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The 2017 Mazda 5 Boasts Trendy Changes That Enhance Performance And Style
The 2017 Mazda 5 has been mildly remodeled in order to enhance its powerful exhibition among enthusiasts searching for a compact crossover vehicle with competence in a sleek design. The three-year-old 2013 model rate highly with consumers who were enlightened by the vehicles exquisite performance, stylish appearance and fuel-efficient economy. Coupled with noticeable practicality and an economical purchase price, it is no wonder the Mazda 5 has emerged as a favorite among other vehicles in its class. Here are a few changes you can expect to see with the 2017 Mazda 5.
Tweaks To The Exterior Styling 2016 Mazda 5
You will find much of the same features that were found in the 2016 Mazda 5 predecessors, but in order to align the crossover compact design with stylish, modern trends, the vehicle underwent a few modifications and upgrades. The most noticeable change is the replacement of the HID headlights with trendy LED taillight units. The impressionable 19-inch rims were enhanced with horizontal grille bars which deliver a stylish appeal to the Mazda.
Trendy 2016 Mazda 5 Cabin Upgrades
The most comprehensive changes were to the passenger compartment of the 2016 Mazda 5. Now equipped with the most advanced infotainment system, the crossover's interior has been upgraded to include a 7-inch LCD display touchscreen that is mounted on the center stack and coupled with the console control situated behind the shifting handle. The leather upholstery's color has been lightened and the trim enhances for an elite and regal appearance. The space-saving electronic parking brake knob replaces the bulky parking brake handle that was once used previously.
The 2016 Mazda 5 Keeps The Dual Engine Set Up
All the specifics under the hood remain intact and unchanged, and the special order configurations of the 2016 Mazda 5 offer customizing options. Consumers can still select the 2.0 L, entry-level, four-cylinder engine as always, but the 155 horsepower unit is now exclusively an option when selecting the base model with front-wheel-drive, and you featuring the six-speed manual gearbox.
You are going to have to upgrade to the CX-5 2.5 L four-cylinder model if you want either the six-speed automatic transmission or the all-wheel-drive capabilities, which is rated at 185 pound- feet of torque and 184 horsepower. The incorporated suspension system and smoothly operating chassis allows you to engage more intensely with the 2016 Mazda 5 than any other car in its class. You can outpace just about any other car, with the CX-5 achieving 60 miles per hour and 7.7 seconds, and have fun enjoying the ride.
The 2016 Mazda 5 Provides Savings At The Pump
No matter which model you choose, you will experience fuel efficiency at its best with the 2016 Mazda 5. With an EPA rating of 26 miles per gallon in the city and 35 miles per gallon on the interstate, your money-saving fuel efficiency can be traced all the way down to your daily driving habits. While you will get a combined fuel mileage rating of 29 miles per gallon with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, the 2.5-liter engine clocks in at about 26 miles per gallon. Two or 3 miles per gallon can be subtracted in the case that you select the all-wheel-drive option.
Your Choice Of Three Of 2016 Mazda 5 Models
The basic model features sports trim, power windows, power locks, cruise control and 17-inch wheels. The enhanced and trendy Mazda 5 Touring comes equipped with an infotainment system that features Internet radio, smartphone connectivity, a supreme audio system, a CD player and Bluetooth connectivity while equipped with enhanced safety features such as a rearview camera, keyless entry, and ignition. The CX-5 takes it one-step further and enhances that line up with leather upholstery, a moonroof, a Boise audio system, automatic headlights, satellite radio, front heated seats and dual automatic climate control.


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Dear PoP: 7-11 and Baseball Bat Incident Sunday Night
Photo from PoPville flickr user Rukasu1
"Dear PoP,
Around 11pm on valentines day I was driving down 14th street south of Columbia Heights metro and saw what I am guessing to be the 7 eleven clerk run out of 7 eleven angrily waving a baseball bat at a guy. The guy was on his cellphone (i think he was calling 911) he walked back to the 7 eleven and the guy came out again and threatened to beat him with the baseball bat. At this point traffic had moved and I stared back trying to figure out what happened. We turned around and when we came back the police were there and the guy who had been chased was standing behind them and they were staring at a video on someone's phone (my guess they videotaped the incident and were showing the police that the man was a victim??) So my question is what happened???"
Yikes. Anyone else happen to witness this?
MPD reports that it was an "Employee dispute between to 7 11 employees."

subset: commoncrawl


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Over 20,000 copies of Jewish learning CD and DVD, OyBaby have been sold since being launched in November 2003.
The popular CD and DVD provides a fun way for babies to learn Hebrew songs as well as images both on TV as well as in the car when listening to the CD.
Since 2003, it has been sold to 49 states in the USA as well as many countries around the world and a sequel, OyBaby 2 came out in 2005.
The idea came when Rob Wolf and his wife Lisi realised there was nothing available on DVD or CD to offer their six month old son as an introduction to Jewish culture and identity. With help from friends and family, the couple developed the OyBaby concept into reality by mixing quality songs with visual delights to entice and entertain babies as well as their parents.
Were most proud of the fact that this success has come the old-fashioned way: through repeat customers and great word-of-mouth, says Wolf. That is the ultimate compliment we can receive on the quality of our product and the enjoyment it brings to kids.
For more information: www.oybaby.com


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A comprehensive legislative package to address the opioid epidemic in Massachusetts is currently being reviewed by The Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Recovery. Gov. Charlie Baker, who sponsored the bill, testified in support of the legislation Tuesday, along with Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders.
The legislation, dubbed the CARE Act, aims to increase access to treatment, bolster substance abuse education and prevention programs, and further regulate the prescription and distribution of opioids, according to a press release from Baker's office.
In terms of substance abuse prevention, the CARE Act proposes the establishment of the Safe and Supportive Schools Trust, a fund allocated to the expansion and improvement of educational and intervention programs for students.
The funds from this trust will go toward developing a system to identify at-risk youth, which builds upon the efforts of the STEP Act passed in 2016 that mandated schools develop a substance abuse education curriculum and screening process to identify students with substance abuse disorders, according to the release.
Courtney Chelo, the children's behavioral health project manager at the Children's Mental Health Campaign, said preventive efforts like those of the Safe and Supportive Schools Trust are necessary to reach a permanent end to the opioid epidemic.
"If we're going to stem the tide of addiction, what we need to do is really focus on the early prevention and early intervention with young people," Chelo said. "We really liked that Section 1 of the bill, right there front and center, was investment in prevention in a big way, establishing the Safe and Supportive Schools Trust."
Despite supporting the CARE Act overall, Chelo said she thinks the education and prevention aspects of the bill should be revised to include increased funding for research examining the effectiveness of substance use prevention programs.
"We also hope that the legislature will take action to make sure that revenues from the sale of recreational marijuana are allocated to the Department of Public Health and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to support things like research and development and implementation of informed and evidence-based substance use prevention programs," Chelo said.
Another major piece of the bill addresses increasing regulation of opioid dispensation to prevent its over-prescription and illicit distribution. For example, prescribers are subject to "referrals for discipline" if they are guilty of overprescribing, violating the seven-day first-time opioid prescribing limit or failing to consult the prescription drug monitoring database that includes a patient's full prescription history before authorizing an opioid medication.
This rhetoric has scared doctors from prescribing opioids and even treating people with pain, leaving sufferers of chronic pain abandoned by their care providers and without access to a valuable medication option that relieves suffering for many, said Cindy Steinberg, the Policy Council chair of the Massachusetts Pain Initiative.
Moreover, the CARE Act does not increase access to alternative pain management services, like acupuncture and physical therapy, for sufferers of chronic pain, Steinberg said. She suggested requiring insurers to provide more comprehensive coverage for alternative treatments as one possible avenue to actively help people living in serious pain.
Several Boston residents said that while it's important to combat the opioid epidemic, parts of the bill may be problematic.
Rosa Gomez, 51, of South End, said rehabilitation and preventive education efforts are important to addressing the issue of substance abuse.
"The drug problem is Boston is a big one and it should definitely have the government's attention," Martinez said. "Rehabilitation is an important focus and so is educating the kids in our public schools when they're young since a lot of the drug use starts when they're young."
Jim Owens, 55, of Roxbury, said a provision of the bill that allows for people under the influence of drugs to be involuntarily transported and treated if they are at risk of endangering themselves or others, may give rise to many issues.
"Well, I think it's a controversial piece of legislation," Owens said. "As much as I want to believe doctors should be able to take whatever actions necessary to revive a patient, I can't speak for all drug users and neither can they. Maybe someone who's overdosed doesn't want to be revived. They probably don't have the money or the insurance to pay for medical treatment."
Jenny Morris, 30, of Back Bay, said she supports legislation to prevent opioid addiction due to its pervasive nature.
"Boston is realizing just how widespread of a problem [the opioid epidemic] is," Morris said. "I think any response to help prevent opioid addiction is a good one at this point."
Hannah Schoenbaum contributed to the reporting of this article.


