text:
Sox, Bulls team up to help Chicago youth
CHICAGO -- Two young men are put together in a room. One is given a tennis ball and the other is told to get possession of the ball.
The exercise is repeated several times and the result is basically the same each time: The young men instructed to get the ball attempt to do so through verbal and physical intimidation, leading to confrontations and fights.
CHICAGO -- Two young men are put together in a room. One is given a tennis ball and the other is told to get possession of the ball.
The exercise is repeated several times and the result is basically the same each time: The young men instructed to get the ball attempt to do so through verbal and physical intimidation, leading to confrontations and fights.
No one thinks to simply ask if he could hold the ball. Not one.
That is how many at-risk adolescents are introduced to an innovative counseling program run through the Chicago Public Schools titled "Becoming a Man - Sports Edition." The program, which is operated by Youth Guidance, focuses on improving the social skills of young men struggling with aggressive behavior (and who may not have access to a strong father figure) through sports and interaction with each other to help them better succeed in school and life.
In support of that effort, the White Sox and Bulls produced a series of public-service announcements promoting an anti-violence message. The PSAs provided a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the program's inner workings and are featured on the websites of both teams (whitesox.com/community and bulls.com/community).
"As sports organizations, the Bulls and White Sox are fortunate to work with groups like Youth Guidance, who are in our communities working with kids every day," said Jerry Reinsdorf, the chairman of both teams. "Our goal as a partner is to shine a light on organizations like Youth Guidance and to encourage young people who are looking for support to reach out to them and others in the community who are addressing the issue of violence."
As the tennis ball exercise demonstrates to the students, there often is a way to achieve success they may not have considered, and aggression should not be the first response.
"That is a great example," said Michelle Morrison, the CEO of Youth Guidance. "The BAM curriculum is chock full of exercises that teach how to better deal with everyday situations.
"If your inclination is to go after something in an aggressive manner because you assume you'll meet resistance, you'll meet resistance. But if you start learning how to read social cues differently, you'll find that you are not always in a hostile situation.
"For many young men, when someone steps on their foot, they think it was done intentionally. It never occurs to them that it might have been an accident."
For many people, the lessons of the BAM program probably seem routine, but the same rules and standards taken for granted in most areas of the country don't exist in some of the rougher neighborhoods, where basic survival often breeds a high level of anti-social behavior among the youth.
Without some form of intervention, many of the young males will be destined for a life of unfulfilled potential, poverty and, perhaps, eventually a place in the criminal justice system.
Youth Guidance's programs serve roughly 14,000 at-risk youths in 70 Chicago schools, but the most striking element of the BAM program is its intimacy. In the formal rap sessions, the youths, counselors and other guests sit in small circles of about 15 to 20 and engage in frank and open discussions about a variety of topics.
BAM, which was developed by and is managed by Anthony DiVittorio of Youth Guidance, gained national attention in February when President Obama participated in a session at Hyde Park Academy, not far from his Chicago home.
Obama surprised many of the students with his openness and willingness to engage them, and the planned 30-minute session ended up lasting nearly an hour.
"These guys are no different from me," the president said in his remarks at the school following the session. "They have issues, and so did I."
In the rap sessions featured in the PSAs with the White Sox and Bulls, one took place in the home clubhouse at U.S. Cellular Field and the other was at center court in the United Center. Among the participants were Sox executive vice president Ken Williams and Bulls players Taj Gibson and Jimmy Butler.
Williams was immediately intrigued after being told about the program.
"I had the pleasure of listening to the presentation to [Chicago] Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Jerry Reinsdorf," Williams said. "We all took away that this was a program that already was working and something that we wanted to be a part of. I asked for the opportunity to be a part of it.
"One of the things that gets lost on people is why we exist, why sports teams exist. We exist for the enjoyment of the community, connecting the pride of the community and giving it something to root for. If we're going to be a part of that, we have to give back."
One of the more powerful moments in the PSAs is Williams talking about the unsafe neighborhoods that many of the BAM youths face on a daily basis.
"We're dealing with the real deal here; we're dealing with young men's lives," he said in the PSA. "They're dealing with more challenges today than any generation has ever been faced with and it needs to be fixed. If our children can't leave the house and feel reasonably confident that they're going to make it to school, there's a problem."
The level of violent crime in certain Chicago neighborhoods has been a problem for decades, but the issue received national attention last year when the number of murders within the city limits topped 500. That's a dubious milestone the city hadn't reached in decades, and it was made all the more distressing by the fact that the number of homicides was dramatically declining in other big cities.
Most murder victims, of course, remain anonymous, faceless statistics and it's tough to get emotional over numbers. And let's also be honest and acknowledge that many of the killings are gang-on-gang violence, so the problem is easily ignored by most Chicagoans.
But the tragedy of the situation was shoved to the forefront in January when a 15-year-old girl named Hadiya Pendleton was shot and killed while standing with friends in a South Side park just days after she performed at President Obama's inauguration in Washington.
Pendleton, a majorette and an honor student at King College Prep High School, was among a group of about 12 teenagers who sought shelter from the rain under a canopy in the park when, according to police, two men mistook the group for a rival gang and opened fire.
Pendleton was shot in the back and died from her wounds. That is the definition of a senseless killing and it's the sort of thing many Chicago adolescents must face far too often.
Because of that reality, Shaun Hickombottom, the Bulls' media and public relations manager, didn't know what to expect when he took part in a BAM session last summer.
