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Go read Doug Bailey's piece in Boston magazine, because any time a media strategist for one of the most media-dysfunctional franchises in sports starts telling tales out of school, it's well worth your time. Especially when Bailey's former employer is reportedly furious about it.
In 2001, Bailey, a newspaper man for two decades, took his Globe buyout and joined PR firm Rasky Baerlein, who repped Tom Werner and Les Otten, then trying to buy the Red Sox. Bailey was named senior vice president, and in the course of his tenure (running through the end of the 2007 World Series), had a front row seat to and a hand in some previously unreported shitshows. A few highlights:
• With the price to buy the franchise skyrocketing, Werner and Otten were muscled out by John Henry, Larry Lucchino, and the New York Times group. Otten was eventually dropped altogether, though not before a few clumsy overtures at staying involved, like showing up uninvited to board meetings and arriving at Spring Training in full Red Sox uniform. Bailey doesn't say it, but it's clear that from the start the Red Sox franchise was doomed to a media feeding frenzy because there are too many owners, and they all enjoy talking to the press.
• Selling this out-of-town ownership group to a provincial Boston was a challenge (shades of the Fenway Sports Group's takeover of Liverpool). A major coup came during the new ownership group's whistle-stop tour of New England. The locals were eating out of the palms of the newcomers, as they handed out bags of "Fenway Infield Dirt" to those in attendance. It wasn't actually dirt, but rather the synthetic clay "Turface." And it had never actually been used at Fenway. Didn't matter; the little baggies filled with ochre powder became collector's items.
• After a disastrous 2003, the front office became hyperaware of perception. Larry Lucchino began holding daily "media meetings," where team executives and PR flacks would review the day's coverage of the team and plot how to address it. Bailey says Lucchino was welcoming of criticism, and not at all like the jealous tyrant he's been made out to be in the wake of Theo Epstein's departure. Bailey says the only time he saw Lucchino really lose his temper was thanks to a Larry Bigbie trade the Red Sox backed out of:
My understanding was that it was Epstein himself who'd wanted to back out of the deal, but that he and Lucchino had cooked up a face-saving cover story that involved upper management supposedly overruling the trade. Soon after, I was in Lucchino's suite overlooking the park during a rare weekday afternoon game, watching Epstein being interviewed on TV about the deal. Epstein put the blame for its collapse squarely on Lucchino's shoulders, which sent the CEO into red-faced paroxysms. Lucchino apparently wasn't expecting to be so directly and completely thrown under the bus. The issue would soon rise again, just after the season ended, and become the centerpiece of Epstein's decision to abruptly quit the team on Halloween of 2005 (the famous gorilla-suit escape). When Epstein agreed to come back three months later, one of his conditions was that Lucchino's daily media meetings be shut down. Epstein had always had a standing invitation to attend those meetings but never came, apparently believing we were spending our time devising ways to bolster Lucchino's image and undercut his.
• In 2003, after the explosion of the space shuttle Columbia, the Red Sox invited two astronauts to come throw out the first pitch. The game was delayed by rain, and the astronauts huddled in the dugout waiting. Nomar Garciaparra approached Bailey asking who the two women were. When told they were astronauts, he had some questions.
"Hey," Nomar replied, "I saw this show on Fox that said we never really went to the moon. The whole thing was faked. Can I talk to her about that?"
"Sure," I said, eager to witness this conversation.
Coleman diplomatically handled the inquiry from Nomar. "I've heard about that," she said, "but it would have to be an enormous conspiracy."
"Did you see the show?" he quickly rejoined. "It was really convincing…. I don't know."
She hadn't seen the show and looked plaintively at me as other players began to join the conversation. "Hey," I said, trying to change the subject. "Cady is going to spend six months on the International Space Station. Talk about training for the big show."
Intrigued, Nomar asked about the size of the space station. "It's really big," Coleman said.
"Is it as big as Fenway Park?" Nomar asked.
"No, not that big," Coleman replied. Then she started looking around for ways to illustrate the dimensions of the orbiting vehicle."How far is it from home plate to first base?" she finally asked. About six players yelled in unison: "Ninety feet."
"It's about that size," she told them.
"That's not big," Nomar said. "That's small."
• In 2005, the owners were debating renovating Fenway Park or knocking it down and building a new stadium. Within the ownership group, some wanted to present it as an ultimatum: "We'll only stay and renovate Fenway if we receive taxpayer assistance," Bailey recalls. Lucchino overruled that, opting for a lighter touch. The team would promise to say, and offer to help the state with the costs of improvements. Implicit in that phrasing: that the state would contribute its share.
Lucchino was probably right to be confident. Five years earlier, the Massachusetts legislature had approved $300 million in taxpayer-funded improvements. To drum up some press before the official announcement this time, the plan was leaked to the press. The Boston Globe did not react favorably; the front page headline read "No Public Money for Red Sox." In the end, taxpayers would kick in less than $100 million.
• John Henry was aloof with the help. Bailey describes an entire day spent with the principal owner: driving to and from Lowell to watch a Spinners game, chatting about the team and their families.
It was a really enjoyable day, and my impression of Henry changed dramatically because of it.
Two weeks later I ran into my new friend at an event at Fenway Park. Walking toward me, he extended his hand and offered a limp handshake. "Hi," he said, introducing himself, "I'm John Henry."
Red Sox Confidential [Boston]


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|Fantastic Wood - Short novels for chairs
To celebrate the re-launch of the Grand Prix™ chair in its original version with wooden legs, designed by Arne Jacobsen in 1957, Fritz Hansen Store Milan has introduced a unique exhibition under the art direction of the Italian designer Diego Grandi and in collaboration with the tattoo artist Pietro Sedda.
Diego Grandi has decided to celebrate the authenticity of the chair by writing a story directly onto its "skin". The lines of this iconic chair evoke the grace of a human body and for this reason the idea is to look at it like a body enhancing its peculiarities with an intimate, indelible, enduring sign. Grandi asked Pietro Sedda, an eminent and world-renown tattoo artist, to work with ink on nine chairs (seven wood and two leather), looking at the shape as a human figure, a body to be decorated.
|Grand Prix, Fantastic Wood, Diego Grandi, Pietro Sedda [more like this...]
|10,57 MB; 5220 x 3652 pixels; 442 x 309 mm (print at 300 DPI); 1381 x 966 mm (screen at 96 DPI);
|Delfino Sisto Legnani

subset: commoncrawl


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Why the CampusReel
The tour behind the tour. This is an invaluable supplement.
CampusReel is the most innovative product this industry has seen in decades. I can't recommend it enough for my students, especially the ones who don't have the means to visit all their college options.
You can give me a book, website, whatever you want. I probably won't read it. If I do, I won't enjoy it. THANK YOU! Because I'm actually enjoying researching colleges on your platform.
As an international student interested in studying in the U.S. CampusReel has been an absolute game changer.


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Book Launch :: Pakistani Diasporas. Culture, Conflict, and Change
Practicing Popular Religion in Pakistan
Publications and Articles
West Punjab Field Work Sites
A Visit to Shrine of Hazrat Mian Mir
Ali Hujwiri – Hazrat Daata Ganj Bakhsh
Bari Imam – Imam Bari
Bulleh Shah
Daud Bandagi Kirmani
Gurudwara Nankana Sahib (Rai Bhoi Di Talwandi)
Hazrat Baba Shah Jamal
Hazrat Baba Shah Kamal Lahore
Hazrat Bibi Pak Daman
Lal Shahbaz Qalandar – Sehwan Sharif
East Punjab Field Work Sites
Baba Mohkam Din Shah – Roshni Mela
Durgiana Mandir
Gugga Pir
Harimandir Sahib (The Golden Temple)
Naina Devi
Ram Tirat
Performing Spirituality
Arif Feroz Qawal
Aziz Mian Qawal
Bhai Ghulam Muhammed Chand
Goonga Sain and Mithu Sain
Pappu Sain
Rizwan Muazzam Qawal
Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
Saanjh Punjab
This website is dedicated to the concept of a common, shared ('Saanjh') Punjabi culture.
Steering Committee
About the Department
Links to other websites
Contact Us
Steering Committee
About the Department
Links to other websites
Contact Us
Dhol Dhamal Music
Pappu Sain
September 26, 2016
Dhol Dhamal Music
Goonga Sain and Mithu Sain
September 26, 2016
Dhol Dhamal Music


