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Truthfulness on Software Teams
A short while back I invited Mishkin Berteig to come to Waterloo to talk about agility. I was looking for something that would have a broad appeal to developers, testers and so on but would also have depth. Mishkin drew a full house and gave a great presentation on delivering successful agile projects. He covered the agile bases with a good overview of agile values and practices. Things got deeper and more interesting when he talked about truth. I know he is sincere about this because of the Scrum Master training I received from him. Mishkin's email signature is:
"Truthfulness is the foundation of all human virtues" – Baha'u'llah
Mishkin pointed out that agile methods rely on people speaking the truth and acting with integrity. I thought this was very insightful since most agilists focus on either technical aspects of agility such as TDD, refactoring or they focus on team and leadership issues. But what Mishkin is talking about is a deep personal honesty to see things how they really are and to act accordingly.
You see, I have from time to time in my career told little white lies to my peers and managers. And I almost always got away with it. For example, once when I was developing a financial application I made what I thought was a good design decision but really struggled to get it to work. I did not want to appear as if I had made a mistake. I basically lead everyone to believe all was well and meanwhile I worked insane hours to get it all working. I was letting pride get in my way and was lying to cover up a bad technical decision. And this lack of truthfulness prevented me from seeking help. I resented the long hours I had to put in and I was unhappy. It was unfair of me to hide the reality from my peers and managers. I suspect I am not alone.
Now, I think it should be obvious that on an agile team you simply could not get away with such behavior for any length of time. There is collective code ownership, daily stand-ups, task and story tracking, sustainable pace; all of which make the whole process much more transparent. So, on the one hand I agree with Mishkin that agile methods rely on people speaking and acting truthfully. But in practice agile methods make it hard to say anything but the truth!
But we are devious creatures and so I would like to leave you with some questions to ponder:
- Are you honestly expressing your doubts and concerns in retrospectives?
- If something is bothering you with another member of the team do you act in a direct but respectful way to resolve it?
- Are you able to freely admit when someone has a better idea or design than yours?
- Are you willing to admit when you make a mistake?
- Do you say the same things about someone when you are face-to-face with them to do you say something different behind their back?
If you can't honestly answer yes to the above questions then maybe you're not as honest as you should be. Start by being honest with yourself. Pick one apsect of your behavior that that is not as truthful as you would like and strive to be more truthful.
Truthfulness really is the foundation of all human virtues … and agile teams.


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Aug 10
It's so easy to look at another person and compare what they are doing with what I am doing, isn't it? In the past, I would often compare another's actions, story and essence with myself…. and guess who usually came up on the short end of the stick? Me! "They do this so well" and "they are much better about this than I am"………..get the picture? The fact is, it's completely inaccurate and impractial to compare myself with any other. Why? Because each person's Being, story, makeup AND intentions are totally unique – no one person's journey is the same – ever. Focusing on our uniqueness is where the adventure is!
This journey we are sharing at "Come to the Edge Today" is about My individual adventure and Yours. For example, each week I spend a few hours at Barnes and Noble where, on Tuesday mornings, an elderly gentleman (around 95 years old) slowly shuffles into the coffee shop. He purchases a small cup of coffee then settles in at 'his' table to read the newspaper where he keeps current on world events. He deliberately wears a suit, bow tie, dress shoes and carries an umbrella and overcoat. A few hours later, his cell phone rings loudly with the sound of the old fashioned "ring, ring". He answers and says that he will meet his ride at the front door. He has become my inspiration these past months. I admire his desire to be engaged and his commitment to be purposeful with his day. This is his "edge". Comparing or judging my journey with his would diminish both of us. I am learning from him and am thankful for his example.
The beauty and freedom of seeing life through this lens – I claim my journey as Mine while learning and growing from and with you…….That's "Come to the Edge Today living"!
Today's "Leaping" exercise: Purpose: Become aware of how I compare myself with others
For the next week, carry a notebook with the intention of jotting down everytime you find yourself comparing (positively or negatively) with another. What is the topic? How does it feel? Am I "a winner", "loser", or neutral in the comparison? Is there a thought I can think right now that will acknowledge our unique experiences rather than compare? What can I learn from this person? What can they learn from me?
Lovingly posted, knowing you are on your journey too –Joan Kappes
4/2/12 Post Script: Since the creation of this post, this wonderful gentleman is still visiting Barnes & Noble every Tuesday. He has slowed down some and shuffles a little more. Today he is wearing a tweed jacket. My heart delights at seeing him each week. He is still learning. He is still expanding. He is still living his life. "Thank you", dear Sir……
If you would like to regularly "Come to the Edge Today" and receive updated posts via your email, simply subscribe (see column at the right of this page where it says "Enter your first name and email address, then hit submit"). Please share these inspirations with friends on Facebook, Twitter, etc! Let's "soar' together!Tweet

subset: commoncrawl


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No, I doubt I'd be that kind of father
not rural not snow no quiet window
but hot smelly New York City
seven flights up, roaches and rats in the walls
a fat Reichian wife screeching over potatoes Get a job!
And five nose running brats in love with Batman
And the neighbors all toothless and dry haired
like those hag masses of the 18th century
all wanting to come in and watch TV
The landlord wants his rent
Grocery store Blue Cross Gas & Electric Knights of Columbus
Impossible to lie back and dream Telephone snow, ghost parking–
No! I should not get married and I should never get married!
But–imagine if I were to marry a beautiful sophisticated woman
tall and pale wearing an elegant black dress and long black gloves
holding a cigarette holder in one hand and highball in the other
and we lived high up a penthouse with a huge window
from which we could see all of New York and even farther on clearer days
No I can't imagine myself married to that pleasant prison dream–
— From "Marriage," by Gregory Corso
A Hindi poet I knew in Allahabad was, like many writers in his generation, very taken with the Beatnik poets. He had a particular desire to translate into Hindi the poem "Marriage" by Gregory Corso, but he was stuck on the line "…Blue Cross Gas & Electric Knights of Columbus." We explained to him what each term meant, but in the end we had to agree that it would be pretty much impossible to translate that part elegantly. It would possibly take at least two or three footnotes, and as AK Ramanujan always used to say, in translation, "every footnote is a confession of failure."
In the shiny future of globalized literary production, in which writers and translators can work hand-in-hand to produce smoothly realized publications for the international market, such conundrums are becoming extinct, according to Tim Parks in his a post at The New York Review of Books (h/t AK). Parks explains that not only do writers the world over hope to gain success by reaching the Goliath-like global English-language readership and prize pool by writing works that are easily translatable, but now many authors are finding that they can't quite get the respect they deserve within their own literary/language milieux if they have not found a global audience. This formula, and certain literary styles, especially magical realism, have created a certain blandness in contemporary international literature. Parks mentions as a primary example of this that Kazuo Ishiguro, who, he says, has spoken about the importance of writing in such a manner that translators are not given too hard a time by references or language that is overly culturally specific. The fact that Ishiguro writes in English and grew up in the UK makes this example slightly confusing for his argument.
Murakami, who is known to work closely with translators to make sure his work comes out smoothly in English, would have been a better example to use. He. The omnipresence of Western and especially American food, music and sundry popular culture references in Murakami's novels has been widely noted and makes for a smooth ride– the reader is asked to wrap her head around challenging and surreal situations and narrative loops– but the characters are all eating KFC. Recently I found myself startled when the protagonist in Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World cooks up an endless meal of Japanese dishes for a preternaturally ravenous librarian. I found myself thinking, "I have no idea if that's a lot of food or just a long list of light snacks." I realized I was totally unaccustomed to thinking very hard about anything Japanese when I read Murakami.
Indian literature in English is, of course, written in English. I see how this example fits into Parks' argument better than the work of Ishiguro, but it also serves to underscore the fact that he is eliding translated works with works that feel translated; not in the unfelicitous footnoted fashion of Gregory Corso translated into Hindi, but in the more digestible flavorings of Rushdie and his successors. Cultural references, Indian words and pidgin dialogue are sprinkled liberally throughout, like so much chaat powder. It often seems that many of these sprinklings are superfluous and merely serve to give writing an 'Indian' flavor. Perhaps it is a device which serves, in part, to make readers like Tim Parks feel as though they are reading a novel translated from an Indian language, when, in actuality, they'd never even find such a thing unless they were willing to go to the back of a bookshop in India, crouch down so they could see the lower shelves, and work their way through the poorly lit non-alphabetized Rupa, Katha and non-Shobha Dé and Khushwant Singh Penguin India section.
An echo of the problem of blandness and uniformity in international literature can be found in the art world. In an article on the current exhibitions in New York's modern art museums in the NYT this Sunday, Roberta Smith complains of a similar problem of sameness. After listing off all the big shows currently up, she goes on to lament, "After encountering so many bare walls and open spaces, after examining so many amalgams of photography, altered objects, seductive materials and Conceptual puzzles awaiting deciphering, I started to feel as if it were all part of a big-box chain featuring only one brand." Her conclusions as to how this problem has come about sound startlingly similar to the pressures that dominate the production of global literature:
But a combination of forces threatens to herd all of our major art institutions into the same aesthetic pen. The need to raise and make money sends curators hunting for artists with international star power who work big at least some of the time, deploy multiple entertaining mediums and make for good ad campaigns…. The small show devoted to an artist who doesn't have an immense reputation and worldwide market becomes rarer and rarer.
The international commercial success of high art, high brow literature, blockbuster cinema and fast food are all driven by a streamlining impulse that knocks down any idiosyncrasies it finds in its path. Perhaps we can hope for a movement in the creative arts similar to the localvore movement in the world of food production and consumption. But getting people to buy books, tickets to art exhibitions and even music is, by its nature, a totally different enterprise. And, of course, the stakes are too exaggerated to really imagine any change in this trend. Here we have Sir Salman Rushdie staring down at humanity from his pleasant prison dream, and over here, the hopelessly local writers, toiling away to try to pay rent, gas & electric, Blue Cross.
On the other hand, maybe the problem is much simpler than that. One should never underestimate the profound provincialism of the Metropole. Maybe when we talk about 'global trends' and 'international art,' and we (I) cite critics writing for the New York Times and the New York Review of Books, we are really just talking about New York. Yes, New York is a global power center for publishing and art, but notice how Roberta Smith, in her review, mentions offhandedly that non-New York American artists showing at the New York museums were, not too long ago, referred to by the slightly insulting term "regional artists." And maybe when we talk about the demands of global readerships and patrons of the arts, we are really talking about the demands of the publishers and curators of New York City. And maybe if New York publishers wanted to publish things that were more demanding to translate, they would be able to market them for mass consumption just as easily. Some things may be impossible to translate, and the translators may be forced to confess their failure in the form of a footnote or a glossary, but Ramanujan's point was always that when necessary, the confessions must be made, not avoided.


