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We challenge you to revolutionise your manufacturing business
How can we Help?
We're yet to meet a SME manufacturer which doesn't have unique challenges. Where we can help is transforming these challenges from obstacles into opportunities.
We can help by introducing you to new ideas for increased profitability or inspire your business strategy and implementation.
We can help by revolutionising your brand and marketing, transforming how you communicate with your marketplace.
Or it may be that you and your team just need a sounding board – and we can help there too.
Whatever your unique situation and requirements, we are here to support you in your journey to be the thriving, modern and profitable business you know that you can be.
Our location:
We are based within the manufacturing powerhouse of West Yorkshire. A region of proud industrial heritage which we're very glad to help our customers continue.
Get in touch
You can email firstname.lastname@example.com or leave a message bellow.
We are proud members of, work alongside or support some of the UK's best professional organisations:


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The Big Features & Improvements Of The GCC 8 Compiler
The GCC 8 compiler will likely be introduced as stable this week or next in the form of the GCC 8.1 premiere release. Here's a look at the prominent changes for this annual update to the GNU Compiler Collection.
Among the changes you can look forward to in the imminent GCC 8.1 stable release over the GCC 7 series includes:
- Intel Cannonlake support albeit it now looks like those CPUs won't be shipping until volume until possibly the start of 2019. And GCC 8 also has initial targeting for Intel Icelake, Cannonlake's successor.
- Intel CET support for Control-flow Enforcement Technology.
- Continued tuning for AMD Zen "znver1" microarchitecture.
- ARMv8.4-A support as well as now officially supporting the ARM Cortex-A55 and Cortex-A75 CPUs.
- Qualcomm Saphira CPU support, Qualcomm's new ARM server CPU core.
- Initial C17 language support and on the C++ side is initial work towards C++2A.
- Libstdc++ has improved experimental support for C++17 and experimental support for C++2A/C++20.
- Preparations for Fortran 2018.
- Various work around Spectre mitigation for different architectures.
- Updated Golang implementation, matching Go 1.10.1.
- Correct -march=native handling on ARM/AArch64.
- Intel Cilk Plus support was dropped while separately Intel MPX (Memory Protection Extensions) was deprecated and will likely be dropped in GCC 9.
- The AMD HSA IL / BRIG support was further improved with greater performance optimizations and more stability.
- Continued work on more helpful debug messages.
Stay tuned for more GCC 8 coverage and compiler benchmarking in the coming days on Phoronix.

