-shell pistachios from the 2008 crop (and a small amount from the 2007 crop that was packaged alongside the 2008 crop) due to potential contamination. The company also recalled raw shelled pistachios from the 2008 crop (and a small amount from the 2007 crop that was packaged alongside the 2008 crop) that were not subsequently roasted prior to retail sale and sold from Sept. 1, 2008 through March 25, 2009.
Meanwhile, Setton voluntarily ceased production and shipments of all roasted products at its Terra Bella plant. Working closely with local, state and federal regulators on the recall, the company undertook significant changes to ensure safe production, including segregating raw and ready-to-eat products and implementing additional screening of raw and final products.
Fortunately, there have been no confirmed cases of Salmonellosis in connection with these products, and the recall was conducted strictly as a precaution in order to safeguard the health and safety of its consumers.
On June 1, the Terra Bella facility reopened with many changes to its plant and operations, the recall is complete, and Cohen says she is very pleased that the Terra Bella plant is again processing its delicious and high-quality roasted pistachio products. "Protocols are in place to ensure we provide our customers with the highest quality pistachios," she adds.
FP: Tell us a bit about Setton's history.
MIA COHEN: Over 40 years ago, my father and uncle started our family business, and they were always passionate about producing great tasting, quality foods. Twenty-three years ago, the pistachio industry was relatively new to California. We believed pistachios from America had a place at the American table, and we passionately wanted to be a part of that growing business. As a result, we built our first pistachio processing facility 23 years ago, and since that time, we've made improvements, investments and expanded. We bought the land itself, so we are also growers of pistachios in San Joaquin Valley. Today, although it's a large industry, it feels like a family industry. We all know each other very well. Producing pistachios is our family's passion, and we take that very seriously.
FP: What happened just prior to the recall?
MIA COHEN: Food safety is an issue we take very seriously, which is why we acted swiftly when we first learned of the possibility of salmonella contamination. Being the second largest pistachio company, we were well positioned to take immediate action to share the information that would benefit everyone. Immediately after receiving the first positive result in October 2008, our company hired the American Council for Food Safety and Quality – also known as DFA of California - to review our operation. DFA conducted hundreds of tests from October to February and could find no evidence of Salmonella in our facility.
FP: Did you have an existing response plan in the event of a recall?
MIA COHEN: Yes, we had a recall plan. Like other food companies, we conducted mock recalls regularly, and the benefit of that experience helped us respond quickly and communicate with our customers and regulatory bodies when we were confronted with the real thing. We took immediate responsibility. We did not know that contamination could occur on raw pistachios. We are very thankful that no illnesses were conclusively linked to the recalled products. Nevertheless, we took aggressive steps to assure the safety and wholesomeness of our pistachios. The subsequent steps we've taken will strengthen the industry for years to come.
FP: What happened next?
MIA COHEN: We are a family company, and built our business on the tradition of excellence. Setton has always focused on producing top-quality, wholesome, safe products for our customers and consumers. We took the recall very seriously, and immediately took aggressive action without much information, focusing on all the work we had done in the past in regard to food safety. You many not know this, but prior to this recall, the prevailing view was that pathogens were not present in raw pistachios. This experience taught us that pathogens can be present, and we are re-evaluating our safety programs constantly to ensure we provide our customers with the highest quality products.
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Things We Lost in the Fire (US - BD)
Gabe revisits the Susanne Bier's ultra melodramatic feature in high definition...
After the untimely death of her beloved husband Brian (David Duchovny), Audrey Burke (Halle Berry) is lost and troubled. Left to raise two children she decides to reach out to Brian's best friend Jerry (Benicio Del Toro), a drug addict she shunned during her husband's life. Jerry moves into the family guesthouse and the unlikely friends help each other awkwardly through the burdens of grief and addiction.
I'll preface by admitting that Things We Lost in the Fire isn't the kind of movie I normally enjoy, so my review probably shouldn't be taken very seriously.