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Just look at their other two major meetings of the year. Grand Prix final Irina lands 4 triples in the first long program, only 3 in the second, and wins over Kwan who lands 5 and 6 respectively. Yes I would agree that was a wrong result, but it clearly shows where the judges favor was at the time. At Worlds both skated cleanly with 6 triples, and Irina won the long program phase. So what on earth was so enormously different about the Olympics that suddenly Irina even with just 1 hard triple-triple wouldnt win over Kwan with none.
Tara with just 1 triple-triple beat a clean Michelle and Nagano, and the judges like Irina only about 5 times more than they liked Tara in the matchup with Michelle.
Cohen was also never going to beat Hughes in Salt Lake City. Yeah she did in the short but Hughes was never a great short program skater, and her short really deserved about 8th place but since she was World medalist in the U.S she was gifted a ridiculous 4th place. Cohen didnt do a long program even close to Hughes's Salt Lake City LP until atleast 2005. Her marks were also miles behind the other three with only 1 real mistake.
Lastly that Slutskaya got up to 5.9 on both sets with that lame performance (in many ways her marks were higher than winner Hughes who got none) and lost the gold by only .1, shows with her best performance her marks would have been through the roof, and too much for Kwan without a triple-triple to ever beat, even in the U.S.


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I have to disagree with the 'tank healer' who thinks that Shield and slow Heal are the way to go for Tank healing. Tossing a bubble and then GHeal cancelling (TBC peeps know what this means) not only is way more efficient, but allows you greater control over a much larger heal. The use of 'heal' is a waste of time, mana, and overall flexibility as a Disc Priest IMO. I have been Disc Healing for a very long time and I have yet to come across a fight I can't heal either as a Raid or Tank healer.
Oh and you people that think Healing meters matter. Just stop...please just stop. You are making fools of yourselves.


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The Elizabeth Cary Agassiz House, on the campus of Radcliffe College in Cambridge, was built in 1904 as the school's student center. The building was named for the first president of Radcliffe, which is now part of Harvard University and is called the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. Read More
Greenleaf House (1859)
A Federal-style house, built in 1823, once stood at 76 Brattle Street, but was moved in 1858 to 19 Ash Street to make way for a new mansard-roofed mansion, completed in 1859. The new house was home to Mary Longfellow Greenleaf, sister of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and was purchased by Radcliffe College in 1905. At first used for music classes, after 1913 it became the residence of the president of Radcliffe College, and more recently of the dean of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study.
53 Dunster Street, Cambridge (1841)
At 53 Dunster Street in Cambridge is a former house, built in 1841 and now owned by Harvard University. The builders, William Saunders and Stephen S. Bunker, interestingly made the house three stories, unusual for Greek Revival-style houses of the period.
54 Dunster Street, Cambridge (1900)
At 54 Dunster Street in Cambridge is a former Harvard clubhouse, built in 1900 and designed by A.J. Russell. It now houses the Harvard Office of Career Services.
Fay House, Radcliffe (1806)
Radcliffe College in Cambridge was founded in 1879 to educate women, who were then not yet allowed at Harvard. The college bought its first building in 1885: Fay House, an 1806 Federal-style mansion. Built by Nathaniel Ireland, who made iron work for ships, the house was later owned by Joseph McKean, professor of rhetoric and oratory at Harvard. After McKean's death in 1818, the house had several tenants, including Edward Everett in 1820-1821. The house was also home for a time to Francis Dana, Jr. His daughter, Sophia Willard Dana Ripley, kept a girls' boarding school in the house and among her students was the first wife of Thomas Wentworth Higginson. For fifty years after 1835, the house was occupied by the family of Judge Samuel Phillips Prescott Fay.
After its acquisition by Radcliffe, Alice Longfellow, one of the College's founders, donated funds for the remodeling of Fay House in the Colonial Revival mode, work completed in 1890 under the direction of her cousin, the architect Alexander W. Longfellow, Jr. He also oversaw the further expansion of the structure in 1892, with the addition of a third story, skylit library, porches, and more classroom and laboratory space. As additional buildings were constructed in the development of Radcliffe Yard, Fay House continued as an administration building for the College and now for its successor, the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. The building has recently been renovated (pdf).
Emerson Hall, Harvard (1905)
Emerson Hall, located in Harvard Yard in Cambridge, is the home of the University's Philosophy Department. Named for Ralph Waldo Emerson, the building was designed by Guy Lowell and was completed in 1905. The noted psychologist and philosopher, William James, taught in Emerson Hall when he was at Harvard. Over the entrance of the building is the Biblical inscription: "What is man that thou art mindful of him?" (Psalm 8:4).
Weld Hall, Harvard (1872)
According to the Official guide to Harvard University of 1907:
Weld Hall, containing 53 suites of rooms, of which 22 are single and the rest double, was built in 1871-72, at a cost of about $87,000. It was given by William Fletcher Weld in memory of his brother, Stephen Minot Weld, of the Class of 1826, a benefactor of the College, a member of the Board of Overseers from 1858 until his death in 1867, and one of the first to conceive the idea of Memorial Hall. It contains a common-room for the general social use of its occupants.
Given as a gift around the same time as Matthews Hall, Weld Hall was designed in the English Queen Anne style by the firm of Ware & Van Brunt. The dorm is notable for its two towers with clerestory windows, lighting the stairs, although these were enclosed as a precaution against fire in 1962. Famous residents have included John F. Kennedy, Michael Crichton, Daniel Ellsberg, Christopher Durang, Ben Bernanke and Douglas Kenney.


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Food type: Asian, Lamb
800 gms lamb rump, in cubes or strips
2 cloves garlic
2 spring onions
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp sesame oil
Fresh coriander, chopped
For the marinade:
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp ginger
1 tbsp Shou Hsing rice wine
For the sauce:
75 ml dark soy sauce
75 ml Chinese rice wine
60 ml sesame oil
1 tsp raw sugar
Marinate the lamb in the soy sauce, ginger and rice wine for half an hour.
Meanwhile, combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
When lamb is marinated, place a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Pour in 2 tbsp of the sesame oil and when hot, add the garlic. Stir-fry until aromatic, then add the lamb and stir fry until lightly browned.
Then pour in the sauce, add the spring onions and stir, season with pepper and salt to taste. Stir fry for another minute, then serve immediately over steamed rice, garnished with chopped fresh coriander.


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Kevin and Danielle Talk Baby Jonas: Kevin Doesn't Trust Joe with the Baby?
Kevin and Danielle Jonas talk about the pregnancy, baby name ideas, if they're planning to find out the gender, and how Joe, Nick and Frankie will be as new uncles. Watch Kevin and Dani's interview now! This is an exciting time for Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle Jonas--she's pregnant with a baby Jonas!
Of course, Kev and Dani talked about the baby buzz with E! News, and there's nothing but excitement for the soon-to-be new parents.
Unfortunately, they weren't together, so they Skyped from two locations since Kevin was rehearsing for the Jonas Brothers tour, kicking off today.
Dani, who is due after the new year, said she hasn't been feeling great, explaining, "It's been a rough couple of weeks, but it's getting better."
Kevin said of the baby news: "It's been the most exciting thing in my life so far."
They do plan to find out if it's a boy or girl--so that Dani can go shopping, of course!
As for what they plan to name the baby? Danielle says it will be "definitely not classic, but nothing too crazy," adding, "Hopefully [the name] has a little Italian in it."
And how about those Jonas uncles?
Kevin joked, "I don't know how well I'm going to trust Joe with the baby."
Aw. We think Joe will be a great uncle!


