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Q: How do you see the relationship of this court to a possible permanent
international court?
Justice Arbour: At the rate at which it's going, I think this court's going
to be a considerably better court. I'm very concerned about the direction that
the discussions are going. I think now we've reached the point where I would
say that the chances of an permanent international criminal court being created
are very high. I think there's a real momentum, there's a real sense that it's
now or never. We've tried so many times before, this is as close as it ever
got, and so on.
So there's a sentiment that it's just around the corner. Come June, in
Rome it's going to happen. Now, as part of this momentum, I think,
unfortunately is a will to compromise. It's a great dream and it's so much
around the corner that anybody who's too greedy and too ambitious is put to the
side for the sake of bringing a consensus and bringing into the fold the ones
who are viewed as indispensable partners in the enterprise and who are looking
for a very low threshold. So, at this point I find it extremely troubling,
we'll get a court and I'm not sure it's going to be worth much if we water it
....If we could duplicate this tribunal and the tribunal for Rwanda and
create that as a permanent institution with universal jurisdiction, I would
have thought that we have truly realized the dream of Nuremberg, and we are the
true heirs of the Nuremberg concept. There's no sign at this point, that the
dream of this magnitude is about to be realized. This question of
complementarity with national courts... The way we work now national courts are
our partners, we count on them, we rely on them, but we have primacy over them.
We can seize ourselves any case within our jurisdiction in the former
Yugoslavia or in Rwanda. So we then control our own agenda.
What is being contemplated in the permanent court is exactly the opposite.
That the tribunal would be complementary to domestic jurisdiction, so as long
as someone, somewhere is prepared to take the case, the international court is
out. Well, I think that this in itself ... is extremely problematic and one
that is perceived as virtually non-negotiable.
Q: By whom? By which governments?
Justice Arbour: By many governments except, frankly I have to say at this
point, I don't follow enough of their progress to tell. There's been a prep-com
that finished just last week... I don't know where everybody is lining up on
that. Then there's the question of the trigger mechanism.
Who's going to decide where and what to investigate? Will it be by
mandate of the Security Council? That's one model. Will it be by so-called
states concerned asking the prosecutor to come and intervene? Or could it be by
as it should, an independent decision of the prosecutor to go and launch an
investigation? Well, that independent ex-officio prosecutor launching an
investigation at this point, is the least-favored option. It's promoted only by
progressive states who have a clear vision about how this kind of court should
So what you have in the alternative is the launching of investigations
that is likely to always be perceived as being tainted by political objectives.
You can't have a court that's going to be perceived either in reality or in
perception, that will give the appearance of being in the puppet of some
political interests. I think that's such a fatal flaw. You can't have a
criminal court that would survive, that would have any kind of legitimacy if it
was tainted by this kind of perception. So that this trigger mechanism,
triggering the jurisdiction of the court is also an absolutely critical feature
that is still long way from being firmed up.
Q: So effectively you think that the permanent court, as is being
envisaged at the moment, those nations on the Security Council for example,
would never have any reason to fear the jurisdiction of the court because they
can more or less take it or leave it at their own discretion?
Justice Arbour: Well that's right. If you look at the Security Council
trigger mechanism, it's pretty clear that certainly under one model, if it took
an actual referral by the Security Council for the prosecutor to be empowered
to act, any of the five permanent members could veto any investigation. Now,
there've been reversed formulas that have been proposed and are considerably
more attractive, such as the proposal that the prosecutor should always be able
to go ahead unless the Security Council ordered the prosecutor to stop. In
which case, one veto could defeat the order to stop, so you would need only one
of the five permanent members of the security council endorsing the decision of
the prosecutor to go forward to permit it to go. That's called the Singapore
Formula. It was a formula that was promoted by Singapore, which is attracting a
tremendous amount of support.
So, you know, there's a lot of room for negotiations. The worst possible
model is the state consensus model. I'd prefer I think, a trigger by the
Security Council, certainly under their Singapore formula, which is a pretty
generous model rather than the model where you could only launch a prosecution
if you had the combined consensus of the state where the offense was committed,
the state where the accused is, the state where the victims are. Under that
model I cannot think of a single conflict, since the Second World War where you
could realiztically imagine that you would have had a criminal
Q: You were talking abou how a system couldn't survive the idea of being
politically tainted or appearing to be politically tainted. That really is what
many in the Republic of Srpska and many in Serbia for example, feel about the
Yugoslav Tribunal. For them, it would be impossible for Karadzic to come here
and have a fair trial. What kind of assurance can be given to such
Justice Arbour: Well, you see, the difference between the fears I have for
a permanent court and the situation you've described, is that the situation
you're describing is just plainly wrong. People who say that Karadzic cannot
get a fair trial are wrong and they are perceived as wrong by virtually
everybody else but themselves. And they're wrong in part because their
assessment of the fairness of the court is motivated by their own political
agenda, and also, in part I believe because they're terribly mis-informed.
A lot of that sentiment, which is starting to yield I think, to the
reality as Republic of Srpska and a Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is opening
up, I think to being more receptive to again a free media, more information and
so on. I mean there are always criminals who say that the judge was biased and
the court was biased and they didn't get a fair trial, you know, prisons are
full of people who still have that sentiment, although interestingly enough,
it's not unanimous.
There are lots of people in prisons all over the world who will concede
that you know, they made a mistake, they got caught and they got a perfectly
fair trial and they can live with the consequences. What matters is not that to
a person, including the criminal, they all embrace the court, is that they be a
generally accepted kind of majority consensus that the court is a fair and
decent institution.... There's always going to be somebody to raise the bar,
you're never going to do enough to satisfy your target that he or she should be
tried. The important thing is where's the consensus? And I think if you work in
a transparent, credible, fair fashion you will generate a consensus.
So when I say I'm afraid about the permanent court being perceived as
being politically driven, I mean where most people who would agree that that's
either the case or that there's a reasonable apprehension of political bias.
And I'm not talking just about the people who would be targeted, I'm talking
about people like you and me who'd be sitting around looking at how this court
is operating and would shrug their shoulder in disbelief. That's what I think
very troublesome. And I don't think there is that sentiment about these
tribunals, I think most people, looking at the way we operate, would say that's
a perfectly decent and acceptable criminal justice system.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Friday at the Oregon Brewers Festival I tried 10 more beers (after essentially 19 the day before), and Saturday I had five (though two were repeats). All in all I managed to sample all but three beers from my own "must try" list, which is pretty good.
Here are my notes from the beers that I had those last two days:
Berried Alive!, Old Market Pub & Brewery, 5.5%abv; brewed with some 446 pounds of Oregon boysenberries and raspberries, and aged in Pinot Noir barrels. Smells like berry jam (yummy), and is a red-purple bruise color. The flavor is tart and fruity, but of underripe fruit (because the sugars all fermented out, leaving no residual sweetness). A bit of wood character with a tart wine-like finish.
Pepe Nero, Goose Island, 6%abv; Farmhouse ale with Tellicherry peppercorns. You can smell the peppercorns prominently here, spicy-peppery and fresh. There's black pepper on the tongue too, with some smoke, roasted malt, and smoke (ash?) again—really interesting. Darker than I'd expect for a Farmhouse style, but I'm really liking it. [This was one of the beers I had again on Saturday, a full mug of it.]
Zombie Flanders, Rock Bottom, 6.6%abv; Flanders Red Ale. Tart and funk on the nose, quite nice (cherries?). Flavor is good too—a little less fruit but still tart (lactic, Brett) with a nice funk/barnyard character. Straightforward example of the style, nicely handled.
Belgian Ale with Marmalade, Bison Brewing, Buzz Tent. I tried this mostly because Ashley (The Beer Wench) tweeted about it and that the head brewer of Bison would be in the Buzz Tent at 2pm to talk about it. Light nose, a touch herbal with some phenolic spiciness. Dry on the mouth, well-attenuated, get a sense of orange marmalade in the back. Light and refreshing for a hot day. (Don't know the ABV though.)
Anubis Imperial Coffee Porter, Laughing Dog, 9.2%abv; Imperial + with coffee. Really rich and sweet coffee aroma, almost syrupy, with dark chocolate. In the mouth it's lighter than you'd expect, though keeping in line with the Porter style (even as strong as it is). Sweet notes but it gets dry toward the back—almost astringent. Coffee character is there in the background as it warms.
Ginger & Meyer Ann, Blue Frog, 6%abv; Belgian style ale with ginger and Meyer lemon peel. Opted for a full pour on this one before venturing to the north tent. Hints of citrus on the nose, and a clove-spicy Belgian character as well. Getting some ginger in the palate, not bad—but not terribly strong either. Citrus/lemon peel is minimal, more of a "Belgian gold" quality instead.
Crazy Foyston's Alt, Lucky Lab, 6%abv. Super hoppy aromas, full of pine, a bit of pitch, and citrus. It's similarly hoppy in flavor—sticky actually, very bitter though fairly clean with it. Actually nicely done, hoppy like I'd imagine a good Alt should be…
Mint Kölsch, Gilgamesh, 5.3%abv; mint instead of hops in this beer. Nose is full of green mint, and some fruity/tart character I can't place… maybe a flaw, I'm not sure. Flavor is… interesting. There's definitely mint, but without hops there's no balance against the malt and I think there's a flaw in here somewhere… lactic, maybe, or just fermented way too hot… kind of a sourish thing followed by a milky(?) character…
Foggy Bog Cranberry Ale, Widmer, 6%abv; wheat beer with cranberries and milk sugar. Musty, earthy nose—which strikes me as very "cranberry" but it's not very fruity. Nice body, tartly fruity in flavor but it's subtle and drinkable, not overdone.
Siamese Twin Ale, Uncommon Brewers, 8.5%abv; Belgian Dubbel with coriander, lemongrass, and kaffir lime. Darker than I thought it would be (even for a Dubble) with the lemongrass and kaffir lime in it. Not a lot of nose, spicy-subtle character in the mouth, no real "lemongrass" that I can detect.
The remaining beers I had on Saturday, and really didn't take notes as it was my "off" day, visiting with friends.
Cote d'Or, Golden Valley, 7%abv; Belgian golden ale aged on neutral Chard barrels. Nicely Belgian, spicy and phenolic, and has a touch of wood to it.
Alaskan White Ale, Alaskan, 5.3%abv. This is a pretty classic and well-brewed Belgian Witbier style of ale.
Black & Red, Dogfish, 10%abv; a "Raspberry Mint Imperial Stout" brewed with 100 pounds of spearmint and peppermint in the secondary. This was a "love it or hate it" beer but there's no denying it was popular: the line for it even fairly early on extended all the way out to the other side of the tent. It was also a beer I had at the Preview two days earlier but it was so interesting I had to try it again, so I opted for a full pour since the line was so long. It's rich, decadent, different, full of dark chocolate and raspberry and that big kick of mint which was putting the "hate it" camp off. Definitely a dessert beer, almost a cordial, and definitely interesting. And judging my how much I'm writing about it, definitely notable.
Bison Honey Basil Ale, Bison, 6%abv; light ale brewed with honey and fresh basil. I've had this beer before but decided to go with it again. I like this beer, it's spicy and refreshing and one of my friends said it tasted kind of like a pizza, then amended to say it would taste good with pizza.
Pepe Nero. For my last beer of the OBF I settled on a full pour of the Pepe Nero from Goose Island again. It's an intriguing beer, and nicely drinkable, and I had to get that peppercorn quality again.