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Sure, there might be an actor's strike on the horizon, but that isn't going to stop studios from casting actresses in stereotypical roles! Yup, it'ss time again for another round-up of the latest movie castings in Hollywood. Unfortunately, aside from Tilda Swinton, we don't have that many big-name actresses in this week's installment (unless you count Virginia Madsen as "big," which you don't) and we're not given that much information about their characters. So, we'll just make educated guesses, like we always do! After the jump, Tilda has an affair with a sexy Italian chef, Virgina Madsen competes with Hilary Swank for some screen time and Gere-time (spoiler: she loses), and Moon Bloodgood takes on the newest Terminator movie. All of it and more, after the jump.
• Tilda Swinton, I Am Love: In this Italian film, Swinton will play a foreign "society matron" in Milan who falls for a young (hot) chef. The director says that the film is about "the irreparable consequences brought about by love in a high-bourgeois family." Verdict: While we love Swinton, the words "irreparable consequences" can only mean some victim elements.
• Virginia Madsen, Amelia: Botox spokeswoman and occasional actress, Madsen will co-star in this Amelia Earhart biopic playing Dorothy Pinney, the first wife of Richard Gere's character, George Putnam. Dorothy's husband eventually leaves her for Earhart (Hilary Swank) and the film focuses on their "rocky" relationship. Verdict: Hm, first wife of the husband of the film's title character? It's likely she'll be painted as a victim, a doormat or maybe a little of both!
• Emmanuelle Vaugier, Dolan's Cadillac: French actress Vaugier will play the female lead in this adaptation of Stephen King's short story of the same name. Vaugier's character is killed by a mob boss (Christian Slater) and her death is avenged by her husband (Wes Bentley). Verdict: Uh, murdered woman? Victim, victim, victim.
• Rose McGowan, Barbarella: McGowan will star in this re-make of the campy 1968 original starring Jane Fonda. In the original, Barbarella goes on a sexual journey to fight an evil man called Durand-Durand. Verdict: In the original, Fonda's sexual exploits are more comic than erotic. McGowan might get off (tee hee) easy with this one in terms of stereotypes, but we just hope she doesn't ruin classic!
• Moon Bloodgood, Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins: Bloodgood, who starred in NBC's short-lived series Journeyman will play the female lead in this Terminator sequel, a "no-nonsense and battle-hardened" member of the resistance. Verdict: A no-nonsense character might seem okay (although it could be leaning into shrew territory) but a grade-A nobody playing an unnamed character as the "female lead" makes us think that the female characters found in this flick will probably be limited to 10 lines each.
SAG, Studios Feel The Pressure [Variety]
Tilda Swinton To Star In 'I Am Love' [Variety]
Virginia Madsen Added To 'Amelia' [Variety]
Christian Slater Drives 'Cadillac' [THR]
McGowan Dyes For 'Barbarella' Role [Variety]
'Terminator' Sequel Eyes Lead [THR]


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Yes, kids, in just three easy lessons, you can make anything be about Apple! News about Samsung? No, it's about Apple! News about Facebook? No, it's about Apple! News about the scientific properties of magnetism? NO, IT'S ABOUT APPLE!
Presto change-o
Writing for The Motley Fool, Salvatore Mattera performs the ol' switcheroo. That news you thought was bad for Samsung? Turns out it's bad for Apple!
"Samsung's Mediocre S4 Reviews Are Bad News for Apple" (tip o' the antlers to Jim Miles)
Of course they are. That just makes sense.
See, while Samsung and Apple are competitors, bad news for Samsung is still bad news for Apple. Likewise bad news for Apple is bad news for Apple. Good news for Samsung, however, is bad news for Apple. Also, finally, good news for Apple is... anyone?
That's right. Bad news for Apple. You catch on quick. You'll go far in Apple punditry.
Samsung's latest flagship phone, the Galaxy S4, is starting to roll out on carriers around the world. Unfortunately for the Korean tech giant, most of the reviews have not been particularly favorable.
At least Mattera can read. A lot of people detailing Apple's many woes will tell you the Galaxy S4 is so super-duper and positively reviewed the iPhone doesn't stand a chance. As it turns out, reviews of the S4 are mostly "good but not great".
But while most might see this as good news for Apple, it's actually quite troublesome, since the reviews are evidence of a devastating new trend in the smartphone market.
Cue scary organ music, then cue slide whistle and finally cue sad trombone.
For a time, the smartphone market was a two-horse race. Now, that is no longer the case. In addition to competition from Samsung Galaxy lineup, Apple has to compete with HTC's One.
HTC makes a good phone. It doesn't seem to be helping them that much, though.
There's also Google's cheap yet powerful Nexus 4, and LG's Optimus G. Sony's Xperia Z has received rave reviews in the UK, and Motorola is widely rumored to be working on a revolutionary new "X phone."
There are many phones! Some of which don't even exist yet!
The smartphone market is becoming more competitive than ever
The Macalope has been following Apple for some time and he's noticed over the years how we're constantly treated to these breathless pieces that tell us how "Apple faces more competition now than ever before!" And yet, somehow, Apple seems to survive.
No doubt some loyal fans will stick to buying the latest iPhone.
"Some." Zealots, mostly.
As in all forms of competition, this leads to innovation and more choices for consumers.
Samsung, for example, has opted to stick as many features as possible into its phones.
Cramming features into a phone is innovative! You can't argue with that!
Wait, if it's so innovative why is the Galaxy S4 getting such "meh" reviews?
And while the Android hardware makers work on device features, Google continues to devote resources to improving Android.
Apple, meanwhile, will never ship an update to iOS ever again, The End.
Horace Dediu recently described what Apple's real problem is, and it's not competition from other device manufacturers.
"The narrative has been focused on the consumer demand, and the narrative needs to shift to the operator," said Dediu, a former in-house analyst for Nokia Oyj. "Apple has run out of the kinds of operators that will say yes to them."
People love iPhones. They just need to be able to buy them.
Back at it
The Macalope's Thursday piece remarked how Forbes contributor Peter Cohan hadn't mentioned Apple in the weeks since the company's stock price has ticked back up. Sure enough, Cohan was back that day wondering:
"Will Apple Top Facebook's $1 Billion Bid for Waze?" (No link, as usual, but you should know that for some reason the image along with this piece is a picture of an original Newton. Because... uh... buhhhh?)
A better question, it turns out, is "Should Forbes contributors be carrying water for firms looking to be bought out?" Turns out the answer according to Cohan is an enthusiastic "Yes!"
Facebook is in talks to buy Israeli crowdsourced traffic and navigation app, Waze, for $1 billion. But should Apple get back into the bidding?
News: "Facebook may be jumping off a bridge."
Forbes contributor: "Should Apple jump off the bridge first?!"
That deal might have helped Apple get an edge in giving iPhone and iPad users access to real-time traffic information to go along with their maps.
Or, Apple could have decided it was too expensive for what it is at a billion bucks. Not everyone likes to spend like a drunken sailor, you know.
Also, the Macalope apologizes. That's a hurtful stereotype of drunken sailors, many of whom are quite thrifty.
Apple could come back to Waze but unless Tim Cook offers a much higher offer than Facebook...
Much more than a billion dollars. That's what he's recommending.
...one it can certainly afford...
Spending money that isn't yours sure is easy!
...a meeting of the minds is unlikely. That's because Bardin does not appear to be eager to team up with a company that is in his mind a model for failure.
Aw, it's a shame Apple is such a collection of losers that they won't drop more than ten million Benjamins on some mapping data.
Has the Macalope mentioned that we're talking about more than a billion dollars? Because that's apparently what we're talking about. More than a billion. Dollars. That's kind of a lot of money. Seems like you could pay some college kids to walk all over the planet and map it for less than that.
In short, Apple could use Waze's help but Bardin does not believe that Apple can do what it needs to compete.
So, in other words, Waze has a solution to Apple's problem, one that's totally worth more than a billion dollars... according to Waze.
Now, the Macalope isn't a management consultant and venture capitalist like Cohan -- he did once consult himself and eventually invest heavily in the leveraged buyout of a veggie burrito -- but it seems to him like it might be in Waze's self-interest to talk up its worth to Apple to try to get them back to the table. You'd think that maybe that's worth considering rather than swallowing the words of the CEO of the company trying to get acquired hook, line and sinker.
Well, you'd think that because you're not a Forbes contributor.
Scare tactics
Can the Macalope just ask what the heck is up with Bloomberg?
Slowly but surely what was a highly respected business news syndicate is turning into forum postings from email@example.com.
It's not just their guest posts that are starting to read like Paul Thurrott's drunken diary entries. Last week in an otherwise benign news piece quoting Horace Dediu, Bloomberg's Adam Satariano just couldn't help himself:
As Cupertino, California-based Apple sells fewer iPhones and more of its less-profitable products, its gross margin also has narrowed — to 37.5 percent last quarter from 47.4 percent a year earlier.
Apple is not selling fewer iPhones, Adam. But thanks for contributing to the general misunderstanding of Apple's current position, because we really needed more of that.
This week Philip Elmer-Dewitt seems to have snagged Bloomberg's Tim Culpan with his hand in the cookie jar which is not full of cookies but more made-up quotes from Jason Cheng, the CEO of Apple parts supplier Pegatron. Cheng says he told Culpan that, while his company was ramping up for later this year, their orders for consumer electronics parts were down across the board quarter over quarter. Seasonality will do that.
Culpan's headline?
"Falling IPad Mini Demand to Push Pegatron Electronics Sales Down"
Way to pull the Apple rabbit out of your butt, Tim. (In the future, it's a hat you're supposed to pull a rabbit out of. A hat.)
But wait! Bloomberg is not done with its steady coverage of Apple! Turns out, the iPad will totally kill you.
"Heart Patient Risk From iPad2 Found by 14-Year-Old"
The story: a 14-year-old, with the help of her cardiologist father, performed a science fair experiment testing the effects of holding an iPad 2's magnets against the chest of people with pace makers.
Now, this is great science, but what's not so great is Bloomberg's take on it. In the video, the Bloomberg anchor describes it as:
"a potentially dangerous flaw in the iPad 2, a flaw that was discovered by a 14-year-old girl."
Sensationalist coverage? On television news?! Now the Macalope's seen everything.
Yeah, no, actually. As TUAW's Steve Sande notes, Gianna Chien didn't "discover" the threat, it's in Apple's documentation. What she did is test for a likelihood that this interference could occur. And good for her.
The loose wording of the article seems to imply that Apple's documentation doesn't say anything about the danger of putting the iPad's magnets near a defibrillator.
The guide cautions users about radio frequency interference, suggests that patients with pacemakers keep the iPad at least six inches away and says they should be turned off in health-care facilities when instructed by staff or posted signs.
But Sande points out this passage in Apple's documentation:
iPad has magnets along the left edge of the device and on the right side of the front glass, which may interfere with pacemakers, defibrillators, or other medical devices.
Now watch as Bloomberg amazingly turns the medium... into the message!
"The best part of this study that's getting national attention -- we're talking about it on TV -- is that it's based on work Chien did for a science fair project in which she didn't even win first place."
"We're talking about it on TV"! You know this is a big deal because we just made a big deal out of it! Ipso facto ergo sum, allakazam!
Yes, it's such a shame the judges of the fair didn't know what Bloomberg knows: making things about Apple sells. Ugh, the prize probably went to something else with better science. So stoopid.
Well, one thing's for sure: it's a good thing there aren't magnets in anything other than iPads.