subset: commoncrawl


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A look back at 2016: Backcountry adventures, birthday celebrations and a wildfire season to remember
For those who love the outdoors, it's not hard to list the reasons why Western North Carolina is a spectacular place to live, and from that standpoint, the year 2016 certainly didn't fail to deliver. The curtains are now closing on 2016, but the year will get its proper send-off with this roundup of favorite moments and memorable stories from the past 12 months outdoors.
When snow blanketed the region in January, exploring the Blue Ridge Parkway on cross-country skis proved a matchless way to experience the wonder of winter in the mountains. Cross-country skiing certainly isn't a common sport in the Southeast, as the hefty blanket of snow required to partake isn't often available. But those who do it love it — including this reporter, as evidenced by a first-person account of snowy adventures published Jan. 27.
"Skiing through the freshly fallen snow on the Blue Ridge Parkway this weekend, alone in the world but for the soft sounds of branches creaking and wind rustling — and, of course, the dog trotting along behind me — I rediscovered that purest form of exhilaration," the piece reads.
Some WNC hunters spent the coldest months of the year on a coyote-trapping quest. The crafty canines aren't native to this area, and the growing population is causing problems for owners of small livestock.
That's not to say that the animals' beauty and intellect are lost on hunters.
"Catching a coyote would be to me like a trophy buck, because there's that level of challenge," said Haywood County resident Mark Rogers, whose lifetime tally was 30 coyotes as of February 2016. "I have a lot of respect for them."
Related Items
About 150 people and their mountain bikes flooded into Bryson City when the Nantahala Area Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association hosted the Southern Mountain Bike Summit this year.
Presentations, workshops and, of course, group rides put the spotlight on what WNC has to offer as the premier mountain biking destination in the Southeast. There are trails to suit all skill levels, and if the crew that showed up in March is any indication, there's plenty of enthusiasm for learning.
"I'm always surprised at people's willingness to listen and try stuff that really scares them — and to get up after they crash and try it again," said former world champion racer Sue Haywood, who taught a clinic at the event.
By mid-April, most Appalachian Trail thru-hikers had been on the trail for about a month. It was projected to be the busiest year on the trail yet, with interest spurred by recent movies such as A Walk in the Woods and Wild.
A reporter from The Smoky Mountain News spent the night at a shelter near Max Patch to catch up with thru-hikers about their experiences thus far. It had been more crowded than expected, many of them said, and the trail did attract a group of people more into partying than quiet contemplation. But overall, the hikers were pleased with the experiences that they'd had and the people who they'd met.
"Out here, we're sort of all equal," said Knoxville-area thru-hiker Melanie "Gamel" Harmon, 60. "It's how you treat each other, and being in the same environment together, and experiencing the same challenges. I don't know where else that occurs."
From television to the silver screen, filming took over Jackson County this May — and the outdoors were not exempt from the camera craze. Fox Sports' "Anglers & Appetites" filmed two episodes full of fly-fishing feats and culinary collaborations, all starring locals.
This was the third year running that Jackson County appeared on the show, and as far as the show's co-host Dave Zelski is concerned, it doesn't have to be the last time.
"We're not running out of material," Zelski said. "There are so many fishing spots along the (Western North Carolina Fly Fishing) Trail, and we haven't even hit them all."
For Adam Bigelow, June on the Blue Ridge Parkway is about as good as it gets. The high elevations are rife with wildflowers at this time, and Bigelow is all about the plants.
"All the plants have stories," Bigelow said. "That's what I'm really drawn to, telling the stories of the plants."
For instance, he said, lousewort was once used to repel lice. Yarrow leaves can be used to stop bleeding. Trilliums disseminate their seed through a symbiotic partnership with ants. Many kinds of plants are good for eating — and healthy, too. The trick is to learn which are edible and which are not. That's why it's good to have Bigelow around.
The air was thick and humid as a buoyant group of 27 teens, mostly Hispanic, set out to hike with Park Superintendent Cassius Cash on the Cataloochee Divide Trail in July. Most of the teens would have never tried hiking at all if it weren't for Maggie Valley-based Outdoor Mission Camp, which hosts a session geared specifically to Spanish speakers, and Cash was bent on making sure they kept exploring even after camp was over.
The Smokies commemorated the National Park Service's 100th anniversary with a challenge to hike 100 miles in the park during 2016, and Cash opted to complete that challenge alongside groups of youth — like those at OMC — who might not otherwise experience nature much at all.
"It's no different than when you learn how to drive for the first time," Cash said. "Someone has to tell you what to do and what not to do. The Park Service wants to be that entity for the first time kids get out in the woods."
Conservation leaders said "Happy 100th Birthday" to the Park Service with the addition of 5,329 acres to the Blue Ridge Parkway at Waterrock Knob, an achievement made possible by years of collaboration between myriad agencies and organizations. The land cost $16.9 million to conserve, with $14.3 million of that private funding.
"I can't imagine a more fitting way to celebrate the centennial of the National Park Service than to celebrate this conservation achievement," said Parkway Superintendent Mark Woods.
Hundreds of thru-hikers conquered the A.T. this year, but Robbinsville resident Steve Claxton not only finished the hike — he raised more than $70,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Graham County and for Friends of Barnabas Foundation, a Christian nonprofit that serves health needs in Honduras.
The 2,189-mile hike wasn't easy. There was at least one time when Claxton, then 60, was pretty sure he was going to die from exposure. He was hiking by himself more often than not, and that could become quite lonely. But, he said, the experience was worth the hardship.
"You learn so much about yourself and so much about life itself by trudging on and getting through the hard times, getting through the mountains and the rocks and the roots," he said. "You learn you can do a lot more than you ever thought you could do."
High heels, skirts and furs aren't common sights along the Blue Ridge Parkway, but they were there in force this October as the Daughters of the American Revolution gathered at Devils Courthouse to rededicate the DAR Jubilee Memorial Forest.
The 50-acre spruce forest was planted by World War II-era DAR members but had been all but forgotten in the interim. The task of rediscovering the forest's boundaries and digging up its history wasn't an easy one, and the DAR was proud to celebrate the accomplishment.
"They've taken on so many projects that are so beneficial to this country that so many people don't know anything about," said Deborah Burkhart, a DAR member from Brevard. "They think we're just a bunch of snooty women, and that's definitely not the case."
November 2016 will likely go down in local memory as a month of trepidation, uncertainty and smoke.
The wildfire season kicked off in WNC with the Dicks Creek Fire on Oct. 23, and historically dry conditions — coupled with the ill intent of arsonists — led to ignition after ignition until, by the time rain finally began to fall in the last days of November, about 80,000 acres were burning in the mountains west of Asheville. Firefighters came from just about every state in the Union, tirelessly working strings of 14-hour days to contain the fires, with no help from Mother Nature.
Astonishingly, they managed to prevent any homes from burning — until Nov. 28, when hurricane-force winds whipped a small fire burning at the Chimney Tops in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park into a hell-like frenzy that swept down the mountains to engulf much of Gatlinburg and kill 14 people.
It's hard to say for sure, but it's probably a fair guess that a region was never happier to see a rainy day than people in the Smokies were on Nov. 29.
If drought and fire were the markers of November, rain and the disappearance of smoke distinguished December.
As of press time, rain for the month still sat slightly below what's considered normal, but compared to the eerie dryness of fall, December rainfall seemed delightfully constant. Fires were declared contained, burn bans were lifted and firefighters could finally return home. Drought remained, but was downgraded from the historic severity seen earlier in the season.
With any luck, the New Year will bring all the snow, rain and humidity necessary to maintain the beauty of this temperate rainforest.