Things We Lost in the Fire mopes and mopes, and knocks its audience's emotions around until the finale has nowhere to go but up. Yeah, it'll raise your spirits comparatively, but it'll do it through crafty heartstring pulling and artificial arterial jabs. I admit that certain scenes got an emotional response out of me, but it's the same as a cheap jump scare in a B-horror movie, or a gross-out gag in an Ace Ventura flick. It gets the desired effect, but only for an instant. I had to write most of this review out before the film was even over out of fear of forgetting any points I may've wanted to make. It's kind of like eating cotton candy—it's sweet, but it evaporates seconds after touching your tongue.
Story-wise the film works like a made for the Oxygen or Women's Entertainment television network original (this obviously didn't escape the filmmakers and they make a playful joke about it). The only difference is that a solid half of this particularly mopey, woman friendly story is told from a male point of view. Sometimes the dialogue, which isn't the worst in the world, has been calibrated based on some kind of electronic response system. I picture a woman in her early forties tied up to a couple dozen electrodes, and left in a white room with a big double paned mirror watching the film on a set of video glasses. Behind a two-way mirror is a team of scientists keeping track of her emotive response and restructured the film based on their findings. I found it frustrating.
On the good side, Things We Lost in the Fire feels surprisingly authentic, even if its story is entirely artificial on most counts. The acting is uniformly good—Berry and Del Toro emote all over the place, Duchovny is pleasant, and the kids are cute. The cinematography is minimal but effective for the scene and some of the close-up and more romantic sequences hold quite a bit of tactile weight. Del Toro and Berry's 'sleep scene' is probably the best thing in the whole movie, representing the film's strongest assets of heartfelt acting and natural photographic beauty.
The standard DVD release of Things We Lost in the Fire was already quite good. Though I didn't see the HD DVD release, I can imagine it looks something like this Blu-ray, which is generally a few steps more perfect than the DVD. Close-up details, of which there are a whole lot, are quite sharp, and wider shots don't lose definition like they did on the DVD (also, dig the hair on Halle Berry's face). This Blu-ray also loses almost all the minor edge enhancement and compression noise. The film features a lot of softened lighting, and really deep and crisp blacks. It isn't bursting with colour, but there's a slight abstraction to the hues that makes them particularly warm.
I'm trying really hard to find a difference between the DVD's Dolby Digital soundtrack and the Blu-ray's TrueHD track, but I'm coming up empty. I suppose if I really use my imagination the TrueHD track is a little louder, but it's such an underwhelming aural production that I must be missing something. Director Susan Bier takes a very light touch with her sound design. The surround channels hum with occasional background sound (passing cars, footsteps, wind in the willows and such), but mostly they're devoted to the film's mawkish score. I don't know if I can take another slow acoustic guitar plucking sad chords to tell me how to feel. The score is natural and warm without overwhelming the centred and clear dialogue. There isn't any distortion on the track, but sometimes incidental sound effects scrape the soundtrack a bit too loudly (which may or may not be an aesthetic choice).
The Blu-ray extras are identical to the DVD release, and have not been updated to high definition video.
'A Discussion About Things We Lost in the Fire' is just an EPK featurette, not a deep philosophical dissection of the film. The thing is made to sell the movie, and the writer, the director, the producers and actors do their best to sell it. There is some decent behind the scenes information and footage, but this isn't a meaty documentary, and there's a whole lot of film footage mixed into the rather brief, twenty-minute featurette.
This is followed by seven deleted scenes. These are mostly simple character beats that don't drive many new points home, but there is an additional character and a very small subplot introduced as well (though it doesn't go anywhere, hence its deletion). The presentation is rough, non-anamorphic widescreen. The movie's already about twenty minutes too long, so despite some good acting these scenes shouldn't be missed. Things finish up with a trailer, and trailers for other DreamWorks releases (including a Martin Scorsese directed Rolling Stones concert I must see now).
Things We Lost in the Fire is a big plate of McFeelings, though without the extra cheese. It's not worth hating, and it is worth recognizing the good performances, but it isn't something more than a small handful of viewers will remember in six months. The look and sound are acceptable, and the deleted scenes will make fans happy. I do not recommend this disc casually, but if you're the type of person that thinks they'd like the film based on its box quote I say go for it. The Blu-ray isn't much different from the DVD honestly, so I don't recommend a double dip.