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Eight Indian crew held by pirates rescued by Somalia's militarySomalia's security forces have freed eight Indian crew members who had been held hostage by pirates.
Somalia's security forces have freed eight Indian crew members who had been held hostage by pirates, an official said Wednesday.
The sailors of a ship hijacked last week were rescued after regional forces surrounded their pirate captors in a small village outside Hobyo town, Abdullahi Ahmed Ali, the town's mayor, told The Associated Press.
All the Indian crew members have now been rescued as two had been freed in the ship on Sunday, the mayor said. Ten crew members were taken captive, not 11 as initially announced by officials, he said.
Four pirates were arrested during the operation, he said.
Pirates made the captive crew members walk long distances in the bush for days to avoid troops that were chasing them.
"They are exhausted and hungry because of that long ordeal," the mayor said.
"The eight hostages were freed without fighting. The security forces overwhelmingly besieged them and the pirates tried to flee, but three of them were captured," Abdirashid Mohamed Ahmed, deputy commander of the maritime force in Somalia's Galmudug state said.
The "Al Kausar" ship was stormed by the pirates off the Indian Ocean coast near Yemen on March 31. They held the 10-man crew hostage and made ransom demands.
The ship was transporting cargo including wheat and sugar from Dubai via Yemen to Somalia's Bossaso port.
The vessel was freed by the Somali security forces on Monday. While the two Indian crew members were rescued in the operation, the pirates were able to escape with the rest of the hostages during an exchange of gunfire.
In recent weeks there has been a resurgence of piracy off Somalia's coast after five years of inactivity. The piracy was once a serious threat to the global shipping industry but lessened in recent years after an international effort to patrol near Somalia, whose weak central government has been trying to stabilize the country after 25 years of conflict.
But frustrations have been rising among Somali fishermen, including former pirates, at what they say are foreign ships illegally fishing in local waters.
In March, Somali pirates hijacked the Comoros-flagged oil tanker Aris 13, marking the first such seizure of a large commercial vessel since 2012. They later released the vessel and its Sri Lankan crew without conditions, Somali officials said at the time.
Pirates in late March also seized a fishing trawler, which police warned could be used for further piracy. On Saturday, pirates boarded the Lebanese-registered OS 35 cargo ship but abandoned it the next day before naval forces recovered the ship.


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ST. JOSEPH, Missouri - A St. Joseph woman was struck and killed by a train near
Riverfront Park shortly before midnight on Tuesday night.
Sherry L. Kotche, 38, was identified as the deceased by St.
Joseph police shortly before 10 a.m. on Wednesday.
Capt. Kevin Castle said that police officials feel like they
have a good idea as to the woman's whereabouts immediately prior to
the incident and "the preliminary investigation leads us to believe
it was in no way criminal in nature."
When asked about the possibility of it being an accident, Mr.
Castle said police are still looking into that possibility.
"Some of the trains have video so we're trying to look into
which train it was and if that (footage) would be available or
not," he said.
Mr. Castle said if there is video of the incident that could
clear up any remaining questions investigators have.


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NORFOLK, Va. (AP) Rob Johnson and Jamel Fuentes scored 18 points apiece to bring Norfolk State back from a nine-point second-half deficit and beat St. Francis (N.Y.) 85-79 on Thursday night.
Brandon Goode had 13 points, Kris Brown 12 and Malcolm Hawkins 10 for Norfolk State (3-5), the defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion, in its home opener.
Jalen Cannon had 16 points and nine rebounds, Akeem Johnson scored 15 and Ben Mockford 13 for St. Francis (2-3).
St. Francis led 54-45 on Cannon's layup 5:45 into the second half, but Norfolk State closed to 66-63 on Johnson's 3-pointer with 8:15 remaining.
The Spartans took a 67-66 lead on Johnson's two free throws. They pushed it to 73-70 on Fuentes' layup at 4:29 and 78-70 on Malcolm Hawkins's three-point play at 2:52. Brent Jones' 3-pointer pulled the Terriers to 83-79 with 23 seconds left, but they came no closer.


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text:
Do you know where Zercher Squats came from? Prison... Supposedly the Zercher squat came about because there are weights, but no racks, in the joint. They needed a way to squat and figured out that they could pick up a lot of weight off the ground in the crooks of the elbow. Zercher Squat. Ed Zercher came up with this squat variety many years ago. In 1966 or 1967, I read about a prisoner by the name of Robert Barnett, who had just pulled a 675 deadlift at 165 BWT. He related that the Zercher squat was responsible for his success. He reported that his best was 395 x 5 reps done off the floor.- Louie Simmons I don't know if that's the truth, but it's a hell of a … [Read more...]
Why I Love Zerchers and You Should 2
May 10, 2016 by Leave a Comment


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About 2 weeks ago, I put in my notice at Internet Broadcasting, setting out for things bigger and better. In the meantime I've been reviewing projects, contacting vendors, and updating documentation. While I've been doing that other administrators are secretly fighting to claim the coveted title of Storage Guru. Whatever the final outcome is, part of my closing duties are the make the transition easier.
Out of a grueling 6 hour meeting session, the final meeting I had was what I considered the final brain dump. In this meeting I reported on any detail that never merited significant documentation, but might still be important. Some of those facts are listed below.
- A Netapp filer with a FC loop containing original ESH modules cannot be upgraded to DataOnTap 7.3.2. It's easier in the long run to upgrade everything to ESH4.
- Here's how you run perfstat.sh.
- LUNs are quiesced by the host OS through SnapDrive. SnapDrive also controls snapshot creation, and the initiation of snapmirror transfers.
- With the current version of DoT in production, our aggregate limit size is 16 terabytes. If you add a shelf of 1tb disks to a SATA loop and existing aggregate, not all of the disks can be used to extend that aggregate.
- Software upgrades need to start with snapmirror destination filers, before the source filers are upgraded.
- Disk firmware can be manually updated, and firmware images are available to download, but don't bother doing it unless directed to by Netapp support.
- vol clone split takes forever.
- Most of our open source tools don't measure filesystem usage properly because they don't merge the high and low 32 bit counters.
- You can measure per-host NFS traffic, but there's no easy way to tell if a specific filesystem that's mounted is actually being used.
- If you're swapping a filer head, edit the /etc/rc file beforehand to accommodate the eventual changes to the network interface ports.
- You know that little toggle switch on the back of a shelf that displays a number, flanked by two recessed buttons? Never press those buttons. Don't play with that 1gb/2gb switch either.
- For the best hardware prices from Netapp, always purchase something within the last month of their fiscal year.
What I'm doing is compressing ten years of expertise and experience into a one hour meeting. It's not pretty, and I'm not even 100% sure it would be effective. Some information will transfer, but there's a chance a some of it will be forgotten. The downside is most of this information was originally learned through experience, observation, and repetition, and not necessarily from product manuals.
And that leads to the question a lot of hiring managers have in the back of their head. Do I hire the guy with ten years experience, or do I hire the guy that sat next to the guy with ten years experience?
Everybody carries stories, experiences, scars and anecdotes from their job. It affects their personality, their work habits, and their performance. Two people with the same set of facts will not necessarily produce identical work. Although knowledge can transfer from one person to another, experiences do not.
But in the long run, the end result is out of my hands. The transfer is complete, and it's up to other people to make sure that information is used properly.


text:
TALLAHASSEE — Florida State defensive end Mario Edwards Jr. could have used his gaudy statistics or accolades as a top recruit to defend himself from critics who were commenting on his rapid weight gain and expanding waistline.
Instead, he just back flipped.
Prior to the 2012 Under Armour All-American Game, an all-star event for high school seniors, Edwards was weighing in with a group of other players. Edwards tipped the scale at 312 pounds, more than 30 pounds past his ideal playing weight from when he was considered the country's top defensive lineman at Denton Ryan High in Texas.