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Verizon Wireless will be releasing a new Network Extender femtocell that will finally be able to access 3G/EV-DO data. Like the previous
According to Verizon Wireless, the 3G Network Extender has a 40-foot range and will work with up to six different Verizon Wireless devices. The unit costs around $249.99 upfront, but there's no monthly access fee to use it.


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From facebook:
I was wearing a bright red turtleneck and black pants from J Jill yesterday, and I felt I was too talkative and assertive. I even talked through a guy in the audience, which I never do. So today I am wearing a dark brown turtleneck, jeans and pearls. I feel the pearls will induce decorum, and the dark brown turtleneck with mute my mood down to morose and withdrawn. Unfortunately, I have no panels, so won't find out if this makes me a better panelist.
Along with the pearls I am wearing a 40-year-old Yves St. Laurant silk scarf that is brown, tan, green and bright reddish-pink. So the costume has a certain amount of cheer. The scarf is there to provide color and elegance.
Most of the time, I throw on a pair of jeans and a turtleneck and am dressed. But I pay more attention to what I wear at cons. I am an accessory kind of person, so I especially pay attention to jewelry and scarves. Thus this post.
I realized, bringing these comments over from facebook, that my con report is all about me. What else can I say?
Minicon is 48 years old this year. It exploded in the 1990s, and people split off into three other cons. Many of the younger people went to the new cons, though I did notice a number of young people at Minicon this year. I saw two or three people of color, all African-American, which doesn't seem like enough. A lot of the attending fans are old, in their 50s or 60s or 70s. It's like going to a science fiction convention in a retirement village. The energy level is pretty low. There are a lot of canes.
The interview with the Guest of Honor, Judy Czernada, made her work sound interesting. I will look for it. Her background is in biology, and she appears to know her science; and her books sound fun.
The annual panel on the best SF of the year was good, as usual. It consisted of Russell Letson, who reviews for Locus; Greg Johnson, who reviews for New York Review of Science Fiction and The SF Site; and John Taylor, a really bright and interesting linguist, who teaches science fiction (among other things) at South Dakota State. I took notes.
At one panel, I don't remember which, I learned about reverse shoplifting. This is done by authors, who want to get their books sold and read. First, you order a copy of your book from (say) Barnes and Noble. This puts the book in their system. Later, you begin putting copies of your book in the science fiction/fantasy section of Barnes and Nobles stores. People pick up the book and take it to cashier. Because it's in the system, the cashier can sell it. Voila! You have sold a book.
I don't know about the accounting and record keeping consequences. Do you get royalties? Does the sale show up in compilations of book store sales? I know it is hell for accounting, since the store has sold a book it doesn't, according to its records, have.
I want to know more.
Mostly I spent my time at Minicon talking with friends. I have friends in the Twin Cities Metro Area, people I really like, who I only see at cons.