"I was nervous going in; I didn't know what to expect," he said. "I was very surprised with how the kids participated. It was me doing more listening than talking. It was awesome."
The impact BAM has had on its students probably can be classified as awesome as well.
According to a study released last year by the University of Chicago's Crime Lab, the youths participating in BAM during the 2009-10 school year experienced a 44-percent decrease in arrests for violent crime and had a 23-percent increase in graduation rates.
"The program costs around $1,100 per participant, while its impacts on criminal behavior generated benefits to society that are valued on the order of $3,600 to $34,000 per participant, depending on how we measure the cost of crime," Crime Lab director Jens Ludwig said in a press release at the time the study was released. "We have data from the most rigorous possible scientific study suggesting that it is not only possible to prevent youth violence involvement through pro-social programs, but that the returns on investment are extremely high. The benefit-cost ratios are on the order of 3:1 to 31:1."
For Morrison, the study's results affirm the decision to build the program around high school students.
"A lot of people think that by the time a youth gets to adolescence, it's too late," she said. "I love that we can show that at adolescence it's not too late."
Addressing the crime problem has been a focus of Mayor Emanuel's since last year's spike in violence and he's taken aggressive steps to do so. Since the beginning of the year, he's provided money for police overtime to flood problem areas with more officers. The approach seems to be working as the city's murder rate was down by about a third through mid-June from the same period a year ago.
Mayor Emanuel also has looked for ways to evoke change beyond a better police presence and rewarded BAM's success with a major financial commitment. In a time of budget tightening and program cuts in cities across the country, the mayor announced earlier this year at a news conference that the city was increasing its financial support for the program from $1 million to $3 million.
With the additional funds, the students participating in BAM could expand from the current 600 to approximately 2,000.
"The greatest thing we can do as a city is give our children the support they need to succeed in the classroom, get jobs and build successful and enjoyable lives," Mayor Emanuel said at the time. "We are investing in programs that have shown significant return on investment. They have reduced failing grades, reduced arrests, increased graduation rates, kept our youth out of gangs and made a difference in keeping our most vulnerable children safe.
"With this new investment, we will have programs in place that provide additional jobs, career training and guidance to at-risk youth. I will continue to work on providing safe alternatives to reduce the incidents of students getting involved with drugs, gangs and violence."
BAM's impact in troubled communities was established before the Sox and Bulls became involved, but Morrison believes the role the teams can play in expanding the program's awareness is vital.
"I think it was just the perfect alignment of our missions," she said. "The sense I get from the White Sox and Bulls is they want to give back, they want to be fully engaged in the program. What's really cool is they've had players and they've had management people involved."
Students are understandably excited to meet current athletes, but having interactions with someone like Williams and other management types from the Sox and Bulls figure to have a bigger impact because of the life skills they can learn. For some, simply learning how to apply for a job can make a huge difference.
"A lot of these kids have to fight the fight of being safe in their neighborhoods," Williams said, "and then they have to have the vision of developing goals and discovering what they want to do with their lives."
The intensity of the rap sessions certainly is conveyed in the PSAs.
"I've heard from a few people who thought they were really riveting; they felt like they were listening in on a conversation," Morrison said. "They were kind of blown away by it."
Of course, that's the idea -- to get the program's message out.
"There are so many good things happening through programs and organizations like community churches," Williams said. "People are trying to uplift the community, but these aren't the things that are being reported on the evening news."
John Jackson is a contributor to MLB.com.


text:
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
FranzFudd necesitaba un nuevo diseño de página web y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 66 diseños de 27 diseñadores freelance.
We are looking to update our website to reflect our new business model. We have just had a new logo designed and are looking to support that with a fresh new modern website design highlighting our 4 key revenue streams. The other dominant feature of the front page will be a flash presentation which will loop and illustrate our company's products and services. We are looking for a design for the home page in the first instance. The winner will then be required to work with us on designs for subsequent pages.
Mediahouse Technology
The company:
Mediahouse Technology shoots video, edits it andpublishes it to the web. We have a professional production crew who work onsiteor within our Sydney studio..Video is then encoded to flash and then we publishit to custom built front end & content management systems for media. Webuild these 'channels' in Flash so that our clients can manage their own medialibrary and upload and attach PDF files, PowerPoint slides ...you get thepicture..
Our Clients:
Our clients are corporate's who use us for companyannouncements, video training and other business to business communications. Mostclients are multi-national organisations with IT departments who are themselvesprofessionals but are not experienced in streaming media. We also deal withMarketing departments who enjoy looking at fresh clean sites with littleclutter and definitive messages that leap out and tell them what the want.
Our logo:
Our logo signifies streaming of media in variousforms. It demonstrates colour and activity with the rays stemming out from thecentre of the circle . The logo comes in two forms; grey on a black backgroundand reverse.
The design layout:
We have created a design layout for the front pagewhich shows what elements we want.
Logo Here
colour palette:
The Grey circle:
Rays coming out from circle:
#A8509E purple
#6652A3 purple
#435CAA Blue
#489AD4 Blue
#70CDDD Cyan
#6ABD45 Green
#F3EC1A Yellow
#F68D1F Orange
#EC2028 Red
- First impressions are that we are a serious professional player in thenew media industry. The style we would be mostly attracted to is clean, modernand slick.
- We also wish to be perceived as approachable, atrusted adviser and a company willing to work with and alongside our clients todeliver customized solutions. We aim to build long term relationships with ourclients.