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Phone number: (02) 9729....
URL: http://www.candeloris.com.au
Business Info
Recommend This Business
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Full Category Tree
Nearby Businesses within 5 km
- A 0.1 km Smithfield Seafood & Steak Restaurant
- B 1.1 km Lai Sun Chinese Restaurant
- C 1.1 km Smithfield Palace Chinese Restaurant
- D 1.2 km La Daieu Bong
- E 1.2 km Mee - The Noodle House Wetherill Park
Nearby Suburbs
- Fairfield Heights (3) - 1.24 km
- Fairfield (23) - 2.16 kms
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- Wetherill Park (10) - 2.59 kms
- Greystanes (6) - 2.83 kms


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Facebook Fires Entire Trending Stories Editorial Staff
I was wondering why Facebook was no longer showing those small story snippets. The company is now using an algorithm to select trending topics and articles, so they can now blame a program instead of people when something goes wrong.
Quartz confirmed from multiple sources that Facebook has laid off the entire editorial staff on the Trending teamآ—15-18 workers contracted through a third party. The Trending team will now be staffed entirely by engineers, who will work to check that topics and articles surfaced by the algorithms are newsworthy. Facebook maintains that trending items have always been selected by algorithms; the former editorial staff was only responsible for writing the story descriptions seen in the Trending section, according to the company. This was disputed by former contractors hired by the tech giant who told Gizmodo in May that they were instructed to manually add some stories by hand.


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Saturday, December 28, 2013
Does mental illness exist?
As I've opined extensively in the past, this is the 800-pound gorilla in the paranormal room: people who fit the clinical diagnosis of mental illness tend to appear on sites and talk radio shows devoted to the paranormal (and the right-wing).
My personal experience is that there IS such a thing as the classic diagnosis of mental illness, and that those who are mentally ill truly are unable to function in our consensus reality. At all. They can't communicate; they can't work; they can't perform even the most elemental tasks of self-sufficiency.
If anything, the United States lives in profound denial of the problem of mental illness. And we see the consequences daily: in our leagues of homeless, in our mass homicides, in our exploding prison population.
On a less consequential level, mental illness-denial contaminates any discussion of metaphysical topics and prevents any serious, rational investigation into what (I believe) to be valid, extraordinary experiences. Scientists won't touch it, and I don't blame them.
The mentally ill are people who truly warrant our help, support, and treatment. Not, necessarily, our belief.
1 comment:
does diabetes exist? does back pain exist? in a tech savvy country where cyberchondria rules, it still amazes me to be bombarded by news of mental segregation.ReplyDelete
large institutions are built around every physical illness possible. monstrous files clog the computer tripes of medicine. and yet--most pervasive dysfunctions of the mind register very low upon the collective psyche. why?
visceral fear of the unknown? no pictures available to dissect these ills and deviant symptoms? ah! wrapped in dogma and dressed in guessing, mental concerns have not yet reached the compassionate hearts of our expectant society. we are too busy maintaining a decent public profile and holding onto purse strings to open the gates of the unseen asylum of the slums. too bad..the pain we ignore today is the tragedy of tomorrow..tenfold.


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- Duration : 06 Days / 05 Nights
- Places Covered :
Mumbai - Goa
Recommended Itinerary :
Day 01: Arrive Mumbai
To start this memorable trip, you will arrive at Mumbai airport and we will send our representative to pick you from airport. Then you will visit your hotel to take a complete rest for night. In day, you can take some rest or can visit some of the popular and historic tourist places of Mumbai like Gateway of India, Mani Bhavan, Dhobi Ghat and Flora fountain. You can also make a visit to Fashion Street that is a point of attraction in teenagers and college students to shop for latest western clothes at affordable price. After visiting these places, you can come back to your hotel to have dinner and to take rest at night.
Day 02: Mumbai - Goa
On the next day of your trip, you will wake up refreshed in your room and will get ready to start your journey to one of the best tourist places of India, Goa. You will be transported to Mumbai Airport where you will get flight for Goa. With journey in best flight, you will reach to your trip destination comfortably. We will arrange premium accommodation for you in the spa resort. After checking in the hotel, you have rest of day to explore some of the beaches and places of Goa. At night, you will take complete rest in your resort there.
Day 03: Goa - Beaches
In next morning, you will take a spa session and breakfast in your resort and then you will start the tour of Goa. This place is like heaven for tourists where you will find some of the best beaches of India. Goa is known for its unique cultural fusion and its Portuguese style mansions, Old convents and churches. You will explore some of the best tourist places, beaches, historic palaces and churches of Goa in this day. Then you will return to your resort room in evening and have a dinner. Then you can take a comfortable sleep in your room.
Day 04 & Day 05: Goa
For next two days, you will explore the beauty of Goa in best way. You will find the complete refreshment with Spa therapies and will also get relaxation in your body with a massage with herbal medicated oils. With these spa sessions, you will also find the process of internal purification with some of the effective exercises and diets. This is a perfect option for people who want to switch to a healthier lifestyle. In our Spa tour package, you will find best health benefits because of this natural spa therapy by using the best herbs and medicines in perfect climate of Goa. These are the reasons that Goa is one of the most preferred destinations for a spa tour. You will take complete rest at night in your resort.
Day 06: Goa - Mumbai - Out
In the morning of 6th day, you will be ready to travel back to Mumbai and to end this memorable and refreshing spa tour of Goa. You will be transferred to airport of Goa where you will take the flight to Mumbai. After reaching to the international airport of Mumbai, you will take another flight to reach to your home.
So this is a perfect tour package for people who want to travel to Goa to get refreshment with Spa therapies. You can also become a part of this memorable tour and can get some of the best memorable moments and can get various health benefits in Goa.
Price :


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Hospice Experience of Care Survey
In August of 2013, CMS released the final rule for the 2014 Payment Rate Update.This final rule introduced a new customer satisfaction survey called the Hospice Experience of Care Survey. Hospice providers will need to contract with an approved survey vendor before March 2015 in order to avoid a 2 percent reduction in the annual payment update. You can read the section introducing the new survey here.
Key information about the Hospice Experience of Care Survey
- The development of the survey drew heavily from questionnaires in the public domain such as the FEHC (Family Evaluation of Hospice Care) Survey.
- As of now, the survey has between 65 and 71 questions. CMS anticipates the final version being much shorter. It will be significantly shorter than the FEHC survey which has 54 questions.
- As of now, the survey is not a CAHPS® survey. CMS will be applying for NQF and CAHPS® approval. If approved, the survey may be called Hospice CAHPS®.
- The survey development and implementation process are mimicking the underlying principles of the CAHPS® surveys. The survey protocols will be very similar the HH-CAHPS® survey protocols.
- Hospice agencies with 50 or less deceased patients in a calendar year will be exempt from participating.
- The survey is still being tested during the fall of 2013.
- The approved methods for administering the survey will be phone, mail, and mixed mode (mailed survey with a phone follow up).
- The survey will be conducted with bereaved family or close friends of the loved one. It is anticipated that the surveys will be conducted two to three months after the passing of the hospice patient.
- Hospice agencies will be able to add their own questions to the survey.
- Survey vendors will be required to offer the survey in Spanish and English.
What should Hospice providers do?
As of November 2013, the final version of the survey has not been released, nor are there any approved survey vendors. It is not necessary to do anything yet. By the summer of 2014, the final version of the Hospice Experience of Care Survey will likely be released, along with a list of approved survey vendors. At this time it will be important to start evaluating survey vendors and select one before January 2015.
Hospice agencies will be required to conduct a "dry run" survey for one month between January and March of 2015. The data collected during this dry run will not be made public. In April of 2015 Hospice agencies will begin regular participation in the survey. The results of those surveys will be made public.
Will Pinnacle be an approved survey vendor?
The timeline for approving survey vendors is still unknown. However, since this new survey and the protocols for administering the survey are so similar to what has been done in the Home Health sector with the HH-CAHPS® survey, Pinnacle fully anticipates being an approved vendor. Please contact us with any additional questions about the Hospice Experience of Care Survey.Learn More View Additional Articles


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Level Two NVQ Diploma in Hairdressing
This course covers a wide variety of essential hairdressing skills which will build up your practical abilities to industry standards.
What will I study?
Mandatory units:
- Make sure your own actions reduce risks to health and safety
- Giving clients a positive impression of yourself and your organisation
- Advising and consulting with clients
- Shampooing, conditioning and treating the hair and scalp
- Changing hair colour
- Styling and finishing hair
- Setting and dressing hair
- Cutting hair suing basic techniques
Plus one optional unit:
- Perming and neutralising hair
- Promoting additional services or products to clients
How will I be assessed?
Assessment is through observation of practical skills carried out on paying customers in the salon environment. Learners also participate in written and oral questioning or online multi-choice tests.
Entry requirements
- A minimum of four GCSEs at grade D or above
- VRQ level 2 in hairdressing or equivalent qualification
- A satisfactory interview and initial assessment
What next?
This qualification could help you gain employment in salons as a stylist or continue onto the NVQ level three as a full-time work-based course or a part-time course.
Additional information
For start dates and fees, consult the relevant course guides below or you can request a prospectus by post.