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Language Jobs in Switzerland
Aside from an extensive variety of chocolate and cheese, handmade watches and diverse landscapes, Switzerland is well known for being one of the richest countries in Europe where salaries are high and taxes are low. The labour market in Switzerland is welcoming for foreigners, especially in senior management level positions so over one-fifth of the country's full-time employment market is made of foreign workers. Since Switzerland ageing workforce is also leading to skills shortages, expats and language speakers are thought after in many sectors such as finance, insurance, pharmaceutical, communications and hospitality especially in and around Zurich, Geneva, Basel, and Bern. However, in a country with 4 official languages (German, Italian, French, and Romansh ) and policies in place giving priority to local talent, it's an understatement to say that competition in the job market is stiff.


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The day that Telegram gets into group video calling has finally arrived. In case you forgot, that's OK. It has been more than a year since the company announced it was working on the feature. But hey, better late than never, right?
In its newest blog, Telegram said that its app's latest update would enable group video calls on all devices, including tablets and desktops. Telegram explained that while audio-only participants in group calls are unlimited, currently only the first 30 people to join a group call can choose to turn on video. Nonetheless, the company announced that this limit is expected to "increase soon as voice chats take on streaming games, live events, and more."
Considering how long it took Telegram to roll out group video calls in the first place—it originally planned to launch the feature in 2020—we'll take "soon" with a grain of salt.
The company also unveiled a slew of other new features for its group video calls. You can pin a video, for instance, if you want it to stay focused as more users join the call with video. Users can also share their camera feed and their screen at the same time. Interestingly, Telegram announced new noise suppression options, with a particular emphasis on food.
"We've improved noise suppression in voice chats to keep everyone's audio clear and crisp, even when you're eating something crispy. We've also added a toggle to turn noise suppression off in settings–for those times when munching has meaning," Telegram said.
I mean, I imagine the company thought of this with virtual dinners or hangouts in mind. While I've never actually eaten a bag of chips while on a video call with friends, I have certainly thought about it. No shame there. I'm not sure if I would actually feel comfortable eating while on a video call, but it's nice to have options.
Group video calls weren't the only thing Telegram rolled out in recent days. The company also added animated backgrounds to its app, which are gradient wallpapers that are algorithmically generated and move every time you send a message. You can also choose to create your own background and share your background with others. If you're a bot fan, Telegram has added a menu button that lets you browse and send commands to make it easier to communicate with them.
You read more about Telegram's other app updates here.


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This is not my gram's cake recipe, I think this is a Kraft recipe but I can't remember where I got it from so I'm not sure. It is so delicious! Try it, try it right now! 🙂
1 (2 layer size) package yellow cake mix
1 (3.4 oz) package vanilla flavor instant pudding
4 eggs
2/3 cup sour cream
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup oil
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans (I didn't have any pecans so left them out)
2 teaspoons powdered sugar (I used my favorite vanilla buttercream frosting instead of sprinkling with the powdered sugar but the cake is so delicious that it really doesn't need frosting)
1 Heat oven to 350.
2 Beat first 6 ingredients 3 minutes or until well blended. Add brown sugar and nuts and mix well.
3 Pour into 12 cup fluted tube pan or 10″ tube pan sprayed with cooking spray. (I baked in two 8″ round pans.)
4 Bake 1 hour or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan 15 minutes. Loosen cake from sides of pan and cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.
Special Extra: Sprinkle pan with combined 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon after spraying with cooking spray.


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|Last week
|49.8 km
|5:27 min/km
|99.1 kg
|This week
|35 km
|5:32 min/km
|99.1 kg
Highlights of this week:
- Pretty fast 13km run on Thursday. Felt good.
- Survived the Lansdowne climb with the Den
First week that I have not met my targets. I wanted to run 18 – 20 km today, but it was raining so hard all day that I skipped the run. As the previous 9 weeks went really well, I am trying not to get too hung up about it. I will try to add a run tomorrow and perhaps next week to make up for the missing monthly volume. We will see. Even if I miss the monthly target, that's ok. Not training for anything specific. I guess a recovery week is also a good thing and will give my body a little bit of rest time.