text:
And the Winner is….
It seems a simple enough sentence to finish, but, of course, I had to make it complicated. The complication, however, is a good one. Instead of 'a' winner, we have two winners. The original winner was to be chosen by a random number generator. So, after the close of the giveaway, my wife ran the


text:
As of Tuesday, June 6, customers in Region East will now have their meters read by a third Party Contracting Company, Precision Logistics. Region East consists of the following parishes: Kingston and St. Andrew, St Thomas, Portland & St. Mary.
Employees of Precision Logistics will be dressed in yellow shirt and jeans or khaki pants and will possess identification that verifies that they are contracted to carry out meter reading activities on behalf of JPS. The Meter Reader from Precision Logistics will also drive a motor vehicle bearing a sticker with the words "JPS Contractor."
Customers are being reminded that JPS employees or contractors who visit your premises should be properly identified and should present their IDs on the request of the customer. If this standard does not obtain, customers should not hesitate to notify the police.
The JPS Meter Reading Programme is based on the company's ongoing efforts to improve operational efficiency and in recognition of the fact that the meter reading function will change over time, with the introduction of smart meters as part of the overall smart grid roll-out.


text: On Sat, 20 Aug 2011 10:31:58 pm Timo Juhani Lindfors wrote: > Hi, > > Adam Ward <caysho at internode.on.net> writes: > > What is the difference between the SDK from nokia and the qt-sdk package > > in the debian repository ? > > I have no detailed knowledge on this but the changes that debian makes > are visible as patch files. For example you can browse > > http://patch-tracker.debian.org/package/qt4-x11/4:4.7.3-7 > > http://patch-tracker.debian.org/package/qtcreator/2.2.1-1 > Thanks for the pointer. Looking at this, the debian packages have several fixes and enhancements, so I will stick with them.


text:
RT @MetroHkyLeague: Playdowns start Tuesday in Blaine at the super rink. Good luck to all teams participating! #Drive2State
There are many unsung heroes in youth hockey, and a good portion of them fall into an exclusive club: Hockey Moms. You know who I'm talking about. Every hockey community is built on them. Moms that walk into the rink one day with a five year old, and no idea what they are getting themselves into. Fifteen years, three hockey players, two board terms and seven volunteer positions later they know almost everyone in the association and have built a group of friends with a special bond, made of you guessed it, other Hockey Moms. With all they do, there is no doubt Hockey Moms are special.
Sadly, they are usually left taking care of the stressful parts of hockey while everyone else spends time on the ice having fun. You won't hear them complain though. They make these sacrifices willingly so that their kids can grow up playing hockey. We love them for what they do, but Hockey Moms have missed out on the best part of hockey for too long. It is time they join in the fun. It's time for WHAM!
Women's Hockey Association of Minnesota (WHAM) is the largest women's hockey league in the United States. It offers a variety of hockey programs for all levels of players from beginners that have never stepped on the ice before to former Olympic and Division I players. The league is for women's hockey players only, providing an atmosphere that eliminates the common fears that surround playing with men.
"A lot of women worry about being on the ice with big guys so 'women only' was a good idea", says Maria Rogness who is in her first season with WHAM. "And I can say that as someone who's tried to get into hockey a number of different ways - this worked."
This past fall WHAM introduced a Hockey 101 program, designed for women who are new to the sport of ice hockey. New players were provided with equipment to borrow, and participated in a structured series of on-ice clinics, culminating in scrimmages so the players could experience game situations.
"I was nervous to start because I had not skated before," states Flannery Dolan, a participant in the Hockey 101 program. "Once I said that out loud, all of the experienced skaters [on the team she joined following the Hockey 101 program] told their embarrassing stories and said everyone is a beginner at some point and part of the process is to have fun."
WHAM recently announced their plans to run the program again this spring and summer so that another group of women will get to start hockey in this beginner friendly format. Registration will begin in March with the program running from May through June.
"When the parent/kid annual scrimmage comes around every year, it's the kids, the Dads and usually that one Mom out on the ice," points out Maria. "And this time, I'm going to scrimmage at the annual parents/kids game."
If you are one of those Hockey Moms that has been curious about trying hockey yourself, WHAM can help you get started. For more on WHAM and its Hockey 101 programs, watch the video below and go to www.whamhockey.org.
RT @MetroHkyLeague: Playdowns start Tuesday in Blaine at the super rink. Good luck to all teams participating! #Drive2State
RT @NorthBantamAA: North goes 3-0 against @LSBantamAA after the 3-2 win to take 3rd Place in the District 8 tourney. #BragginRights #Drive2…
RT @sahahockey: What a great group of young men. Thanks for representing your community! #GoBigRed https://t.co/jVaamJaYQp
RT @THYouthHockey: Let's do this, girls! #Districts #12UB #Drive2State #GoStorm #NorthShoreStorm #SilverBayHockey https://t.co/zI3CC6Ttg5
RT @MoorheadPWAA: Game over. 5-0 Final. Oliver Judd was great in net and gets the shutout over a good Fargo team. Boys played well. Nice en…


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It seems we are a great little nation after all. A new worldwide index of places to live has named Ireland as the best country in which to live.
Using a wide range of UN data, The Good Country Index ranked 125 countries around the world "on what they contribute to humanity and the rest of the planet".
And it seems that, in the words of the organisers, Ireland is "the goodest country in the world" — which might be news to many of us.
Those behind the first global index say: "For the size of its economy, [Ireland's] combined global contributions to science and technology; culture, international peace and security; world order; planet and climate; prosperity and equality; and the health and wellbeing of humanity, outranks those of any other country."
Each country was graded across seven different categories and Ireland was placed in the top 10 in four of them, including, taking top slot in the 'Equality and Prosperity' category.
Ireland was ranked fourth when it came to 'World Order,' seventh in 'Culture,' and ninth in the 'Health and Wellbeing' category.
We fared less well when it came to 'Science and Technology', where Ireland is ranked 20th, and in the category 'International Peace and Security', where Ireland is ranked 33rd (then again, Egypt is ranked number one). As for 'Planet and Climate', Ireland is ranked a lowly 45th.
No matter, because once the scores are aggregated, Ireland is officially the best, ahead of Finland in second place and Switzerland in third.
European countries occupy nine of the top 10 places, with only New Zealand, in fifth, a representative of other continents, while Iraq, Vietnam and, in last place, Libya, are bottom of the rankings.
Independent policy adviser Simon Anholt, the founder of the index, said Ireland's overall ranking matched that of Finland, but because Finland's lowest category ranking of 53rd was below Ireland's lowest of 45th, we got the nod.
"The idea of the Good Country Index is pretty simple: A country that manages to reconcile good governance at home with a real and constant contribution to the greater good of humanity and the planet," he added.
* See the full breakdown at www.goodcountry.org
© Irish Examiner Ltd. All rights reserved


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A strange reading year for me – after reaching new heights of reading the previous year, getting the closest to my pre-motherhood numbers of books read than ever before, I put my feet up and took it all VERY casually this year. Not as much actual reading as I would like – as has been the case a lot lately, my reading desires have been rather stomped on by my love of listening to audio books and plays – but the books I have read have been decadently unstructured. Once I made my way through Parade's End by Ford Maddox Ford and the entire Song of Ice and Fire thus far, I kind of felt like I didn't owe the household library gods ANYTHING ELSE for the year.
It's been mostly classic literature, re-reading and Doctor Who tie-ins. Which also, actually, means a much more gender-balanced year instead of my usual 80% female authors. I've read whatever the hell I felt like this year, and mostly it has not been science fiction and fantasy at all – or published this year.
I even stopped keeping track of titles read in my log. Sooooo slack.
Here's an equally slack and slapdash rundown of it all:


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In this month's One-on-One blog, ExpertFlyer talks with Douglas Ward, author of Berlitz Cruising and Cruise Ships guides, about some of the positive and not so positive trends affecting the cruise industry, and where leisure travelers should look for the best value and quality experiences on the high seas.
Douglas fell in love with cruising in 1965 when he worked on Cunard Line's largest cruise ship, the RMS Queen Elizabeth. Since then, he has logged more than 5,900 days at sea and participated in more than 1,000 cruises, including 158 trans-Atlantic crossings.
"I always enjoy cruising in the Mediterranean region, oh, and any trans-Atlantic crossing. And, in case you ask, my favorite cruise ship is always the one I'm on!"
— Douglas Ward, author, Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships 2013
Cruising has always been an attractive vacation option for folks who are budget conscious, but many questions concerning safety, quality control and maintenance have been raised lately based on several incidents of ship breakdowns. Should potential cruisers be concerned and what are the cruise lines doing to prevent these unfortunate vacation disasters?
Cruise lines don't plan disasters or mechanical breakdowns, but they can happen, just as they can to your automobile, computer or mobile phone. Potential cruisers should not be concerned, but should be aware that things can go wrong, but rarely do. The cruise industry carries more than 20 million passengers each year and few experience inconveniences, like the complete breakdown of Carnival Triumph in 2012. Over the past 48 years of cruising, I have experienced several such breakdowns and mishaps, but I always find they are merely inconveniences, like luggage lost by airlines.
What advice do you give to potential cruisers? What should cruisers be aware of in advance of booking?
First, think of where you want to go, your time frame, your personal preferences for the size of ship and facilities (large resort ship, mid-size, small, or boutique) and then prepare a budget (remember to include insurance). Then, find a cruise specialist agency to match you to the right ship, for the right reasons.
While the Internet is popular for research, it pays to find a specialist cruise agent with a physical location. Some Internet-only "agencies" with slick websites have been known to disappear without trace – with your money.
Will cruise ships ever get telecommunications down right and stop charging exceedingly high access fees?
It's not as simple as it sounds. Actually, cruise lines have huge investments in equipment (satellite dishes, digital bandwidth systems, etc.) and additional IT staff. Passengers must share the bandwidth with the ship, i.e., company communications, weather, safety and navigational aids, and often this can lead to slowed connections. Because all communication is by satellite, upload and download times will be a bit more sluggish than you may be used to on land. Also, ships at sea constantly move out of the narrow beam of a satellite and cannot 'track' the signal as accurately as a land-based facility. As an example, river ships lose internet signals when they pass under bridges.
Cruise lines strive to make their internet-connectivity a better experience for passengers. Charges vary because a number of service providers are involved, but some cruise lines do not pass on reduced charges as quickly as they could.
It's been reported that cruise lines are leaning toward bundling more services and amenities onboard. Can you confirm that and how might that play out positively for travelers?
In the early days of modern cruising (c. 1970s), almost everything was included. Cruise lines have lowered their prices enabling more people to cruise, but have been slowly adding charges for items, like bottled mineral water, movies on demand, golf simulator use and internet connectivity. Now that more cruise lines (with their larger ships) are competing for passengers, some have been including more amenities and items – particularly for 'suite'-grade occupants.
It's all a question of balance, but in the quest for profits (and dividends for investors), we can expect more of the same in the future. In other words, passengers need to be savvy to avoid all the extra charges for everything from bottled water to extra-cost dining.
River cruising is on the rise. Can you talk a little about this option and how it is different/better than traditional ocean cruising?
Indeed it is – around 1 million people took a river cruise last year. River cruises provide a unique way of seeing the interior of a country rather than by its coastline. The scenery aboard a rivership is at eye level; on an ocean-going ship it isn't — you may have to take an elevator to go up and out to see the scenery. Although the majority of river cruises are taken in Europe, and the Russian rivers, there are plenty of river cruises available in China and southeast Asia, plus Egypt's Nile, and the USA's Mississippi, Columbia and Snake rivers.
Because you pay in advance, you know what you will spend on your holiday without any hidden surprises. River cruises provide up-close cruising that is impossible aboard large resort ships. There are no casinos, no bingo or horse-racing, wet tee-shirt contests or other mindless parlor games, no art auctions or other revenue-generating items. When your rivership docks, you simply walk off – there are no shore tenders to take and wait for. However, there may be times when the water level is so low that even a shallow-draft rivership, cannot travel. Finally, you won't get seasick! Now is as good time a time as any to start your own collection of river cruise experiences. The most trusted names in European river cruises: AMA Waterways, Uniworld, and Viking River Cruises.
What are some new interesting offerings that we can look forward to from the cruise lines?
Lots of choices: dining venues, casual or more formal, large family-friendly resort ships or mid-size ship, small ships or 'boutique' (very small) sized ships. The latest large resort ships have all the bells and whistles for today's younger, active passengers, including several dining venues (some cost extra), aqua parks (great for kids), huge water slides, and more. But then there's the stunning new small ship Europa 2 – truly luxurious yet relaxed and casual, with a choice of eight restaurants/dining venues (all at no extra cost). Some of the ships about to debut this and next year have some stunning, innovative features. As for pricing, I don't think cruise prices will dip any more – and are a great value today.
More accommodation is being built for solo travelers, who are often neglected, as in resort hotels, where everything is based on couples, and we will see more ships dedicated to individual language markets, as well as more bi-lingual ships.
Finally, look out for Viking Star, a new mid-size ship to debut in 2015, an almost all-inclusive 928-passenger ship with lead-in prices hovering around $300 per person per day. The company, Viking Ocean Cruises, plans a series of six ships.
Are there some cities that are better to cruise from than others? If so, why and where are they (US and abroad)?
Some simply have better access and connection to airports, rail stations, and roads, such as New York's Manhattan Cruise Terminal or Brooklyn's Red Hook Point. Ft. Lauderdale (Port Everglades) is also good, as are Seattle and San Francisco, and Canada's Vancouver. I won't include Los Angeles and Miami because I (and countless other passengers) mostly come across staff with 'attitude' – like the tip-seeking porters and check-in and security staff, more into the hostility business than the hospitality business.
There are so many good ports from which to cruise in the rest of the world that space would not permit listing them all. However, my choice would probably include (in alphabetical order) Auckland (New Zealand), Barcelona (Spain), Bergen (Norway), Cape Town (South Africa), Copenhagen (Denmark), Hong Kong (China), Istanbul (Turkey), Melbourne (Australia), Palma de Majorca (Spain), Singapore, Southampton (UK), and Stockholm (Sweden).
Least favorite check-in ports: Athens (Piraeus), Civitavecchia (Rome, Italy), San Juan (Puerto Rico), Rio de Janeiro, and Sydney (Australia), mainly due to a lack of hospitality or location.
Which cruise lines are consistently ranked best in quality and value?
As for value, I believe that you get what you pay for. And that's precisely why, in automotive terms, Rolls Royce doesn't discount! I am of the opinion that all cruise lines offer some perceived value for money.
For quality, the list should include Asuka Cruise, Crystal Cruises, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, SeaDream Yacht Club, Seabourn, and Silversea Cruises.
At the end of the day, what you get is a comfortable, hassle-free vacation – that's value for money in itself.
What about luxury travel – who is offering the best in opulence?
Luxury is in the eye of the beholder. That said, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises' Europa 2 sets the benchmark for luxe – in an informal, incredibly spacious brand new ship, and provides food and service that stands out from the crowd. Others with upscale cruise ships include Regent Seven Seas Cruises, SeaDream Yacht Club, Seabourn, and Silversea Cruises.
What are some of the more interesting niche or themed cruise options and how do people find specific cruises based on their hobbies, ethnicity or other special need?
Think of almost any theme, interest or hobby, and there's probably a cruise dedicated to it. They usually follow the same itinerary as 'normal' cruises, but have additional programs. Theme cruises may also be linked to personalities. Perhaps the most popular of all are connected with music (classical, jazz, rock 'n roll), food and wine, or sports. The possibilities are endless. You travel with people who have the same hobbies, interests, passions, or obsessions. Theme cruises are particularly good for solo travelers, who can meet like-minded individuals with similar interests.
Incidentally, one whole chapter of the 2014 Berlitz Cruising and Cruise Ships guidebook is dedicated to theme cruises.
What are your best tips for discount cruising?
I personally wouldn't choose a ship based on discounts. To me discount price can equal discount quality. I would rather choose based on the itinerary, cruise region, and the time frame for a vacation. However, it's always best to find out what's on offer by reading newspaper advertising, and checking the Internet for offers in your local area, and then identify a travel agency that specializes in cruises.
A good specialist cruise agent will be able to get you the best price, as well as upgrades and other benefits you won't get elsewhere. The smaller independent agencies can access extensive discounts, upgrades, and other benefits not available on the Internet, and will provide more personal service. Cruise lines consider travel agents as their principal distribution system, and can provide special discounts and value-added items not provided to Internet sites.
What's your favorite cruise?
I don't have one particular favorite – I have many. In terms of itineraries, ask me today and I might say the Antarctic Peninsula. Tomorrow, Papua New Guinea. The next day, the Norwegian fjords. The next day, Southeast Asia, and so on. I always enjoy cruising in the Mediterranean region, oh, and any trans-Atlantic crossing. And, in case you ask, my favorite cruise ship is always the one I'm on.
For more information about Berlitz Cruise and to keep up to date with the latest cruise news, visit the Insight Guides website or sign up for Douglas Ward's CruiseLetter. "Like" us on Facebook and enter our Travel Giveaway Sweepstakes to win a copy of Berlitz Cruising and Cruise Ships 2013 in our June 28th drawing.