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Let the Fist Pumping Begin! Taryn Thomas Finishes Production of Jersey Shore XXX: A Porn Parody and Returns to Jersey.
Production has just been wrapped on Jersey Shore XXX: A Porn Parody. The adult movie has captured major media attention since Taryn Thomas announced the project, and the party is just starting, bro!
The adult film parody based on the breakout MTV reality show has been the focus of many a conversation in and out of adult with radio hosts, newspapers, magazines, television talking about it, and fans Tweeting and pumping their fists in anticipation of the adult DVD version. And while Snooki, J-Wowww and the Situation from the real show are busy making appearances all around the nation, Taryn and her cast of XXX Guidos and Guidettes were busy shooting their sexy parody and ''creeping'' on each other as they have made one freakin great porno parody.
AVN Award-winning director Jim Enright directed the movie, and this is just the first film in a series of Jersey Shore XXX flicks that he and Taryn plan on shooting. Jersey Shore XXX: A Porn Parody will be distributed by adult powerhouse Adam & Eve, and will available everywhere in February.
''Production went phenomenally well, our cast nailed it,'' says Thomas. ''We chose the best Guidos and Guidettes in the industry. They parodied the jersey shore crew perfectly. Jim Enright is an amazing director. We had so much fun making the movie. I can't wait to get out there and promote this movie to my fans.''
Taryn grew up in New Jersey and spent her summers down at the Jersey Shore in Seaside Heights (where the real show is filmed), the Italian adult film star knew she had to make this movie. Jersey Shore XXX: A Porn Parody stars adult film star and fan favorite Thomas as a take-off on Snooki, along with Veronica Rayne, Angela Aspen, Dylan Ryder, TJ Cummings, Espizedo, Memphis Blake and Johnny Castle.
The movies official website, JerseyShoreXXX.com, will feature webisodes of the filming of the movie, where fans can see materials exclusively such as trailers, behind the scenes antics and lots more.
Taryn Thomas will be in the New York City and New Jersey area from January 25th February 8th and is available for interviews and appearances for the promotion of Jersey Shore XXX: A Porn Parody. To book an interview with Taryn, please contact Brian Gross, BSG PR, (818) 340-4422. Email: email@example.com. To book an appearance with Taryn, contact Rock Star PRM at email@example.com.
For more on this movie please go to www.JerseyShoreXXX.com.
Retailers may contact Ryan Thomas at firstname.lastname@example.com. Media, please contact Brian Gross at firstname.lastname@example.com or Rock Star PRM at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Jersey Shore XXX: A Porn Parody will be available in your favorite adult stores and online in February, so let the fist pumping begin!
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2011 Volvo C30 Hatchback - Consumer Review
Build Quality
Reliability Value
Build Quality
Reliability Value
14 of 14 people found this review helpful
Great Driving Experience
By califas on
Vehicle2011 Volvo C30 T5 2dr Hatchback (2.5L 5cyl Turbo 6M)
ReviewIn evaluating a car, first you define the mission.
No car can be all things.
If you want a Corvette, you understand that it can't have the gas mileage of a Prius.
This is the T5 C30 with 17 in wheels:
A small, nimble car with an appealing and distinctive aesthetic that coddles the driver with excellent ride dynamics and great interior design.
It is not trying to be a track car.
It is 2+2 GT road car.
It gets you through your driving day with a minimum of fatigue and a maximum of bliss.
It has the quickness and agility to squeeze through traffic, yet still has a cabin that is quiet and comfortable.
Plus, it feels like quality, it is nice to look at, and it is just fun to drive.
Best Features-seat comfort -controls logical and fall to hand -firm but well damped suspension -minimal noise and vibration -excellent bluetooth -great visibility -rear seats big enough (but tight) for adults -rear hatch is great. The door size is small and swings up out of the way. The rear deck height makes access easy. You find yourself using the hatch a lot because it is so convenient -excellent power -great warranty and free maintenance package -Volvo safety. If you choose to drive a little car, why not pick your best hope when that Ford F-350 blows the stoplight.
Worst Features-still a little torque steer -6 speed DSG transmission -Ipod interface -HID lights standard -some kind of effective rear cover for the hatch
Recommend (14) (0)
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American Humane Association Applauds President Obama For Joining Groups Opposed To Breed-Specific Legislation
Aug 22, 2013, 12:57 ET from American Humane Association
"Great day for America's – and humankind's – best friends," says president of country's first national humanitarian organization
WASHINGTON, Aug. 22, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- American Humane Association, which has been working to protect the nation's children and animals for 136 years, applauds President Obama for joining a growing chorus of animal-friendly groups including American Humane Association that are opposed to breed-specific legislation (BSL) and have been calling for an end to the banning or restriction of specific types of dogs based only on their breed.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101108/DC97343LOGO)
"This is a great week for America's -- and humankind's -- best friends," said Dr. Robin Ganzert, president and CEO of American Humane Association. "Not only is there a new dog in the White House, but the President has made it a new day for dogs by opposing unjust and ineffective laws that ban or restrict certain types of dog based only on breed. Fact is, there is little evidence that supports breed-specific legislation as an effective means of reducing dog bites and dog attacks. On the contrary, studies have shown that it is not the breeds themselves that are dangerous, but unfavorable situations that are creating dangerous dogs. The support of the administration on this issue is a step forward in addressing the true issues and improving the safety and welfare for both people and the animals they love."
Alternatives to BSL
Legislation targeting specific breeds simply does not work because dog attacks result from multiple factors, not just a simple breakdown of breed culpability. Studies conducted by the Centers for Disease Control, the American Veterinary Medical Association and The National Canine Research Council, as well as independent researchers, all agree that BSL is not productive. On top of this, a recent scientific study shows that breed identification is often difficult, compounding the problem. There are, however, four key points that could reduce the number of dog attacks:
1. Education -- Children are statistically the most at risk for dog bites. Unsupervised newborns were 370 times more likely than an adult to be killed by a dog. Eighty-two percent of dog bites treated in emergency rooms involved children under 15 years old. Adult supervision plays a key role in prevention. Children who understand how to act around dogs, how to play with dogs, when to leave dogs alone and how to properly meet a dog are much less likely to be bitten. By educating children at home and in school, we can drastically reduce the instances of dog bites.
2. Enforcement -- Communities can greatly reduce the number of dog bites by enacting stronger animal control laws and by providing better resources for enforcing existing laws. Examples include leash, animal-at-large and licensing laws, as well as mandatory spay/neuter laws for shelters. Additional measures include increasing and enforcing penalties for violations, targeting chronically irresponsible owners, imposing serious penalties for bites that occur in the context of another infraction (particularly a violation of leash laws) and prohibiting chaining or tethering for excessive periods of time. Chaining and/or neglect results in anxious, lonely, bored, under-stimulated, untrained, unsocialized, isolated dogs that are much more likely to react aggressively because of their fear. However, enacting more laws and strengthening laws are not the only answers. Animal control facilities are already underfunded and understaffed, which makes enforcement of existing laws difficult. It is essential that legislators recognize the value of and need for animal control facilities and officers, and provide them with increased financial support and staffing to enforce these laws. American Humane supports the enactment and enforcement of dangerous-dog laws that are breed neutral and identify dangerous dogs based on actions -- not on breed. Good dangerous-dog laws involve a hearing after a dog has bitten or threatened a person or another animal. If the dog is found to be dangerous, the dog's owner can be required to meet a variety of requirements, such as having the dog neutered, muzzled at all times when off the owner's property, always on a leash, confined to the owner's yard, microchipped, etc.
3. Spaying and neutering -- Unneutered male dogs are more than twice as likely to bite than neutered dogs, while female dogs in heat or nursing are much more dangerous than spayed females. The behavior of intact animals can be unpredictable. Talk to your veterinarian to schedule an appointment, or contact your local humane organization or animal shelter for information on low-cost spay/neuter assistance. If your community does not provide low-cost services, encourage your legislator, local animal shelter or veterinarian to consider the option as a public-health service. Get more information on spaying and neutering.
4. Better bite reporting -- Researchers agree that better statistics on dog bites could greatly improve our ability to firmly identify the factors that should be the primary focus for improving public safety. Research to date is primarily based on incomplete police and hospital records, as well as newspaper articles. Incomplete data includes failure to record the location of bites, age and sex of the dog, age and sex of the victim, circumstances surrounding the bites and accurate breed identification.
Additional Suggestions
Supervision: Dogs left on their own may feel uncertain and defensive, or even overly confident -- and this poses risks to the dog, as well as to other people and dogs. The vast majority of dogs involved in attacks are off-leash and unsupervised. Additionally, unsupervised children may innocently wander too close to a dangerous situation. Eighty-eight percent of fatal dog attacks among 2-year-olds occurred when the child was left unsupervised. Supervision of children, especially around dogs, is one way to help ensure they are safe.
Train and socialize your dog: Be sure your dog interacts with and has good manners around all members of the family, the public and other animals. Basic training is as important for the owner as it is for the dog, and socialization is the key to a well-adjusted adult dog. It is essential that puppies between 8 and 16 weeks old be exposed to a variety of people, places, dogs and other animals. As dogs age, do your best to continue their exposure to these things to ensure that they are well socialized throughout their lives.
Restrain your dog: Dogs that are allowed to roam loose outside the yard may perceive the entire neighborhood as their "territory" and may defend it aggressively. By obeying leash laws and taking care to properly fence your yard, you will not only be respecting the laws in your community, but you will also be keeping your dog safe from cars, other dogs and unforeseen dangers.
Unchain your dog: Chained dogs are nearly three times more likely to bite. Tethering or chaining dogs increases their stress, protectiveness and vulnerability, thereby increasing the potential for aggression. Fencing is the better solution.
"For thousands of years, dogs have been our best friends," says Dr. Ganzert. "Eliminating breed-specific legislation is one way of showing that we can be their best friends, as well. We are very pleased to have the President and the Administration take this vital step in opposing BSL."
About American Humane Association
American Humane Association is the country's first national humane organization and the only one dedicated to protecting both children and animals. Since 1877, American Humane Association has been at the forefront of virtually every major advance in protecting our most vulnerable from cruelty, abuse and neglect. Today we're also leading the way in understanding the human-animal bond and its role in therapy, medicine and society. American Humane Association reaches millions of people every day through groundbreaking research, education, training and services that span a wide network of organizations, agencies and businesses. You can help make a difference, too. Visit American Humane Association at www.americanhumane.org today.
SOURCE American Humane Association


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Continental Illinois Corp. said Friday that it plans to sell its bank in south suburban Olympia Fields to GreatBanc Inc. of Itasca. Terms weren`t disclosed.
The deal is the first transaction involving five suburban banks that Continental put on the block last year. Continental wouldn`t comment on when other deals might be completed, but announcements are expected shortly.