- The top banner needs to be black (as shown in attached spec) with the grey version of our logo in the top left
- space for a 480x290px SWF to play in a loop (as shown in spec)
- Four buttons to the right of SWF showing our 4 main revenue streams (as shown in spec)
- A space underneath SWF for a text box for news or other message (as shown in spec).
- A space for our value proposition underneath 4 buttons. This is hard coded words and would like your input to portray in a creative interesting way
- No aero, web 2.0, 3d bubble design
- not cluttered or busy looking
- not too deliberately tech or deliberately video. In other words images that are abstract and not too in your face such as a video camera or tripod etc. Our business stretches over many different facets so we dont want to be seen as just one dimension or favour one particular revenue stream


text:
Chavez back home in Venezuela, still out of sight
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — President Hugo Chavez is back in Venezuela after 10 weeks of cancer treatment in Cuba, but he remained silent and out of sight on Tuesday, closed away in a tightly guarded military hospital, leaving the nation to speculate about whether he can still govern, and for how long.
Government officials are insisting that Chavez remains in charge even as observers are increasingly questioning whether a leader who has been breathing through a tube and hasn't spoken publicly in more than two months is capable of remaining in office.
Chavez's political allies have left open the possibility that the president may finally take the oath of office for a new term, a ceremony originally scheduled for last month, while he was undergoing cancer treatment in Cuba. But they have given few precise details about what sort of pelvic cancer the president suffers or what sort of "complex and tough" treatment he is undergoing.
Officials have confirmed he underwent a tracheostomy and uses a tube to help breathe, but it is not clear if he can do so on his own or is relying on a ventilator.
"It is possible that he has a tracheostomy without being ventilator-dependent, although it isn't clear why that would be the case," said Dr. Steve Hahn, a professor of radiation oncology at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine.
Hahn, who is not involved in Chavez's treatment, said swallowing usually becomes difficult, though not impossible, for patients who have undergone the procedure and have a hole in the windpipe.
The alternatives for patients who can no longer swallow include a tube coming out of the stomach or the nose, or intravenous feeding, Hahn said. "The patient may not be receiving IV fluids or antibiotics, although they often are."
Hahn said that given Chavez's treatment regimen and evolution, he could have a low-grade sarcoma that is continuing to come back despite repeated surgeries.
"It certainly sounds like he is receiving palliative chemotherapy," Hahn said in an emailed response to questions. "It does sound as if his situation is incurable and most likely end-stage."
Such views sharply contrasted with upbeat street celebrations held by Chavez's supporters on Monday after his return was announced on the president's Twitter account.
Chavez's return came less than three days after the government released the first photos of the president in more than two months, showing him in a bed looking bloated and smiling alongside his daughters. The government has yet to release any images of the president in Caracas.
Bolivian President Evo Morales arrived in Caracas on Tuesday for a visit, after saying a day earlier that "I really want to see him."
Hundreds of Chavez supporters celebrated his return in downtown Caracas on Monday, chanting his name and holding photos of the president in Bolivar Plaza. Supporters also gathered outside the hospital, wearing the red T-shirts of Chavez's socialist movement and chanting: "He's back!"
"I want to see my president," said Alicia Morroy, a seamstress who stood outside the hospital on the verge of tears. "I've missed him a lot because Chavez is the spirit of the poor."
A giant inflated Chavez doll was placed beside a corner of the National Assembly building.
Information Minister Ernesto Villegas reiterated in an interview with Venezuelan radio station Union Radio that Chavez is going through a "difficult, hard and complex" recovery process, and that his return doesn't change the "difficult circumstances he has been in."
Vice President Nicolas Maduro later presided over a televised Cabinet meeting at the presidential palace, though he didn't offer additional details about Chavez. "He will live and he will triumph," Maduro said at the end of the meeting, while on television an image of Chavez's face was superimposed on the oval-shaped table.
Six hospital employees who were asked about the president said they hadn't seen him. Yusmeli Teran, a waitress who serves food to patients, told The Associated Press that the area where Chavez was being treated on the 9th floor is a restricted area guarded by police and soldiers. "No one has seen him at all," she said.
The Venezuelan Constitution says that if a president dies or steps down, a new vote must be called and held within 30 days. Chavez raised that possibility before he left for Cuba in December by saying that if necessary, Maduro should run in a new election to replace him.
Chavez's return could be used to give a boost to his would-be successor and gain time to "consolidate his alternative leader" ahead of a possible new presidential vote this year, said Luis Vicente Leon, a Venezuelan pollster and political analyst.
Leon said that even if Chavez isn't seen in public, his presence will allow the government to keep up his emotional connection to his followers and rally support.
Even the state newspaper Correo del Orinoco referred to the possibility of a new election in its Monday edition. The top headline, published before Chavez's announced return, said a poll found Maduro would win a possible election.
Maduro and other Cabinet ministers held hands and prayed in a televised gathering on Monday night in which a priest and a minister offered words of thanks for Chavez's return.
The 58-year-old Chavez was re-elected to a new six-year term in October, and his inauguration, originally scheduled for Jan. 10, was indefinitely postponed by lawmakers despite complaints by the opposition. The Supreme Court upheld the decision and said the president could be sworn in at a later date before the court.
Fabiola Sanchez on Twitter: http://twitter.com/fisanchezn
Ian James on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ianjamesap
Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


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Sunday, March 20, 2011
New Zealand Wrap-up
Instead, I'll wrap it up in a single post. Let's see... when last we left our intrepid adventurers, they were exploring Tongariro...