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King Crab – Original Steamed King Crab Legs
We offer a wide selection of authentic Japanese cooking, including our freshly prepared sushi, tempura, wagu beef, lamb, king crab claw and much more! We are open every day, so come in and relax in our contemporary yet traditional style restaurant and enjoy our cuisine.
We only had 45 minutes to spare before the ballet at the Hippodrome started. The service was fast and friendly and the food was amazing.
We were well looked after by all staff. Helpful & friendly! We started with miso soup, then some gyoza...BRILLIANT! Then we went into a fabulous selection of sushi! Fantastic. Then bento boxes. Varied & swapped over 1/2 way... Prawns, duck, pork, soft shell crab, sweet potato, rice, salad etc. With a bottle of wine, about £80? Loved it...must try more Japanese stuff!
"in love with this place & will be returning on my next trip to Birmingham. beautiful tasty sushi with plenty of vegetarian options, lush gyoza & wonderful udon noodle dishes. lovely friendly staff & good selection of beers. best japanese food i've tasted in england. 10/10"
© 2020 Copyright © Ten Ichi Ltd 2020, all rights reserved. Webdesign and hosting by 1st 4 Media Ltd


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Cabrinha raceboard 2012 vs. 13
Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2014 2:31 pm
hey gang, From what I hear the 2013 VMG board is pretty much the same as the 2012. I was wondering though. Having a 2012 myself. If they moved the forward fin boxes forward a touch? Anyone out there have a VMG to measure the distance from board trailing edge to the fin box trailing edge? It's my hunch that the ones on the 2012 where too far back. Otherwise it seems to me the board is perfectly fine. I'm thinking i can save a few bucks and relocate my forward fin boxes!
Anyone savy? Thanks!
Anyone savy? Thanks!


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Me: "Who spilled something?"
Jackson: "Mom, I think your day will get a whole lot better if you just get up."
Me: (slightly less bitter) "Did dad buy donuts?!?" This got me out of bed lickety-split.
McTricky tried to be all evasive about where we were going during my endless telephone interrogations with him at work during the day, and he even went to great lengths to get lost on the Phoenix freeway system during rush hour traffic to try to be sneaky. Sedona? Scottsdale? Motel 6? What was my delightful fate to be? I knew I'd won the proverbial lotto when he headed to the vicinty of the Royal Palms Resort where we had our wedding reception. Numero Uno destination for moi. Secretly hoping deep down inside. S.C.O.R.E. Sicky sentimental for us.
The next 24 hours of birthday elation included but was not limited to:
great dinner * GET SMART movie(loved) * night swimming * sleeping in * great breakfast * working out at the hotel gym * massage at spa * shopping at Scottsdale Fashion Square * Haagen Daaz * photographing and more photographing property *
So I'm pretty much happy already, right? OH, but there's more. M had much more up his sleeve. We went to Macayo's to meet up with the kids and his family for what I figured was a little birthday dinner soiree. Get me some Baja Chicken Chimi to cap off the perfect weekend.
BLINDSIGHTED AGAIN. Boy howdy this man is incredible. No clue whatsoever. Surprise, indeed. Babe, I HEREBY ABSOLVE YOU of any past, present or future annoyances for pulling this one off. Even redeemed of the Great ScumBuster Debacle on my 30th birthday. (MEN: Just because your wife casually admires the Ronco ScumBuster on the infomercial doesn't mean you get it for her for her 30th birthday. "I'll just be in here cleaning the toilet with my new ScumBuster, Hun! You guys go enjoy!" ) His intentions were good though.
Way to be. He's the man. Love that guy. Lovin life. Feeling and looking better at 40 than I did at 30. Thirty is the new forty, according to someone. Stuff is good. Thanks, Mr. T.
Loved seeing such a random cross-section of my dear friends--it appears M just went down my email list and added a few here, peppered in a few more there, and the result was a surreal conglomeration of friends from the past and present. FABULOUS. Even my BFF since I was 13 drove over with her husband from El Centro, and I had friends there from before I met Marc 14 years ago. All Marc's great family. Friends from our current ward. Friends from Texas. Beyond befuddled.Flowers from my mom and dad:
THX Steph for capturing the moment...


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Just out of reach.
Given the name, I think a lot of gamers got excited about Assassin's Creed III: Liberation by extension of Ubisoft's big-budget sequel on consoles. Following in the footsteps of Assassins' Creed: Altair's Chronicles and Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines, Liberation purports to bring the life of an assassin… to life on the Vita. Unlike other subtitled entries like Brotherhood and Revelations, Liberation introduces a brand new protagonist of French and African American background.
Aveline de Grandpré is the focus of Abstergo's Animus software, a piece of entertainment used to transplant you centuries in the past. While Liberation certainly looks like an Assassin's Creed game, can it keep up with the catlike Connor and the Revolutionary War setting?
Anyone with a Vita might decide to shut their ears off because this spin-off is not the kind of software Sony's handheld needs. It's unfortunate to see a game with so much promise effectively hamper itself throughout its execution. It's true that Liberation presents players with a massive open world and the tools to be a violent, silent murderer at will, but Ubisoft's Montreal and Sofia studios have also included equal parts boredom.
Aveline and players will have to thread the needle in New Orleans as the Spanish are coming to replace the waning French rule. Much like Assassin's Creed III, we begin with a younger, more naïve Aveline and watch her develop as the conflict rises and resolves. Cutscenes are numerous and are not lacking any of the high-production values the franchise is known for.
It's an interesting concept—viewing the life of an assassin through the eyes of their arch-nemesis puts the narrative off balance, but it also means you'll probably care a lot less. Without a strong backbone, Liberation relies heavily on turning a console experience into a handheld experience in the open New Orleans and Bayou maps. Getting into fights, climbing, and running assassinations all return from ACIII on consoles, but beware that the experience feels a little clunkier for the diminutive hardware.
Following enemies in the shadows is fun and tailing marks works well, which is good because you'll do it frequently in the game's campaign. But whenever I got into fights, I had trouble registering counter inputs and frequently decided it was better to run away than stick it out with unreliable mechanics.
What is reliable? Liberation's consistently gorgeous setting. The Vita is no slouch and many times it can feel like Ubisoft has squeezed more than should be possible out of the hardware. Carrying Liberation around with you is worth it, if just to show it off to friends. It's not hard to sell people on the Vita when the experience looks so similar to what you play on your couch.
In fact, I wish there was more focus on directing the player to run around, climb, leap and explore the city at length. I really wanted to chase enemies across rooftops or race against the clock from one point to the next. Those moments don't come and instead direct players into the Bayou.
While it's probably not fair to expect a stinky, humid, muddy Bayou to be a whole mess of fun, I wish the large expanse had more going on aside from the occasional story mission. My favorite moments in Assassin's Creed III revolved around the characters and events in the wild, but Aveline (and I) kept heading back into town where the real action was.
Then we settle upon the ridiculous dressing rooms and outfit swaps Aveline's saddled with in her adventure. Dressing like a lady lets you charm guards and generally get away with stuff. Unfortunately, it's not that fun to wander around restricted to the ground. Swapping into your slave persona allows you to infiltrate more unfriendly compounds and climb on roofs, but you'll be weaker in combat. Then the assassin outfit typically attracts the most attention, but allows you to play the game like a true AC title is supposed to be played.
Unfortunately, the outfit swaps can seem pandering, betraying the Assassin's Creed identity you'll hope to grab hold of in Liberation's best moments. The fact remains that the game takes those moments away from you as soon as you come within reach, leaving it feeling like an amazing tech demo. The same can be said of the game's card-battling multiplayer mode which fails to really teach the player what's going on.
Assassin's Creed fans will still enjoy the portable gameplay. Even Vita owners looking to justify the handheld through pure technical power can find a lot to love in Liberation. It's just not the experience you might expect from the franchise.
Copy provided by publisher.