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Indigenous Tamaulipas
Reconstructing the Mexican state's native past
John P. Schmal
Published on LatinoLA: February 4, 2014
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The state of Tamaulipas is located in the northeastern portion of the Mexican Republic. It shares common borders with the Mexican States of Nuevo Le??n (to the west), San Luis Potos?¡ (to the southwest) and Veracruz (to the south). It also shares its northern boundary with the American state of Texas. On the east, Tamaulipas also has a 458-kilometer long coastline along the Gulf of Mexico.
With a total of 80,249 square kilometers, Tamaulipas is divided into 43 municipios and occupies 4.1% of the national territory. However, Tamaulipas' 3,268,554 inhabitants make up only 2.9% of the national population of the Mexican Republic. The capital of Tamaulipas is Ciudad Victoria. The northern, central, eastern and southeastern regions of Tamaulipas mainly consist of hills and coastal plains that expand westward into the Sierra Madre Oriental. Only the western and southwestern regions of the State include the high mountains of the Sierra Madre Oriental.
Origin of the Name
There are several theories about the origins of the name Tamaulipas, the most accepted of which states that Tamaulipas means "high mountain." The name is believed to derive from the Huasteca word, "Tamaholipa." Tam means "in" or "the place of." While some say that Tamaulipas means "the place of high mountains," others historians believe it means "the place where people pray a lot."
The investigator Gabriel Sald?¡var y Silva theorized in "Los Indios de Tamaulipas" (Institute de Instituto Panamericano de Geografia e Historia Publication No. 70: Distrito Federal, 1943) that the indigenous peoples of Tamaulipas represented an Eastern branch of Paleo-Americans that had probably arrived in the region from New Mexico, Coahuila and Texas thousands of years ago.
Conquest of the Huastecas
The first Spanish expedition to reach Tamaulipas was led by Hern?índez de C??rdoba and Juan Grijalva (1518). A few years later, after taking control of Tenochtitl?ín (Mexico City) and the Aztec Empire in August 1521, the Conquistador Hern?ín Cort?®s marched toward Huasteco territory on the Gulf Coast with a large force of Spaniards and Mexica auxiliaries. The Huasteco Indians, who speak a form of the Mayan language, today occupy 55 municipios in the modern-day states of Veracruz, San Luis Potos?¡ and Hidalgo, as well as smaller regions of southern Tamaulipas and Quer?®taro. It is believed that they were isolated from the rest of the Maya and evolved separately and may have arrived in the area as early as 200 A.D. Under Aztec rule, the Huastecos occupied two Aztec provinces, Atlan and Tochpan.
After meeting with considerable resistance, Cort?®s defeated the Huastecos and founded the Villa de San Esteban in 1522. However, subsequent revolts by the Huastecos in October-December 1523 and 1525-26 were put down with great cruelty. In spite of their battles with both the Mexica and the Spaniards, the Huastecos continue to survive today, maintaining many aspects of their traditional culture and language. In fact, Huastecan music and dancing have influenced the musical folklore of Mexico.
After the conquest of the Huastecas, the Spaniards explored the Tamaulipas coastline up to the Rio Grande during the late 1520s. Then, in 1530, Franciscan missionaries began their work in the southern area of Tamaulipas, creating the first mission for the Huastecan and Pame Indians. In the decades that followed, Spanish slaving parties ranged northward into what they called "Chichimec" territory in an attempt to find natives for the profitable trade in Indian slaves. The slaving activity reached a crescendo in the 1580s and was continued later in a disguised form under the system of "congregas" by which entire rancher?¡as were rounded up and transported to Nuevo Leon.
However, native attacks eventually pushed the Spaniards back to the Tames?¡ River in southern Tamaulipas. For the next century-and-a-half, the Spanish authorities became more focused on subduing other areas of Mexico and paid little attention to most of this area. Not until 1747 did extensive European colonization begin with the founding of the "Nuevo Santander" colony.
The Seno Mexicano
By the end of the Sixteenth Century, Spanish settlement was moving northward along the western slope of the Sierra Madre Oriental toward the Rio Grande River that today represents the border between Texas and Tamaulipas. The Spanish movement became even more targeted in the early Seventeenth Century when Spain recognized that the French advance down the Mississippi River represented a threat to its colonial empire. This prompted the Spaniards to establish missions and presidios in east Texas in 1716. Two years later, the mission of San Antonio de Valero (later known as "The Alamo"), was established.
However, according to Hubert J. Miller, in "Jose de Escandon: Colonizer of Nuevo Santander" (1980), the Spanish advance into Texas bypassed the area called the "Seno Mexicano," which extended from the P?ínuco River at Tampico to the Nueces River in Texas. Inland, it stretched to the Sierra Madre Oriental, a distance that ranged between 100 and 150 miles. This region encompassed nearly all of present-day Tamaulipas and the southern triangle of Texas below the Nueces River.
Indigenous Groups in the Seno Mexicano
According to Miller, there were an estimated 80 Indian tribes that occupied the Seno Mexicano prior to the arrival of the Spanish colonists in the mid-Eighteenth Century (the Nuevo Santander settlement). Studies indicate that some thirty dialects were spoken, many of them closely related to one another and probably originating from a trunk language. The more advanced tribes tended to live in communities consisting of four to five hundred persons.
Early observers noted that these small tribal groups appeared to be at war with each other a great deal and had minimal contact with native groups outside of their immediate areas. Most of their languages have been lost to history. The primary sources of information available about these Tamaulipas indigenous groups are:
ÔÇó Gabriel Saldivar, "Los Indios de Tamaulipas" (Mexico City: Pan American Institute of Geography and History, 1943).
ÔÇó J. R. Swanton, "Linguistic Material from the Tribes of Southern Texas and Northeastern Mexico" (Washington: Smithsonian Institution, 1940).
ÔÇó Rudolph C. Troike, "Notes on Coahuiltecan Ethnography," Bulletin of the Texas Archeological Society 32 (1962).
ÔÇó Thomas N. Campbell, "Coahuiltecans and Their Neighbors," in Handbook of North American Indians, Vol. 10 (Washington: Smithsonian Institution, 1983).
According to Saldivar, when the Spaniards arrived, they found four cultures in the area of present-day Tamaulipas. Each of the four groups are discussed below.
Grupos del Norte (the Coahuiltecans)
The Groups of the North were primitive, nomadic groups that lived mainly in the area between the Purificaci??n and Bravo Rivers (The R?¡o Bravo is known as the Rio Grande to Americans today). These numerous small northern Tamaulipas tribes appeared to speak closely-related languages and shared the same basic culture. Because the Spaniards did not initially take an interest in describing individual native groups or classifying them into ethnic and linguistic groups, major dialectic and cultural contrasts went unclassified for a long time.
The first attempt at classification was based on language, and came after most of the Indian groups had already gone extinct (or assimilated). Eventually, scholars constructed the so-called "Coahuiltecan culture" by assembling bits of specific and generalized information recorded by Spaniards from widely scattered parts of the region.
Today, we recognize that the Coahuiltecans were made up of hundreds of small, autonomous, distinctively named Indian groups that lived by hunting, gathering and fishing. It was their practice to move from one traditional campsite to another, following herds of migrating animals and tracking seasonal changes. The Coahuiltecans were tattooed and wore a breechcloth or hide skirt, fiber sandals, and, in bad weather, they covered themselves with animal hides. Animal teeth, bones, feathers, stones, and seeds were worn as jewelry and sometimes woven into their intricately braided hair. Shelter consisted of small temporary huts of brush or grass, sensible structures given their way of life and the climate of the area over which they ranged.
The Coahuiltecans ranged through a large area that included most of present-day Coahuila, Nuevo Le??n, northern Tamaulipas and southern Texas (north to San Antonio River). A large number of the small tribal groups or bands belonging to the Coahuiltecan stock remain unknown to this day and even their locations ÔÇô in many cases ÔÇô is not clear.
Grupos de la Sierra Madre (i.e., Janambres, Pizones, Pames, Anacah)
The Groups of the Sierra Madre ÔÇô such as the Pizones and Janambres ÔÇô were semi-sedentary groups who occupied caves and projections within the mountains. They lived by hunting and practiced a very rudimentary form of agriculture. The groups of the Sierra Madre were very belligerent and initially opposed the Spanish incursions, but eventually were assimilated.
A more detailed discussion of the Coahuiltecan Indians can be accessed at the following link:
Grupos de Tamaulipas (i.e., Contetunas, Tagualilos, Maguagues, Caramiguay)
The Tamaulipas groups included some sedentary peoples who were dedicated to agriculture, with well-structured religious practices. The Tamaulipec groups were mainly small tribes that occupied the central and southeastern parts of the present-day state. Today, it is believed that the so-called Tamaulipecan family was related the Coahulitecans. Through their Coahuiltecan ties, it is believed that the Tamaulipecs were part of the Hokan language group, but very few fragments of their languages survive today. However, Miller notes that "there is evidence that some of their words may still be present in the language of the Mexican American people in the south Texas area." It is likely that the Tamaulipecs also have some connection to the Karankawan and Tonkawan groups to the north of them (in Texas).
Grupo de Hauxteco (Huastecos)
The fourth Tamaulipas group, the Huastecas ÔÇô discussed in more detail earlier ÔÇô were a more advanced group that extended through much of Veracruz and merely occupied the southern portion of the present-day State of Tamaulipas. Miller referred to the Huastecas as "the cultural heirs of the Olmec civilization." The Huasteca cultivated cotton (which they supplied to the Aztec Empire), maintained trade with other indigenous groups to the west, built artificial terraces and raised domesticated animals.
A list of some of the Coahuiltecan and Tamaulipecan groups and their locations is shown below:
ÔÇó The Anachiguaies were located around Escand??n.
ÔÇó The Apostatas were in the vicinity of Burgos.
ÔÇó The Aracanaes were found near Altamira.
ÔÇó The Atanaguaypacam were a Coahuiltecan group that lived on the Gulf Coast near the mouth of the Rio Grande. In the middle Eighteenth Century their settlements were reported to be along the shores of the numerous small bays and islands near the mouth of the Rio Grande.
ÔÇó The Borrados occupied the area near Dolores.
ÔÇó The Cacalotes inhabited the area around Mier.
ÔÇó The Cadimas occupied the area about Guemes.
ÔÇó The Camaleones lived near Santill?ín.
ÔÇó The Carrizos lived around Camargo.
ÔÇó The Comecamotes lived near Soto la Marina.
ÔÇó The Comecrudo ÔÇô known to the Spaniards as "raw meat eaters," were a Coahuiltecan people who lived along the south bank of the Rio Grande near Reynosa and hunted and gathered wild plant foods on both sides of the river. At times the Comecrudo Indians were also referred to as Carrizo, a Spanish name applied to many Coahuiltecan groups along the Rio Grande below Laredo. In 1886 the ethnologist A. S. Gatschet found a few elderly Comecrudo near Reynosa who could still speak their native language. Gatschet's Comecrudo vocabulary and texts helped to establish the linguistic affiliations of many Indian groups of southern Texas and northeastern Mexico.
ÔÇó The Inocoplo ÔÇô also known as Barroso, Mesquite, Mulato, Serrano and Sincoalne, originally lived in along the Purificacion River near Hoyos in Central Tamaulipas. However, when their area was brought under Spanish control during the second half of the Eighteenth Century, the Inocoplos moved northward. Some of them entered the San Antonio de Valero Mission of San Antonio in 1784-85 under the names Gincape (Inocoplo) and Mulato.
ÔÇó Cuero Quemado (Spanish for "burnt skin") was applied to a Coahuiltecan-speaking band that ranged both sides of the lower Rio Grande during the second half of the Eighteenth century. Cuero Quemado may have been a local Spanish name for a downstream group of Tepemaca Indians, who occupied the Rio Grande valley in the area between Laredo and Rio Grande City.
ÔÇó The Cotoname (also known as Catanamepaque, Cotomane, Cotonan) lived on both sides of the Rio Grande below the sites of Camargo and future Rio Grande City, where they were sometimes called Carrizo, a Spanish name applied to many Coahuiltecan groups along the Rio Grande below Laredo. In 1886 a few Cotoname Indians were still living at La Noria Ranch in southern Hidalgo County and at Las Prietas in northern Tamaulipas.
ÔÇó The Cootajanam (Cootajan), apparently a Coahuiltecan group, reportedly had settlements on the north bank of the Lower Rio Grande in the area of present-day Cameron and Hidalgo counties.
ÔÇó The Concuguyapem (Couguyapem), apparently a Coahuiltecan group, lived on the north bank of the Rio Grande between present Zapata and Rio Grande City.
ÔÇó The Lugplapiagulam (Hueplapiagulam) lived along the lower Rio Grande in the area between present Rio Grande City and the mouth of the river. Their name is said to mean "ground chili pepper." The maps of Jim?®nez Moreno and G. Saldivar place this group in the area of present Zapata County.
ÔÇó The Mariguanes lived near Horcasitas in Southern Tamaulipas.