* Note: The images on this page are not representative of the Blu-ray release.
Review by Gabriel Powers
Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian
Disc Details
Release Date: 24th March 2009
Discs: 1
Disc Type: Blu-ray Disc
RCE: No
Video: 1080p
Aspect: 2.35:1
Anamorphic: No
Colour: Yes
Audio: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 English
Subtitles: English SDH, French, and Spanish
Extras: Discussion About Things We Lost In The Fire, Deleted Scenes, Trailers
Easter Egg: No
Feature Details
Director: Susanne Bier
Cast: Halle Berry, Benicio Del Toro, David Duchovny, Alexis Llewellyn, Micah Berry
Genre: Drama
Length: 118 minutes
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Mother's Day is fast approaching and this year we're going to celebrate it on May 9. Have you thanked your Mom for the sacrifice she had for years for you to be the best person you could be? Or have you utter the three magic words "I love you" just to let her know that she was loved by you? Most often than not, it's difficult to others to say "I love you Mom or thank you Mom" for some reasons.
Maybe they are not used to say it and worst not used to show it through actions. This is the time for you to express how thankful and happy you are for having a wonderful and lovable mom.
Mother's Day 2010 quotes and sayings, perfect to put on Mother's day cards, that best describe how important a mother is, are what you can find below.
All I am, or can be, I owe to my angel mother. -Abraham Lincoln
My mother is probably the wisest person I've ever known. She's not schooled, she's not well read. But she has a philosophy of life that makes well-read people seem like morons. -Gene Simmons
The older I get the more of my mother I see in myself. -Nancy Friday
The interesting thing about being a mother is that everyone wants pets, but no one but me cleans the kitty litter. -Meryl Streep
The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness. -Honore de Balzac
A mother's love is patient and forgiving when all others are forsaking, it never fails or falters, even though the heart is breaking. – Helen Rice
The love she has deep in her heart, Always gives me a good jump start, She is the one who's love is true. Thank u Mom for being u – Anonymous
Hundreds of dewdrops to greet the dawn, Hundreds of bees in the purple clover, Hundreds of butterflies on the lawn, But only one mother the wide world over. – George Cooper
Mommy, I Love You For all that you do. I'll kiss you and hug you Cause you love me, too. – Anonymous
A man's work is from sun to sun, but a mother's work is never done. – Author Unknown
Mom's smiles can brighten any moment, Mom's hugs put joy in all our days, Mom's love will stay with us ever and touch our lives in precious ways… – Anonymous
Nobody knows of the work it makes, to keep the home together. Nobody knows of the steps it takes, nobody knows but mother. – Anonymous
A mother is a person who, seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie. – Tenneva Jordan
If I had a single flower for every time I think about you, I could walk forever in my garden. – Attributed to Claudia Ghandi
My mom is a neverending song in my heart of comfort, happiness, and being. I may sometimes forget the words but I always remember the tune. – Graycie Harmon
Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs… since the payment is pure love. – Mildred B. Vermont
My Mother, my friend so dear, Throughout my life you're always near, A tender smile to guide my way, You're the sunshine to light my day. – Anonymous
When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child. – Sophia Loren
An ounce of mother is worth a ton of priest. – Spanish Proverb
M is for the million things she gave me,
O means only that she's growing old,
T is for the tears she shed to save me,
H is for her heart of purest gold,
E is for her eyes, with love-light shining,
R means right, and right she'll always be.
There is only one pretty child in the world, and every mother has it. – Chinese Proverb
Mother is an undying love, A love beyond compare, the one you take your troubles to, she is the one who really cares. Mother you are all of this and more, I love you very much! – Anonymous
A mother understands what a child does not say. – Author Unknown
Thanks for being there through the tears,laughter and dirty diapers. Happy Mother's Day! – Anonymous
A mother's work is never done, She works from morning until dawn, She spreads her love And keeps you warm, But only once a year we say
Mother we wish you "Happy Mothers Day!" – Anonymous
Sweet Poetry For Mother's Day Gifts, Cards and Flowers
Who fed me from her gentle breast
And hushed me in her arms to rest,
And on my cheek sweet kisses prest?
My Mother.