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Who says they don't make cars like they used to? Certainly not this serious Mercury spokesman. According to this vintage ad 1959's best selling six passenger car (it's a Ford) and the 1971 Mercury Montego were around the same size and the same price.
The similarities ended there though—the '71 Mercury was wider, steadier and had a more powerful "cleaner burning" engine.
Perhaps most importantly, according to the serious spokesman the galvanized steel in the Montego's vital body parts resisted corrosion twice as long as the 1959 "Car".
From our experience cars of the late 50s and early 70s, we estimate this probably meant you got a solid two years before the "made better" Mercury started rusting. Sometimes we're glad they don't make cars like they used to.


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Welcome to QuakercityWelcome to QuakercityWelcome to QuakercityWelcome to QuakercityWelcome to QuakercityWelcome to Quakercity
Welcome to Quakercity
Geoff Korff2016-09-23T10:42:04+00:00September 23rd, 2016|0 Comments
About the Author: Geoff Korff
I am the president of a mid-size iron and steel castings company in Northeast Ohio. The foundry business is dirty, smoky, competitive, and not for the faint of heart. One must endure blistering heat, and go without seeing light for days, if not weeks or months at a time… Okay, that's a slight exaggeration. As a descendant of famed Siberian pathfinder Dmitri Zlatzutuov, I'm eager to carry on the family tradition of persevering no matter what obstacles lie ahead. Now that I'm done giving you the family history, I can tell you that I'm also an attorney and I volunteer a portion of my time to causes involving First Amendment litigation, as well as for Community Legal Services out of Akron, Ohio—for which I was recently recognized as 'Volunteer Attorney of the Year.' In addition to my normal day-to-day, I occasionally have works published in journals and magazines, though much less often lately, as running a company tends to fully occupy one's time.


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President's Charge
- Find ways to improve the general efficiency and effectiveness of System operations by identifying:
- Policies, procedures, processes, and/or practices that could be revised, simplified, eliminated or created, if needed, to improve efficiencies/effectiveness or would better meet the needs of the University community; (Any proposed actions must be balanced with acceptable levels of risk and maintains adequate compliance and accountability.)
- Ways of improving System Administration's communications regarding new policies, initiatives, and procedures with the entire University community;
- Ways of improving the tools and training needed by staff and faculty to implement required policies and procedures; and
- Ways of increasing the cooperation and coordination among system administration and its operating units, campuses, and affiliates.
- Provide feedback and guidance to the Office of Policy and Efficiency on the University policy process, efficiency efforts, and process improvement efforts.
- This charge shall be reviewed annually by the Task Force to ensure continued focus of the role of this group.
- Continue to refine our approach to quickly identify, analyze, and recommend actions designed to meet the charge outlined above.
- Meet as necessary and provide periodic updates to the President, through the Chair, on its progress, findings, and recommendations.
- The Task Force may make recommendations at any time.
- If applicable and appropriate, ensure that recommendations are adequately cross-referenced to existing or prior audits (internal or external) and include information on the finding, the original University response, the Task Force recommendation, and the implication of implementing the recommendation.
- Continue direct outreach efforts with faculty and staff governance, other campus stakeholder groups, supplier showcases, and other opportunities at the Boulder, Colorado Springs, Denver, and Anschutz Medical campuses.
- Continue offering feedback opportunities via email and/or dedicated Task Force on Efficiency and Office of Policy and Efficiency websites.
- Engage with the subject matter experts - as needed and appropriate.


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Ok, I went on a trip to Ottawa, and took a tour at what is supposedly the most haunted place in Canada. The tour guide there told us, that one time, two boys in middle school started to dance on the grave of the last person to ever get executed. The imitated him, and mocked him, asking "Stupid ghost, wanna come out and play?" ( they said this happened in the last year or so). All of a sudden, both boys immediately stopped what they were doing, and at the exact same time, both of the boys got nosebleeds, and had to be rushed to the hospital. If there are any other stories, feel free to share! (btw, I am new. ). If you want to comment on my story, I would love to hear your opinions!
Ottawa-Most Haunted Place in Canada
Started by Hummingbird , Oct 24 2012 07:16 PMOttawa Canada Nosebleed Hummingbird Haunted Canada Executed Execute
3 replies to this topic
Posted 24 October 2012 - 07:16 PM
Posted 24 October 2012 - 11:26 PM
Welcome to the board!
Hehe, the folkloric concept of dancing upon one's grave resulting in negative endings was explored at length in one of my favorite paranormal movies, aptly entitled Grave Dancers. I wonder how much of this story was inspired by that movie...
Hehe, the folkloric concept of dancing upon one's grave resulting in negative endings was explored at length in one of my favorite paranormal movies, aptly entitled Grave Dancers. I wonder how much of this story was inspired by that movie...
Posted 08 April 2013 - 10:36 AM
I believe you went on the Haunted Walk. My husband and I have gone on it about 14 times over the years we've lived in Ottawa. Where the boys where misbehaving is only rumoured to be where Whalen was buried. He claimed that where he was buried no grass would grow. The Ghost and The Gallows tour is the one you were on. The school boys were jumping up and down on the cement. When my husband first took me on this tour I felt that someone was buried where we were standing then only seconds later the guide told the story. Kind of spooky. The original walk is also a good one to go on. We've been so many times the both of us could give the tour. LOL One of the other stories told during this tour is of the German men looking to see a ghost. Upon having nothing happen their evening there they demanded their money back. Slowly a penny raised from the desk, floated out in front of them then dropped.
Edited by White Witch, 08 April 2013 - 10:39 AM.
Right this way to my haunted space.
Posted 03 May 2013 - 08:55 AM
I'm not sure we are the most haunted place in Canada but we are up there that is for sure.
Right this way to my haunted space.
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The Collapsing Obama Doctrine
Rarely has a U.S. president been so wrong about so much at the expense of so many.
As the terrorists of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) threaten Baghdad, thousands of slaughtered Iraqis in their wake, it is worth recalling a few of President Obama's past statements about ISIS and al Qaeda. "If a J.V. team puts on Lakers' uniforms that doesn't make them Kobe Bryant" (January 2014). "[C]ore al Qaeda is on its heels, has been decimated" (August 2013). "So, let there be no doubt: The tide of war is receding" (September 2011).
Rarely has a U.S. president been so wrong about...
To Read the Full Story


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Pixel Art Clock Widget is a date and time widget for your Android home screen. More than 5000 differents combinations of customization.
* You can change color (46 total)
* Decorate and themes with illustrations
* 24h/12h mode
* 2 different widgets (time and date)
* Ability to define the application that will run by clicking on the widget.
Update (v2.5):
* Themes added (5 total)
* Decorations added (12 total)
* Combining themes and decorations
* Bug corrected (cut off)
* New colors (46 total)
* Improving performance
If you appreciate the work I have put into Pixel Art Clock Widget and would to help support further development, a donate version is available: Pixel Art Clock Widget Donate.


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Big ideas start here
CSIRO aims to establish and build relationships with members of the community. We welcome people of all ages to come and explore our facilities, holiday programs and public events.
Phone: 1300 363 400
Email: email@example.com
CSIRO, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, is Australia's national science agency and one of the largest and most diverse research agencies in the world.
Large-scale, long-term, multidisciplinary science to address Australia's major national challenges and opportunities.
CSIRO expertise is organised into 11 research areas
CSIRO manages national facilities and collections that are opened to researchers around Australia and overseas.
CSIRO is identifying ways to improve farm management to help agriculture remain productive, profitable and environmentally sustainable into the future.
CSIRO is delivering science to improve food production systems and food quality in Australia and internationally.
Learn more about gene technology, how it impacts our lives and the research CSIRO is undertaking in this field.
CSIRO researches farm management including crops, pastures and livestock to improve production. CSIRO researches farm management including crops, pastures and livestock to improve profitability and sustainability along the entire production chain.
The High Resolution Plant Phenomics Centre is constructing a flotilla of phenomics instruments to take into the field, improving phenomic analysis of plants.
The acidity of a food affects its ability to resist spoilage. Food preservation techniques must take account of acidity to ensure optimal quality.
CSIRO is contributing to improving the production, processing and marketing of grapes and grape products.
Over the last two decades, CSIRO has worked with research agencies, wood-growing and wood-processing industries, and rural communities in Indonesia and Vietnam to develop a sustainable plantation resource based on tropical Acacia species.
Take a rare glimpse inside the large animal facility within CSIRO's Australian Animal Health Laboratory.
This two-page information sheet is about CSIRO research into developing low gluten barley. This is the first step towards providing the Australian public with a range of low gluten products.
CSIRO studies Australian native plants to better understand their variety, needs and role in contemporary ecosystems.
New data and innovative modelling technology have led to more accurate stock assessments for the Northern Prawn Fishery.
Scientists from our Food Futures Flagship are working to create commercial oilseed varieties that produce healthy omega-3 oils.
CSIRO's Precision Agriculture research is helping farmers understand and benefit from landscape variation.
Food manufacturers who respond effectively to climate change will have the advantage of being at the forefront of a new consumer trend - sustainably manufactured foods.
Captive breeding techniques could grow better quality tiger prawns and achieve higher income for Australian farmers.
Plants with total immunity to the devastating Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus could be a step closer thanks to breeding of resistant species and the creation of a synthetic gene primed to recognise the virus and destroy it. (2 pages)
1300 363 400
Alt Phone:
+61 3 9545 2176