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Nevis Range, Scotland
On November 21, 2014 In agn, Married Life, mountain, photography, Planet Qwords.com, travel, TRAVEL PHOTOS, UK, Wanderlust With No Comments
I realized that I haven't completed posting about my UK trip. Even for Scotland itself, I haven't posted the best part of it: Nevis Range. Instead of hiking, we rode a gondola (cable car) to go up and were dropped in front of the gate to the view point. It was the best cheating I've ever done in life :') It was pretty cold but the sun shone brightly, as if knowing that a tropical girl was coming. Hehe.
Omg, I miss my husband :')


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Costa Rica
Your daily English-language news source Monday through Friday
|What we published this week:
Abstracts and fair use are permitted. Check HERE for more details
|A.M. Costa Rica's Second news page
San José, Costa Rica, Friday, Feb. 21, 2014, Vol. 14, No. 37
doors to shoddy tax work
By Randall Lindner, enrolled agent
Special to A.M. Costa Rica
It may seem safe to assume that if somebody hangs a shingle on their building that says "Tax Preparer," that person is educated and competent. After all, wouldn't the Internal Revenue Service regulate this to make sure anyone who charges money to prepare a tax return has certain education and competency requirements?
In one of the few positive steps that organization has ever made, they did, in fact, try to regulate the practice of tax preparation. In 2011, the IRS required all tax preparers to register with it and obtain a unique preparer identification number called a PTIN. The IRS later instituted requirements that in order to maintain the PTIN, the preparers must also pass a small competency exam, pay annual dues, and complete a scant 15 hours of annual tax education.
In 2012, three unlicensed tax preparers brought suit in Federal District Court to overturn the IRS's new regulatory agenda. In 2013 the district court agreed with the unlicensed preparers, finding that Congress never gave the IRS the authority to create the regulations. The IRS appealed the decision, and last Feb. 11 the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit affirmed the lower court.
The IRS could potentially petition the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case, and it may ask Congress to expand its regulatory power. However, for now, anybody can call him or herself a tax preparer and charge unsuspecting clients a significant fee without having any expertise or competence.
With almost 30 years of experience doing battle with the IRS, I am typically the last person who would advocate giving that organization more power. However, in this case, it makes sense. Unlicensed preparers hurt taxpayers because they often do not do a good job. This is going to be especially important for U.S. taxpayers living overseas. The IRS requirements for Americans abroad are more complex than they are for people who reside in the States, and the penalties for making mistakes can be quite steep. I've seen time and time again locally licensed foreign CPAs, who may know the laws of their country very well, dip their toes into the IRS pool with disastrous results. This decision by the D.C. Circuit opens the door to this happening on a wider scale.
To protect themselves, expats should make sure that when they hire a tax preparer he or she has some credentials from the United States. Certified public accountants and tax attorneys are licensed by individual states. Enrolled Agents are licensed directly by the Treasury Department. Expats should avoid preparers with no credentials or those who are credentialed by a foreign jurisdiction. A Costa Rica licensed CPA is unlikely to understand the IRS regulations as well as a CPA or attorney from any one of the United States, or a treasury licensed enrolled agent.
Lindner is an enrolled agent with 20 years of practice in Costa Rica assisting Americans living abroad. For more information, please visit www.ustaxinternational.com or e-mail email@example.com.
Rights groups say Venezuela
should end its violent attacks
Special to A.M. Costa Rica
The government of Venezuela should immediately end its violent attacks against demonstrators, invite the opposition to join an open dialogue to end the country's political crisis, and seek help from the international community in defusing the tensions, Freedom House said Thursday.
Meanwhile, in Caracas, student protesters and security forces faced off again.
Freedom House, the Latin America and Caribbean Network for Democracy, and the World Movement for Democracy co-signed a letter sent to the secretary general of the Organization of American States, José Miguel Insulza, requesting the organization's "good offices" mission to Venezuela.
Former Costa Rican president and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Oscar Arias has expressed willingness to lead such a delegation.
"Given the violence this week involving the National Guard and police, the government has crossed the line of behavior acceptable in a democracy, and the international community should speak up," said Robert Herman, vice president for regional programs for Freedom House. "Conditions in Venezuela are reminders of the darkest periods of Latin American dictatorships. It is no longer possible to justify the government's human rights violations on the grounds that it was elected democratically."
Wednesday the national guard and police indiscriminately fired tear gas canisters in at least four major cities, in some cases aiming directly at protesters or inside residential buildings and homes in search of student protesters. Government-supported colectivos or paramilitary groups accompanied government forces, and fired live ammunition. Though the government has sought to impose a media blackout, online videos show several civilian casualties lying on the streets.
There have been at least five deaths.
Freedom House said it also calls on the government to immediately release opposition leader Leopoldo López, who was arrested this week. A court convened on a military base has extended his detention for another 45 days, in violation of due process.
High-living hospital residents
now on their way to the wilds
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The life-saving efforts at Hospital Monseñor Sanabria in Puntarenas include the lives of owls.
The Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social said that workers found three young owls on the sixth floor of the hospital's tower. The young owls have been placed in a foster home for eventual release, said the Caja.
The Cuerpo Bomberos and the Servicio de Salud Animal also were involved in the project.
Eventually the young owls will be taken to the Santuario de Lapas El Manantial, in Aranjuez, Puntarenas, for quarantine and eventual release.
Our reader's opinionU.S.A. charges higher fees
to tourists than to locals
Dear A.M. Costa Rica:
In your readers opinions, Michael Connolly mentioned that he felt it was illogical to charge tourists more than locals for entrance into tourist destinations.
It is true that in the national parks it is quite a bit more for foreign tourists to enter then locals, but this same "illogical" thinking is very prevalent in state parks and other tourist destinations in the U.S.A., where residents of a state can enter at reduced prices or get seasonal passes that non-residents can not.
I believe the thinking there as here is that the residents pay more taxes and have an inherent right to access the land. And as a whole, tourists do have more ability to pay than many local residents. It would be a shame to see the national parks and other attractions to become only affordable for tourists and those who actually live here and own the land (this is a democratic country) are kept out.
In a perfect world it would be free for everyone, but here as in the U.S.A. and most other countries around the world the parks need to be maintained and those fees, when everything goes as it should, go to maintain those parks.
Robert Anthony Warren H.
La Cima de Dota
|What we published this week:
|The contents of this page and this Web site are copyrighted by A.M. Costa Rica.com Ltda. 2014 and may not be reproduced anywhere without permission. Abstracts and fair use are permitted. Check HERE for details
A.M. Costa Rica
Third News Page
|San José, Costa Rica, Friday, Feb. 21, 2014, Vol. 14, No. 37
|Measure to reinstate shrimp trawling immediately draws
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
A legislative committee approved and sent to the full legislature Thursday a measure to reinstate shrimp trawling in Costa Rican waters. Immediately, an environmental organization said that the proposal does not agree with a constitutional court ruling.
Last August the Sala IV constitutional court unexpectedly ordered a halt to the use of trawler nets to catch shrimp. The court said the fishing technique does serious damage to the marine environment because of the other creatures that are captured and not used. The court said that those with shrimp trawling license could use them until they expired. The first one did this week.
However, the legislature said that it was making three changes in the existing law to meet constitutional requirements and to promote sustainable trawling.
The criticism of the legislative action came from the Programa Restauración de Tiburones y Torgugas Marinas. One of the organization leaders, Randall Arauz, said that lawmakers were responding to the desires of commercial shrimpers.
The main criticisms of trawling are that the nets capture and kill turtles and that they also destroy coral on the floor of the sea.
The measure found unusual support from four different political parties in the Comisión Especial Investigadora de la Provincia de Puntarenas.
Agnes Gómez Franceschi, a lawmaker who supported the bill, said that the measure establishes an equilibrium between the protection of the marine resources and the many fishing families in Puntarenas.
"It is indispensable that we guarantee the social security and the employment of the families of fishermen and the development of the fishing activity in a sustainable manner . . ," she was quoted as saying by the Partidio Liberación Nacional.
"The decision is political and functions in detriment of the public interest, but the deputies took it to benefit the members of the board of directors of Incopesca who are shrimp businessmen with whom they have agreements," said Arauz. Incopesca is the Instituto
U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationLoggerhead turtle escaping a net equipped with turtle excluder.
Costarricense de Pesca y Acucultura, which regulates the industry.
Arauz said that the action demonstrates that the law needs to be changed to put others without self interest on the institute board.
The organization, which is known as Pretoma, said it would challenge the legislative action.
The constitutional court did not order an immediate halt. It told the Instituto Costarricense de Pesca y Acuicultura not to renew permits for this type of fishing and not to activate any inactive permits. Those fishing operations that have active permits could continue using their same equipment under close official supervision until the permit expires, said the court.
The decision, released in a summary by the Poder Judicial, said that there may come a time when the permits are reinstated but the technology does not now exist that are sufficiently effective. The court mentioned turtle excluders that are attached to the nets to let air-breathing turtles go free instead of being drowned.
From time to time the United States has prohibited the import of Costa Rican shrimp because of the impact on turtles.
Six years shows the more things change, the more they stay the same
|Six years ago today my dear
friend Mavis Biesanz died. We talked almost daily on the phone, and she
and I would probably have a discussion about what is happening today as
compared to 2008. I miss our visits and telephone conversations.
So this is for you, Mavis. I am afraid the situation in the world
continues to look bleak.
The Olympics in Russia are almost over. So far the negatives and the ridiculous that have been the subject of the media, including the social media, have not resulted in predicted possible disaster. Looking back to the time of the last summer Olympics, I noted again that the French are right, the more things change, the more they stay the same.
In July 2008:
The Olympic Torch is making its wobbly way around the world on its journey to China. Along the way people have been trying to block its progress because they are protesting China's repression of the people of Tibet. Some protesters have other axes to grind and have joined the fray. There have been, perhaps as many as one million people marching and blocking this symbolic journey.
The media coverage has been remarkable. CNN and other stations covered the aborted run through San Francisco hour after hour. Coverage has been maintained in every country where there has been an objection. Leaders of some countries have decided not to attend the opening ceremonies and a number of companies have removed their sponsorship of the games. Once again I find the power of the press amazing. It makes me wonder what might have happened had the media covered so enthusiastically the 30 million people who marched against the Iraq war before it started.
What makes it all so ironic is that when the Olympics took place in ancient Greece, it was the custom that countries at war had to declare a cease fire while the games were in progress if they wished to participate. Internal strife was not a problem. Outright war was.
Lately I seem to be attracted to the ironic. Thus I have been following the news story of the unfortunate 437 children and their mothers of the San Angelo religious compound. (A compound is an enclosed space containing buildings.)
It all seems to be about sex with underage girls. The girls are not prostitutes, so they are not guilty of breaking any laws, their mothers may be guilty of being part of a polygamous family and possibly knowingly allowing their daughters to be married to much older men. But many of them know no other way to live – they have been brainwashed. So it leaves the men who are in charge of the compound who are the wrongdoers.
But who is being punished? Does anyone think that even if these men are put on trial and sent to prison they are going to suffer any more than these children and their mothers? They are being torn from each other and the children are being placed with strange
foster parents, who, I will bet, are not prepared to help them emotionally.
We won't even talk about the fact that there are probably just as many pregnancies and/or rapes of underage children in any comparable population not in a compound. We have to admit if we are honest that girls under the age of 18 are having sex.
On the frivolous side, there have been many comments about the uniform frontier dresses the women wear and the fact that they are not allowed to cut their hair. I've just noticed recently that the low slung jeans and half blouses are disappearing from the city scene. Talk about uniforms! Also part of the current fashion are hair lengtheners one can buy to make their long straight hair even longer.
The difference, of course, is the freedom to choose. Free choice makes all the difference. The women and the children of the compound had no choice. The men ruled. And now, with the government involved, they still have no choice. Either way they are the losers. All in all, it is a strange sort of justice.
Meanwhile, in Costa Rica, I received an e-mail from Kevin, who is concerned about the big, old and spectacularly beautiful trees along Ruta 7 between Ciudad Colon and Piedades. He feels they are in danger of being cut down to make room for condominiums. I haven't seen them, but I love trees. I understand why they were once worshiped. Is there anything to be done to preemptively save these trees? They are certainly better for the environment than condos.
And another e-mail asked me about the story of the artist who, if the news is correct, tied up a stray dog and let him starve in his studio as an art display. This took place in Nicaragua, but the artist has his work hanging in a gallery in San José. There is a petition protesting this.
Is there a petition protesting what is happening to the women and children of San Angelo? An ongoing petition protesting the daily deaths of the people of Iraq, the death of life-giving trees or the starving children in Latin America, not to mention Darfur and soon, other parts of the world? Even if there were petitions, would the Media cover these topics endlessly?
I am beginning to think that blushing is not the only thing humans do that other animals do not, I think we are also the only animal able to accept living in the midst of so much irony. Maybe that is why we blush.
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|San José, Costa Rica, Friday, Feb. 21, 2014, Vol. 14, No. 37
|Sedentary seniors have much higher risk of being disabled,
study shows
By the Northwestern University news staff
If you're 60 and older, every additional hour a day you spend sitting is linked to a 50 percent greater risk of being disabled, regardless of how much moderate exercise you get, reports a new Northwestern Medicine study.
The study is the first to show sedentary behavior is its own risk factor for disability, separate from lack of moderate vigorous physical activity. In fact, sedentary behavior is almost as strong a risk factor for disability as lack of moderate exercise.
If there are two 65-year-old women, one sedentary for 12 hours a day and another sedentary for 13 hours a day, the second one is 50 percent more likely to be disabled, the study found.
"This is the first time we've shown sedentary behavior was related to increased disability regardless of the amount of moderate exercise," said Dorothy Dunlop, professor of medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and lead author of the study.
"Being sedentary is not just a synonym for inadequate physical activity," she added.
Disability affects more than 56 million Americans. It's defined by limitations in being able to do basic activities such as eating, dressing or bathing oneself, getting in and out of bed and walking across a room. Disability increases the risk of hospitalization and institutionalization and is a leading source of health care costs, accounting for $1 in $4 spent.
The study will be published this week in the Journal of Physical Activity & Health.
The finding -- that being sedentary was almost as strong a risk factor
|for disability as
lack of moderate vigorous activity -- surprised Ms. Dunlop.
"It means older adults need to reduce the amount of time they spend sitting, whether in front of the TV or at the computer, regardless of their participation in moderate or vigorous activity," she said.
The study focused on a sample of 2,286 adults aged 60 and older from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. It compared people in similar health with the same amount of moderate vigorous activity. Moderate activity is walking briskly,
The participants wore accelerometers from 2002 to 2005 to measure their sedentary time and moderate vigorous physical activity. The accelerometer monitoring is significant because it is objective. The older and heavier people are, the more they tend to overestimate their physical activity. Previous research indicated a relationship between sedentary behavior and disability but it was based on self-reports and, thus, couldn't be verified.
Because the study examines data at one point in time, it doesn't definitively determine sedentary behavior causes disability. "It draws attention to the fact that this is a potential problem," said Ms. Dunlop, who is doing a longitudinal study on sedentary behavior and disability risk.
Studies with animals have shown immobility is a separate risk factor for negative effects on health. "This is the first piece of objective evidence that corroborates the animal data," Ms. Dunlop said.
Ms. Dunlop wears a device on her wrist that tracks her steps and is synced to her smartphone and computer. She's created a social circle with her friends and family, so they can keep track of each other's progress.
"It's great reinforcement to keep moving," Ms. Dunlop said.
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|Obama and Dalai Lama plan
to meet today at White House
By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
President Barack Obama will meet the Dalai Lama today at the White House, prompting a statement of serious concern from China.
The White House said late Thursday that Obama is meeting the Dalai Lama in his capacity as a respected religious and cultural leader.
A statement said the U.S. supports the Dalai Lama's so-called middle way approach of neither assimilation nor independence for Tibetans in China.
China's foreign ministry quickly urged the U.S. to cancel the meeting, calling it gross interference that will seriously damage U.S.-China ties.
Beijing views the Dalai Lama as a dangerous splittist who has encouraged a wave of self-immolations by Tibetans. He denies the charge.
The U.S. recognizes Tibet to be a part of China. While Washington does not back Tibetan independence, it is concerned over what it says is the deteriorating human rights situation in Tibetan areas of China.
The White House has called on China to reopen talks with the Dalai Lama or his representatives with no preconditions.
Obama has met with the Dalai Lama twice before, in 2010 and 2011.
Since February 2009, more than 126 people have self-immolated in traditionally Tibetan areas of China to protest Beijing's policy in their homeland.
The Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Authority, located in India, are outspoken critics of China's policies, but have discouraged the suicide protests.
Many Tibetans in China accuse the government of a campaign of religious and cultural persecution, as the country's majority Han ethnic group continues to move into historically Tibetan areas.
China rejects that, and claims Tibetans enjoy religious freedom. Beijing also points to huge ongoing investment it says has brought modernization and an increased standard of living to Tibet.
Voice of America photoThis is the braided artificial muscle.
Cheap materials used to make
braided artificial muscles
By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
By tightly coiling high-strength polymer fishing line and basic sewing thread, an international team of researchers have created artificial muscles of superhuman strength that can be made on the cheap.
"In terms of comparison, if you had a muscle made from our material that was the same length and weight as a natural muscle, in general it could lift about a hundred times more force than a natural muscle can," said Carter Haines, a doctoral student at the University of Texas Nanotech Institute in Dallas, which led the international research team.
For heavy lifting, researchers say a single artificial muscle of bundled, twisted fishing line can lift 7.25 kilograms. Writing in the journal Science, Haines, the report's lead author, says the synthetic muscles could be used to power human-like robots, prosthetic limbs and exoskeletons for people whose muscles have atrophied.
"One of the simpler things to do, as opposed to, let's say, replace a missing limb, is to see if we can create something like a glove that would fit over" a hand or limb that has lost function, he said.
According to the report, the scientists say twisted sewing thread of a diameter less than human hair works just as well and could be used for applications requiring less force. For example, a synthetic muscle used to power mechanical robots that perform minimally invasive microsurgery, Haines says.
When heated, the muscles twist along their length, contracting to produce the force, and, when cooled, the muscles relax. They can be powered by temperature changes or a simple battery.
When threaded through fabric, Haines says the invention could open pores in clothing when it is hot to let in cool air and tighten fabric when it is cold.
The muscles are easy to make, says Haines, because they require materials that can be purchased at any store. Students learning about the technology are making the synthetic muscles for school science projects.
Top U.S. military leader meets with his counterparts
By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
The U.S. Army's top officer pledged more dialogue on common objectives as he met Chinese generals in Beijing.
Army Chief of Staff Ray Odierno was greeted Friday with full military honors at China's Defense Ministry.
His visit comes amid U.S. criticism of China's policies toward its neighbors over territorial claims in the East and South China Seas.
However, before holding closed-door meetings, Odierno said he would focus on concerns that both sides share.
"We have many common objectives about our countries so I think it's important to have this kind of dialogue. We both have incredibly professional armies so I look forward to the substantive discussions that we will have on both regional and international issues," said Odierno.
Chinese Lt. Gen. Wang Ning also said military-to-military dialogue is an important part of the U.S.-China relationship.
"We look forward to a continuous development of the new type of relationship between the militaries of China and the U.S. In the meantime, we also look forward to a continuous development of the exchanges and cooperation between the armies of our two nations," said Wang.
Though both sides have stressed cooperation in public bilateral meetings, tensions and mistrust appear to be increasing.
A top U.S. diplomat earlier this month called on Beijing to clarify or amend its vast claims to the South China Sea, where many of China's neighbors accuse Beijing of acting aggressively.
The U.S. has refused to acknowledge China's recently declared Air Defense Identification Zone in the East China Sea, which overlaps with areas also claimed by Japan.
The U.S. military, along with its allies Japan and South Korea, has continued to fly planes through the region, ignoring China's call to first file flight plans with the defense ministry.
One senior U.S. Navy official last week said Beijing was preparing for a short, sharp war with Japan during which it would seize disputed islands. Pentagon officials Thursday distanced themselves from the comments, saying Capt. James Fanell was expressing his personal views.
Many in China, meanwhile, view the White House's military and economic focus on Asia as an attempt to contain its rise and regional influence, a charge U.S. officials deny.
Brazil ready to fight U.S.
over new farm bills subsidies
By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
The ink is barely dry on the new law governing U.S. farm subsidies, but already the measure faces a legal challenge on the grounds that it violates international trade rules.
Brazil says farmers in other countries will suffer as a result of unfair protection given to U.S. producers in the new Farm Bill that U.S. President Barack Obama signed Feb. 7.
Brasilia has announced plans to reopen a case before the World Trade Organization, a case that the new agriculture legislation was supposed to resolve.
The United States has been paying Brazil $147 million per year to ward off harsher measures that the organization authorized when the U.S. lost the last of its appeals in a long-running dispute over cotton subsidies.
That dispute began in the early 2000s. Global cotton prices had been sinking through the late 1990s, and farmers in Brazil and other developing countries were struggling.
Meanwhile, American farmers were receiving substantial subsidies.
"There were times when U.S. cotton growers were getting more than half their revenue from the U.S. government," said University of California at Davis agricultural economist Daniel Sumner. "These other countries said, 'Gee, how can we compete with that?'"
So in 2002, Brazil brought the United States before the World Trade Organization. Sumner helped make the economic case.
The U.S. lost. On appeal, the U.S. lost again. Twice.
Since the U.S. had failed to fix its subsidy program, the World Trade Organization said Brazil could retaliate. That usually means raising tariffs on imported goods.
"Brazil looked at this and said, 'We don't actually want to put tariffs on products coming in from the U.S. That actually hurts our economy,'" Sumner said. Higher tariffs mean higher prices for Brazilian consumers.
"But we need to find some way to get the attention of the U.S. government," Sumner said.
Instead, Brasilia threatened to suspend hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of intellectual property protections on U.S. companies' software, pharmaceuticals, movies and more.
That brought the U.S. to the negotiating table.
In 2010, the two sides reached an agreement. The Farm Bill would be up for renewal soon, and the U.S. promised the new version would fix the subsidy problems. Until then, U.S. taxpayers would pay $147 million in subsidies to the Brazilian cotton industry.
The new Farm Bill does change the subsidies. Under the old system, U.S. farmers received payments when cotton prices fell below a certain level. Under the new law, farmers buy insurance that protects most of their income when crops fail or when markets drop. U.S. taxpayers cover most of the cost of the insurance policies.
The U.S. stopped its payments to Brazil last September as the new Farm Bill neared completion.
Brazil's cotton producers association, ABRAPA, says the legislation has resolved nothing.
In a statement, ABRAPA said, "More than not paying what you owe to Brazilian producers for subsidies deemed illegal by WTO judges, the United States passed a new farm bill that is likely to cause major distortions in international cotton prices."
ABRAPA said retaliation is in order, but Brazilian ministers decided to take the case back to the World Trade Organization first.
The U.S. growers' association, the National Cotton Council, responded in a statement saying the insurance plan "was developed specifically to bring the United States into compliance with the decision."
Insurance programs are allowed under World Trade Organization rules, the cotton council says, adding that this and other changes "are significant, and we believe the matter is resolved."
Even if the matter is resolved, there may be others. The new Farm Bill offers similar protections to other agricultural products. In addition, for some crops, Congress strengthened programs that pay farmers when prices fall below a certain point. That's one type of support that put the U.S. in trouble with the World Trade Organization in the first place.
Farm groups note that the World Trade Organization permits governments to pay their farmers limited amounts of subsidies, and say that under the new law, the U.S. is unlikely to exceed those limits.
Intellectual property industries are assuming the best at this point. One industry source, Mark Grayson, said he expects Congress knew what's at stake, and he hopes the Farm Bill is in compliance with World Trade Organization rules. He is with the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.
Economists describe the new Farm Bill as a step backward, potentially inflicting more harm on developing world farmers than the old bill did.
Voice of America photoEconomic arguments make it to the floor of Congress.
Immigration reform moves
onto economic battlefield
By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Despite near unanimous agreement that the U.S. immigration system is broken, it appears doubtful that Congress will take up the issue this year. Republicans say they don't trust the president to enforce new rules, a charge many Democrats say is simply a political excuse to deny a Democratic president a legislative victory in an election year. But some say lawmakers are missing the bigger point that immigration reform is not a political issue but an economic one.
Experts said communities paid a heavy price when 11 million undocumented immigrants live in the shadows. And for a country that prides itself in its humanitarian beliefs fixing a broken immigration system should be a high priority.
"I think that each day that Congress delays this decision people are getting hurt, are getting hurt by the deportation machine, that is as I said before, separating families every day," said Guillermo Cantor, a senior analyst at the Immigration Policy Center.
Cantor said there were other reasons why Congress should act.
"And one of them that sometimes gets overlooked is that it would result in enormous economic benefits for this country," he said.
But critics of immigration reform said the government's own studies suggested otherwise.
Sen, Jeff Sessions, a Republican, said, "How can we vote for a bill that our own Congressional Budget Office says will reduce average wages in America for 12 years?"
Sessions is only half right. The budget office report said reforms would reduce average wages one-tenth of one percent (0.1 percent) by 2023 but that's because the estimate included wages from lower-skilled workers who would become legal residents. After 10 years, the report said wages would rise about half of a percent, more than they would without reforms.
But that's just part of the story said Marc Rosenberg at the Migration Policy Institute
"Legalization is probably going to help the U.S. economy. It's also going to bring more people into the tax system, so it probably has a net fiscal benefit of people paying more taxes," he said. "In the long run however, unauthorized immigrants who become legal will also be eligible for additional services, so the fiscal impact has pluses and minuses."
As it stands, the Center for Immigration Policy said the negatives outweighed the positives.
Spokesperson Marguerite Telford said their studies showed economic gains quickly diminished by the larger demand for social programs.
She said, "and when you look at 36 percent of immigrants are on at least one welfare program and you look at how much it's costing, you know, how long can we keep affording it?,"
With so many Americans looking for work, Ms. Telford said annual admissions of about 1.1 million legal immigrants were too generous and should be cut in half.
One solution is to take a more selective approach to immigration. Chinese student Ting Gong said expanding work permit programs for foreign students who graduated from American universities was an excellent place to start.
"Because you know the students who work here are highly educated and we can contribute our skills and everything to this country" Ting said.
Despite disagreement on how, the majority of economists agree reforms would expand the U.S. economy. Critics said it did so at a heavy price while others said the cost of doing nothing would be worse.
Native American tribal office
is scene of multiple killings
By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Officials in northern California announced that an attack on a Native American tribal headquarters has killed four people and injured two others.
Police said a woman opened fire on the Cedarville Rancheria Tribal Office and Community Center Thursday afternoon.
Authorities say the woman launched the shooting spree during an eviction hearing being held at the center in Alturas, along the Oregon border.
The tribe's Web site says the Cedarville Rancheria is a small federally recognized tribe comprised of 35 tribal members.
Voice of America photoJuan Fernandez at his lathe
Behind the scenes machinist
does key medical work
By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Many people who would have died from common ailments a few decades back are alive today thanks to advances in medical technology, including devices created by researchers in laboratories. But getting from a design sketch to an actual approved product can take years.
His coworkers are lathes and drills rather than doctors, nurses and medical technicians, but Juan Fernandez is a highly regarded collaborator at Houston Methodist Hospital.
He made a valve for operating room technicians who wanted a better way to monitor oxygen flow.
"The oxygen goes in and out this way and the sensor will tell how much oxygen is going to the patient," said Fernandez.
These kinds of innovations are sometimes so successful that the companies manufacturing the equipment sometimes incorporate them into new designs.
Biomedical engineer Matthew Jackson worked with Fernandez to develop parts for this cardiovascular simulator.
"The payoff of having the machine shop here is that you can create unique solutions to problems in a simple way, where you are just removing and adding material to create something," said Jackson.
Fernandez, who has worked more than 25 years in Houston's Texas Medical Center, says that experience pays off when someone shows him a sketch for a part they want made.
"On paper you can make anything, but once you try to make it into a part, it is hard," he said.
Fernandez produced many of the parts for a cardiovascular simulator. It uses a plastic reproduction of a patient's aorta to test blood flow.
Matthew Jackson says he needed a device made of plastic, rather than metal, because it has to be inserted into the highly magnetic ring of an MRI machine.
"This is something Juan created for us and it helped with a lot of the initial work we were doing on this project. You sandwich that valve between the two, the left side acts as the ventricle and this side acts as the atrium and you can put this in the MRI magnet because it is all made out of plastic," he said.
Some of the earliest advances in treating heart disease were made in Houston by Michael DeBakey, who, in 1991, called on Fernandez to make the prototype for a ventricular assist device.
For Fernandez this was personal. He was just 10-years-old when his father died in front of him.
"He started snoring and I thought he was playing with me and I called my mom and they called the paramedics, but he was gone. The doctor said it was a heart attack," said Fernandez.
The researchers who design new devices gain prestige and money from patents, and the doctors who use them gain status in the medical community.
Fernandez shuns attention and prefers to work alone.
"I know deep down that I helped mankind and that is all that matters to me," he said.
Fernandez is now 65 and could retire. But he continues to work and do his part for medical science.
Former congressman finds
trouble again in Zimbabwe
By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Former U.S. congressman Mel Reynolds has denied charges of possessing pornographic images and videos two days after his arrest at a hotel in Zimbabwe. This is not the first time the congressman has had run-ins with the law. He was forced to resign his seat in 1995 after being convicted on charges of having sex with a minor.
Wednesday, Reynolds smiled as he walked past journalists and into Zimbabwe's Harare courthouse. There he entered a plea of not guilty to two charges, including possessing pornography.
His lawyer, Arthur Gurira, said Reynolds overstayed his visa which expired in December. The second charge is possession of articles and it's being alleged they found nude pictures in his phone," said Gurira.
The former Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives was born in 1952 in Mississippi, but he grew up in Illinois.
Lorenzo Morris teaches political science at Howard University and is familiar with Reynolds' career.
"Well, it's a sad story, but it's not all that surprising because very often when we are overwhelmed at an early period, as he was when he started his career. Having come from a relatively disadvantaged situation and becoming a Rhodes scholar and then being elected to Congress in a competitive city like Chicago, we forget they have to leave a great deal behind," said Morris.
Reynolds was once a rising star in the Democratic Party but was forced to resign his seat in 1995 for having sex with an underage campaign worker. He also spent time in prison on fraud charges, but his sentence was commuted by President Bill Clinton in 2001.
"He was someone who can deal with the black power community and the civil rights community without being a part of it, because he's been in the elite part of the dominant society's educational system. But that very separation also brings with it a degree of insularity and vulnerability," said Morris.
Morris also said that personal weaknesses can remain, whether in Africa or not. Reynolds has been to Zimbabwe many times, apparently on business.
Last year, he made an unsuccessful bid to return to Congress. That was his second attempt at a political comeback.
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Ministerio de Gobernación, Policia y Seguridad Pública photoTaxi ended on its roof at climax of a police chase.
Taxi containing suspects
flips, ending police chase
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Two men who had been in a taxi approached a woman at a Curridabat commercial center and robbed her of her possessions, said the Fuerza Pública. A few minutes later police got a report of two men who pulled up in a taxi at another commercial center and broke into a parked car. They put out an alert.
Officers on patrol spotted a taxi that met the description in San Antonio de Desamparados a short time later Wednesday night and gave chase. The men in the taxi fled until they approached the Rancho de Guanacaste traffic circle on the Circunvalación. that's where the taxi went out of control and flipped.
Ministerio de Gobernación, Policia y Seguridad Pública photoThis is the haul the Fuerza Pública made at a checkpoint on the Interamericana Sur. The Policía Fiscal confiscated another load of alcohol Thursday in the Central Valley.
Bilingual job fair opens
today at Antiguo Aduana
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The Coalición Costarricense de Iniciativas de Desarrollo plans a job fair starting today and running through the weekend at the Antiguo Aduana in east San José.
The investment promotional agency known as CINDE has held nine previous annual job fairs for bilingual and multilingual applicants.
An announcement said that 57 employers will attend. The agency said that employers hope to fill 3,000 jobs. Hours today and Saturday are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Antiguo Aduana is on Calle 23.
The agency put up a Web page especially for the fair. It is HERE!
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|From Page 7:
Hard winter increases energy costs in U.S.
By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Americans paid higher energy costs last month as they coped with an unusually cold winter in much of the United States.
The government's Labor Department says consumer prices edged up just one-tenth of a percentage point in January, but the cost of electricity and fuels to heat homes surged.
The monthly report said electricity prices rose 1.8 percent last month, the biggest increase in nearly four years. Natural gas prices jumped 3.6 percent and heating fuel by 3.7 percent. But for the 12 months ending in January, consumer prices advanced only 1.6 percent.
In a separate report, the Labor Department said the number of unemployed workers making first-time claims for jobless benefits dropped by 3,000 to 336,000 last week, an indication that employers are cutting few jobs.
But hiring has been sluggish, with only 188,000 jobs during the past two months combined, even as the jobless rate dropped to 6.6 percent, a five-year low.