ÔÇó The Masacuajulam (Imasacuajulam) lived along the lower Rio Grande somewhere between present-day Zapata and the mouth of the river in the middle Eighteenth Century. Their name is said to mean "those who travel alone."
ÔÇó The Mayapem (Mallopeme) ÔÇô a Coahuiltecan tribe ÔÇô ranged on both sides of the Rio Grande in southern Texas and northern Tamaulipas during the Eighteenth Century. In the latter half of that century they entered missions on the south bank of the River: San Agust?¡n de Laredo at Camargo and San Joaqu?¡n del Monte near Reynosa.
ÔÇó The Parampamatuju (Parammatugu) lived along the Rio Grande between Camargo, Tamaulipas and the mouth of the River. The maps of Jim?®nez Moreno and Saldivar place the Parampamatujus on the north bank of the Rio Grande in modern Hidalgo County. The name is said to mean "men who are painted bright red."
ÔÇó The Perpepug lived below the present Rio Grande City along the Lower Rio Grande. The maps of Jim?®nez Moreno and Saldivar show them on the north bank of the river in what is now Zapata County. The name is said to mean "white heads," which suggests some distinctive form of head decoration, perhaps painting or a special kind of head dress.
ÔÇó The Perpacug (Pexpacux) may havge lived on the north bank of the Rio Grande near the Gulf Coast, probably in what is now Starr County.
ÔÇó The Peupuetem (Peupuepuem) probably lived on the north bank of the Lower Rio Grande in the middle Eighteenth Century, somewhere in the area present-day Cameron and Hidalgo counties. The name is said to mean "those who speak differently."
ÔÇó The Pinto Indians lived on both sides of the Rio Grande at locations that included San Fernando, Tamaulipas and the area of present-day Reynosa-McAllen. In 1757 there was a Pinto settlement in what is now southern Hidalgo County. Some Pinto families entered the missions of San Fernando and Nuevo Santander in northern Tamaulipas. A few descendants of the Pinto Indians were still living near Reynosa as late as 1900.
ÔÇó The Sainoscos lived near Padilla.
ÔÇó The Salapaque (Alapagueme, Saulapaguet, Talapagueme, Zalapagueme) were a Coahuiltecan band that lived on both sides of the lower Rio Grande but mainly on the south side at various points between Matamoros and Reynosa in northern Tamaulipas. Some entered missions at Reynosa and Camargo, where they remained until well after 1800.
ÔÇó The Segujulapem ÔÇô who spoke a Coahuiltecan language ÔÇô had settlements on the north bank, had settlements on the north bank of the Rio Grande in what is now Cameron and Hidalgo counties. The name is said to mean "those who live in the huisaches" (shrubs).
ÔÇó The Sepinpacam lived on the north bank of the Rio Grande in what is now Cameron and Hidalgo counties. The name, which is said to mean "salt makers," suggests that this was one of the Coahuiltecan bands that produced salt at La Sal Vieja, a salt lake at a nearby site, later in Willacy County.
ÔÇó The Serranos lived along the Rio Purificacion near Santa Barbara.
ÔÇó The Sibayones lived near Aguayo and R?¡o de los Infantes in southern Tamaulipas. They were also identified with the Pizones.
ÔÇó The Sumi are probably the same as the Samacoalapem, who lived on the south bank of the Rio Grande between Camargo and Mier, Tamaulipas.
ÔÇó The Tej??n (Tex??n) Indians is a Coahuiltecan band whose name is Spanish for "badger." They lived along the south bank of the Rio Grande in the vicinity of Reynosa, Tamaulipas, when it was founded in the middle of the Eighteenth Century. After Reynosa was settled, some Tej??ns moved to the R?¡o San Juan about twenty-five miles from Camargo, where they remained until after 1800. Along with other Coahuiltecan bands on the lower Rio Grande, the Tej??ns were sometimes referred to as Carrizos. In 1886 a group of Carrizos, apparently including a few Tej??ns, was living near Charco Escondido about twenty miles south of Reynosa, and as late as 1907 some Tej??ns still lived near Reynosa at a community known as Las Prietas.
ÔÇó The Tepemacas ÔÇô a Coahuiltecan-speaking group ÔÇô ranged along both sides of the Rio Grande in the area between Laredo and Rio Grande City and also along the R?¡o Alamo upstream from Mier. The Tepemacas appear to be closely related to the Cuero Quemados, who lived farther down the Rio Grande, and it has been suggested that both names refer to the same people.
ÔÇó Clancluiguyguen: this Coahuiltecan band ÔÇô also known as Tlanchuguin ÔÇô lived on the north bank of the Rio Grande between present-day Zapata and Rio Grande City.
ÔÇó The Uscapem (Iscapan) Indians, who were probably Coahuiltecans, lived on the lower Rio Grande. In the middle eighteenth century their main settlements were east of Reynosa, Tamaulipas. They also foraged and camped on the Texas side of the river, particularly in the area of Cameron and Hidalgo counties.
ÔÇó Unpuncliegut (Hunzpunzliegut) Indians, who probably spoke Coahuiltecan, lived on the southern part of the Texas coast. In the middle eighteenth century their settlements were along the mainland shore of the Laguna Madre in the area of present Cameron and Willacy counties.
ÔÇó The Tortuga Indians, who were probably Coahuiltecan in speech, are believed to have lived near the Tamaulipas-Nuevo Le??n boundary about halfway between Mier and Cerralvo. One source (Uhde) also links the Tortugas with the Texas coast, particularly the section between the Nueces and the Rio Grande.
ÔÇó Tugumlepem Indians were probably Coahuiltecan-speaking Indians who lived on the extreme southern part of the Texas coast. In the middle eighteenth century their settlements were between the sites of present Port Isabel and Brownsville in eastern Cameron County.
Nuevo Santander
In 1742, Jos?® de Escand??n, Lieutenant General Captain of the Cerro Gordo District, carried out three expeditions through the mountains of southern Tamaulipas and helped friars to establish 11 missions there. Then, in September 1746, Escand??n received word that he had been appointed to head the colonization project known as "Nuevo Santander" ÔÇô the establishment of small settlements along the Rio Grande that would commence in the next year.
In 1747, Escand??n engineered a seven-point penetration from southern Tamaulipas with a convergence of all the expeditions at the mouth of Rio Grande. On June 1, 1748, he was officially appointed the Governor of Nuevo Santander, named for his home province in Spain. In a period of seven years, Escand??n would establish 23 settlements and 15 missions with 1,337 families (6,000 colonists) along the Rio Grande in Tamaulipas. The whole colony was settled with remarkable speed. For the first time, viceregal officials relied on colonists rather than missionaries and soldiers to settle a new territory. Many of the settlers of Nuevo Santander are, in fact, the ancestors of today's Tejanos whose roots originated with those settlements along the Rio Grande.
Political Chronology
Tamaulipas represented a large portion of the Spanish province of Nuevo Santander, which was founded in 1748 as a part of the Nueva Espa??a Kingdom. It became part of the "Provincias Internas" in 1777 until Mexican independence in 1822. On October 3, 1824, Tamaulipas became an independent state.
Twentieth Century
According to the 1895, 1900 and 1910 Mexican census schedules, no inhabitants of Tamaulipas spoke any indigenous languages. At least no one admitted to speaking such languages, although it is likely that there may have been bilingual speakers.
In the unusual 1921 Mexican census, residents of each state were asked to classify themselves in several categories, including "ind?¡gena pura" (pure indigenous), "ind?¡gena mezclada con blanca" (indigenous mixed with white) and "blanca" (white). Out of a total state population of 286,904, only 39,606 persons (or 13.8%) claimed to be of pure indigenous background. A large portion of the population ÔÇô 198,990, or 69.4% ÔÇôclassified themselves as being mixed, while 38,845 (13.5%) claimed to be white.
Not until 1930 did any speakers of indigenous languages turn up in the census. In that year, 185 persons were classified as indigenous speakers who also spoke Spanish. This figure reached 306 in the 1940 census. By the time of the 1950 census, Tamaulipas had one monolingual speaker of indigenous languages and 695 bilingual speakers.
The 2000 Census
According to the 2000 census, the population of persons five years and more who spoke indigenous languages amounted to 17,118 individuals. The primary groups were: N?íhuatl (8,407 speakers), Huasteco (4,083), Totonaca (1,321), Otom?¡ (530), Mazahua (467), Zapoteco (432), Maya (226), and Mixteco (200).
The 2005 Conteo
According to Mexico's 2005 census count (conteo), 20,221 persons five years of age and older spoke indigenous languages in Tamaulipas. The three languages most represented in the population were:
ÔÇó N?íhuatl (7,605 speakers ÔÇô 37.6% of the indigenous speakers)
ÔÇó Hausteco (3,825 speakers ÔÇô 18.9%)
ÔÇó Totonaca (1,735 speakers ÔÇô 8.6%)
Other languages represented in the population were the Mazahua, Otom?¡, Zapotec and Mixtec.
2010 Census
In the 2010 census, Tamaulipas was ranked 27th among the Mexican states and the Federal District for the number of persons 5 years and older who speak indigenous languages. A total of 23,296 residents of the State represented 0.8% of Mexico's indigenous speakers. Only Colima, Zacatecas, Guanajuato, Aguascalientes and Coahuila had smaller percentages of indigenous speakers. In the 2010 census, the three most represented language-speakers in the Tamaulipas population were:
ÔÇó N?íhuatl (10,029 speakers)
ÔÇó Hausteco (4,707 speakers)
ÔÇó Totonaca (2,215 speakers)
Huasteco is the eleventh most spoken language in Mexico ÔÇô with 161,120 Huasteca speakers in all the states 2010, representing 2.41% of Mexico's indigenous speakers five years of age or more.
Ciudad Matamoros has been recognized by the National Population Council (CONAPO) as a major center of attraction for migrants from other Mexican states. Tampico and Matamoros are both the destination for Nahuas from various states, especially Veracruz, Nuevo Le??n and San Luis Potos?¡.
Mexicans Considered Indigenous
The 2010 census also included a question that asked people if they considered themselves indigenous, whether or not an indigenous language was spoken. The results of this question indicated that 15.7 million persons 3 years of age and older identified themselves as "indigenous." By comparison, 6.9 million people in the same age bracket were tallied as indigenous speakers, meaning that approximately 8.8 million Mexicans aged 3 and older did not speak an indigenous language but considered themselves to be of indigenous origin.
In this category, Tamaulipas ÔÇô with 3.9% percent of its people 3 years of age an older considered indigenous ÔÇô is ranked 30th among the Mexican states and Distrito Federal. At the present time, Tamaulipas continues to attract indigenous language speakers from other states, but its overall population of native speakers is relatively small compared to many of its sister states in the Mexican Republic.
Copyright ?® 2014, by John P. Schmal.
Campbell, Thomas N. "Coahuiltecans and Their Neighbors," in Handbook of North American Indians, Vol. 10 (Washington: Smithsonian Institution, 1983).
Campbell, Thomas N. Campbell, "The Indians of Southern Texas and Northeastern Mexico: Selected Writings of Thomas Nolan Campbell" (Austin: Texas Archeological Research Laboratory, 1988).
"COAHUILTECAN INDIANS," Handbook of Texas Online (http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/bmcah), accessed February 04, 2014. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.
Departamento de la Estad?¡stica Nacionalm. "Annuario de 1930" (Tacubaya, D.F., Mexico, 1932).
Flores Montemayor, Eduardo. "Historia, Lenguas y Leyendas de Tamaulipas." (I.T.C.A., Conaculta: Mexico, 2003).
Gerhard, Peter. "The North Frontier of New Spain," (Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, 1982).
Hodge, Frederick Webb (ed). "Handbook of American Indians North of Mexico" (2 vols., Washington: GPO, 1907, 1910; rpt., New York: Pageant, 1959).
Instituto Nacional de Estad?¡stica, Geograf?¡a e Inform?ítica (INEGI). Principales Resultados del Censos de Poblaci??n y Vivienda, 2000 y 2010.
INEGI. Conteos de Poblaci??n y Vivienda, 2005.
Miller, Hubert J. "Jose de Escandon: Colonizer of Nuevo Santander" (Edinburg, Texas: The New Santander Press, 1980).
Prieto, Alejandro. "Historia, Geograf?¡a y Estad?¡stica del Estado de Tamaulipas" (Mexico City: Tip. Escalerillas, 1873; rpt., Mexico City: M. Porr??a, 1975).
Saldivar, Gabriel. "Los Indios de Tamaulipas" (Mexico City: Pan American Institute of Geography and History Publication No. 70, 1943).
Scheffler, Lilian. "Los Ind?¡genas Mexicanos: Ubicaci??n Geografica, Organizaci??n Social y Pol?¡tica, Econom?¡a, Religi??n y Costumbres," (M?®xico, D.F.: Panorama Editorial, 1992).
Swanton, J. R. "Linguistic Material from the Tribes of Southern Texas and Northeastern Mexico" (Washington: Smithsonian Institution, 1940).
Thomas, Cyrus and John R. Swanton, "Indian Languages of Mexico and Central America and Their Geographical Distribution" (Washington: GPO, 1911).
Troike, Rudolph C. "Notes on Coahuiltecan Ethnography," Bulletin of the Texas Archeological Society 32 (1962).
John P. Schmal
John P. Schmal is a market analyst and a genealogist. He lectures on Mexican-American genealogical research and Mexico's indigenous past.
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Introduction to PHP
PHP is the most popular server-side language used to build dynamic websites, and though it is a very extensive language, this class will take it step-by-step.
The stateless web (HTML, CSS and JavaScript) can only do so much without a dynamic language such as PHP to add the ability to interact with the web server.
You will learn how to make your pages dynamic based upon user interaction, interacting with HTML forms and store and retrieve information from local data sources which include a database.
Objectives for this class:
Applicable Job Roles: web designer, web developer, webmaster, web application developers
Week 1: PHP Basics
Week 2: Control Structures and Loops
Week 3: Functions, Objects and Errors
Week 4: Working with Forms
Week 5: More with Forms
Week 6: Storing and Protecting Data
Week 7: MySQL Database Overview