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a balloon dog for a splash of pop art (or circus) on my fridge!
Because clowns freak me out,
but I do love balloon dogs (and pop art).
Now I have a non-popping one holding my notepad for my {never ending} lists!
|my balloon dog and my vintage blue / red pencil (I glued a little magnet in the center of the pencil, too)
Since I started using polymer clay, the make of a balloon dog seemed easy enough for a novice, and I started to look online for tutorial, insights and tricks.
But the balloon dogs that I found where made to look like standing dogs, made out of "sausage" parts.
So there it is how I made mine, just a tiny bit different.
I used 90 gr. of red polymer clay.
the polymer clay balloon dog (that looks like a twisted balloon)
how-to / tutorial:
*make a "sausage" about 1/2" in diameter and about 10-1/2" long
--> the balloon dog is made out of 10 parts: all shaped like "sausages" with rounded edges, and a small part for the tail and nose.
- 6 pieces are 7/8" long
- 1 piece (the body) is 1-1/8 long
- 2 pieces are 2/3" long (face and neck)
- 1 piece is about 1/2" long (the tail)
*bend the 6 parts 7/8" long to a "bean shape",
and join them together, leaving a slight opening in the middle
* use few pieces of wire (I used copper) to create the "bones" of your balloon dog, and assemble the different parts together.
The polymer clay I kept aside for the end part of the tail was way too much.
Keep a large image of a "real balloon dog" on your screen to try to keep the sizes into the right scale
making the "nose" of the balloon dog
In a real balloon dog, the nose is the open part of the balloon, tight in a knot.
This is how I made the nose {and pretty pleased with the result!}.
1* make a 1/4" ball with polymer clay
2* push the center of the ball with the end part of a brush,
3* lift this round shape with the curled edges
4* place it back onto the end part of a brush and manipulate the center with your fingers until you have a small cone.
5* squeeze it just a bit until it looks just like a know on a balloon
I used a metal clip and glued two magnets on the back with E6000 glue
(the glue gun will dry faster, but ddin't work)
* I placed my balloon dog on a tile, and squeeze it down a little to make some parts flat
(the ones that are going to be glued on the clip)
* ready to bake (I gave it a little longer int the oven because of some of the thick parts)
*placed some craft sticks under the muzzle and tail to avoid the collapsing under the weight while baking
Any tool, surface, oven, rolling pin, knife, cookie cutter or pasta machine that comes in contact with polymer clay CANNOT be used with anything else than polymer clay.
* apply some E6000 glue onto the back of my balloon dog, and glue it onto the front part of the clip.
Once dry, I applied a coat of clear varnish to make it shine like a pro!!
Once dry, I applied a coat of clear varnish to make it shine like a pro!!
And here it is, making my beat up refrigerator
in my craft room looking a little happier :)
(refrigerator is beyond vintage, but still works.
And... will get a makeover at some point!!)
xox, d.


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Violent tornadoes ripped through the Midwest on Sunday, causing significant damage in several communities. But isn't tornado season supposed to be in the spring and summer? Turns out tornadoes are rare in November, but not unheard of. Here's what we know:
• On average, only about 52 tornadoes are reported across the country during the entire month of November, according to data from the Storm Prediction Center.
• While most of the big tornado outbreaks tend to happen in the spring months of April and May, autumn also has its share of storms, according to Weather Channel meteorologist and tornado expert Greg Forbes. He said the second half of October and November can be ripe for severe storms and tornadoes.
• Forbes says that this time of year "is the counterpart to spring, when strong fronts and upper air systems march across the United States. "When enough warm, moist air accompanies these weather systems, the unstable conditions yield severe thunderstorms and sometimes tornadoes," Forbes said.
• Former Storm Prediction Center meteorologist Dan McCarthy said that November is the second season for tornadoes.
• The worst November tornado event in U.S. history was in 2002. On Nov. 10-11 of that year, a major outbreak of severe weather and tornadoes occurred across the Tennessee and Ohio Valley regions, producing damage in 13 states. A total of 75 tornadoes touched down on Nov. 10, killing at least 36 people.
Courtesy of USA Today


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The same week her ex Levi Johnston steamed up the airwaves with a hot music video with his possible new love interest, Bristol Palin is coming out with
The "Dancing With the Stars" contestant made her video debut in a clip by Alaska band Static Cycle, reports E! Online.
In the video for "Inside This World of Mine," Palin appears decked out in a black mink coat and plays the role of Mother Nature. She sports icy eyebrows and lashes and plays with roses on a snowy peak in Chena, Alaska.
U.S. & World
Part of the shoot took place in an ice hotel with "ice sculptures and stuff," Bristol said in an interview with Entertainment Tonight.
The daughter of former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin is decidedly more low-key in her video than Johnston was in his.
In the clip for Brittani Senser's "After Love," the aspiring mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, and former "Playgirl" model rolls around in bed and makes out with the sexy R & B star.
Palin was under the impression that Johnston had flown to L.A. several months ago to see a hunting show, but she later discovered that he had actually gone to shoot the clip, which ultimately played a roll in the unraveling of the couple's engagement.
Selected Reading: E! Online, Huffington Post, Entertainment Tonight


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| 11.1°C Belfast
Singers Alesha Dixon and Pixie Lott are to perform at a concert launching the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal.
The pair, who are the faces of the Poppy Appeal 2012, will star at the free event in Trafalgar Square in London marking the start of the Legion's £42 million fundraising drive.
The concert will also feature The Military Wives Choir and James Fox, star of the West End musical Let It Be, who will sing the official Poppy Appeal 2012 single Landlocked.
Alesha, a Britain's Got Talent judge and former Strictly Come Dancing winner, whose hits include The Boy Does Nothing, will perform with The Corps of Drums of the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards and 1st Battalion Irish Guards.
Pixie, whose number one hit singles include It's All About Tonight, will appear alongside trumpeters from the Band of the Grenadier Guards.
The appeal's £42 million target is up on the record £40 million raised last year. People wishing to donate can do so at any time through the internet or by text.
Poppies will go on sale from Saturday until November 11, at locations across the country including train and Tube stations and shopping centres.
The act of observing a two-minute silence each year on November 11 began in 1919, following the Armistice agreement between the Allies and Germany at 11am on November 11, 1918, the end of the First World War.
The Royal British Legion spends £1.7 million a week on care and support for military families, including grants, employment advice and funding, emotional support, tribunal and inquest advice, care homes and family breaks.
Its work includes help for service personnel returning from Afghanistan as well as those from past conflicts.