– Anne Taylor
Hundreds of dewdrops to greet the dawn,
Hundreds of bees in the purple clover,
Hundreds of butterflies on the lawn,
But only one mother the wide world over.
– George Cooper
Your arms were always open when I needed a hug.
Your heart understood when I needed a friend.
Your gentle eyes were stern when I needed a lesson.
Your strength and love has guided me and gave me wings to fly.
– Sarah Malin
On Mother's Day I have written a poem for you. In the interest of poetic economy and truth, I have succeeded in concentrating my deepest feelings and beliefs into two perfectly crafted lines:
You're my mother, I would have no other!
– Forest Houtenschil


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Welcome to the official DJINNS website! We are constantly working on this site and updates in order to keep you up to date to everything DJINNS related. Make sure to browse the site and check out our new lookbook for Spring/Summer 2018 Q1!
Peep the latest updates in the "News" section or take a look at all the collabs we did so far with artists and brands like Wemoto, Muschi Kreuzberg or Dragon 76. Search for your local DJINNS stockist via our "Dealer" search engine and of course feel free to visit our online shop to pick up some new styles. Enjoy!


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Car Review
2012 Toyota FJ Cruiser: New Car Review
Pros: Strong V6; excellent off-road capability; cool styling
Cons: Poor fuel economy; cramped back seat with awkward access; unwieldy on-road feel; bare-bones cabin
The 2012 Toyota FJ Cruiser is a stylistic heir to the legendary original Toyota Land Cruiser, so it should come as no surprise that the FJ is an off-road champ. But how many people really take their new $25,000-to-$30,000 SUV off-roading in their spare time? Well, quite a few, actually. There's no doubt that the FJ Cruiser is an intriguing alternative to the formerly peerless Jeep Wrangler in this regard, which is a real credit to Toyota's performance engineers. Nonetheless, the question remains: can the FJ hack it on the pavement as well, or is it the proverbial one-trick pony?
It's a tough question. The 2012 FJ Cruiser is easily more civilized than the Wrangler, but that's like saying President Obama is a better golfer than Charles Barkley: it doesn't really tell us much. If you're researching vehicles of this type, you might like to know how the FJ stacks up against less hard-core SUVs that were designed for mundane tasks like commuting and carpooling. The answer is that while the FJ is far from terrible under such circumstances, it's not exactly the best choice, either. Put it this way: the FJ isn't truly in its element until the tarmac gives way to dirt and dust.
Still, there aren't many vehicles that can multitask like the 2012 Toyota FJ Cruiser. If you like the FJ's styling and toughness, you might even be pleasantly surprised by how livable it is on a daily basis.
Comfort & Utility
The 2012 Toyota FJ Cruiser is so straightforward that it doesn't even have distinct trim levels. You simply choose your FJ based on the drivetrain, so the three options are 4x2 or 4x4 AT (automatic transmission) or 4x4 MT (manual transmission). Standard features include 17-inch steel wheels, skidplates for off-road protection, water-resistant cloth upholstery, and a six-speaker audio system with iPod/USB and Bluetooth connectivity. Among the notable options are keyless entry and cruise control (nope, they're not standard), a rear-view camera, an 11-speaker stereo and two different styles of alloy wheels.
Keep in mind that neither a navigation system nor Toyota's new smartphone-based Entune system is available on the FJ Cruiser. This is definitely a back-to-basics kind of vehicle. However, the new-for-2012 Trail Teams Special Edition package adds unique styling cues, Bilstein shocks and an electronically locking rear differential, and numerous additional off-roading accessories are available from your Toyota dealer.
The FJ Cruiser's steering wheel doesn't telescope, and that's a problem for long-legged drivers. The front seats are less memorable for their support than for their water resistance. It can be easy for water to get into the cabin when you're deep in the bush, but thanks to the FJ's special fabric, you don't have to worry about getting doused through an open window.
We have to call out the back seat, however, for being both cramped and difficult to access. Now, a cramped bench might be tolerable by itself; after all, off-road enthusiasts routinely give the Wrangler a pass for its inhospitable back row, and the FJ's rear quarters are palatial by comparison. But check this out: the FJ Cruiser's rear doors are of the backward-opening "suicide" variety, and you can't open one unless the corresponding front door is already ajar. That makes the FJ handier than a two-door contraption like the new Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, but not by a whole lot. Your rear passengers will likely roll their eyes unless they're blinded by love for the FJ's off-road chops.