After Tongariro (the Chateau is retro-awesome, by the way) we went on to Napier. Napier burned the 1930s, in an event that closely paralleled San Francisco in 1906: bad earthquake, followed by fire. When they rebuilt the town, art deco was in vogue so they ended up with a pretty cool art deco time capsule. I won't really add anything to this story, except to say that it was pretty cool. I am not sure what I was expecting -- maybe sort of Rockefeller Center/Empire State Manhattan-style art deco. Napier was much more low key, and a nice little thriving city to boot. We watched a really great sunset at Perfume Point. I was still ventilating work tribulations so it was surprisingly therapeutic to just sit and watch a sunset. That and the Taranaki Falls walk in Tongariro might have been my most relaxing moments.
After Napier it was on to Wellington. Originally I'd intended our 2 days in Wellington to be basically dead days. However Wellington had a couple interesting attractions that I wasn't expecting, and I turned out to not be nearly as tired as I was expecting. We wanted to go to the Botanical Gardens, but to get there you have to go through the Memorial Graveyard. I was surprised by how cool I found the graveyard to be. I've never been one for cemetery sentimentality, but I thought it was neat how dedicated Wellington evidently is to preserve their memorials to their early pioneers. As for the Botanical Gardens, we got a little confused by the layout and ended up not finding the gardens proper at all, although we did find the rose garden and get some great photos.
Then it was on to the South Island! We took the Interislander ferry across, which was quite nice. There were yet more spectacular views. About this time I was honestly starting to feel a little scenery fatigue. So many great views that they all started to blend together in my head. Didn't keep me from taking some more neat photos though. Picton in particular is pretty picturesque.
The next two stops were Nelson and glacier country. We planned 2 nights in glacier country and one in Nelson, and in retrospect I wish we'd reversed that. Nelson is a wonderful little town and we loved the beach there, but we had to move on to the glaciers. We walked up to the base of Franz Josef glacier (and got some awesome photos) and the next day did a heli-hike on Fox Glacier (and got some more awesome photos), but we ended up with like a half-day of dead time in Fox Glacier. I wish we'd spent it in Nelson, but so it goes. Fox Glacier was a lot of fun, even if I did spend a big part of my time afraid of hurting myself by falling on the ice and having to be airlifted out in pain, or something. Trust me, that's not just an idle fear -- I've dislocated my kneecap twice. We'd done a glacier hike on Mendenhall Glacier before, but Mendenhall is way more level and smooth than Fox. In the end I emerged unscathed, and honestly kind of feel like I accomplished something in so doing.
After that, we wrapped in Queenstown. Originally this was supposed to have been Christchurch, but due to the quake there we changed plans to Queenstown. (Our hotel in Christchurch was just a few blocks from the cathedral that fell, and they weren't anywhere near being able to re-open so our reservation was canceled.) We were scheduled to do a flight to and sightseeing cruise on Milford Sound, but weather scotched that. Instead we took a trip on the TNS Earnslaw heritage steamboat, and took the gondola ride up to Bob's Peak to see what we could see from there. Both of those were surprisingly fun. I particularly enjoyed Bob's Peak, and -- surprise! -- got some more awesome photos.
Then it was a hop skip and 13-hour jump back to San Francisco.
All told it was the best vacation I've had in a long, long time. We LOVED New Zealand. And that's not just "that was a great vacation I love this place", I'm talking about love as in making plans for our next trip before we even left after the first one. In particular we want to explore the south island a bit better. Our itinerary was actually pretty good and I think we chose well, but there was a lot of dreary driving on the south island (two 4-hour drives and one 6-hour) and next time we'd pick cities better, and could skip the glacier country since we've seen it now.
And, obviously, we need to get back to visit Christchurch. Don't think you've escaped us that easily, Chch.
So, yeah, pretty excellent trip. One might even go so far as to say it was EPIC.
Also, I had lamb 7 times -- delicious, delicious lamb, prepared a different way each time. So there's that.
Anyway, obligatory photos:
...and some YouTube videos that I took to capture things that still camera photos don't really do justice for:
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
New Zealand, Day 5 - Interlude
My mom has a Christmas cactus that, for whatever reason, is enormous. It's easily 4 feet across, and blooms with hundreds of blossoms a couple times each winter. It's pretty amazing. I got one myself at the same time she got hers, but mine died miserably. So we have this in-joke where she'll call me up and say "I just don't know what to do with this ostentatious cactus. Can you BELIEVE it's blooming AGAIN? That's the third time this winter. So tacky, it has no shame."
Earlier today I had a moment like that. We walked around a corner of a building into this spectacular view, and I said, "Good lord, New Zealand. Again with the panoramas? Seriously? Every time I turn around, it's a new incredible view. So ostentatious, you have no shame." ;)
New Zealand is sometimes weirdly familiar. Apparently we've now traveled into a region with different local petrol franchises. We rounded a corner in Hawkes Bay wine country and I saw a Mobil on the left and a BP on the right, with the road lined by vines and rolling hills off ahead. I had a moment of cognitive dissonance where I thought I was in Sonoma -- but the cars were driving on the wrong side of the road! The other day in Taupo, we saw a Subway, a McDonald's, and a Pizza Hut lined up next to each other.
Then we went into a Countdown grocery store, which was amusing. It was a sort of three-way hybrid of a Safeway, a grocery in London, and the Asian market near our apartment. You see a lot of European brands (they have Kinder eggs here! but no Cadbury Snack sadly), sitting next to straight-up American brands (Coca-Cola, I'm looking at you), and over there are names I recognized from the US but for strange products (yes Schweppes Rasbury... stuff... I'm talking about you.)