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POMONA – A 20-minute delay won't do anybody's shooting touch any favors.
Thus, Gahr should be glad it had a lead when an injury to a Diamond Ranch player created the delay with 31 seconds remaining in their CIF-SS Division III-A quarterfinal on Tuesday.
Not a single point was scored in the final 30 seconds as the two teams combined missed six free throws between them and Garrett Johnson's 12-foot jumper was off the mark as No. 1 seed Diamond Ranch bowed out of the postseason with a 63-62 loss to eighth-seeded Gahr.
Diamond Ranch's Johnson finished with 25 points but missed two free throws with 22.1 seconds remaining and the Panthers (24-5) trailing by one.
But cold-shooting Gahr (17-14) afforded Diamond Ranch two more possessions by missing four free throws. Johnson's contested 12-foot jumper from the left side bounced off the rim with six seconds to play before David Garay's desperation half-court shot was off the mark.
"We had two good looks with the free throws and the jumper," Diamond Ranch coach Loren Grover said. "Anytime you lose it's a disappointment. I feel for these seniors."
The Panthers led Gahr, which was granted entrance to the playoffs by claiming an at-large bid, by 16 with less than three minutes to play in the third quarter. Gahr began to rattle top-seeded Diamond Ranch, closing the third quarter with a 10-5 run.
With point guard Chris Adames in foul trouble, Diamond Ranch fell victim to the Gahr full-court press, committing five turnovers to fuel Gahr's 15-3 run in the final six-and-a-half minutes.
Gahr finally tied the game on an ally-oop layup from Devin Golston, who finished with 22 points, with 3:07 to play and took a 62-60 lead one possession later. Gipson Lyles converted one of the 16 Panthers turnovers into a breaking layup to give Gahr its first lead since 4-2.
Grover didn't think Diamond Ranch finally fell victim to the Gahr pressure, which had been enforced all game, because of Adames' foul trouble.
"We've been up against that stuff all year," Grover said. "But in the playoffs it's a little different. The level of intensity is higher."
Adames, who appeared to bang his head on the floor, was the player down on the court for 20 minutes with 31 seconds remaining. The senior, who finished with five points, was conscious and moving his limbs before being placed on a stretcher and taken to the hospital.