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All the collected blog posts from the members of our community, and some others(i.e. both from local and external blogs, please let us know about any good external ones to import!). Feel free to discuss/comment any blog post in here.
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Kevin Duffy: Teixeira one win away from dream of UFC world title
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DANBURY -- He walked into the Hat City Boxing Club with 250 pounds of muscle strapped to his 6-foot-2 frame and a single goal -- outrageous as it may have seemed -- locked in his mind.
Glover Teixeira wanted to kick-box, so the elders at Hat City pointed him toward Bennie "The Jet" Little, who was nearing the end of a successful professional career.
"You want to train?" Little asked the 21-year-old Teixeira. "Meet me here tomorrow at five in the morning."
Teixeira showed up and looked like a pro on the heavy bag. Little asked him where he learned to punch.
"I've boxed a little," Teixeira told him.
Little asked what he wanted to gain from their training.
"I'm going to fight in UFC," Teixeira said. "I want to be the world champ."
The words spoken often in Danbury do come close to fruition in certain instances. Considering its size, the Hat City Boxing Club, which has since shut down, provided a start for a remarkable number of world-class fighters. Teixeira's up there with any of them.
Now 34, living mostly in Danbury since 1999, Teixeira is two days away from the fight of his life, a Saturday prime-time bout with Jon Jones for the UFC light heavyweight championship. The bout, scheduled for 10 p.m. at the Baltimore Arena in Baltimore, is a pay-per-view event.
Jones is the LeBron James of his sport. He became the youngest UFC champion in history three years ago and has defended his title in the six fights that have followed. He's 26 years old with the legs of a cross country runner, the torso of a NFL wide receiver, and, oh, a 0.0001 percentage of body fat and self-doubt.
"I notice that I'm full of myself and I am arrogant to some degree, but it's obviously only when it comes to talking about MMA, where literally, I do the wildest stuff," Jones told Yahoo! Sports Monday.
Jones enters 19-1. His only career loss was by disqualification. Teixeira is 22-2. He hasn't been defeated since 2005. Three of his five UFC victories required just one round. Still, Jones is a 4-to-1 favorite Saturday. Not that it bothers Teixeira.
"He's not going to dominate," Teixeira said Thursday. "He can say whatever he wants. People can say whatever they want. I know I'm going to have to prove it to them."
Jon "Bones" Jones cruised to the top of UFC in the carpool lane. The passengers: His two NFL brothers, Chandler Jones of the New England Patriots and Arthur Jones of the Indianapolis Colts. Jon, the middle brother, won the JuCo wrestling national championship while at Iowa Central Community College. He transferred to Morrisville State, but dropped out to pursue mixed martial arts. Three years after his UFC debut, he was world champ.
The ride up didn't include the carpool lane for Teixeira, who finally has a crack at the title in his 12th year in UFC.
It began with the move from Brazil to Danbury, where a cousin and friends told him he'd find good work. He did, with Prado Landscaping. For two years he only worked, but in 2001, he became interested in boxing and mixed martial arts, so he visited Hat City and met Bennie Little.
"He listened to everything I told him," Little said. "He had no ego. A lot of the guys come in the gym and they have egos. Everybody says they want to be the world champion, but he was a guy who was walking or riding his bike to the gym. He was young, so he was hungry."
He was also frequenting a Brazilian restaurant in Danbury, where a tricky cashier indirectly introduced him to local Brazilian jiu-jitsu coach Luigi Mondelli.
"I don't know if (the cashier) was trying to be funny or he just likes to stir things up," Mondelli said, "but he was like, `Yeah, there's this big guy who wants to beat you up.' And to Glover, he was saying the same thing, but the opposite. He said, `There's this Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt who can beat up anybody and he says he'll beat you up.'"
One night, Teixeira approached Mondelli outside of his jiu-jitsu gym.
"He wanted to train, or he wanted to find out what was going on," Mondelli said, laughing.
Either way, Teixeira trained in kick-boxing and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and eventually began to fight in grappling tournaments. At some point, he caught the eye of Chuck Liddell, a UFC goliath. Liddell needed a sparring partner. Teixeira moved out to California.
His career moving along swiftly, the thick, powerful Teixeira rolled opponents in World Extreme Cagefighting, needing no more than two minutes to knock out five straight challengers. One, Jorge Oliveira, was done in five seconds.
But an issue with his visa prevented him from making his UFC debut in the United States. So Teixeira fought in Brazil for three and a half years before returning to Danbury.
"It was a long time," he said, "but it all works out and I got the experience and everything."
He calls Danbury his "adopted home." It's where he met his wife, Ingrid. While he's not training, he resides in the Hat City. He even likes the weather here.
"Second day I got here, it snowed," he said. "I was shoveling the snow for everybody. I was like a little kid."
He also likes the comfort.
"I don't see a lot of people in Danbury go, `Yeah man, I'm a big fan,'" Teixeira said. "If I go anywhere else, it's like, `Hey man, I'm a big fan of UFC, can I take picture with you?' In Danbury, it's more like, `Hey man, you know my cousin!'"
"It's kind of like seeing people you've known from high school," he continued. "It's been 15 years since I moved here now."
It's been well over a decade since Teixeira met with Bennie Little at 5 a.m. After that first session, Little told his friends, "You gotta see this kid. This kid's a beast."
Maybe a world champ, too.
email@example.com; @KevinRDuffy


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To review: Pitt, Syracuse, and West Virginia are going. Houston, Central Florida, and Southern Methodist are joining, with Boise State, San Diego State, and Navy eventually signing on just for football. And now, per CBS Sports, Memphis is in "the final stages of negotiations" to become an all-sports member in 2013. Which would bring the Big East's total of onetime C-USA members to nine. Annexing Canada must be next. [via]
More from Deadspin


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This year on 18 July — Nelson Mandela's 94th birthday — the UN is joining a call by the Nelson Mandela Foundation to devote 67 minutes of time to helping others, as a way to mark Nelson Mandela International Day.
For 67 years Nelson Mandela devoted his life to the service of humanity — as a human rights lawyer, a prisoner of conscience, an international peacemaker and the first democratically elected president of a free South Africa.
"Today, I join the Nelson Mandela Foundation in urging each and every one of us to perform 67 minutes of public service on Nelson Mandela International Day – one minute for each year of Madiba's own remarkable service to humanity," UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says in his message on the International Nelson Mandela Day.
In Brussels, UNRIC, with the support of the International Press Centre (IPC) and the Embassy of South Africa, will mark the day with Exhibit panels, featuring background on the Day and suggestions for 67 minutes of service. A photo slide show will also be screened with a selection of quotes by Mr. Mandela.
A dedicated 'post' box will be available at the exhibit site and throughout the day, the public will also be able to write a message to Mr. Mandela that will be sent to him through the South African Embassy in Brussels.
If you can't attend the exhibition in Brussels, you are welcome to submit your message to Nelson Mandela via the UN in Brussels Facebook page and we will put it in the 'post' box for you.
In November 2009, the UN General Assembly declared 18 July "Nelson Mandela International Day" in recognition of the former South African President's contribution to the culture of peace and freedom.
The General Assembly resolution recognizes Nelson Mandela's values and his dedication to the service of humanity, in the fields of conflict resolution, race relations, the promotion and protection of human rights, reconciliation, gender equality and the rights of children and other vulnerable groups, as well as the upliftment of poor and underdeveloped communities. It acknowledges his contribution to the struggle for democracy internationally and the promotion of a culture of peace throughout the world.
These are some of the things you can do to celebrate the Mandela Day: Tutor a child. Feed the hungry. Care for your environment. Volunteer at a hospital or community centre.
"Take action; inspire change; make every day a Mandela Day," says Ban Ki-moon in his message.
The Brussels based United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe - UNRIC provides information on UN activities to the countries of the region. It also provides liaison with institutions of the European Union in the field of information. Its outreach activities extend to all segments of society and joint campaigns, projects and events are organized with partners including the EU, governments, the media, NGOs, schools and local authorities.
United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe (UNRIC Brussels)
Residence Palace, Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 155, Block C2,7th and 8th floor, Brussels 1040, Belgium
Tel.: +32 2 788 8484 / Fax: 32 2 788 8485


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Mila Kunis flew solo when she walked the yellow brick red (in lieu of a red carpet) at the Oz the Great and Powerful premiere in L.A. Feb. 13. Wearing a Dolce & Gabbana dress and Christian Louboutin heels, the 29-year-old actress posed with costars Michelle Williams, James Franco, Rachel Weisz and Zach Braff before heading inside the El Capitan Theatre.
Though Kunis' boyfriend, Ashton Kutcher, was M.I.A. at the premiere, the couple arrived hand-in-hand at the film's official afterparty just before 10:30 p.m., a partygoer tells Us Weekly. "They headed straight for the buffet, where they piled their plates with lemon garlic seared chicken breast and butternut squash ravioli," the partygoer reveals. The former That '70s Show costars then sat in the reserved section at Lure nightclub.
Kutcher, 35, wore a white baseball cap and white sweatshirt, while Kunis added a slouchy black bomber jacket over her premiere dress. Forty minutes after their arrival, "Mila ended up sitting in Ashton's lap," the partygoer tells Us. By 12:18 a.m., "Mila and Ashton kissed softly on the lips," the observer continues, adding that Kutcher "wrapped her in his arms" as a fatigued Kunis leaned her head against his shoulder.
The notoriously private pair have dodged questions about their relationship since they were first linked in March 2012. Kutcher is still legally wed to Demi Moore, 50, who filed for divorce in December 2012 following a 13-month separation. Kunis was in an eight-year relationship with Macaulay Culkin until 2010.
For access to all our exclusive celebrity videos and interviews – Subscribe on YouTube!


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Shackleford Edges Animal Kingdom At Preakness
(CNN) -- Shackleford went from skittish to stellar and held off Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom to win the 136th edition of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico on Saturday.
It was a sweet win for Shackleford, which was the front-runner at the Derby but saw Animal Kingdom push ahead in that race and cruise to a clear victory. Shackleford finished fourth at the Derby.
Saturday was Animal Kingdom's turn to play catch-up down the stretch. Ridden by John Velazquez, he thundered ahead of several horses, but couldn't quite catch Shackleford, and finished nearly a length behind.
Astrology finished third.
Shackleford, with 12-1 odds, did not want to enter the gate at Pimlico. He glistened with sweat and had to be coaxed in.
But he was all business once the gates opened and led most of the way, winning in 1:56:47.
The thrilling finish ended Animal Kingdom's bid for a Triple Crown, last won by Affirmed in 1978.
"It feels amazing. I couldn't have asked for a better run than he really did," said winning jockey Jesus Castanon.
Castanon dedicated his first Triple Crown victory to his mother in Mexico and father, who died in November. "I know my dad is watching me," he said.
"We won some big races, but not as exciting as that one," Shackleford trainer Dale Romans told NBC Sports.
Velazquez blamed Animal Kingdom's poor start on the dirt hitting him in the face.
Of starting so far back, "It was a little too much to make up."
The jockey acknowledged dirt hit Animal Kingdom in the Derby, but said in that race, he was so close to the other horses that the dirt was hitting him in the chest.
Animal Kingdom's trainer, Graham Motion, said Shackleford "ran huge."
Shackleford is named for an island off the coast of North Carolina that is frequented by his owners.
At least 10,000 fans jammed the infield to watch the 14-horse race on a sunny and warm Baltimore afternoon.
Dialed In, with 4-1 odds, had contact in the back of the pack and finished fourth.
CNN's Lateef Mungin contributed to this report.
Copyright CNN 2011