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This is your space to learn more about the role policy makers and research funders play in the NANO2ALL project, develop or deepen your knowledge of the responsible research and innovation (RRI) concept, as well as of nanotechnology development, and read about recommendations elaborated in the NANO2ALL project.
Policy Makers & NANO2ALL
Policy makers are essential for the research and innovation (R&I) community. They are responsible to provide the right tools to researchers, experts, business innovators, helping to create a favorable business/political environment. Ensuring that R&I do meet a wide range of societal needs and desires means drawing upon a range of governance agendas. They play a key role in including the Responsible Research and Innovation approach in the main R&I policies. Representatives of policy makers and research funders have participated in the NANO2ALL activities and shared their views with us on aspects related to the implementation of the RRI approach in the development of nanotechnology. This has provided us with a better understanding of the drivers, barriers and recent developments of RRI.
If you belong to the policy maker and research funder community, connect with the project on social media for live debates and online discussions, and we will make sure to bring your needs and concerns to researchers, industry, civil society and other groups.


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"It's time for a change." As the calendar turns to 2008, it's more than likely that you've made such an assertion–whether it's about your diet, job, or even relationships. But you might want to add your finances to the list. Now is the perfect time to perform an annual portfolio checkup to determine whether you should make any adjustments.
That's exactly what's on the agenda for newlyweds Lisa and Terence Dillard. Having built up their individual retirement accounts, the Atlanta couple is in the process of working with a financial planner to help meld their finances. So far, Lisa, a physician, and Terence, a high school assistant principal, have the majority of their holdings in domestic equity mutual funds. And although their portfolios include some international exposure and a stake in a healthcare mutual fund, the Dillards have yet to make a meaningful foray into areas outside of equities. In a market where subprime mortgage fears and credit concerns rule the day, it's a step the couple may want to take. "We want to protect what we've gained in the market," says Lisa, "and in a volatile market it's important that we see where we are and how diversification can help us take the next step."
A portfolio tune-up is a prudent measure for all investors–particularly after the 2007 market swings. For instance, the S&P 500 rose 9.5% by mid-July only to surrender almost all of those gains by mid-August. Sure, the Federal Reserve stepped in to help by cutting interest rates, but by mid-November the S&P hadn't recovered its past gains and was up just 4.4% for the year.
So heading into 2008, step away from the commotion and take the necessary measures to fireproof your portfolio. "Investors certainly got a reminder last year that allocation of _assets outside of stocks is just as important a strategy as putting money into equity markets," says David Braverman, a vice president for Standard & Poor's.
It's a strategy that institutional investors took steps to employ in 2007, and the evidence lies in the performance of investments outside of the stock market. "By August, we in the bond market saw definite signs that money was moving in a flight to quality _positions," says Mary Pugh, president of Pugh Capital Management in Seattle (No. 13 on the be asset managers list with $1.1 billion in assets under management). Investors, meanwhile, bid up the price of gold on worries that oil prices near $100 a barrel would ignite inflation.
In uncertain times, the big money goes hunting for returns outside of the stock market because diverse asset classes, such as bonds, real estate, and gold, can cushion the blows.
Striking a Balance
Sometimes investing in other asset classes can be intimidating and, depending on the circumstances, cost prohibitive. However, things are becoming easier. In the case of bonds, programs _offered for Treasury and municipal holdings are beginning to offer _investors a more cost-effective way to get into new markets. Treasury bills and bonds can be purchased directly from the government


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Origin : USA
Format : Robusto Extra
Size : 5 5/8 x 54
Wrapper : Ecuador Habano
Binder : Ecuador
Filler : Nicaraguan and Dominican
Cut : Xikar Xi2
Light : Matches
Drink : Water
Total Smoking Time : 1 hour 45 minutes
Number of Cigars Released : 2,500 Boxes of 10 Cigars
Price : $18 MSRP each
Please welcome Bruce, our newest reviewer!
Howdy, today for my first review on Cigar Inspector I will be smoking a La Palina Goldie Laguito No. 5. This is the second release of the Goldie blend and I'm fairly excited seeing as the first release did so well. As with the first release, all of the cigars are rolled by Maria Sierra, a 95 rated category 9 roller at El Titan de Bronze factory. La Palina does well embracing the women in the cigar industry as the cigar named after a woman (Bill Paley's mother, Goldie Paley) is rolled by a master female roller and is supervised by the female owner of the El Titan de Bronze factory, Sandy Cobas.