Other times New Zealand is totally different. We have been in two different Dick Smith electronics stores now (once on a lark, once looking for a cable to plug our phones into the car stereo), and the larger one felt like an alien Best Buy while the other an alternate universe Radio Shack. (Reading their entries on Wikipedia, that's more or less exactly what they are.) And then of course there's the "flat white" which I've quite come to like. And I love the roundabouts here, beats the pants of the stupid 4-way stop intersections the US uses. Right now we are in Napier. The bay here is awesome, it's unlike anything I've ever seen except in the Bahamas. Very unlike any coast in the US, and I've seen most of them.
So yeah, 50% same, 50% similar, 50% different, 150% awesome. :)
New Zealand, Day 4 - Tongariro
Tongariro is simply amazing. The reason it's a World Heritage area is pretty obvious. I'm not going to say a lot about it because frankly it needs photos. I'll upload a few when we get to Wellington, hopefully.
We went on a ~6km walk to Taranaki Falls. It took a bit longer than we expected, but the falls were very much worth it. I suspect that spending a morning outdoors in Tongariro will be one of my favorite memories of this trip.
For lunch we took the chair lifts up to Mt. Ruapehu, where they have a cafe at 2,000 meters. It was a little surreal eating a ham and cheese croissant while idly looking down on Tongariro spread out below, a few kilometers away. Surreal, and chilly.
Monday, March 7, 2011
New Zealand, Day 3 - On to Tongariro
Today we relocated to Tongariro. I can't really do any kind of justice to this place other than these two observations:
1. Holy f*cking mountains.
2. The Chateau itself is more or less exactly what I imagine the Overlook Hotel (from The Shining) to look like. One hopes it's less possessed.
The scenery here is gorgeous! There were a couple scenic overlooks on the way over the range into Tongariro, but thanks to Vodafone I'll have to upload them later. As for Mount Ruapehu: Dramatic Volcano is Dramatic.
On the way here, we stopped at the Waimangu hot springs area, got a lot of awesome photos, and put our hands into some bubbling spring water straight from a little... uh... geyser hole? I don't know what you call them. Anyway it was like a hot bath, and left a slightly sticky residue on my fingers for a while after it dried. The hardest of hard water. But still very cool, and now I can say I stuck my fingers in geothermal hot water straight from the source.
We also stopped by Taupo to check out the lake there. I could easily see myself spending some lazy days by the lakeside, there.
New Zealand, Day 2 - Rotorua
Day two was Rotorua.
Let me get this out of the way at the start. My family's from Maine, and Lincoln, ME is known for its pungency, accountable to the mill there. So I thought of myself as reasonably well-acquainted with sulfery odors. Rotorua demonstrated that I was mistaken -- the hot springs funk there is mighty indeed. We were out by the lake checking out the hot springs and my eyes were watering like I was cutting onions. Yow!
Aside from that Rotorua was great! We were there only one night and so had less than a full day there (due to travel time from Auckland), but when I saw the gardens there I wished we'd allocated more time. Beautiful place.
We walked along the lakeside for a kilometer or two, which was quite nice, and we got some neat photos (and videos) of the hot springs. We even sat in a hot spring mineral bath spa that the hotel had. I smelled like sulfur until this morning though, so I am not sure I see what the old Europeans saw in it.
By the way, no uploads for now because Vodafone only allows 10MB per day. Which is excellent since you can buy 500MB that expires after a month; I wonder how you're supposed to use the other 190MB you allegedly paid for. Even allowing for NZ being an island and thus having expensive connectivity, I am still trying to think of a reason why that isn't a scam. Maybe I'll find decent WiFi somewhere.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
New Zealand - Day 1, Auckland (more)
We did a surprising amount today, considering we landed this morning. After the Skytower, we wandered around the city center and went into a few stores. After we checked in we had an early dinner, and then went to Muriwai Beach. The wind was absolutely insane, and the views were awesome. I got a few good photos (which I'll upload later -- it turns out uploading YT videos is a great way to burn through a prepaid data plan. ;)
This is going to sound weird, but so far the thing I like most about New Zealand is that it smells nice. That's not to say that San Francisco reeks, but New Zealand just smells.... uh, neat I guess. On the way back from Muriwai Beach, I kept picking up various scents of spices and flowers and similar aromatics; hard to do that in the general vicinity of the 101. At one point I got a really powerful draft of cut clover, and was instantly transported back to being a kid, lazing around in the long summer days and playing outside after my dad had just mowed the lawn. At first I couldn't place the scent but then we drove by a honey farm(!) and I made the clover connection.
So yeah, there are far worse ways to wrap up your first day on holiday trip than a happy flashback to being a kid.
New Zealand - Day 1, Auckland
The flight was less painful than I had been dreading, and we got a surprisingly decent amount of sleep. That was good since we landed very early and had about 5 hours to kill before checking in. So, obviously, we went to the Sky Tower. Pretty excellent place for coffee, and the lounge sells liquor! I love New Zealand already. ;-)
We just checked in and got to our room. I hope I do not look as disheveled as I feel.
Friday, March 4, 2011
On vacation!
I think it's time we blow this scene. Get everybody and their stuff together. Okay, 3... 2... 1... let's jam.
The cat is not really interested in jamming though.


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Federal law S. 475, the Military Spouses Residency Relief Act, allows a military servicemember's spouse to keep a tax domicile throughout the marriage and keep it while moving from state to state, as long as the spouse moves into a state to be with a servicemember who is in the state on military orders.