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An investigation is underway into what caused a barge to collide with another ship and spill as much as 170,000 gallons of oil into waters near Galveston, Texas. But officials say that, regardless of the outcome, the barge owner's—Kirby Inland Marine Corp.—will be fined for the incident.
Companies carrying oil are considered a responsible party in oil spills under Texas law, meaning that Kirby Inland Marine Corp. will pay for the 78 time since 2008.
Saturday's accident closed the main artery linking the area's busy ports with the largest petrochemical complex in the country. The channel in Texas City, about 45 miles southeast of Houston, typically handles about 70 ships and 300 to 400 tugboats and barges a day, and sees more than 200 million tons of cargo move through each year.
The channel wasn't fully reopened until late Thursday. At its height, the closure stranded some 100 vessels.
"As long as the weather holds up, we can get caught up in a couple days," said Capt. Clint Winegar of the Houston Pilots, an association of sea pilots.
But according to weather.com meteorologist Chris Dolce, unfavorable weather could linger into Friday.
"Brisk winds around 10 to 20 mph out of the south-southeast will blow in the direction of the Texas coastline Thursday as a new storm system moves out into the nation's midsection," said Dolce. "Southerly winds blowing onshore will continue on Friday, but decrease to around 5 to 15 mph in Galveston Bay. In addition to the onshore winds possibly pushing oil towards the Texas coast, scattered showers and thunderstorms are also possible each day."
(MORE: Oil Spills Into Ohio Nature Preserve)
The Coast Guard is investigating the accident with an assist from the National Transportation Safety Board, said Commander Gary Messmer, the Coast Guard's chief of prevention for the Houston-Galveston sector. He noted that investigators were reviewing communications recordings between ships and doing interviews.
But what is known is that two barges and a towboat were leaving Texas City and heading for the Intracoastal Waterway, which is designed exclusively for barges, while an inbound ship was traveling through the Houston Ship Channel. The collision occurred when the barges made a left turn to enter the Intracoastal Waterway and were crossing the ship channel.
It is unclear whether the barge hit the ship or the other way around, Messmer said.
The Coast Guard has given no timeline on when its investigation might be finished, and NTSB spokesman Peter Knudson said he didn't know how long his agents would be on the scene.
Experts say not to expect a conclusion soon.
"Sometimes it can take years. Sometimes they can do it a lot quicker," said Jim Crawford, a retired Coast Guard officer now with Ohio-based Introtech, which reconstructs accidents. "It just depends on the workload and the amount of personnel that they have, and the complications they face."
Investigators will likely look at the role fog may have played and try to determine the speed of the vessels, said Crawford, who served 29 years in the Coast Guard.
(MORE: Heart Defects Found in Fish Exposed to Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill)
"You make a determination of whether that speed was safe and reasonable for those conditions. And obviously it wasn't because these two vessels collided and oil got spilled," he said.
A critical report from the U.S. Office of Inspector General said in May 2013 that the Coast Guard didn't have adequate processes to investigate marine accidents or take corrective actions. The report said a lack of dedicated Coast Guard resources, including "adequate training" in reporting accidents, had resulted in a backlog of more than 6,000 investigations.
So far, there are no cost estimates for cleaning up the oil spill, but Kirby has said it will cover the bill.
Kirby has reported dozens of incidents that were investigated by the Coast Guard in recent years, including at least 20 involving the Miss Susan, the tow boat involved in Saturday's accident. A database of Coast Guard incidents shows that some are minor, such as equipment failure, though the records don't reflect any fines or penalties.
The largest fine that Texas imposed on Kirby in the past six years came in 2012, when the company had to pay $20,350 for a spill that dumped 8,400 gallons of oil in the Corpus Christi Ship Channel, according to state land office records. But Pollock praised Kirby as a responsible and well-run company despite the fines.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report


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WildlifeXposureEducation Zoos
PO Box 329, Torquay, VIC
Servicing South Geelong, Geelong West, North Geelong and 17 other suburb(s)
This business can travel to you.
Best match results for: CATEGORY = Zoos for Kids + LOCATION = the Melbourne Region
PO Box 329, Torquay, VIC
Servicing South Geelong, Geelong West, North Geelong and 17 other suburb(s)
This business can travel to you.
Mount Waverley, VIC
This business can travel to you.
By appointment, please call us for inquiries, Melbourne CBD, VIC 3000
In addition to the results above, we also have included a selection of related kids activities that may interest you.
Educational activities in the Melbourne Region
Multiple Venues Across Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3004
Servicing Altona, Oakleigh, Ashburton and 44 other suburb(s)
Our daughter did speech and drama lessons for 2 years then we heard about, and moved her into Super Speak ...
He looks forward to every session and comes home so excited. He gets such positive energy from every session which carries over into other areas of his life - such as social interactions and sporting activities.
Super Speak make the classes fun and enjoyable and Chrissy always leaves the class with a big smile on her face and bounce in her steps when I picked her up. She'll tell me about the new games she played and tell me how much fun she had. It's lovely to see kids learning whilst having so much fun!!!
Such a great service and friendly. Both my son and daughter have benefited greatly. I would recommend this as a valuable class for children to experience - also fantastic teachers.
My boys have gained so much from your classes, we can't praise the program highly enough. Thank you!
From 21-11-2017 To 18-04-2018
NEW ENROLMENTS NOW ACCEPTED FOR 2018! Semester 1 2018 starts from 29 January 2018 and runs until 29 June 2018. Melbourne's award winning public speaking & drama program for ages 6-14. Learn to ...
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26 Sackville, Kew, VIC 3101
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Drama With A Difference is one of Australia's leading, independent drama schools. With a history that spans more than twenty years, it is also the launching pad of many successful Australian actors. Our ...
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This is a class that teaches performance skills. Every student is placed in a scene, (or possibly two scenes), which they rehearse throughout class time. This is done under expert guidance, and the teacher ...
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This class is open to those 18 and over who wish to simply have fun while learning drama. There are no expectations to reach a certain standard of acting and the class is open to beginners. Drama ...
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This is a class runs every Wednesday in Kew from 4pm - 6pm. during term time. In Term 4 the children will also take part in a low-key performance for friends and family. Students will learn the skills ...
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This is a weekly drama class for teenagers aged 12- 17. It takes place in Kew on Thursdays from 5.15pm - 7.15pm during term time. Students will be performing a play this term. The subjects that ...
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This course will be held in March. Drama With A Difference is one of Australia's leading, independent drama schools, with a solid twenty year history. We also have a reputation in the industry for training ...
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Drama With A Difference is one of Australia's leading independent drama schools - established for over twenty years. It is the launching pad of many successful actors, and offers classes for aspiring actors ...
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Children's weekly Saturday drama classes- AGES 7 to 12 at Clifton Hill. Place is 3 Council Street Clifton Hill Time is 9am - 11am each Saturday Term 1 starts in January and has very limited spaces. ...
Lot 1 Hohnes Rd, Eltham, VIC 3095
Servicing Briar Hill, Wattle Glen, Eltham North and 17 other suburb(s)
Love it! Great staff, lovely people to socialise with, happy kids, wonderful program especially the art and cooking and great outdoor facilities. Such a warm and friendly playgroup Renee Alexander (Reciprocal Care)
Great facilities and accommodates families with more than one child well. Plenty of indoor and outdoor play. Very affordable. Perri Hillier (Reciprocal Care)
Thank you Playhouse! I have two very happy boys who left playhouse today filled with joy as they have done all year! We are thrilled to have found playhouse for the learning opportunities it has offered our children, as well as for the friends we have all made! Merry Christmas Playhouse!! Ferne Morton (Reciprocal Care)
I was seeking a supportive play environment for my son and I, having dealt with some difficult health issues, and we were warmly welcomed and included at Hohnes Rd Playhouse. It has meant a lot to me to be able to talk to other parents about the challenges of parenting and share in the joys of Quill's development who now loves to crawl about, with others cheering him on! Thanks everyone! Jasmine (Reciprocal Care)
I started coming to Playhouse when my little boy was 18 months old and I was expecting my second child. I felt at home and relaxed, when I had my new baby, my son could play happily while I could comfortably feed my baby. So it was great for all of us. That was over 6 years ago and now I attend with my third child who loves it! I have mad many friends and connections at Playhouse. There isn't anywhere else like it. Alison Quinn (Reciprocal Care)
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Hohnes Road Playhouse is available to hire out to non members for Children's Birthday Parties. With plenty of indoor space to play party games and outdoor activities like swings, trampoline and sandpit, ...
It's that time of the year again... your child's birthday. It's just around the corner and you haven't planned the celebration yet. Every year your child's birthday party seems to become an event that has bigger and better expectations. The same predicament flies through your head: "Should I have it at home and risk children flying everywhere and making a huge mess? Or should I host it out of the house, which will probably cost me more?" Read more
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Squids Family Day Care would like to thank Reptile Encounters so much for an awesome show. The children ...
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This business can travel to you.
My son James has been attending Lantern League for nearly 2 years and JUST LOVES IT. A little shy at Primary School, Lantern League has allowed his inner self to shine and this has resulted in a confident , young man, who feels much more comfortable voicing his opinions. As a result of Lantern League and the way the students are taught, James won an impromptu speaking award last year out of a minimum of 100 participating students. I would highly recommend Lantern League to any parent: Lantern League teaches public speaking skills and is something that will put any child ahead of the rest.
My daughter (aged 10) has just loved this space. She gets to curiously probe into the world of public speaking and performing and since starting has taken on a public speaking role at school and is growing in confidence all the time. The emphasis on building your inner shine instead of copy cat performing is just great! Super confidence building.
6 Oakover Road, Preston, VIC 3072
Servicing Preston South, Preston West, Thornbury and 17 other suburb(s)
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Beverley Street, Doncaster East, VIC
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This business offers products or services online.
My 5 year old son really enjoys his Chinese lessons with KaiXin. The teachers ensure that the classes are educational, fun and inclusive. We are very happy with his progress and enjoyment of the classes. Loo-See is wonderful, answering any queries with speed and is always helpful and friendly.
My six year old son asked to learn Mandarin although none of us speak any of the Chinese languages in our family. We really wanted to encourage him so it was really important to us that he have fun and make meaningful progress to keep his interest up. I couldn't be happier. He has now completed 2 terms at KaiXin Chinese Learning Hub. He is so happy to go to classes, they are a real highlight of his week. He can speak quite a few words now and was thrilled to read some characters on a restaurant menu and on a sign in a florist.
Our 5 year old son has been attending for 6 months and is making excellent progress in vocabulary, singing and has now started writing Chinese characters.. He enjoys the lessons and we are extremely happy with his progress and plan to continue with the tuition.
Both my kids who are now 6 & 7 yrs old have been learning Mandarin at Hawthorn East for 2 years. They love going to their classes every Saturday morning and enjoy the songs, games and fun activities. The teachers are great too. My kids now teach us new words and characters each week so we can learn some Mandarin too!
We enrol our 2 sons to KaiXin Chinese Learning Hub as this learning centre is specialising in Mandarin for children. We believe KaiXin learning centre has proven experience to provide an effective approach in teaching kids learning Mandarin. The class is limited into a small class size to give kids a better learning interaction with the teacher. In addition, the kids will still enjoy learning process in effective timely manner since the class is running for 90 minutes. We trust KaiXin can assist our kids to learn Mandarin as their other language in a fun way
3/190 Queen Street, Melbourne CBD, VIC 3000
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45, Bridgewater Blvd, Berwick, VIC 3806
Servicing Beaconsfield, Narre Warren, The Avenue At Casey and 17 other suburb(s)
Esther is a nice teacher. She engaged the children and parents. It is a good way of bonding. Both my son and I enjoyed the lessons we attended.
Elsternwick, VIC
Servicing Aspendale Gardens, Bentleigh East, Parkdale and 5 other suburb(s)
This business can travel to you.
37 swanston Street, Melbourne CBD, VIC 3000
This business can travel to you.
5/15-19 Vesper Dve, Narre Warren, VIC 3805
Servicing Narre Warren South, Hampton Park, Berwick and 7 other suburb(s)
My daughter has enjoyed dancing/performing here for the last 7 years. Not only has she gained confidence and improved her dance abilities but life skills and life long friendships are an added bonus.
There's much to be said about a school that is the longest running in the area, that has sustained growth over the past 25 years. My son began dancing here and is now a professional dancer on a vista class cruise ship sailing through the Americas and Mediterranean! My young teenage daughter enjoys classes in all dance styles, singing and drama and is involved in Cathy-Lea's award winning elite troupes. Whether for fun, fitness competition or career, if you are looking for quality performance, tuition for children of all ages and abilities contact Cathy-Lea Dance Works.
Wonderful and caring staff. A huge variety of classes for all age groups and abilities. My children love attending, and always look forward to participating in the amazing end of year concerts.
There's much to be said about a school that is the longest running in the area, that has sustained growth over the past 20+ years. My son began dancing here and is now a professional dancer on a vista class cruise ship sailing through the Americas and Mediterranean! Whether for fun, fitness competition or career, if you are looking for quality performance tuition for children of all ages and abilities contact Cathy-Lea Dance Works.
Amazing school, can't recommend them highly enough, my daughter absolutely loves it there
From 29-01-2018 To 29-03-2018
Classes for 2018 commence on Monday 29th January. Classes in Dance, Music and Drama for students aged 2 and above. Boys and girls. All abilities. Enrol via our website or call us to arrange a free trial ...