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What do your (vegan) kids have for breakfast?
What do your (vegan) kids have for breakfast?
Quitting something because it's hard is wrong, and quitting something because it's wrong is hard. One takes cowardice, the other bravery.
Bagel with Earth Balance or Tofutti cream cheese, smart bacon, oatmeal, green smoothie.
Corn flakes or other cereal with soymilk ... self-made muesli ... bread with Lotus Speculoos cream - have you tried that out? It's absolutely awesome!!!
Best regards,
I make sausage out of brown rice and rolled oats(and spices) and sometimes I'll make grits with a little nutritional yeast to mix with it. Sometimes she will get oatmeal with fruit and cinnamon or blueberry pancakes. This morning I gave her the tiniest bit of tofu(with turmeric and kala namak) with potatoes and gravy. I like to change things up as much as possible.


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In front of Lake Geneva, this chalet offers you a spectacular view of the Alps.
Charming self-catering holiday apartment in a traditional chalet surrounded by a big garden with access to the lake.
Ideal for a couple or family up to 5 persons. Our guests appreciate the beautiful and unbroken view of the lake and the Alps, the quiet and the nearby medieval village centre.
The apartment has its own entrance and is situated on the first and second floor of the chalet:
• First floor : living room with an open end kitchen (28m2), equipped with a table for 5 persons, pull-out sofabed (140x200cm), lounge and TV corner. 1 small bedroom with a single bed, 1 bathroom (shower and toilet) Big balcony (outside eating area and deckchairs) with view of the lake
• Second floor : bedroom with a double bed (140x200cm) and balcony (lakeside), bathroom (bathtub and toilet)
The ground floor is used by the owner.
- Chalet au bord du lac
- Chemin de la Moraine 8
- 1162 St-Prex - CH
Practical information
Cleaning fee CHF 150.00 per stay. Price and minimum stay can vary.SERVICES (ON DEMAND):Breakfast (15.- per person), Apéro basket (35.-).SUP (stand up paddle), kayak and bicycle available for free. Excursion with private boat (250.-/day; 150.-/half-day).


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With his New York legalese, motormouth soundbites and ubiquity on the American networks, Mikheil Saakashvili is never lost for words. The beleaguered Georgian president is so omnipresent on Larry King, on BBC World, in tele-conferences for reporters, editors, and columnists worldwide, that is hard to see where he finds the time to fight a war or run a country.
But the week-old Russia-Georgia conflict highlights the mores and methods of modern warfare. Propaganda and black radio have always been essential tools of the warmonger. What's new in the Caucasus is the battle between the PR agencies taking the warmongers' shilling and competing for airtime and column inches on behalf of their clients.
Saakashvili might have lost the war against Russia, but, scant consolation perhaps, he is widely seen to have won the propaganda battle. Big bad Russia against plucky little Georgia. Accurate or nonsense, thanks to "Misha's" Brussels-based PR men, it is the picture that's dominating the world media.
Last year Saakashvili paid a reported €500,000 to engage Brussels' Aspect Consulting to brand Georgia as a western wannabe, a Nato and European Union aspirant, emphasising everything from its fabulous food and drink to its liberties and democratic politics.
The PR campaign went into overdrive last week when Georgia found itself on the receiving end of post-Soviet Russia's first ever invasion of another country. Reporters covering the conflict have been showered daily with emails providing news, contact details, mobile phone numbers of officials, video footage, background material, and tele-conference access to Georgians from Saakashvili down. Highly efficient, highly effective, usually punctual.
The Kremlin's account is held by another Brussels agency, GPlus, which has been working for the Russian presidency for more than two years. It insists it is not in the business of peddling propaganda, far less falsehoods, but merely facilitates international media access to Russian policy-makers and advises the Russians on their media strategies. "We give them logistical support," said Tim Price of GPlus.
Even the Russians are complaining that their side is losing in the publicity stakes. "You can't fail to notice that Russian leaders are ignoring the opportunity to convey their point of view to the world," wrote the Moscow pundit, Aleksei Arbatov. "Saakashvili is really never off American TV screens. I suspect that if [Russian president] Medvedev decided to talk to foreign journalists, they would, of course, respond."
The success of the Georgia PR campaign has made it to the cover this week of the trade magazine PR Week, where Aspect is taking the war to the opposition. "I'm on the side of the angels," Aspect's founding partner, James Hunt, told the magazine. He held his nose at the thought of GPlus.
"There are agencies that work for Russia. But I don't know how they can be comfortable about that."