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WASHINGTON -- States are streamlining their Medicaid enrollment processes so they can meet new information technology (IT) requirements imposed by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a report showed.
Nearly all states (47) have submitted or received approval for an advanced planning document to upgrade their computerized enrollment systems, and 42 have launched their systems development work, according to the report, which was conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation's Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured and the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute here.
States are taking advantage of a limited-time, 90% federal match available to update their IT infrastructure, the annual report of Medicaid enrollment, renewal, and cost-sharing policies found.
"Implementation of this system requires substantial investments in IT infrastructure at a time when state fiscal situations remain constrained," the report, released Wednesday, stated.
As of this year, 37 states have an electronic online application for Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program -- four more states than last year, the report found. Also, 28 states allow families to renew online, up from 20 in 2012.
Furthermore, 36 states provide online accounts, although less than half provide advanced features such as the ability to upload electronic images of documents, which can increase online efficiency.
"Many states moved beyond incremental changes to concentrate on more sweeping transformation of their IT infrastructure and procedures to prepare their systems and processes to meet new requirements under the ACA," the report stated.
Despite the progress in some areas, the authors spotted areas that still need improvement.
Starting in 2014, states must conduct annual reviews based on available information rather than requesting information and documentation from individuals. That requirement is currently being met by 22 states.
Also, states must implement new electronic verification processes intended to deliver real-time eligibility determinations and coordinate with exchanges and other coverage programs.
The Wednesday report also found few states offer both online and telephone enrollment (16) and renewal (19), even though the ACA forces states to expand options for families to apply for and renew coverage.
Under the ACA, states must also use a single, streamlined application for all insurance affordability programs.
Regardless of their decision on other aspects of the ACA -- such as whether to operate a state-based health insurance exchange or to expand their Medicaid program to enroll individuals up to 138% of the federal poverty level -- states need to prepare their systems for new eligibility, verification, and renewal requirements, the authors noted.
"A primary goal of the ACA is to create a simple, real-time eligibility and enrollment process that uses electronic data to ease the paperwork burden on applicants and state agencies while expediting a determination," the report stated.
In terms of eligibility limits, the report found:
- Eligibility levels for children and pregnant women remained stable in 2012.
- While one state (Colorado) added coverage for adults, three states (Hawaii, Illinois, and Minnesota) reduced eligibility.
- Currently, 33 states limit parent eligibility to less than 100% of the federal poverty level, with 16 setting eligibility at less than 50% of poverty.
- The majority of states do not provide Medicaid coverage to low-income childless adults, regardless of their income.
"Amid this policy environment, during 2012, eligibility levels for children and pregnant women remained stable and strong, with some states making additional improvements," the report stated. "However, consistent with earlier years, coverage for adults continues to lag far behind, and a handful of states cut back eligibility in areas not protected by the federal requirement to maintain coverage."


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Harry Potter Wedding Gift | Harry Potter Couples Gift | Harry Potter Engagement Gift | Harry Potter Wedding Cake Topper
$30.24 $33.60
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Our acrylic glass blocks are 3/4" thick with diamond polished edges that give a clean, 3D effect to your photos.
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There's no need to display your images in dull and old fashioned picture frames our acrylic blocks are fresh, contemporary and will brighten up any room 🌞.
Small (75mm x 100mm / 3" x 4")
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Reviews (2)
Jan 24, 2020
Oct 8, 2019
Came quicker than expected! Couldn't be happier with the quality, looks just as I ordered it! The box and bag it arrived in was also a nice touch! Amazing gift!
Shipping from United Kingdom
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text:
Following the slowdown triggered by the abrupt implementation of demonetisation measures and a new Goods and Services Tax (GST), steady growth has returned, exceeding 8% year-on-year in Q2 2018. Consumer spending has continued to provide a basis for growth, and business investment contributed to the recent acceleration in GDP. On the other hand, the trade balance had a slightly negative impact.
So it is not a downturn in the economic outlook that is worrying markets. In contrast, the fact that the Indian economy has for many years borrowed money from the rest of the world to finance its growth is a source of concern for financial market participants. With 5% of GDP in 2013, the current account deficit has substantially shrunk and is now below 2%. Furthermore, it has been primarily financed by direct investment, which is generally more stable and sustainable over time than other sources of financing. The trade risk with the US – its largest trading partner – is also quite limited: India's trade surplus with the US is only USD 22 billion (vs. over USD 200 billion for China with the US) and exports include mainly IT services and other niche goods such as cut diamonds and medicines.
The non-financial private sector in India is relatively well-positioned to absorb any potential shocks, given that households and companies alike have low levels of debt, and the vast majority of these debts are in Indian rupees.
The public sector situation is, however, more worrying. At 70% of GDP, leverage is high, especially considering that its development is still at a relatively low level. Despite a government deficit of over 6%, India's high economic growth has kept its public debt burden on a stable trend for the last ten years or so. However, the public debt burden could rise substantially if the government were forced to recapitalise a number of public banks facing increasing difficulties. Public banks account for a very large share of the banking sector and their profitability is deteriorating, with non-performing loans rising sharply (close to 10% of outstanding loans in 2017). Additionally, 25% of loans were granted by non-banking financial institutions. Against a backdrop of tightening financing terms globally, the cost of financing for these institutions is rising, and the payment default of IL&FS, a semi-public institution, has brought to light liquidity issues. If tensions were to persist, access to credit could be reined in, depressing growth. However, the government swiftly seized the initiative, replenishing the coffers of IL&FS, and thus seems determined to avoid any contagion to the financial system as a whole.
Against this background, growth should slow a little but remain above 7% in 2019.
Chart 1: PMI index Chart 2: Gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) as percentage of GDP
Source: Thomson Datastreal Source: Thomson Datastream
Chart 3: Current account and financial account
Source: Thomson Datastream


text:
Dashcam (haven't been guilty of this in a while)
Last night we went to a new restaurant called Cafe Laguna that features fry bread as their staple to most of their dishes. Here is Johnna eatin it up:
Then we went to see that movie "What Happens in Vegas". It was cool but it might as well have been a remake of "How to lose a guy in 10 days"
Lately Johnna has been suggesting that she would like to get another dog. I have been catching her on the internet searching craigslist and other listings for puppies... so I took action, and now I have her convinced that I have a "puppy-block" on the internet because whenever she starts to look for puppies the internet mysteriously stops working. In reality I am just unplugging the modem with my foot whenever I catch her. I realize that this little trick is useless now that I have blogged about it but I thought it was too funny not to share.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Date night and stuff....
Posted by Unknown at 3:24 PM
5 comments:
- Johnna Jayne said...
Let me clarify! I do not want another puppy. Puppies are evil and I suck at potty training. I want another rescue dog. . . Just a tiny one,or two, maybe three.
- August 17, 2008 at 10:06 AM
- LaDawn Lingard said...
Johnna, johnna, johnna
- August 17, 2008 at 6:44 PM
- Jen said...
Me too! I want some puppies/dogs too! I've decided it's my new hobby...cruising the internet for a good dog to rescue!
- August 19, 2008 at 5:33 PM
- Christina said...
If she gets a 2 for 1 deal on Cambodian babies, let me know. I'll go in with you guys on the travel costs! :)
- August 20, 2008 at 12:40 PM
- Blake and Kacie Bennett said...
Your Dad had a good solution on how to cure her of her animal addiction...have you heard it yet? It involves potty training Johnna, but not for a couple of years =)
- August 25, 2008 at 10:49 PM
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text:
15 of 44
Apple and Cheddar Quick Bread
Irish cheddar, tart apples, and fresh sage baked into a savory quick bread.
This easy quick bread recipe was inspired by my childhood snack of cheese and apples. It bakes up with lots of cheesy pockets, moist apples, and a little bit of sage to round out the flavors. Serve a slice with a bowl of Celery Root Soup or toasted with butter as part of a weekend brunch.... Read More
View Recipe


text:
I think we have all been there.
On a more related note, I was working on my L1A1's last night trying to fit the US flash hiders to the barrels. I noticed in the schematic that there is a small washer (spacer) pictured that goes into the flash hider. Is this a crush washer? I have not yet taken the original flash hider off of the one barrel I have that came with it installed, nor have I been able to remove the barrel stubbs from the F1 flash hiders yet. Is this a necessary part for the installation of the flash hider, or can I just screw it on and mill the retaining groove for the washer and pin and hope that holds it? Anyone worked with L1A1 flash hiders before?