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Mr. Léon Cornelissen is Chief Economist at Robeco since 2009. He is responsible for Robeco's view on the global economy and the financial markets.
Léon started his career in the investment industry in 1990 at Robeco as a member of the Treasury team. During 1990 and 1994 he set up a repo desk, served as fixed-income portfolio manager and risk manager. In 1995, Léon left Robeco to join IRIS (Institute for Research and Investment Services), the former research joint-venture of Robeco and Rabobank, where he began working as a fixed-income analyst. Over the years his research responsibilities broadened to asset allocation and product development. He also joined the steering group that was preparing Robeco for the transition to the euro.
Léon writes on a regular basis columns and articles for financial magazines. Léon holds a Master's degree in Economics from the Erasmus University of Rotterdam.
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Thanks for all the input guys, really appreciated!
Ended up getting them, I'm chuffed with them (apart from the fact that they were delivered with difference laces on each shoe, what's that about? Can be easily rectified I suppose).
@PH28 yeah they are pretty big, I'm usually an 11 but these 11s are pretty huge, although I normally find that's the case with winter boots. Stuck with them though as I wear relatively thick socks with them so they fit okay with those on.
@Yukon wow that's a hell of a bargain. Mine came to £138 - Christmas presents from my parents so it worked out pretty well.
@GentlemanJess any tips on how to properly look after them? Never really invested much money into shoe care besides the old suede protector spray.
And here they are in all their glory:


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Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach: Nick Carroll's Preview 2015Nick Carroll takes a look at the veterans, the rookies and who to keep an eye on at Bells.
Favourites: Toledo, Mick, Julian, Medina
Don't miss: Jordy, JJF, Slater, Wilko
Potentially lethal: Owen, Pupo, Parko, ADS, Kolohe, Taj
Dark horses: Italo, Nat, Wiggolly
It's been three years since someone won back to back CTs (guess who…yep, Kelly, in 2012), and while multiple winners during a year aren't uncommon, double-ups are–probably because to pull it these days, you've gotta win too many heats running. Regardless, we reckon Filipe's as good a chance as anyone, given his scorching form and the nature of the surf forecast. You need to be super psyched to win a small Bells, and he is. Julian got very close to the Bell last year and has a better grip on the winning formula this year. Fanning is in excellent form with an excellent quiver and many years of succeeding here; while he is vulnerable to a hyperactive air master or backside spray-thrower, he's still a good bet in a town where he feels so at home. And Gabriel, hell, he is Gabriel. Chances of him blowing another event entry the way he did at Snapper, we reckon, might be as close to zero as it gets.
– Nick Carroll -more-


text: Anybody seen a "yast2" friendly version of Python for SuSE Linux 7.3 Pro? If so please give me the URL or ftp site. I tried using the KRUD rpm's but the OpenSLL missing dependencies issue (libcrypto.so.2 and libssl.so.2 not found) is kicking my ass. I ended up forcing the issue with 'rpm -ivh --nodeps' using the i386/Linux Python2 rpm I found, but the missing dependencies are causing my favorite Python IDE (WingIDE) to croak. I have the feeling that the lack of yast2's help, especially when it comes to SuSEConfig, is somehow causing other apps not to be able to find the version of OpenSLL that definitely _is_ installed on my system (0.9.6) Any help would be appreciated. thx


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The post has been updated on the next page to include Andrew Stolper's side to the story and former colleagues vouching for him. Read more about his new firm here: "Andrew Stolper, Former Federal Prosecutor, Fends Off Critics of His Litigation-Finance Firm."
Has this ever happened to you? Someone tells you about a person you have never heard of before, then a couple days later the same name pops up from a completely different source.
That happened to yours truly when it came to Santa Ana-based federal prosecutor Andrew Stolper.
Make that former prosecutor.
Addressing a lunchtime crowd at UC Irvine School of Law on Feb. 27, former Broadcom CFO William J. Ruehle mentioned Stolper's shameful conduct in the unsuccessful prosecution of Ruehle. I blogged about that presentation here:
William Ruehle, Ex-Broadcom CFO, Shares His Amazing Government Persecution Story at UCI
Stolper's name popped up a couple days later when Karen Hanover alleged to me shenanigans by the same prosecutor in the federal wire fraud and FBI spoofing cases against the Seal Beach real estate saleswoman.
Karen Elaine Hanover, Convicted FBI "Spoofer," Claims Hers Were Retaliatory Spoofs
My colleague R. Scott Moxley deals with the players on the ground at the Ronald Reagan federal courthouse in Santa Ana, including one Andrew Stolper, while I am usually confined to my journo-pod beneath the Weekly World HQ in Costa Messy.
However, I am familiar with, and have mentioned here in Navel Gazing, some of the federal judges at The Gipper, as we call it. Among them: Judge Cormac Carney, who became so incensed over Stolper's conduct in the 2009 Broadcom case that he forbid the prosecutor from speaking, leaving those less familiar with the details to run what quickly became a stinker for the U.S. Attorney's office.
Stolper's conduct would supposedly lead to a probe of his work by his superiors, although the Corona del Mar resident says in a new Reuters story that he was eventually cleared by brass. The main point of that story, however, is Stolper having finally left the U.S. Attorney's office in Santa Ana.
Actually, Hanover tipped me to this development, which she said she heard from her attorney, shortly after I posted on her case March 4. Unfortunately, I could get no confirmation out of the U.S. Attorney nor was I able to reach Stolper.
After a decade as a federal prosecutor, he has "teamed up with an ex-FBI agent to form a private equity firm specializing in litigation finance, a growing business in the legal industry," reports Reuters. Irvine-based Crux Capital, which launched on Monday, will have hedge funds and other investors essentially betting on the outcomes of commercial litigation buy providing money to litigants in exchange for cuts of any settlements or verdicts.
Peter Norell, Stolper's partner and a former FBI agent, pleaded guilty in 2010 to illegally accessing Bureau records and threatening to launch a criminal probe to help an acquaintance collect a debt. That's about the same time he left the Bureau.
UPDATE: Stolper reiterates that a DOJ investigation showed he did nothing improper in his Broadcom prosecution and claims that various officials, up to and including federal judges, have told him they found Judge Carney's rulings in the case curious.
The former federal prosecutor also takes issue with the "betting on the outcome" line above, saying Crux Capital will merely help those who have been wronged pay for their court matters and ensure justice can be served. (See "Andrew Stolper, Former Federal Prosecutor, Fends Off Critics of His Litigation-Finance Firm" for more details.)
A number of his former colleagues vouch for him.
"Andrew has been a fearless, fierce advocate for victims of crime," Joseph McNally, an assistant U.S. Attorney at the Department of Justice, tells me. "He brought justice to countless victims of crime across the country who were bullied and taken advantage of by sophisticated fraudsters. He was among the best white-collar prosecutors in the country and his leaving the U.S. Attorney's office is a real loss.
"On a lighter side, he has an incredible sense of humor and will be missed by us," McNally added.
"Andrew is an outstanding, intelligent trial lawyer with a strong work ethic," responded Dennise D. Willett, chief of the U.S. Attorney's Santa Ana Branch Office. "He was routinely assigned to prosecute the most complex white collar cases in the Santa Ana Branch Office and other AUSAs routinely sought his advice and assistance on their cases. Andrew was a valuable member of our office, not only for his exceptional work, but also for the assistance he provided to his colleagues."
"I worked with Andrew since I transferred to the Santa Ana USAO in 2011 (I previously worked in our Riverside office and before that at main justice in DC)," explains Charles Pell, another assistant U.S. Attorney. "He was an essential asset to me and my colleagues in helping to formulate winning trial strategies. Andrew is especially gifted at taking a complex fact pattern and weaving into a compelling narrative that explains what happened to the jury without dumbing it down.
"Andrew has worked every variety of white collar case and was a wealth of legal, factual, and political knowledge on how the cases are investigated, prosecuted, and ultimately, resolved. Andrew is one of the most persuasive lawyers I've worked with because he employes a powerful cocktail of intellect, humor, moxie, and passion to make his arguments compelling."
Added Pell, "His leaving was a big loss for the office."
"I consider Andrew a good friend and he was one of the brightest and hardest working colleagues I've had here at the U.S. Attorney's Office," echoed Brett Sagel, a federal prosecutor whose name you may recall from Moxley's coverage of disgraced, ex-Orange County sheriff Mike Carona.
"Even while Andrew was busy with his own caseload, he was available to give invaluable assistance to others," Sagel continues. "From personal experience, he probably gave me more and better ideas for my opening statements in the Carona trial than anyone else, and he wasn't even on the case."
A current FBI agent who worked with Stolper since he joined the U.S. Attorney's office in 2002 also commented, although it is the bureau's policy that he not be identified.
"Mr. Stolper brought uncommon energy and intellect to complex fraud investigations," the agent said. "Many of his cases required dedication beyond the call of duty, and Mr. Stolper always exceeded my expectations. During the cases on which we collaborated, AUSA Stolper always applied fairness and kept an open mind, dealing with defendants objectively. His ability to absorb enormous amounts of information in short periods of time was matched only by his willingness to work extremely hard.
"I worked on several matters with AUSA Stolper that resulted in trials, and was always impressed by Mr. Stolper's acumen in legal matters and abilities in the courtroom. Mr. Stolper's was an asset to the furtherance of justice, and he will be missed."
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text:
What You Should Know About Furnace Repair
To familiarize yourself with your furnace you may want to review how a furnace works, and exercise some of the preventative maintenance yourself. Here are some things you can tackle, not for the beginer.
Confirm that the furnace cycles through start-up to shut-down via your thermostat.
Check the supply (small grates in each room) and return air (large grate, usually in a hallway) temperature to make sure your thermostat is accurate.
Clean and level your thermostat. For older thermostats this ensures proper function since many of them have liquid mercury switches. And always, this is always more eye pleasing.
There is a safety switch on all furnace doors that "pops out" when the door is removed. Make sure this is unobstructed and free from dirt.
Look at all the visible wiring and electrical connections for burns or unraveling/loose wire nuts or tape.
Check the condition of your vent connection pipe and chimney for rust or gaps. Venting system parts can deteriorate over time.