For New Jersey Gross Income Tax purposes, the Military Spouses Residency Relief Act provides that a spouse of a servicemember may be exempt from New Jersey Gross Income Tax on income from services performed in New Jersey if: (i) the servicemember is present in New Jersey in compliance with military orders; (ii) the spouse is in New Jersey solely to be with the servicemember; and (iii) the spouse maintains domicile in another state.
The new law also applies to a partner in a Civil Union (or spouse in an out-of-state same sex marriage).
Effective Date
The Military Spouses Residency Relief Act is effective for the 2009 income tax year and thereafter. It does not affect taxes imposed or paid for 2008 and earlier.
Refund Information
Qualified servicemember's spouses who are not domiciled in New Jersey may request a refund of taxes erroneously withheld or paid by filing the New Jersey Nonresident Income Tax Return (NJ-1040NR) with an explanation referencing this federal law.
Refunds for taxable year 2009 may be claimed on and after January 1, 2010.
Taxpayers should place a zero in the wage income category and claim any income tax withholdings paid. Taxpayers filing a paper return also should print in ink "Military Spouse" at the top of the Form and attach a copy of their spousal military identification card.
Military spouses requesting a full refund may be required to provide additional documentation which supports their claim.
If you have additional questions or need assistance filing a refund claim, please call the Division of Taxation's Customer Service Center at (609) 292-6400.
Claiming the Exemption
Spouses whose wages are exempt from New Jersey Gross Income Tax under the Military Spouses Residency Relief Act may claim an exemption from New Jersey Income Tax withholding on Form NJ-165 to be filed with their employers.
Please continue to monitor this site as additional updates and information become available.


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Who's Going on to the Dancing with the Stars Finals?
May 16, 2016 10:17 PM EDT
Nyle DiMarco, Ginger Zee and Paige VanZant head to the Dancing with the Stars finals as Antonio Brown and Wanyá Morris got eliminated Monday. Antonio's departure wasn't unexpected -- it was overdue, if anything -- but Wanyá's stung since he was dogg… Read more


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Last year it was sage, this year parsley. In my small, yet efficient garden I allowed two parsley plants to go to seed at the end of last season. While I was trying to keep up with the sage by smashing it into an aromatic pesto and tucking it into aioli, the parsley was dropping its seeds and nestling them into the dirt. Those seeds slept through the Seattle gray spell then surprised me with their abundance this summer. I have parsley planted in both vegetable beds. It's lining the path leading to our house and circling the base of our columnar apple trees (all two of them). You need parsley? You come to me as I have more than I know what to do with. I can't even begin to imagine what next year's harvest will be as I can't bring myself to rip it out now knowing how hearty and prolific it is.
The thing is, in my family I'm the only one who likes the stuff. The kids run away from anything green, unless it comes on a stick and makes their mouths pucker with sweetness. And my husband graciously reminds me that he's not much of a fan. But here's the thing; I'm the cook in the family and there's a yard full of parsley so I made pesto. Without having to put it on a stick the kids ate it quite happily and at the end of the meal I had to point out just how much parsley Gabe ate without complaining.
I'd call that a success – plates were clean and slowly but surely my parsley glut is dwindling.
Creamy Parsley Pesto
makes approximately 1 cup
I was pleasantly surprised with how much I loved this pesto. While I do love parsley I feared that the shear amount of it would be too much but somehow between the pistachios, lemon, Parmesan and soft creaminess that comes through with the yogurt I found it not overly floral or soapy which can sometimes accompany parsley. Instead the pesto was bright, rich and perfect when folded into a warm bowl of nutty farro. Of course you don't have to use it with farro. I can imagine on a sandwich, as a vegetable dip, folded into pasta or the topping to a seared steak or roasted chicken would all be lovely as well.
½ cup roasted pistachios (roast in a 350* oven for about 10 minutes or until fragrant)
1 ½ – 2 cups Italian parsley leaves
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon zest
a hearty squeeze of lemon juice (approximately 1 Tablespoon)
2 Tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
2 Tablespoons Greek yogurt
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
In a mortar and pestle or a food processor add the pistachios, parsley and garlic. Pulse until finely chopped. Scrape the side of the bowl then drizzle in the oil and lemon juice while the machine is running. Add the remaining ingredients. Taste and add salt to your desire.


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The northern fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus physalus) is a subspecies of fin whale that lives in the North Atlantic Ocean and North Pacific Ocean.[1] It is possible that the population in each ocean represents a separate subspecies. At least one other subspecies of fin whale, the southern fin whale (B. p. quoyi), exists in the southern hemisphere.[1]
Northern fin whales are smaller than their southern hemisphere counterparts, with adult males averaging 18.5 m (61 ft) and adult females 20 m (66 ft).[2] Maximum reported figures are 22.9 m (75 ft) for males and 24.7 m (81 ft) for females in the North Pacific, while the longest reliably measured were 20.8 m (68 ft) and 22.9 m (75 ft) — all were caught off California, the former in the 1920s and the latter in the 1960s.[3] At sexual maturity, males average 16.8–17.6 m (55–58 ft) in the North Atlantic and 17.4–17.7 m (57–58 ft) in the North Pacific, while females average 17.7–19.1 m (58–63 ft) in the North Atlantic and 18.3–18.6 m (60–61 ft) in the North Pacific. At birth, calves are 6.4 m (21 ft) in the North Pacific.[2]
Because of the opposing seasons in each hemisphere, B. p. physalus breeds at a different time of the year than B. p. quoyi. Peak conception for B. p. physalus is December–January, while peak birthing is in November–December — in both the North Atlantic and North Pacific.[2]
- ^ a b c "Balaenoptera physalus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
- ^ a b c Evans, Peter G. H. (1987). The Natural History of Whales and Dolphins. Facts on File.