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What do you get when you cross the reigning king of French stadium house and a member of Destiny's Child? Toss in a melody line similar to "Clocks" by Coldplay and an emotionally uplifting lyric - and you've got "When Love Takes Over" - a major buzz record from Winter Music Conference 2009. Premiered live at Ultra Music Festival, Kelly Rowland sang live during David Guetta's set on the main stage. Yes, this is one of the records that everyone was talking about during 2009 as it topped charts around the world.

Deadmau5, who many refer to as the "King of Beatport," seems to pump out tracks the way most people exhale carbon dioxide. With such a vast amount of tracks to choose from, this cheeky female vocal electro track always seems to be on the top of my DJ playlist. The beat is similar to "Let Me Think About It" and the vocals extol the virtue of why the right girl makes the DJ. Could this track be the 2009 feminist update of Katalina's "DJ Girl?" And yes, whenever I play this track I am up there singing along.

Last year, Leduxe did a mashup of Lady Gaga's "Just Dance" and Wolfgang Gartner's "Frenetica" that I dubbed as the best white label of the year. This is almost as brilliant. "Work," Ciara's fourth single from her current album, could be the next "Get Me Bodied" - a song with choreographed dance moves that could break from the club/party scene. Wolfgang Gartner had the sick idea to do an electro mix of Beethoven's "5th Symphony." Both tracks are wonderful on their own - but combined, the result is something truly special. Yes, this bootleg mashup will never get approved or a commercial release but take a listen and enjoy a truly creative mashup.

In Chinese philosophy, Yin and Yang represent complementary opposing forces. As song titles for the team of Wolfgang Gartner and Francis Preve, they represent two energetic electro tracks which build and drop in melodic yet pumping rhythms. Wolfgang, known for his energetic electro tracks, and Francis, who is more on the progressive side, combine forces and show that Texan producers create music that everyone will want to play as well as dance to. With "Yin" hitting #1 on the Beatport Electro House chart, we hope that there are plenty more tracks to come from this talented duo

Dutch superstar producer/dj/"master of hooligan house" Don Diablo teams with Example for just about the sickest track I've heard this year. I admit that ever since I saw Don Diablo spin at Amsterdam Dance Event last year that I've been a fan. I didn't think that you could capture his energy in a video but they've done it. What starts as almost an homage to the snobby club culture parodied in the classic Armand Van Helden/Duane Harden "You Don't Even Know Me" explodes into a manic hyperspeed video reminiscent of Prodigy's "Smack My Bitch Up." If this record doesn't make you move, maybe you should switch over to easy listening. The video is NSFW due to gore, sexual situations and violent content.

Three minutes of bouncing electro madness, that is an easy way to summarize the new jam from the team of Dizzee Rascal and Armand Van Helden. Glitchy noises and techy feedback are just the icing to club smash that is ready for commercial crossover. The video is creatively refreshing - featuring vivid colors, shark heads, blinking eyeballs and fast motion as opposed to the ubiquitous scantily clad females. Dizzee is in rare form with this smart follow up song to "Dance Wiv Me" (best experienced in its Niteryders remix.) It's kind of ironic (though unplanned) that we feature an Armand Van Helden track the day after the Space Cowboy track, as not only were both signed to Southern Fried Record, they were also at a peak during the speed garage days.

With vocals from Pendulum singer Rob Swire, lead single "Ghosts n Stuff" leans on the progressive tip with subtle 80s influences sprinkled in. The video led to a discussion where one said that it is pretty simple - "Man becomes ghost, finds that being a ghost isn't much different than being a man except less fun, finds life at a club." I see the video as the follow up song to the video for deadmau5 & Kaskade "I Rememeber" but from the raver's perspective. The video symbolizes the escapism of club culture that lets one create their own identity. Coming from an artist who leaves the isolation of a studio and performs wearing a bejeweled mouse head, it seems quite appropriate.

A common criticism of tribal house, prevalent in the US club scene, is that after years of bastardization it has regressed into a cliche of pots and pans beats with random divas screaming about dysfunctional relationships.So when an inspirational and uplifting track like "Now" comes along, the standard is definitely set a notch higher. Stepping out of the box by featuring a male vocalist (Papa Joe) and MC (Alan T) and adding a touch of electro to the beats, the production definitely hits the mark.With lyrics like "Go after your dreams" and "From this day forward I live my life," this could be a response to Prop 8 or the right wing demonization of gay culture.Or an "I Will Survive" for all of us living through these horrible economic times.

With bootlegs and mashups in their DNA, it's no surprise that The Young Punx album is an insane combination of electro, rock, 80s grooves, noise, breaks and drum & bass. Their sound is captured perfectly in the track "MASHitUP" which features the vocals of Laura Kidd (known for her underground club anthem "Automatic.") The nearly manic energy of the track and the screech guitar solos are matched only by the psychotic animations in the music video. Combining cartoons and live action, the video features the best use of a cartoon devil head since Devo's "Peek-a-boo."

When you think of Australian pop female singer, it's the sisters that normally come to mind - the Minogues and Imbruglias. Known to the mostly for the 1999 hit "Absolutely Everybody," Vanessa Amorosi is a major pop star down under and seems ready to go global with the hit "This is Who I Am." A pop-rock song about empowerment, fighting against personal struggles, and loving yourself, Vanessa sounds like a cross between Pink and Wynonna Judd, able to harness her powerful voice for an insanely moving and emotional song. Just as Almighty turned out "Absolutely Everybody," the Wideboys blew this out of the park. Watch out for this one to explode and launch her as the next global superstar. Has anyone played this song for Tyra or Oprah yet?