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Some brought children. Some brought friends. Alden Delos Santos brought Chihuahuas.
Delos Santos, 41, carried his puppies Bianco and Sriracha in a front pack as he joined as many as 150,000 other bicycle riders Sunday along a downtown-to-the-ocean path of streets that were closed to car traffic for the occasion.
It was the sixth and biggest CicLAvia, a celebration of cycling, walking, in-line skating, skateboarding, scootering and any other form of transportation that requires no motor.
"You can see the city in a different way," Delos Santos said as he set off from City Hall with his miniature white rescue dogs.


text:
interview > lovins > lovins 10
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Please watch the clip first. If you plan to use it, review the Rules of Use, then click on the download button.
This clip is licenced under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial 3.0 Unported License.
colleague, retired Navy Captain Scott Pew, has a nice way of visualizing how
much oil the world is using everyday. Its eighty-five million barrels—now a
barrel is twenty inches in diameter, 30 inches high, so lets take a bunch of
barrels and lay them down end to end on the ground. Eighty-five million of them
go around the world one and a half times and that's how much we use every
day. Now, if you take out the ends of the barrel so they're a continuous
twenty-inch diameter pipeline, in order to get around the world one and a half
times in a day, that oil has to be flowing at rate mach-2, twice the speed of
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text:
Welcome to Adventure, Ink
Book Coaching
For Entrepreneurs with Stories to Tell
Are you ready to start your journey?
Don't get lost! Get the FREE Self-Publishing Checklist now!
You have Successfully Subscribed!
You, an author.
Imagine the possibilities.
You've got a message to share, a story to tell, and you feel that a book is the best way to express it.
Plus you've thought for a while (maybe … forever?) that you have a book in you.
You know you were born to be an author.
And then there are those other benefits. Benefits like …
Brag-worthy media coverage
Amazing new clients
Door-opening connections
Horizon-expanding partnerships
Exciting speaking opportunities
Soaring self-assurance and increased confidence
It's all possible.
I know, because these are results my clients have had.
So what's holding you back?
Maybe you're not sure how to get started (too many ideas … or not enough … or you're just not sure how to wrap your head around what you're trying to say).
Maybe you've started several books and can't finish any of them.
Maybe you began looking into your publishing options, got overwhelmed, and gave up.
It's a jungle out there.
You need a guide.
From blank page to first sale, I'm here to help your book happen.
I'm Sarah. I'm a book coach, a developmental editor, and an author myself. I've worked with dozens of authors to help them turn their ideas into books, I'll be your guide, your guru and your Gal Friday as you write, publish, and launch your own.
Wherever you are on your book writing journey, I can meet you there and take you to the next step.


text:
CALGARY, May 29, 2014 /CNW/ - Dixie Energy Trust ("Dixie" or the "Trust") is pleased to report its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2014. Dixie's unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements for the three month period ended March 31, 2014 and related management's discussion and analysis ("MD&A") have been filed with the applicable securities regulators and are available on the Trust's website at DixieEnergyTrust.com and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
Summary of First Quarter Financial Results
For the quarter ended March 31, 2014, Dixie had oil and natural gas revenues, net of royalties of $653,221 a net loss of $417,566 and a basic and diluted net loss per trust unit of $0.01. The Trust's total comprehensive income for the period, which included a foreign currency translation gain, was $525,325. The Trust declared no distributions during the period.
As of March 31, 2014 the cash position of the Trust was $783,424 with working capital of $231,676.
First Quarter 2014 Highlights
About Dixie Energy Trust
Dixie is an energy trust created to provide investors with an oil and gas exploration focused investment. The strategy of Dixie is to acquire, exploit and develop, indirectly through its subsidiaries, long-life crude oil and gas prospects and reserves in the United States gulf coast states, primarily in Mississippi and Alabama. Additional information is available on DixieEnergyTrust.com.
Note regarding non-IFRS financial measures
This press release makes reference to the term "netback" which is a non-IFRS financial measure that does not have any standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. Management believes that "netback" provides useful information to investors and management since such measures reflect the quality of production and the level of profitability of Dixie's oil and gas operations. Netback is calculated by subtracting royalties, production taxes, transportation and operating costs from gross revenues. Other financial data has been prepared in accordance with IFRS.
Oil and Gas Disclaimers
"boepd" means barrels of oil equivalent per day.
Boes may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. A boe conversion ratio of 6 mcf:1 bbl is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead. As the value ratio between natural gas and crude oil based on the current prices of natural gas and crude oil is significantly different from the energy equivalency of 6:1, utilizing a conversion on a 6:1 basis may be misleading as an indication of value.
Any references in this news release to initial, early and/or test or production/performance rates are useful in confirming the presence of hydrocarbons, however, such rates are not determinative of the rates at which such wells will continue production and decline thereafter. Additionally, such rates may also include recovered "load oil" fluids used in well completion stimulation. While encouraging, readers are cautioned not to place reliance on such rates in calculating the aggregate production for Dixie. The initial production rate may be estimated based on other third party estimates or limited data available at this time. In all cases in this news release initial production or test are not necessarily indicative of long-term performance of the relevant well or fields or of ultimate recovery of hydrocarbons.
© 2014 Dixie Energy Trust
All rights reserved
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners
SOURCE: Dixie Energy Trust
For further information:
Ian Atkinson, President & CEO or
David Anderson, Chairman
Dixie Energy Trust
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text: Grand City Hotel offers an airport shuttle (available 24 hours) for TWD 2500 per person one way. Guests can indulge in massages or reflexology, and Mayfair Restaurant, one of 3 restaurants, serves international cuisine and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A bar/lounge and a fitness center are other highlights, and rooms at this upscale hotel offer LCD TVs and refrigerators.