- ^ Clapham; et al. (1997). "Catches of Humpback and Other Whales from Shore Stations at Moss Landing and Trinidad, California, 1919-1926". Mar. Mam. Sci. 13 (3): 368–94. doi:10.1111/j.1748-7692.1997.tb00646.x.


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The Write Site provides online support to help you develop your academic and professional writing skills.
Each module provides descriptions of common problems in academic and professional writing and strategies for addressing them. You will see samples of good writing and also do some practice activities in error correction.
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Hola! And a very warm welcome to the InterNations Marbella expat community! Whether you're just about to arrive or you're already here, with the help of our knowledgable members, you can make your transition easier. You may have some questions before arriving in Marbella, such as, "what are the rental costs like?" and "how can I find a school for my children?". Our members will soon tell you that while the rental costs are high in the city center, you can save money by living in the suburbs. They'll also point you in the direction of the English International School or the Aloha College, which are both within easy reach of the area.
With InterNations, you never stand alone. Whether you move to another city or go on a business trip somewhere — our communities are there to make you feel at home wherever you are in the world. Feel free to also check out our other vibrant InterNations Communities like the ones in Shanghai or Dubai.
Attend our monthly events and activities for Marbella expatriates to get to know like-minded expatriates in real life.
Get trustworthy advice and local insights from fellow members in our Marbella expat forums.
As an area that oozes class and attracts those seeking a high-end lifestyle, Marbella is safe, alluring, and full to the brim with fellow expats. Despite this, it still offers plenty of Spanish charm, giving you the opportunity to learn a new language and adopt a healthier lifestyle. It is a particularly attractive prospect for those looking to build a property portfolio, or individuals who are ready to retire. Access to healthcare is excellent in Marbella, and the USP Hospital has plenty of English-speaking doctors. During your leisure time, why not explore the town's many restaurants? Le Coco Rico offers stunning views alongside low-cost yet decadent meals, and the Arco Tapas Bar is ideal for a lazy evening or late lunch.
InterNations is the largest global network for expatriates, with communities in 420 cities across the globe. Get to know fellow internationals in your city, before you're moving, or when traveling somewhere and never feel like a stranger. InterNations makes it easy for you to stay in touch with your expat friends, both online and offline, so you can grow your network of friends and contacts from all over the world. Whether they live in Singapore or Riyadh, InterNations allows you to be close to them even if they are miles away.
At InterNations, we offer a community for expatriates in Marbella and elsewhere around the world. Our carefully approved members are here to share their knowledge, allowing you to ease into the area effortlessly. By participating with a lot of openness and friendliness, you can make our community a safe place for expatriates to broaden their knowledge and make new friends. As you connect with our members in Marbella, online and offline, you'll gain a unique insight into life for expatriates in Marbella. Whether you want to know more about finding a good school or keeping your rental costs low, our members have all the information you need. Once you're here, come along to our social and networking events, where you'll make new friends and kick-start your social life. You can also join groups dedicated to different hobbies and interests, such as our book club or wine tasting evenings.


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Event Archive - Clubhouse After Dark: Degree One
Fri. April 27th 2018 @ The Clubhouse (No Minors)
10 pm
DJ Degree One droppin' all your favourite Party Rockin' Hits, come dance your pants off!
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Degree One "DJ Degree One"
Wordemupskiyo! Degree One has been an integral part of the cultivation of the Vancouver Island hip hop scene for over 25 years. After an early stint in breakdance crews in 1983/84, Degree's real foray into the scene was as an MC for Victoria's first recognized Hip Hop Group 'Sound Advice' in 1989. He then branched out into other areas of the... more info


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Mt. Lemmon has long been a place that Tucsonans can go when they need a break from life in the desert.
The small mountain community feels a little more remote lately. That's because a disagreement between a cell phone tower owner and a service provider has left the area without coverage.
When driving up to Summerhaven on Mt. Lemmon Highway, cell phone coverage first drops at around milepost three.
From there, you enter into an anomaly in modern society: an area where a cell phone signal is rare.
Much of Mt. Lemmon and the community of Summerhaven have been without cellular phone coverage for over six months.
"There was a dispute over the use of the tower," said longtime resident Robert Zimmerman. "T-Mobile decided to not make their frequencies available any more for some reason."
Locals all tell a similar tale.
They said, shortly after Thanksgiving 2012, the company who owns the cell phone tower in Mt. Lemmon, Commnet Wireless, changed the rate charged to cell phone providers wanting access to the tower.
T-Mobile was the lone company on Commnet's tower. And, after the price increase, they decided to pull out.
Both companies were asked for comment about the change, but neither returned our requests.
Many residents heard rumors that Verizon would step in to take over cell phone coverage in the area, but that never came to fruition.
Since no company has stepped forward and taken over T-Mobile's spot on the mountain, much of Mt. Lemmon is without coverage.
Signal seems to come and go with line-of-sight to nearby communities such as Tucson or San Manuel. Scenic viewpoints and peaks are areas that have coverage, whereas canyons and valleys often are without.
And it is the talk of the community.