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It took some serious chutzpah to sidle up to one of the most powerful men in the world and ask about his country's involvement in one of the biggest international incidents in the news right now.
But that's exactly what a BBC News Moscow correspondent did Monday, and he's getting some rave reviews for his straight-up question. Steve Rosenberg decided to seize the moment and ask Russian President Vladimir Putin if his country had anything to do with the nerve-agent poisoning in the U.K. of an ex–double agent and his daughter.
Putin was attending an event at the National Grain Center in southern Russia when Rosenberg asked: "Is Russia behind the poisoning of Sergei Skripal?"
Here was the Russian president's response:
'We're dealing with agriculture here, as you see, to create great conditions for people's lives, and you talk to me about some tragedies. First, get to the bottom of it there, then we'll discuss this.'
Former spy Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found collapsed last week in Salisbury, England, poisoned with a military-grade chemical weapon.
Rosenberg posted the whole exchange on his Twitter account, where it has racked up more than 10,000 likes and retweets.
No doubt there's plenty of pressure to pose the question right now, given the frosty relationship between London and Moscow.
U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May is pointing the finger in Russia's direction, after she told parliament Monday that the nerve agent was one of the Novichok class developed by the Soviet Union in the 1970s and '80s.
May gave Russia until the end of Tuesday for officials to provide an explanation — whether the country's agents were involved in the poisoning or authorities have lost control of the chemical weapon. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow would only cooperate if its officials are given access to what U.K. officials have learned. Downing Street's response to that nonreply was an expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats, with European allies France and Germany and also condemning Moscow. The U.S. later joined in that condemnation.
See: Canada, U.K., U.S. lawmakers push for decisive G7 crackdown on Putin allies' assets
In any case, while the BBC's Rosenberg didn't get an answer to his question, he does seem to have earned the admiration of his fellow journalists, such as Stig Abwell, editor and publisher of the Times Literary Supplement, who tweeted: "The doorstep of the year will take some beating," referring to the journalistic practice of turning up at a less-than-eager subject's home and peppering him or her with questions on the doorstep.
There's plenty more applause where that came from:
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April market review
Shortly after the end of each month, our Chief Investment Strategist provides highlights of the market and our funds' performance. Following is a summarized review of April —
- Global financial markets posted mixed performance for April. US equities were similarly mixed with small cap equities posting declines, while large cap equities recovered from intra-month losses to post a narrow gain for the month.
- The S&P 500 returned 0.74% for April and 2.56% for Y-T-D. The Russell 2000 Growth Index was the worst performing US equity index, down -5.13% for the month, and down -4.67% Y-T-D. The Russell 2000 small cap index was down -3.88% for April, and down -2.80% Y-T-D.
- The Developed International equity index, MSCI EAFE, was up 1.45% for the month and up 2.12% Y-T-D.
- Emerging markets (MSCI EM) ended the month of April up 0.33%, but still down -0.10% Y-T-D.
- The Japanese Nikkei 225 was down -3.53% in April and -12.20% Y-T-D. This underperformance was accompanied by a rise in the Yen.
- Government bond yields were down across the curve. In April, the 10-year Treasury yield was down 7bps to 2.65%, down from 2.72% in March and the 30-year Treasury yield was down 10bps to 3.46% from 3.56% in March. The Federal Reserve again left the overnight lending rate unchanged at 0-0.25%.
- Corporate bond prices increased in April. The Barclays Aggregate Index was up 0.84% for the month and 2.70% Y-T-D. The Credit Suisse Leveraged Loans Index (bank loans) was up 0.23% for April and 1.52% for Y-T-D.
Economic & Geopolitical Headlines
- Politically, Russia and the Ukraine continued to garner attention. Economically, there was much speculation regarding whether the slow economy would rebound since the bad weather had passed. Also in the news were the start of earnings season for public companies and speculation about the Fed and its continued "tapering" of asset purchases.
- The ISM manufacturing index had a 1.2 increase in April; US PMI was at 54.9, up from 53.7 in March, indicating expansion in manufacturing for the 11th consecutive month. Global PMI numbers show that manufacturing continues to strengthen throughout the world. A reading above 50 is considered economic expansion.
- Chairwoman Janet Yellen gave a series of speeches and held another press conference in which she further clarified her positions on asset purchases and the Fed's plans. In its April meeting, the Fed continued the process of "tapering". The market, again, greeted this as an indication that the Fed believes the economy is still strong enough to function on its own, with less fiscal stimulus and support.
- Hiring surprisingly surged last month as the economy added 288,000 net new jobs (the best performance in more than two years) and the unemployment rate dropped to 6.3%, down from 6.7% in March, its lowest level in 5½ years. Job-creation figures for February and March were revised upward by a combined 36,000, meaning the economy has added a monthly average of about 214,000 positions this year. These revised numbers are an improvement over previous months when winter storms and extreme cold cut into hiring, and a potential sign that US labor markets may be gaining momentum.
- The US economy grew very slowly in the first quarter of 2014. GDP growth estimates showed that the economy increased at an annual rate of 0.1%. This growth rate was relative to rate in the fourth quarter of 2013 of 2.6%. Economists were anticipating growth around 1.1%.