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By Morjina (UK) I was born in Italy and in my city I was the first girl to wear hijab. It was a difficult moment for me to fit in a society where hijab is considered useless. I argued everyday with everyone about the importance of my religion. I was bullied and even isolated from the most in my city. It …Read More »
Home » Tag Archives: muslim in italy


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Remember Michelle Brandriss, the Saratoga Springs-based mom entrepreneur who started a label company called Name Bubbles out of her basement?
Name Bubbles recently received an iParenting Media Award for 2009 Outstanding Products.
The personalized labels, which are made to withstand the dishwasher and washing machine are made with nontoxic, eco-friendly ink. The customized labels, which come in an assortment of designs and colors, can be used just to keep track of your kids' stuff or to relay important information should your child have a medical condition.
The products submitted for the iParenting awards are tested by independent reviewers. Here's what they had to say:
– The Name Bubbles secured well to all kinds of items and held up through multiple washes in the dishwasher and washing machine. The Name Bubbles would be very useful for a child who goes to daycare, or is involved in sports to label their items and to help to keep from losing them or mixing them up with others items. I like the many colorful sizes and designs. I especially liked that on their website they come in affordable packs of many different personalized styles for pretty reasonable prices. I also enjoyed the bubble up blog on their website (namebubbles.com) with ideas of other useful ways to use the labels."
– "As labels are really important at school, camp, day care, it helps to have some that last through dishwashers and laundering. These labels did! I washed them multiple times and they still looked like they did before going in. I also like that they're different shapes, depending what they're intended for (either clothing, cups, etc.)"
– "The positive characteristics of this product are that you can have personalized labels with the amount of information desired. Also, having a label that won't be damaged by water will allow them to be used on just about anything."
Brandriss says her company has been so busy filling orders that she's moving out of her basement office to a larger space.


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You've probably already read about Sun's continuing effort to open source Java. And, before I get too far into what I have to say — my preliminary reaction is that this is awesome.
Sun has even made a couple nice ways to provide feedback.
I think quite frequently about the properties that a free Java implementation must have; this, after all, is the reason for the existence of Classpath and gcj. I'm going to make a stab at writing them all down here, in the hopes that this helps the efforts at Sun.
What license should be used?
I don't have a particular answer to that. However, I do have a few requirements to place on the result.
First, the license absolutely must be open in the DSFG sense. This probably goes without saying, but I figured I'd be explicit.
Second, ideally the license would be GPL compatible. It doesn't make sense to me to limit innovation by closing off the JDK from mixing with an entire class of software. Also, a move like this would be an important victory in the battle against "license silos" and for license harmonization — important because, let's face it, the opening of the JDK will be a truly significant open source event, the most important one in years.
If GPL compatibility somehow cannot be achieved, LGPL compatibility is still required. The reason for this is that a reasonable chunk of the platform (e.g., all the gnome-ish GUI libraries) are LGPL. This is a much lower bar to meet, I'm sure there won't be a problem here.
Likewise ASL compatibility is a must.
Geir claims that the GPL would be a bad choice. From my perspective it would not be. True, Classpath isn't pure GPL — but that is largely an accident of history, based on the embedded systems origin of gcj. My impression now is that with the advent of embeddded Linux, the embedded world has largely crossed the GPL barrier. Beyond that, my focus these days is really on the free operating systems like Linux; GPL would present no problems for, say, Fedora.
One important consideration in the license is what to do about patents. This isn't really my area; I think patents are pretty bad and so I have a huge blank spot in my brain about them, a spot which is filled with a mixture of denial, anxiety, and loathing. The key is to make sure that the result is acceptable to the various players — corporations and also nonprofits like Debian or Fedora. This shouldn't be hard, plenty of other organizations already have done it.
Sun worries about compatibility. I hope those fears can slowly be put to rest. At least here in the free world, we recognize that compatibility is very important. In fact, we put an absurd amount of effort into guaranteeing compatibility in Classpath. The whole point, for us, is to make it possible to run the enormous body of existing Java code on free OSs.
Ideally the TCK would also be opened as part of Java. I picture Fedora's Sun-based Java RPM working much the same way as the GCC RPM: we would run the TCK as part of the build process, and die if it does not pass. This would provide critical quality assurance.
Note that rules requiring testing of binaries by some 3rd party won't work too well. For Fedora and the like, the ability to build from source is crucial. This is especially true as the kernel and glibc hackers continue to innovate — over the years changes in these areas have caused problems for the various proprietary JVMs. (And, supporting this whole opening process: had the JVMs been opened, we would simply have fixed them. But due to their closed nature we either required workarounds, or simply lived with the brokenness.)
We've heard that not all of the code will be available under an open-source license. It would be great to get more details on what, precisely, won't be available.
The sooner we get feedback on this, the better. This seems like a great area for collaboration to occur. I can think of a couple ways to make it happen.
First, if the problem areas are already implemented in Classpath, we could open a discussion on contributing them. RMS would most likely have to be involved — but, really, his reputation is much worse than the reality. I'd support cooperation along these lines (assuming of course that the baseline is met properly: an acceptable license, etc). There are probably a few interesting things in Classpath that would benefit the JDK.
Second, if the areas in question aren't covered by Classpath, maybe we could put a little focus on them in order to have the code available when the JDK is opened. This needn't be a Classpath-driven effort — I'm sure many people out there would be interested in this same result.
There are plenty of well-run free software projects out there. Choosing a functioning governance model isn't that big of a deal any more — heck, folks at Sun can just walk across campus and ask people working on any of their other free software projects. I'm just not concerned about this; the biggest thing is to have a committment to success, so that if something isn't working, you change it.
That said, there are a couple things worth noting.
The JCP could be more open. Both Dalibor and Geir have covered this point well. Listen to them!
I've read the occasional blog entry worrying about simply opening the process to anybody. I agree with Simon here — anarchy is no way to run an open source project. I can't think of a single successful one that is run that way; instead, developers have to earn their stripes by a process of patch submission and review. I don't think Java should be any different; if anything, the barrier to entry ought to be a bit higher than ordinary, since Java is a large, mature, and (presumably 🙂 stable code base. We certainly vet people before giving them access to Classpath, and we also watch them more carefully just after they've been given commit rights.
Final Advice
You'll probably see a lot of random, uninformed, and hostile commentary on slashdot and javalobby. At least, that's been my experience historically — "open source java" is a big red flag for the bulls. My advice is, ignore the crap and concentrate on pushing forward.


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Robots are usually seen as hard-shelled creatures with big motors and strong metal arms. New efforts, however, are exploring how robots can be made of softer materials, like squishy rubber. In particular, researchers at Harvard University are playing with a robot based on the body physics of cuttlefish, including the ability to change color. This creepy creature walks by means of compressed air pumped through its limbs, and can hide itself thanks to special dyes flowing along veins in its body. BBC News has the story.
Video games have an incredible power to teach. While computers have made their way into the classroom, video games are still seen as toys, instead of the powerful learning tools which they really are. Iowa State University psychology professor Douglas Gentile is traveling to Washington to brief the White House on how video games can be used to teach. The hope is that this conference will lead toward new support for video games as teaching tools in the classroom. Game Politics has the story.
Let's play Borderlands with our friends over at MMO Anthropology! The bandit leader Sledge is no more, and we head back to Fyrestone for the reward. There's still time to kick a few puppies and murder some low-level bandits, though. Also, we gain clearance to enter the Dahl Headlands.
The latest expansion to reinforce World of Warcraft's steel grip around the throat of the gaming community is Mists of Pandaria. This expansion will unveil the land of kung-fu panda people, because if there's one thing Warcraft lacks, it's fighting and furries. Check out this cinematic trailer that does a pretty good job getting across the whole kung-fu panda deal.
Steam Community is something of a redesign of Steam that allows gamers to socialize easier. It includes game hubs, to allow players to browse popular content, updates to Steam groups that make them easier to use and join, a central location for your personal content, and more options for browsing and playing with your Steam friends. Right now, the beta is open to those who have earned the "Pillar of the Steam Community" achievement on Steam, and their invited friends. VG24/7 has the story.
The Hyrule Historia is the game bible of the Legend of Zelda series. It contains artwork, a history of the Zelda games, an official timeline, and interviews with the creators of Nintendo's celebrated adventure game series. It's also very, very out of print, and only available in Japanese. That's set to change, as Dark Horse Comics has picked up the Hyrule Historia in a localization project that will see this collector's book released early next year. Destructoid has the story.
Perfect World is a name you might have heard. Chance are, you play one of their games. This Chinese company has been making inroads into the western gaming market through a strategy of free-to-play games backed by an unending stream of cash shop virtual goods. In the States, Perfect World pulls the strings of puppet-company Cryptic Studios. That means City of Heroes and Star Trek Online are now PWE games, and have already felt the corruption of this company's free-to-play plans. Check out this interview with Alan Chen, the fellow responsible for Perfect World's local conquests. VentureBeat has the story.
The ancient art of cleaning money is coming to the digital age, at least if a report from the financial watchdog AUSTRAC is to be believed. Virtual worlds and MMOs offer criminals an opportunity to convert their dirty money into game resources, which can then be reconverted into shiny clean cash. While there is no present evidence this is happening on any large scale, the vulnerability is there, and the chance of criminal organizations turning their attention to virtual worlds will only increase as more money pours into the cyberscape. Already, phishing and gold farming operations show the potential for organized mischief in online games. Computerworld has the story.
Sony's latest portable game system, the PlayStation Vita, has launched to a rough start. Sales of the device are slow, and the Nintendo 3DS is eating the market alive. While Sony engineers are working to drop the hardware cost of the Vita, Sony execs denied any price cut in the present year. Instead, they hope to lure customers by dangling bundled games as dripping bait. Eurogamer has the story.
Just in case you were holding off from the latest Humble Android Bundle because you don't have one of those smartphone things the kids are all into, word up, gramps. This bundle also comes with PC, Mac, and Linux versions of the games wrapped inside. Those games being Fieldrunners, Bit.Trip Beat, SpaceChem and Uplink, with the special bonus Spirits for those who buy in with the heavy cash. Word on the street is these are pretty good games, so maybe you should take a look. Rock, Paper, Shotgun has the story.