The FJ Cruiser's instrumentation is clear and simple, but it's not Lexus crisp like the related 4Runner's available Optitron gauge cluster. The dashboard, however, is straight out of the 4Runner's playbook, a sea of hard plastic panels and oversize, almost toylike controls. We actually don't mind it in the FJ, though, as it's consistent with the vehicle's no-nonsense mission, whereas the 4Runner has some upscale pretensions.
Ergonomics are generally excellent, but the FJ's distant, nearly upright windshield takes some getting used to-it's hard to think of a current windshield that's farther away from the driver-and rear visibility is dismal.
Cargo space measures 27.9 cubic feet behind the second row and a competitive 66.8 cubic feet with the 60/40 split rear seatbacks folded flat.
To the FJ Cruiser's credit, it comes standard with iPod/USB and Bluetooth integration, so chances are your smartphone and portable music devices will be accommodated. But we're surprised that Toyota doesn't even offer a factory navigation system or the company's new Entune mobile app touchscreen interface. At least it's in keeping with the FJ's minimalist attitude.
Performance & Fuel Economy
The 2012 Toyota FJ Cruiser can be had with rear-wheel drive, but only with a five-speed automatic transmission. Four-wheel-drive FJs come with either the five-speed automatic or a six-speed manual-and if you get the manual, the electronically locking rear differential comes standard, whereas it's optional with the automatic. Any way you slice it, the engine is a 4.0-liter V6 rated at 260 horsepower and 271 lb-ft of torque.
Like the 4Runner, which shares this 4.0-liter V6, the FJ Cruiser can tow up to 5,000 pounds. It can also get out of its own way, as the big V6 has plenty of torque down low. We noted some harshness near the redline, but realistically, most FJ drivers will keep the revs down to reasonable levels, and that's where the V6 does its best work.
Fuel economy is not the FJ's strong suit, to put it mildly. Automatic-equipped models are EPA rated at 17 mpg city/20 mpg highway, while the manual-transmission FJ drops to 15/18 mpg.
The FJ Cruiser is outfitted with six airbags: two front, two side for the front passenger and two full-length side curtain bags. Stability control and active front headrests are also standard.
The government hasn't crash tested the FJ Cruiser; the only rating it gave the FJ was three stars out of five for rollover resistance. The independent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded the FJ its top rating of Good in every category except roof strength, for which the rating was Acceptable.
Driving Impressions
The FJ Cruiser rides surprisingly well for a rear-wheel-drive truck-based SUV. Still, there's no disguising this beast's primary purpose in life, which is to pound off-road routes into submission. As such, the FJ has a tendency to bounce and jiggle over broken pavement. It's highly capable, but "refined" isn't an adjective that comes to mind when you're behind the wheel - and the severely compromised rear visibility doesn't help matters. In the dirt, of course, the FJ is a revelation, using its ample ground clearance and generous approach and departure angles to tame trails where only the Wrangler and a select few others would dare venture.
Other Cars to Consider
Nissan Xterra - The well-mannered Xterra is probably the closest thing to the FJ on the market, boasting similar toughness and 4.0-liter V6 power along with four conventional doors and a decent back seat. If you're not totally sold on the FJ's styling, you might find more all-around satisfaction in the Nissan.
Jeep Wrangler - Finally blessed with a powerful motor, the Wrangler is better than ever, and if you want more than two doors, the Unlimited model has four. It's more rudimentary than the FJ, but serious off-roaders swear by it.
Kia Sportage - We know, this is a stretch. But ask yourself: Do you really need the FJ Cruiser's bushwhacking abilities? Because if you just want a cool-looking SUV, the Sportage is tops among pavement-friendly crossovers, and you can get into a swift turbocharged Sportage for FJ money.
AutoTrader Recommends
Might as well go with the Trail Teams Special Edition. It looks great and has all the hard-core hardware you could ask for, including off-road lights.