Cascada achieved a top 40 pop hit with their/her third cd (pronoun usage is dependent on whether you see Cascada as a group or just the singer Natalie Horler.) Known for their uptempo Europop singles clocking in at over 140 BPM like "Everytime We Touch" and "What Hurts the Most," Cascada has gone a completely different route with "Evacuate the Dancefloor." With a Lady Gaga-like production style and a guest rap from German rapper Carlprit, the song is instantly catchy and will no doubt be embraced by lovers of commercial dance music. Remixes by the Wideboys, Cahill, Rob Mayth, Frisco and Ultrabeat set the tone for just about every commercial dancefloor.

Awkward pop? In this post-Gaga world, electro dance pop female artists are really going to have to bring something unique to the table in order to get recognized. Partying with Lolene in Atlantic City, this British lass definitely has something going. This amazonian supermodel counterbalances her sexy looks with an eccentric sense of style, spitfire delivery of witticisms and physical sight gags. Awkward pop is how she describes her sound and it makes sense. Quick edits abound as it sounds like RedOne and Timbaland coproduced a track by the offspring of Gwen Stefani and Robyn. She sings, she raps, she talks sexy and most of all she is interesting.

When we first heard "Quicksand" by La Roux, we referred to them as an electropop duo. With the release of "Bulletproof," I think it's more fair to call them a synthpop duo as it sounds like a modern day Human League/Vince Clark/Flock of Seagulls track. No matter what you call them, they've created one of the most brilliant pop records of the year which debuted at #1 on the UK pop chart. The video is incredibly eye catching - almost like a modern day Swatch commercial art that was directed by Piet Mondrian. For the US, label Cherrytree has wisely enlisted Dave Aude and Morgan Page for some incredibly strong club remixes.

How do you follow up an international smash like "Let Me Think About It?" This autobiographical downtempo jam is one good way to do it. Trading in the overt sexual tones of the first video for a more mature and sophisticated Bond-like theme, we can totally see the artistic differences between the Brits and the Germans. If there was ever a record made for the DJ to tell a story with, this is one (and the Wideboys did an insane remix). Ida is not a one-hit wonder as listeners to her cd One can attest.

In the tradition of Uncanny Alliance, Fernando, and Alan T, here comes the 2009 version of the "fierce bitch" track. Produced by Ricardo Johnson (aka Ricky Blaze who is featured on the Major Lazer track "Keep It Goin' Louder,") Miss Chelley works her rap not caring about those who hate on her. She's got all ears on her as "I Took the Night" broke on West Coast and spread across the US.

"Disrespectful" was originally released in 2007 with a nice set of club remixes. The duet of Chaka Khan and Mary J Blige was a diva lover's dream come true. The song seems to resurface from time to time and is often heard in sets from underground house DJs. Early this year, this phenomenal Riffs & Rays mix popped up from the UK and brought new life to the song. A club hit.. all over again.

Andreas Kleerup is probably best known for his magical collaboration with Robyn "With Every Heartbeat." The international hit is a meloncholic masterpiece with warm, emotional synths and a driving groove that is both subtle and powerful at the same time. On "Longing for Lullabies," Titiyo's angelic voice floats over the melodic keyboards to capture emotions not normally explored in electronic dance music. If you are looking for the perfect song to play at a somber event, this track will definitely bring about a good cry. Major kudos to the UK label for filming a fitting video with the angelic storyline rather than resorting to the standard scantily clad female theme that permeates most electronic music videos.

The classic rave anthem from 1990, "Infinity" by Guru Josh, received new life nearly 20 years later thanks to an electro mix by Klaas. Though initially released in 2008, the remix made its way to the US and conquered dance radio. The new lyrics were correct - "relax, take your time" because a freak like me really does need infinity.

Cheryl Cole rose to fame as a member of Girls Aloud (a girlpop band assembled by the British reality show Popstars) which has achieved twenty top ten UK singles. Stepping to the forefront, she joined Simon Cowell and Dannii Minogue as a judge on X-Factor (another British reality show.) "Fight For This Love" is Cheryl's debut solo single and she's done quite well. With an insanely catchy chorus, the r&b/pop/dance production is different that the typical Girls Aloud sound which allows her to differentiate her style. Remixes by Moto Blanco, Crazy Cousins and Phunkstar are quite strong across the board but the Cahill remix stands out as a highlight of the year.

What happens when a successful production team decides to work on music for themselves? Bloodshy & Avant, known for writing and producing hits with Britney Spears, Kylie Minogue, Christina Milan and Madonna, teamed up with singer/songwriter Andrew Wyatt to form Miike Snow. With "Animal," the Swedish trio have constructed a near perfect indie dancepop song with the hooky refrain "I change shapes just to hide in this place but I'm still an animal." The singalong feel is reminiscent of "Yellow Submarine" with a modern vintage production style. For the clubs, Treasure Fingers toughen the track up but keep the melodies intact. Additional remixes are available from Crookers, Punks Jump Up, Fake Blood and Peter Bjorn & John.

A cover of the theme from Grease may sound cheesy and trite but in the hands of Diego Abaribi and Sushy, it comes across as electro and fun. Of course, we will support any record that throws in a 2 step garage break out of nowhere. You might remember Sushy from her big hit with BenDJ last year "Me and Myself."

I first heard of Empire of the Sun early in the year when a local bloghouse DJ started playing the heck out of their music - leading to many requests. The Australian duo contains members of indie/buzz-bands Pnau and Sleepy Jackson and could easily fit with other Australian bands signed to Modular (Presets/Cut Copy) yet they also have a sound similar to MGMT. In fewer words, dreamy and ethereal electronic pop rock. "Walking On A Dream," the first single did quite well around the world with remixes by Van She and Kaskade. Followup single "We Are the People" featured strong remixes by Lee Dagger and Sam La More.

As one of the defining records of WMC 2009 and hitting #1 on the Beatport charts, "Leave the World Behind" is a massive club smash that will have legs well into the summer. This gives Canadian chanteuse Deborah Cox two massive club records at the same (with the other one being "Beautiful U R" which is flying up the Billboard Club Charts as well.) We are hoping to hear a full vocal version as this track uses just a single verse from the song cowritten by one of our favorite singer/songwriters Dee Robert. One thing to note, we can't help but notice a striking similarity between this track and Julien Jabre's "Swimming Places" which Ingrosso did a remix of as well. Then again a lot of the best dance tracks have been inspired by others.

Enough of this featuring crap, the "starring" title seems much more appropriate for club siren Luciana. As featured vocalist for Bodyrox, "Yeah Yeah" and "Planet" topped club charts and led to her cheekily titled debut cd Featuring Luciana. Further tracks with Mark Knight, Super Mal and Martijn ten Velden, have cemented Luciana's spot as an electro vixen who can deliver hot vocals with a great track. Turning her attention stateside, she has teamed up with Richard Vission & Static Revenger for "I Like That." The track seemlessly blends electro, glitch, rock and hiphop elements with an 80s feel that is both nostalgic and futuristic. Yes, Luciana, we will beat your drum as we bang your track in the club.

This edgy dancepop jam with electro and rock influences was just about the catchiest confection this year. If Kaci looks familiar, it is because you might remember her trio of UK popdance hits ("Paradise," "Tu Amor" and "I Think I Love You") back in 2001 when she was just 14 years old. Well, Kaci has grown up and cowrote this song. On first listen, you might hear a similarity between "Crazy Possessive" and "Womanizer" but upon researching its genesis, Kaci cowrote this song before "Womanizer" was released. "Crazy Possessive" hit number one on the Billboard Club Chart and did well on dance radio. Watch for it do well in the UK when it released there in 2010.

Who knew that Estonia was such a hot breeding ground for eurodance pop? Coming from the country that spawned N-Euro and Kerli, pop tart Hannah, best known in the US for her single "Blinded," previews her seventh album with this delicious confection "Keeping Score." Similar to the recent Gathania gem "Blame It On You," it sounds like it could have come from the legendary Stock Aitken Waterman Hit Factory - and that's a good thing. A catchy pop song with subtle hooks in the original version, "Keeping Score" is pumped for the clubs with solid remixes by Bimbo Jones, The Sharp Boys, Digital Dog and Riffs & Rays. It's definitely a sign of a good source material that all four remixes are quite good.

Vermont isn't exactly a breeding ground for electronic muscians, but WRUV's favorite son Morgan Page has definitely done them proud. A Grammy Nomination and two IDMA nominations made were his well deserved rewards in 2008 for album Elevate. For those aching for new music from Morgan, check out "Fight For You" which continues the path of "The Longest Road." With a progressive sound bordering both on somber and anthemic, the uncredited vocalist even sounds like Lissie who sang on "The Longest Road." Remixes by DJ Dan, Bass Kleph, Sultan & Ned Shephard, and Beltek take the track in a multitude of directions. Set for release in February 2010, Believe will feature vocals from Dave Dresden, Samantha James and Angela McCluskey (Telepopmusik.)

Leonid Rudenko follows up his dancepop smash "Summerfish" with this Middle-Eastern flavored electro track. You get the sense there is something much more going on here. Enlisting Bond girl Charleene Rena for vocal duties is definitely one step in upping the profile of the record. Fronting the bevy of busty beauties in the bondage fantasy video, Charleene is no stranger to risque MOS music videos - she is one of the strip poker girls in the United Nations "Out of Touch" clip. With remixes by Morjac and the next big superstar DJ Don Diablo, "Everybody" was a massive club smash.

Portuguese gangster rap? Yes, this track is quite controversial, having been banned in Brazil for its lyrics glorifying weapons and fighting against the police (as well as rival drug factions.) With a latin/house beat similar to the Nicola Fasano vs Pat-Rich "75, Brazil Street" that Pitbull used for "Calle Ocho," it's easy to see why this track continues to pop up around the world. We first heard of this track last year from Brazilian DJs who said it was massive. "Rap Das Armas" hit number one in the Netherlands and is making waves in Australia as well. While we might not endorse the message of the lyrics, the beat is undeniable and has quickly become a floor-filler for me in my club sets.