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When you think of the word "factory," you probably think of a manufacturing plant where workers are assembling or processing things, but for Mike Baur it's a place where ideas are built into game-changing businesses that aren't found anywhere else. The factory Mike Baur helped found and currently manages along with Max Meister and Oliver Walzer is the Swiss Startup Factory (SSUF) which is also funded by CTI Group, Goldback Group, Helvetia and Red Bull Media and its become one of Switzerland's top business accelerators. There are several components that go into the SSUF that have helped entrepreneurs become successful with business launching.
The SSUF emphasizes networking as part of its program. Most entrepreneurs aren't going to be able to build an entire company completely on their own, so being a part of the SSUF enables them to share their ideas with other like-minded individuals and build management and development teams for the company. The SSUF also emphasizes mentoring from business experts like Mike Baur to show young entrepreneurs how to form written plans. A business plan goes beyond just the idea and actually shows what the business will look like once it's executed. And the biggest component of the SSUF is when the entrepreneurs finally make the pitch for funding, a task that requires them to show investors what their company can do for them.
Mike Baur wanted to form the SSUF because he realized a platform for bringing people with disruptive business ideas that investors could find attractive was mostly non-existent in Switzerland at the time. He was switching careers at this point after his previous years were spent in banking. Baur certainly had high hopes when he started out in banking at age 16 as an apprentice, and he had become an executive at the large commercial bank Clariden Leu by the time he had chosen to leave. But the reason he didn't stay in banking forever was because Switzerland's financial sector was changing since the 2008 housing crisis in the US had made its way over to the nation's banks, and the overall reputation of banking had gone downhill.
Baur had a new vision in which Swiss investors would start taking new risks and encouraging younger generations to build their own wealth through disruptive business ideas. The SSUF has become the starting point for Baur's vision because it's been able to rapidly change concepts into execution, and once entrepreneurs have formed their teams and launch their brand, they're given office space for their early stage. Mike Baur has had a keen interest in financial technology such as blockchain-based products and he's now formed a partnership between the SSUF and Fintech Fusion to increase the accelerator's focus in that niche.


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Congratulations to the Michigan Wolverines who were crowned the Big Ten tournament champions yesterday. The Spartans won their quarterfinal game against Wisconsin, but lost in their semi-final round to the Michigan Wolverines who then defeated Purdue in the finals to claim the title. The Big Ten continues to have four teams among the AP top-25: Michigan State [#2], Purdue [#8], Ohio State [#13], and Michigan [#15].
Next up for the Spartans: the NCAA Tournament. The brackets and seedings will be revealed on Sunday. Go Green!
The upsets this week included:
Michigan State (#2) losing to Michigan (#15).
Duke (#5) losing to unranked Virginia Tech by one (1) point.
Kansas (#6) losing to unranked Oklahoma State.
Purdue (#8) losing to Michigan (#15).
North Carolina (#9) losing to unranked Miami by three (3) points and losing to Duke (#5).
Texas Tech (#12) losing to West Virginia (#20).
Ohio State (#13) losing to unranked Penn State by one (1) point.
Auburn (#14) losing to unranked Arkansas.
Rhode Island (#17) losing to unranked St. Joseph's and losing to unranked Davidson by two (2) points.
Clemson (#18) losing to unranked Syracuse by three (3) points.
West Virginia (#20) losing to unranked Texas.
Nevada (#21) losing to unranked San Diego State by five (5) points.
Kentucky (#23) losing to unranked Florida.
Middle Tennessee State (#24) losing to unranked Marshall.
The close calls this week (won by six points or less [two scores] or in overtime) included:
Virginia (#1) defeating unranked Louisville by one (1) point and defeating unranked Notre Dame by five (5) points.
Michigan State (#2) defeating unranked Wisconsin by three (3) points.
Xavier (#3) defeating unranked DePaul by three (3) points.
Villanova (#4) defeating unranked Seton Hall by one (1) point in overtime.
Wichita State (#11) defeating unranked UCF by four (4) points in overtime.
Texas Tech (#12) defeating unranked TCU by four (4) points.
Michigan (#15) defeating unranked Iowa by six (6) points in overtime.
Tennessee (#16) defeating unranked Georgia by five (5) points.
St. Mary's (#22) defeating unranked Pepperdine by three (3) points.
Top-25 match-ups won by the higher-ranked team included:
Duke (#5) defeating North Carolina (#9).
Cincinnati (#10) defeating Wichita State (#11) by one (1) point.


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Arizona Summer Adventures, Ep. 1: Chiricahua National Monument
Since I'm staying home this summer to do the literature review and start collecting data for my dissertation, I realized that given my propensity to focus primarily on work (and then have no energy for fun), I was going to need to aggressively schedule some fun to make sure I don't spend three months in the office and on the couch without realizing it. And we can't have that. It's about time I explore the state I've lived in for three years! Especially since, if all goes according to plan, this might be the last summer I spend as a resident of Arizona.
So today I went to Chiricahua National Monument, about an hour past Tuscon. It sits at the base of the Rocky Mountains, the top of the Sangre de Cristos, and right between two very different high deserts. This means that the flora and fauna often feel like a grab bag of everything from our backyard in Black Forest down to the shrublands in Mexico, sometimes right next to each other. Calvin Coolidge created the monument through executive order to protect the hoodoos and balancing rocks, and the trails were basically carved into the living rock by the Civilian Conservation Corps.
(mumbles something about the results of socialist post-Depression hiring programs and the most beautiful stone steps I've ever seen)
I got to the visitor center right as it opened, and joined some other hikers in taking advantage of a shuttle service the rangers were running up to the two most popular trail heads. Easily shaved three miles off my hike, for which I was very grateful.
I asked to be dropped off at Echo Point,
and started the 8.5 mile trek back to the visitor center. Here are a few brief snapshots of this spectacular place.
"I want to be beautiful, so I'm just filling up with beauty." - Glennon Doyle
"Places are for being." - Ron Swanson
(I'm pointing to the rock formation that looks like a face, if you couldn't tell)
"If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, if the simple things of nature have a message that you understand, rejoice, for your soul is alive." - Eleonora Duse
"May you be covered in the dust of your rabbi." - ancient Jewish blessing
I sure am.
Oh hey look I found the visitor center! Time to drive 3.5 hours back home for a shower ;)


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Load Cell Suppliers in Patna
We are one of the most sought-after load cell suppliers in Patna, distributing some of the finest and most efficient models of load cells in India. A company that has come so far on its strength of quality. Sensomatic has rose to be among the best load cell dealers Patna Bihar in a very short time. Presently one of the hottest sellers of load cells in the region, it has all kinds of high-precision transducer equipment in its inventory.
Types of Load cells
The Sensomatic inventory has a wide range of supplies, the key ones being load cells. Like all A-rated load cell suppliers in Patna, our product list features the following types of load cells.
Beam Load cell
Stainless Steel load cell
Weighbridge load cell
Double Ended load cell
Compression load cell
Shear Beam load cell
S-type load cell
Why Buy from Us
There are many load cell dealers in Patna Bihar. So, what makes us a potential choice among other?
- We manufacture our transducers in India. So, we have patent on everything from the engineering to design.
- We offer a warranty protection with all our products as an assurance of the quality.
- Our products are all very conservatively priced to suit the pocket sizes of small and big corporations.
- Being a load cells exporter India, we deliver our products to all foreign destinations.
- We have distribution centers all over Patna that makes delivery of consignments prompt.
- Our load cells are built to offer high-precision results on everyday basis.
- They are designed for heavy-duty performances for years.
- We package all our deliveries as best as possible to make sure they arrive at your doorstep undamaged.
To contact us or speak directly to one of our executives, give us a call today.