text:
Six years ago, officials from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) came to the United States to share their vision for funding colleges and universities: The focus was how many students a school graduates instead of how many students a school enrolls. It was, in short, performance funding for higher education.
It was an idea that had confounded American states for years. Experiments in similar funding approaches, undertaken in fits and starts beginning in the 1970s, had been abandoned one by one. Perhaps most famously, South Carolina put all of its eggs in the performance basket in 1996, basing 100 percent of its higher education funding on metrics like graduation rates. There was a sense among legislative proponents and a business coalition that supported the change that public universities and colleges, like other branches of government, needed to become more efficient and that market-like incentives were the way to achieve this. Seven years later, South Carolina had to dump the formula, thanks to a fierce backlash from the university faculty as well as pushback from administrators who were overloaded from trying to implement the program.
That's why, when the English visitors from HEFCE arrived in Chicago in July 2007 to speak at an international forum hosted in part by the State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO), their American counterparts were ready to listen.
Read Governing's first-ever International Issue.
"We're working on the same kind of problems. How do you get a wider level of educational attainment?" says Paul Lingenfelter, president of SHEEO. "There's no special wisdom in any other country, but what we've learned is there are intelligent people working on these issues all over the globe and it helps to be a part of the conversation."
Thanks to the SHEEO conference and the confluence of other pressures -- sharply circumscribed budget limits and low course-completion rates -- performance-based funding for higher ed is coming stateside. More than half of states have expressed an interest in moving in that direction, a dozen or so are actively developing policies to fund higher education by making sure public dollars are incentivizing results and a few have already implemented new systems. In their pursuit of the best way to do that, states are looking for lessons from their English allies.
The specifics of the formula and the politics behind rewarding performance are only part of what makes the English model tick. It's also about the philosophical underpinnings. "The driver for these institutions is the pursuit of knowledge and the public benefit," says Steve Egan, director of finance and corporate resources at HEFCE. A lot of the English institutions were set up with those altruistic objectives, he points out, noting that those objectives remain a strong part of who they are -- and they are buttressed by a performance funding model that rewards results. "It's about those larger social goods. That's the secret," he says. "You can't make that happen with a funding system or a regulatory system. The core of it is the universities themselves."
In other words, aligning funding streams with the fundamental goal of higher education -- to educate students and do it well -- allows universities to stop worrying about how many students they can send acceptance letters to and start concentrating on how they can better educate the students that they have.
One fundamental feature separates the U.S. system from the U.K. model: when the student counting starts. American public universities, by and large, receive a per-student allotment from the state based on how many students are enrolled at the beginning of the school year. In England, the counting takes place at the end of the school year. Schools receive funding only for the students that make it through, which is a more effective way of promoting student retention.
"Those that perform well get a lot. Those that don't get nothing," Egan says. That's the bedrock of the performance-based funding model that his country uses to ensure the £4.7 billion (about $7.6 billion) it spends on higher ed instruction at nearly 250 universities and further education colleges (similar to U.S. community colleges) is well spent.
The best universities in Great Britain, such as Cambridge and Oxford, have retention rates around 99 percent, the highest possible figures, comparable to Harvard and Yale in the United States. The British national mean sits above 80 percent, while America averages closer to 75 percent.
That means the U.S. is spending a lot of money -- tuition fees and general spending have been on the rise for years -- but only achieving middling results. More students are enrolling than graduating. That's led to a lot of interest in throwing out the whole U.S. system, which only rewards getting students in the door, and moving toward a model like the U.K.'s, which rewards getting them out. "There is all sorts of interest in emphasizing completion," says Aims McGuiness, senior associate with the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, who has studied the U.K. higher education system. "But the question is: How do you do it?"
The United Kingdom has had a fair amount of practice. Dating back to the 1980s, the country has linked its funding allocations to an institution's performance on specific metrics. The formula was most recently revised in the mid-2000s, particularly to encourage schools to recruit and retain students from low-income geographic areas. Up to 10 percent of a school's teaching funding is connected to its ability to enroll those students, who are identified by their postal code. It's an unconventional performance metric, but one that U.S. policymakers have taken an interest in as access equity has become a major issue in this country as well. In a similar manner, England has introduced incentives for schools to enroll students in certain fields like science or medicine that are expected to have a high demand but currently have a shortfall in graduates entering the labor force.
Most of the other 90 percent of funding, however, is based on specific measurable criteria, most of it locked into completion rates. If a student enrolls in an institution at the beginning of the year and finishes there at the end, the school receives credit and full funding for that student. If the student doesn't finish, the school can be penalized and lose money.
That's one of the important lessons from the United Kingdom: leverage. Almost all funding for U.K. higher ed is founded on outcomes of some kind, and policymakers credit that wholesale approach to its success. U.S. experiments in performance-based funding have generally not been as bold. Aside from the example of South Carolina, which was a disaster for different reasons, most states have limited the performance-based portion of their higher education funding to 5 percent or so. What they found was that it wasn't enough money to encourage change. When up to 95 percent of their money was still wrapped up in recruiting and enrollment, schools continued to focus their efforts there.
"There's no magic number, but you've got to get into double-digits to get the institutions to pay attention," says Travis Reindl, program director for postsecondary education at the National Governors Association. "It gives you a better shot that you'll see the corresponding changes on the campus."
When South Carolina tried to move to a fully performance-based system, it encountered a vicious pushback from its schools and their staff. So how has England gotten its institutions on board? By using specifics. Before the beginning of every school year, HEFCE outlines its performance expectations with each individual school. Exact metrics are set. Then the school and the commission sign a contract, allowing both sides to acknowledge before the funding cycle even begins that they understand what's at stake and how it will be determined."That's huge. That's worth trying to do," says Jane Wellman, executive director for the National Association of System Heads, which represents more than 50 systems of U.S. public colleges and universities. "The basic notion that there will be an understanding of the criteria and the performance expectations trumps everything else." The English, she says, "did that pretty well."
Not everyone is convinced. The U.K. model differentiates between teaching, research (which accounts for about $1.6 billion) and other funding (a little more than $1 billion). Within each of those spheres, there is a formula for determining funding. Research funding, for example, is based in part on how many peer-reviewed studies a university's faculty had published in the previous year. There is a concern among some in the United States that you could over-formulize, and by extension, take some of the discretionary power away from the school presidents and boards who have presumably been placed in those positions to make decisions about how money is being spent and whether it is being spent wisely.
"The passion for formulizing these things takes away from what I thought I was being paid for, which is making judgments," says D. Bruce Johnstone, professor of higher and comparative education at the State University of New York at Buffalo, and former president of that school. "You can formulize and formulize and formulize these things, but it sometimes takes away from the comprehensive judgment of the chancellors and school boards."
Since that 2007 SHEEO meeting, the English tenets for higher education funding have begun to permeate U.S. education policymaking. States have begun rebooting their performance-based funding efforts in the last few years and building on lessons from the U.K. system: putting enough money at stake, having well-defined goals for institutions to work toward and awarding outcomes instead of inputs.
Tennessee perhaps moved closest to the English system when it revamped its funding model three years ago. Though state officials say they largely came up with their own formula from scratch -- they were only vaguely familiar with the U.K. model -- their result bears some striking similarities to the British pay-for-performance model. For starters, Tennessee decided to put all the money on the line. Like others, the state had experimented with a limited amount of performance-based funding (5 percent) 30 years ago. But also like others, the state found that wasn't enough to leverage change.
Tennessee's new formula puts 100 percent of a school's funding on the line and links it to specific outcomes, such as degree production, graduation rates and research output. Schools are rewarded for recruiting students from a lower socioeconomic background, much like the postal-code incentives in England. To ensure buy-in from the higher education community itself, faculty and administrators were brought into planning meetings and provided input on the specific metrics that they would be measured by. Outcomes for different schools are weighed differently, depending on the institution's population and academic mission, another idea that had already appeared in the English model. To ease the transition, the state limited the amount of money that an institution could lose or gain in the first few years. Early results are positive, according to Tennessee officials. Degrees awarded and graduation rates are on the rise.
"Trying to just tweak the status quo wasn't good enough, so we decided to go for it," says Russ Deaton, the Tennessee Higher Education Commission's associate executive director for finance and administration. "It's a new philosophy. The school's money is not its own. They have to relinquish it and earn it back."
If the initial success of Tennessee's new performance-based funding system is any indication, the British influence is likely to grow. The National Governors Association, which has studied the U.K. model at length, is working with states including Nevada to implement performance-based funding systems based on some of the same principles. Deaton reports that Tennessee has already fielded calls from some 30 states and had extensive conversations with 15 about how their model could be translated across the U.S.
The renewed interest in performance-based funding rests on the current confluence of three circumstances, says the National Governors Association's Reindl: The economy needs more people with a higher level of education, state governments' budget situation requires more fiscal discipline, and the disparity in college completion across different demographics demands an overhaul in incentives for higher education institutions. Those underlying factors don't seem to be going away, which likely will lead states to continue exploring the concept. As the Tennessee program already suggests, the standards upon which the English model is based indicate it is an improvement over America's past failures in performance-based funding.
As many as 20 states are expected to introduce performance-based funding legislation in the next two years. "The numbers are showing that we're well into version 2.0. It's in play," Reindl says. "It's got a lot of potential, and it could be a significant force toward achieving the changes we've been looking for." The U.S. similarities with the U.K. system, Reindl adds, "represent an evolution. We're getting better at this."