Tiesto definitely is stepping out of the trance/progressive world and embracing a harder electro edged sound. Teaming up with the Aussie electroclashers Sneaky Sound System, Tiesto has managed to put his signature emotional chords and choruses on what in someone else's hands might be a standard harsh tech track. Taking the underground and making it accessible to big rooms (as well as hopefully commercial radio) seems to be Tiesto's goal. With remixes by Benny Benassi, Wolfgang Gartner and Laidback Luke, there is something for everyone here.

While the Swedes have been enjoying the Europop sounds of September since 2003, most of us were introduced to them with the song "Satellites" in 2005. It was, however, the re-release of "Cry For You" with the Dave Ramone remix in 2007 that brought them their biggest success reaching top 5 in the UK and top 30 in the US (Billboard Pop). Dave Ramone was wisely re-enlisted for "Until I Die" because it's not an instant record. It takes a few listens to and realize that it is one of the most intelligently written dance songs of the year. Though some might question the Capella-styled production style, it adds to the subtle brilliance. "Until I Die" is a bit darker than you would expect from Europop but that is what makes it all the more special.

Sweden is known for spawning some of the best dance pop music. In that category is pop tart Gathania - fresh from a finalist spot on the Swedish Pop Idol she is set to release her sugary sweet debut single "Blame It On You" on Hard2Beat/MOS. Pop can be a wonderful thing and a good hands in the air girl twirl is a refreshing change from the credible underground electronica that normally gets all the press. If Stock, Aiken and Waterman teamed up with Motiv8 to reboot the Hit Factory, "Blame It On You" could easily be the first release off of the assembly line. Remixes by Bimbo Jones, Wideboys, DeGrees and Sidechains make the song club friendly for the various electro, jumpup and nudisco crowds.

A fun song for a good cause, the UK pop tarts The Saturdays covered the Depeche Mode classic as a benefit for Comic Relief. The campy tarts don pin-up looks for a video that is as colorful and bouncy as the energetic Wideboys remix.

Chicago-based dj/producer Dani Deahl knocked it out of the park with this fidgety/electro house jam. It's rare that you see the term fidget and not have it followed by Switch or Sinden but that gives you an idea of the sound of this prime time club ready tune. The rap is provided by Whiskey Pete and it's quite cool to see a record credited to "female producer featuring male singer" vs the opposite which seems to be the standard. You might already Dani from her writing in Urb, BPM and BigShot. Making the jump from journalism to producing has been the career path for other electronic producers - Dave Dresden, Francis Preve, and Joe Bermudez come to mind - not bad company to be in.

Fedde Le Grand is one of those rare few who can straddle both the commercial and underground worlds. "Put Your Hands Up For Detroit" and his remixes of Ida Corr's "Let Me Think About It" and Camille Jones' "The Creeps" were massive. Underground electroheads buzzed about "Amplifier" and "Get This Feeling." "Scared of Me" launches him back squarely into the pop world with pumping beats, a catchy chorus and a cheeky video. Mitch Crown provides the vocals sounding like a soulful Justin Timberlake (if you dig his voice, check out the tracks he did with Lucien Foort and René Amesz.) The video is a frantic takeoff of a Japanese gameshow with a melange of musclemen, breasty women, astronauts, Frankensteins and hot dog eaters competing.

Nashville is a songwriter's town and country music is definitely based on great songs. So it's no surprise when a country song finds its way onto pop radio or remixed for dancefloors. Artists like Leann Rimes, Shania Twain and Wynonna Judd often get remixed for club consumption with great results. Martina McBride steps onto the dancefloor with this uplifting inspirational song remixed by Nashville's own Lenny Bertoldo (aka Lenny B.) Lenny's take straddles that line between pop and club perfectly - upping the BPM and adding a touch of electro while keeping the integrity of song in place. This is what happens when a real producer does a remix as opposed to a DJ who throws an acappella over beats.

"Heartbreak Make Me A Dancer" is like a Reese's peanut butter cup - two great tastes that taste great together. The results of pairing up the classy disco house production of the Freemasons with the deliciously dramatic pop vocals of Sophie Ellis Bextor is nearly perfection. Calling to the DJ to "give me the answer," the song is about the joy of dancing as a release after the loss of love. What a great message for us all in going through tough times? Stay away from the negative activities that you might resort to when things are looking down and instead get to your local club and dance your heart out. How 2009!

Proving that you don't need a big budget for an incredible video, this DIY (do it yourself) video combines cardboard, glue, and imagination for the first truly visionary clip of 2009. It certainly helps that the track is kind of amazing itself, a bleepy electro number that wears it pop influences on its sleeve. Is that an 80s sample in there? That wouldn't be a big surprise as Rex the Dog is the current pseudonym for JX who had a massive club/pop smash in the 90s with the sample-based "Son of a Gun." Since we jammed on his remix of Robyn's "Who's That Girl" last year, we anxiously await the release of the single "Bubblicious" coming February 23rd.

Wow, there hasn't been a mash-up this massive since "Toca's Miracle!" Combine the chorus of Beastie Boys' "Intergalactic" with the music from Crystal Waters' "Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless)" and Snap's "The Power," then toss in a "little bit of this and a little bit of that" with a rap down memory lane by underground MC Bad Lay-dee and you got the recipe for this insanely catchy composition. The quality of this track is not a surprise considering Timmy's past work with Soul Central ("Strings of Life (Stronger On My Own)") and Barbara Tucker ("Dutty Funk.")

This maybe the best for last, but after "Just Dance," "Pokerface," "Love Game," "Eh Eh," "Paparazzi," "Bad Romance," and "Telephone," I may be a little bit burned out. Yes, I love Gaga but she is in danger of becoming as overexposed in club music as Beyonce.


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How do you change a baby's sleeping pattern?
I have a one week old and he sleeps like a champ during the day! and is up all night long :( how can I change this?
Started by Justina on 01/11/2010 in Welcome To Circle Of Moms!!
Last update on 10/01/2013 by Jaime


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Twenty-seven New York City hospitals will soon lock up the baby formula in their maternity wards - the latest move to limit access to the free formula that breastfeeding advocates warn discourages new moms from nursing the natural way. According to a new Time magazine report, plenty of hospitals across the U.S. have voluntarily banned this freebie. This summer state leaders of the American Academy of Pediatrics endorsed a measure urging doctors to stop passing formula, coupons and related swag along to their patients.
The goal: Encourage breastfeeding. But is free formula really the problem? Is it wise to send new moms home without a back-up source of food for their newborns - especially since there's often too little smart support and skilled lactation advice available for women trying to nurse for the first time?
I am a huge proponent of breastfeeding and nursed my own daughter well past the age of one. I did not breast-feed 100 percent exclusively. I think I managed about 97 percent breast-milk, 3 percent formula. I know, because I agonized over everything that could get in the way. I worried about pacifiers after reading they could interfere with a baby's desire to nurse (they were never a problem), was tense about the couple of times a week my daughter was fed pumped milk from a bottle while I was at work (also never a problem), and concerned about the rare occasions when my milk hurt her tummy (she had a dairy-protein sensitivity that meant I had to avoid milk, cheese and butter) and I had to feed her a bottle of formula instead.
But I never agonized more than on our first night home from the hospital when some mysterious glitch meant nursing just wasn't working. Despite hours of trying very hard and getting the mechanics right, we had a very hungry baby on our hands at 4 a.m.
We were saved by our third call to the nurses' hotline and wise advice to break out the free formula. I felt like I had completely failed - but the nurse was right. My baby was hungry, somehow nursing wasn't satisfying her at that point and she needed food. "You know that free formula they sent you in the mail?" the nurse asked. "If you have it, use it." I did. Our lactation consultant agreed when I called her the next day. "When the baby's hungry, you feed her," she said. "That's the most important thing." And of course, we were told to show up in the pediatrician's office first thing in the morning to make sure our newborn was OK. She was.
A couple of bottles of formula that night did not interfere with successful breastfeeding and actually had an unintended benefit: Our baby had no problem accepting breast milk from a bottle when needed.
Perhaps banning free formula will create a demand for better nursing support and instruction. Apparently it can help - New York's NYU Langone Medical Center, which has already restricted access to formula, has seen its breast-feeding rate increase from 39 percent to 68 percent. But it takes more than a formula ban to help women get started and stick with it.
Breastfeeding is not intuitive. It's an art a mom and her baby have to practice to get right. It takes commitment and lots of help. Getting it right also means understanding the gray areas - sometimes, a hungry baby just has to eat.
What do you think? Should free formula be banned?


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The 18-hole tournament will feature a scramble format where men and women amateur golfers of all skill levels compete in teams. Members of the winning foursome will receive great prizes including an invitation to compete against other tournament winners from around the country for the Liberty Mutual Invitational National Finals at Pinehurst Resort in Pinehurst, NC, March 7-11, 2012.
"The support the Hallmark Health Bone & Joint Program receives from the community, volunteers, golfers and sponsors has been fantastic," said Dennis Cataldo, chairman of the golf tournament. "The tournament committee made up of volunteers from Hallmark Health and the community has gone out of their way to make the tournament a success."
"We are delighted to sponsor the Liberty Mutual Invitational on behalf of Melrose-Wakefield Hospital," said Matt Munroe, regional vice president of benefit sales for Liberty Mutual Insurance. "Local amateur golfers are excited at the chance to play on the prestigious Kernwood Country Club while at the same time supporting the worthy activities of the Hallmark Health Bone & Joint Program."
Liberty Mutual projects that the more than 7 tournaments of the 2011 Liberty Mutual Invitational charity golf tour will raise in excess of $5 million to support national and local charities.
If you are interested in playing in or sponsoring the tournament, please call 781-979-6100.
For more information about Hallmark Health, visit www.hallmarkhealth.org or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/hallmarkhealth.
Hallmark Health System is the premier, charitable provider of vital health services to Boston's northern communities. The system includes Lawrence Memorial Hospital of Medford; Melrose Wakefield Hospital, Melrose; Hallmark Health Cancer Center, Stoneham; The CHEM Center for MRI, Stoneham; Hallmark Health Medical Center, Reading; Hallmark Health VNA and Hospice; Lawrence Memorial/Regis College Nursing and Radiography Programs, Medford and Hallmark Health Medical Associates, Inc. Hallmark Health is affiliated with Massachusetts General Hospital for cardiology and Tufts Medical Center for neonatology.