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University of MN Rosemount Research and Outreach Center to Use the SB500 Pull Type Manure SpreaderOctober 24, 2013
A University of Minnesota grad student named Jeff approached Chett, Complex Manager, at our booth at the Minnesota Cattlemen's Association Convention last December. It started as a simple conversation about the manure spreaders offered by Redwood Metal Works and as Jeff says "it went from there".
The University of MN Rosemount Research and Outreach Center has roughly 3,000 acres in which to spread the output of around 500 head of cattle. Their current spreader was aged, using old technology and offering a limited capacity for their particular need. The University needed a new manure spreader that would handle the output of mostly beef manure, but they do have turkeys on the property as well. They were looking for one unit that could be used with either bi-product.
The U of M Research Center found that the SB500 Tractor Pull Type Manure Spreader is designed to be versatile enough to utilize one piece of equipment for a variety of applications. The modern technology of the SB500 also included an inset guillotine gate, remote grease banks, 180-degree swivel arm for hydraulic lines, underslung spring suspension, articulating hitch, vertical beater with bottom pan and more. This manure spreader offered the perfect solution to their needs.
When we asked Jeff specifically why our SB500 spreader he responded; "we are big believers in the vertical beater which will give us the correct and even spread". One of the biggest factors in choosing the SB500 was the new technology of the spreader, offering more spread width and consistent patterns, which will help them with all their spreading needs.
"University of Minnesota purchased a Redwood Metal Works manure spreader to enhance manure nutrient capture and recycling at their crops and livestock operation at Rosemount Research and Outreach Center. The U of M has long recognized the importance of manure nutrients as fertilizer for corn and other crops. This purchase will enable crews operating livestock facilities and crop acres at the Rosemount ROC to remove and apply manure nutrients to various crops raised there in a timely fashion. At a time of increased interest in the value of manure as fertilizer, having the opportunity to both utilize and demonstrate this piece of important ag machinery will contribute to promotion utilization of manure nutrients for corn and other crops."
– Alfredo DiCostanzo PHD, Professor in Department of Animal Science at University of Minnesota.
We are very proud that the U of M Research Station will be able to utilize a manure spreader that contributes to an educational operation and we look forward to working with the U of M in the future.
Learn more about the SB500 and all it can do for your farming operation too!


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Doctor Sameer Jejurikar has been performing cosmetic plastic surgery in the Dallas area for more than 21 years. He has watched as the entire discipline has advanced through technology and approach. But he fears that there are major safety issues when it comes to his signature surgery. The doctor is proficient at the Brazilian butt lift procedure.
There are some significant risks when it comes to the Brazilian butt lift. Fat is taken from other parts of the body and then grafted under the skin of the buttocks. This gives the backside a much fuller appearance. The procedure sounds simple but it comes with significant risks. The grafted fat can put pressure on blood vessels which can cause blood clots. Mistakes during the procedure can even be fatal.
That's why Sameer Jejurikar founded the Multisociety Gluteal Fat Grafting Task Force. This group of dedicated doctors travels the world to teach others how to perform the gluteal grafting procedure. His group also performs studies to discover the best practices for initial incisions as well as the angle of fat insertion.
Doctors become much better at the procedure with more practice. That's why Sameer Jejurikar and his group of safety-first doctors puts on demonstrations. These demonstrations are so in-depth that doctors attending the convention gain experience by proxy which increases patient safety.
The Gluteal Grafting Task Force is extremely focused on prevention. After all, it is much easier to stop a health problem before it starts. It's difficult and costly to correct a mistake that has already been made. This is especially true when it comes to the Brazilian butt lift procedure.
Through education, the task force endeavors to educate cosmetic plastic surgery surgeons on the best practices for preventing mistakes. It saves money, increases patient safety and saves lives.


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Hey All,
Today's Podcast is The Art of Photography. The show is hosted by Ted Forbes.
Ted Forbes teaches the basics of the camera and photography. These videos are great for both the new to cameras and for the experienced as a refresher.
Enjoy, I do.
Till Next Time (TNT)
Ron M.
Cane Bay Photography


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Classical music libraries/classical music directories and portals, music manuscript libraries and archives
The Music Library Association
Founded in 1931, MLA is the professional organization in the United States devoted to music librarianship and all aspects of music materials in libraries. As of July 1, 2011, MLA is also the United States branch of IAML, the International Association of Music Libraries.
Indiana University Music Library
Library of Congress Recorded Sound Reference Center
The Morgan Library and Museum music manuscripts collection.
The Morgan Library & Museum houses one of the finest collections of music manuscripts in the country. In addition to a large collection of musicians' letters and first editions of scores and librettos, it has the world's largest collection of Mahler manuscripts and substantial holdings of Brahms, Chopin, Debussy, Mozart, Schubert, and Richard Strauss. The collection spans six centuries and many countries.
Online Musical Scores. Indiana University Digital Library Program
Library of Congress Recorded Sound Reference Center
Blanche and Irving Laurie Music Library
Rutgers University.
University of California at Berkeley Music Library
Directories, portals *
AllMusic.com. Searchable database of recordings and reviews.
Facts about an album or artist, including title, tracks, genre, label, credits, release date, and cover and artist images. Deeper details illuminate an artist or album including styles, moods, years active, instruments, birth/death date/place, and country of origin.
American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers
Classical guitar midi archives.
Composer index, links, tablature, ancient guitars.
Classical Music Library. Classical.net.
Reviews, articles, repertoire list, works, composer biographies, scores, classical music downloads.
G. Shirmer, associated music publishers.
Gramophone Magazine, U.K.
With composer websites.
The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians
The first edition of this acclaimed reference work to be available online.
Wikipedia encyclopedia entries on classical composers.


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I have a CSV file with special accents and saving it in Notepad by selecting UTF-8 encoding. When I read the file using Java, it reads the BOM characters too.
So I want to save this file in UTF-8 format without appending a BOM initially in Notepad.
Otherwise is there any built-in class in Java that eliminates the BOM characters that present at beginning, when reading the contents in a file?


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Every tax is a pay cut. Every tax cut is a pay raise.
Citizens for Limited Taxation
|No Need for an Override
|Friday, April 22, 2005
|Harold J. Wolfe
|The Framingham Tab
If you attended the April 12th joint meeting between the Board of Selectman,
the Finance Committee and the School Committee, you could easily see why
an override is loomimg in Framingham. Twenty two leaders of the
community attended and not one dared to discuss cutting expenses as a method of
eliminating our growing deficit caused by our collective bargaining agreements
which were deliberate and wanton overspending.
A deficit is merely an imaginary number generated by someone who intends to spend more than the actual revenues received. It can easily be made to go away by trimmimg unnecessary expenses and here in Framingham, we have an abundance of those.
Among tax and spend liberals, any cut beyond one percent is defined as a draconian cut. A draconian cut can only mean three things. Our kids will become retarded, civilization as we know it will collapse, and the huns will attack.
The two hour meeting was dedicated to moaning and groaning about the lack of state aid, an environment that most attendees thrive in, like pigs in mud.
The goal of the meeting may have been to postpone the budgetary part of Town Meeting on April 26 until later in June so that the Town Manager can press for an emergency override before June 30 when the final budget is due. This would minimize any time to build up resistance to an override. I sincerely hope that Town Meeting declines the request.
|Send comments to: email@example.com


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On Sunday morning, July 26, we teamed up with DiscoveringHair.com to host a hair care event in our salon called "Hair Tales, Ponytales & Cocktails." The event included hair care product discussions, "swaps" (what one person loves, another can't stand!) and sample give-aways, demonstrations, stories, how-tos and tips, games and prizes, and lots of refreshments — include Mimosas, thanks to Danielle of DiscoveringHair.com.
Lather's owner and senior stylist Jessica Williams and resident blow-out specialist Whitney Page were on hand to discuss the hair care products we carry in the salon and answer questions. Jey, from Natural Roots by Jey, and Tasharra from Snoopy's Spot, joined us to help with consulting and how-tos.
The morning was full of great information, from participants' hair secrets ("This isn't my hair!") to the how-tos. And we closed the event by selling lots of Lather products and booking several new clients.
It was a great morning and we can't thank Danielle enough for selecting Lather as the host salon. Check out her website at https://www.discoveringhair.com/ and all pictures from the event on Lather's page on Facebook!


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The name, design, images and the literary material in this website are the sole and exclusive property of CC India Pvt. Ltd, claiming a copyright therein. Strict legal action, civil as well as criminal, shall be taken against any misuse and/or imitation of these, wholly or in part.
Glossy Lacquer & Veneer
Glossy Lacq.Nero & Zebrano Veneer
450cm x 254cm/ Island - 210cm x 80cm / B.fast - 210cm x 90cm


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First snow of the season came falling yesterday, and this morning, again, broke colder than a witch's tit. Which got me pondering, exactly where did we get this chilling yet less than logical metaphor?
The internet jury remains hung for the most part. The most popular explanation–based on the number of times others stole it–was posted by Bruce Kahl on The Phrase Finder bulletin board. Bruce speculates colder than a witch's tit is nothing more than simple metaphor. IF (big if) one must seek for deeper meaning, perhaps the phrase stems from the common yet erroneous presumption that a witch is cruel, heartless, in league with the devil and, therefore, cold.
Oxford English Dictionary sites the first usage in Van Wyck Mason's novel Spider House published in 1932.
Born Francis Van Wyck Mason in Boston in 1901, Mason spent a portion of his childhood in Paris and Berlin with his U.S. Consul General grandfather. He returned to Europe at 16 to get into the first World War, finagling his way into the French army and winning the Legion of Honor as an artillery officer. By the war's end he was a lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Mason ended a distinguished military career with the rank of Colonel having served on Gen. Dwight Eisenhower's staff as Chief Historian.
Military affairs aside, Mason is better known as a novelist, the author of some 78 works of fiction including several whodunits. His best known series features American Army Intelligence detective Captain North, every bit as dashing and daring as Ian Fleming's 007 operative who would make his literary debut some 20 years later.
Seems the dashing and distinguished war hero turned writer was a fair hand at coining a phrase.