Patty Thomas and Donna Roll often host weekend garage sales in Summerhaven.
Joyce Anderson and Jennifer Shacter gathered there, talking about the cell phone issue and how having a cell phone around saved a neighbor's house from a fire.
Anderson: "She went in the middle of the street and was able to call for help then. It gutted their house, but if she hadn't had her cell phone, where would they have run at 3:00 in the morning?"
Roll: "We weren't that far away and we could see it, but we didn't know until the sirens came that it was on fire."
Anderson: "It's critical because I don't know that Tucson has a full understanding of how valuable is as a tourist attraction, and it's not optional."
Thomas: "I know they've had issues with people coming up the mountain and there being accidents on the road, and you can't even get 911."
Summerhaven is the permanent home of about 50 people. And, thanks to plentiful hiking, mountain climbing, fishing, seasonal skiing and temperatures that are about 20-degrees cooler, it is a playground for Tucsonans on most weekends and holidays.
The number of visitors to the mountain is estimated to be 1.5 million people per year.
"Until you need (cell phone signal), you don't miss it," said Mike Ostrom, a weekend visitor who rode his motorcycle to Mt. Lemmon Ski Valley. "You're taken in by the beauty and the ride, so it's not much of an issue. But when you need it, you need it."
The highway up the mountain can be packed with cars, motorcycles, and bicycles. Sharing a windy road can often mean traffic accidents. Those accidents can cause injuries that require immediate medical attention.
Mt. Lemmon Fire Chief Randy Ogden had just returned from responding to a motorcycle crash when we spoke with him.
"Had we been delayed 20-30 minutes by the time we got the call —maybe a 10-minute response time—then we have to take that person to the trauma center," said Ogden. "By ground it's an hour-and-a-half, by air about 15 minutes. If you start adding up all these little minutes, it's really cutting into the golden hour. Your chances of survivability are much, much less."
The roads on Mount Lemmon often run through canyons, and while those on high ground can find cell reception, it is near impossible to find in low-lying areas.
And the lone payphone, located at Summerhaven's post office, has been out of order for months.
That means drivers on the mountain's main road are limited to the emergency call boxes located at the Palisades Ranger Station and in front of the fire department.
Those locations have more than 10 miles between them, meaning that precious minutes are lost in life-threatening situations.
"It's significant" said Ogden. "The amount of time it takes them to get to 911, for 911 to dispatch us, and for us to respond, you're way over your allotted time."
Jesus Canales is a captain paramedic on the mountain. He was also at the scene of the motorcycle crash.
"It takes away 10 or 15 minutes from the time that you would normally have," said Canales.
"10 or 15 minutes means a lot there. Just think of how many rounds of CPR you could do on somebody who has lost their pulse."
Injured motorists are not the only people who could face consequences due to the lack of phone coverage.
"People can't call 911 if they're coming up the mountain, so it's a public safety issue," said Bill Brown, resident and volunteer firefighter.
Locals also have another fear: The ever-present danger of fire.
Debbie Fagin owns the Living Rainbow Giftshop. The shop's original building burned to the ground 10 years ago when the Aspen Fire destroyed a large portion of Summerhaven.
"We depend on the public; they've been very helpful," said Fagin. "This is their mountain too, and I would say at least 60 percent of the calls coming in about fires are (people) traveling on that road all hours of the night."
Power outages and loss of land line phones is not uncommon for Summerhaven. Meaning, a cell phone is the only way to reach emergency services, especially during a heavy winter snowstorm.
One of the yard sale attendants, Donna Roll, would have been stranded in her home during a snowstorm two winters ago if not for her cell phone. The electricity had turned off.
"I was up here by myself," said Roll. "And, if I hadn't had my cell phone to call the electric company, dear only knows when they would've come up because they didn't know it was out."
Mt. Lemmon residents are equally inconvenienced by the lack of coverage, but they don't know how to address the problem.
Any attempt to contact Commnet has not been returned.
The area remains uncovered, so the residents are starting to plan as if it may never return. Many residents have once again signed up for landline phone service despite its unreliability.
Fire Chief Randy Ogden said they are also petitioning for another solution to the traffic accident problem.
"If we had three or four more emergency boxes along the highway, it would sure cut down responses," he said.
"At least people would know where to go to call," Ogden said. "At least 90 percent of people, (who) come up here assume that their cell phones (will) work."
But, there is no solution to help those in more remote locations.
Until service is restored, those traveling into the area for activities such as hiking are reminded to take precautions beforehand.
It is recommended to let others know where you are going and when you'll be back. Also, bring items such as water, food, a compass, jacket, and a first-aid kit.


text: It's a great day at The Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott San Francisco-San Carlos. Silicon Valley's most central location, between San Francisco and San Jose. Minutes away from Electronic Arts, Oracle, Openwave and Seaport Conference Center. Start your day right with our free Hot Breakfast, featuring delicious Scrambled Eggs, Sausage and Waffles including fresh fruit, oatmeal and yogurt. Experience our new and improved free high-speed internet access. See spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Fisherman's Wharf and more. Caltrain System serves San Jose to San Francisco. Just a train ride from McAfee Coliseum, AT&T Park and Levi's Stadium. Located 12 miles from the Stanford University and San Mateo County Event Center. Fun & Educational activities available next door at the Hiller Aviation Museum. At the Fairfield Inn & Suites - San Carlos, you're our #1 priority. We promise you'll be satisfied or we'll make it right. That's our commitment to you. Ask us about the Fairfield 100% Guarantee.