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McFadden's investment firm deal may be 'flashpoint' in Senate race
A syndicated news story looks at a 2012 merger that Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike McFadden's investment firm was involved with, suggesting it could become a "flashpoint" in his race against DFL incumbent Sen. Al Franken.
The Associated Press story said the controversy surrounds a deal that moved a U.S. company, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, to Ireland, significantly dropping its tax obligation. Public filings show McFadden's firm, Lazard Middle Market, made more than $11 million in the deal. McFadden was chief executive of the firm at the time, but told the AP he was not personally involved in the merger.
In an interview Friday, the AP said McFadden "distanced himself" from the deal, saying that McFadden portrayed it "as a one-sided business maneuver driven by Jazz and its financial adviser — not the Irish drugmaker Azur Pharma, which his firm represented."
The deal in question involved a so-called tax inversion, a legal maneuver that allows U.S. companies to merge with a foreign partner and then reincorporate abroad to reap tax savings.
Politicians including McFadden have called for a review of inversion deals. McFadden called it a "tragedy" when the U.S. loses tax revenues when a company makes an offshore move. Fridley-based Medtronic is in the process of such a deal with a plan to buy Covidien, an Irish competitor, for $42.9 billion.
"I think inversions are bad for America," McFadden said. "Any time we lose a corporate headquarters from the United States, especially when we lose them from Minnesota, it's a double whammy."
A Franken campaign operative contacted by the AP labeled McFadden a hypocrite.
"Mike McFadden knew what kind of buyer he would attract when he represented a company in a nation known for being an offshore tax haven," campaign spokeswoman Alexandra Fetissoff said. "He knew he was helping an American company dodge paying taxes and is just as culpable for this deal as anyone else."
The AP story is getting traction in Minnesota media. It's been picked up by the Star Tribune, the Pioneer Press and WCCO, among other major outlets. McFadden's latest tweet does not address the issue; it hammers Franken's record.
The issue did not come up in a front page campaign story in the Saturday Star Tribune. The story, which assesses the U.S. Senate campaign at the Labor Day mark, notes that national political groups have not yet focused on funding the race.
Earlier this week, a KSTP SurveyUSA Poll showed that Franken had jumped out to a 9-point lead over McFadden.


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The Academy Awards, the glitziest night in show business, takes place on Sunday, but the biggest drama may be not on the Dolby Theatre stage however behind-the-scenes moves to sort out the sexual misconduct scandal that has rocked the industry. Susan Monaghan ran into the star and her husband Jay-Z at a New York lodge the night time earlier than the Grammy awards.
George Romero, whose traditional "Night of the Living Useless" and different horror films turned zombie motion pictures into social commentaries and who noticed his flesh-devouring undead spawn countless imitators, remakes and homages, has died. Johnny Hallyday, the French rocker icon who packed sports stadiums and was the nation's prime rock star for many years, has died at seventy four.
Robert Guillaume, who rose from squalid beginnings in St. Louis slums to grow to be a star in stage musicals and win Emmy Awards for his portrayal of the sharp-tongued butler in the TELEVISION sitcoms "Soap" and "Benson," has died at age 89. Actress Chloe Grace Moretz apologized Wednesday after promos released for her upcoming animated movie were accused of physique shaming ladies.
Actress Heather Menzies-Urich, who performed one of the singing von Trapp youngsters in the …


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OTTAWA — A newly released federal survey suggests about half of Canadians know little to nothing about the perils of sports-related concussive injuries, nor the best way to find out how to avoid falling victim.
The survey found that while 97 per cent of respondents believe concussions are an important health issue, only 51 per cent said they knew where to get information on preventing them.
Forty-six per cent of respondents reported knowing what to do when someone gets a concussion, while 40 per cent said they can recognize the symptoms.
About half of those who took part in the online survey reported having little or no knowledge about concussions, although most knew the condition as "a blow to the head that causes a variety of symptoms, such as headache or blurred vision."
The survey, commissioned by the Public Health Agency of Canada and conducted last winter by market research firm Kantar TNS, gathered responses from 1,895 Canadians aged 18 and older, as well as 391 health care providers.
The polling industry's professional body, the Marketing Research and Intelligence Association, says online surveys cannot be assigned a margin of error as they are not random and therefore are not necessarily representative of the whole population.
The survey also measured concussion awareness and knowledge among parents, teachers and coaches.
The Canadian Press


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I got a direct message on Twitter about a week ago that asked this question:
What serves a better purpose in your opinion, a blog that show one's work, or one that shows an artist's journey to success?
Great question! And if your main focus is licensing, or if you have several interests and focuses as an artist – it can be a little tricky. So I thought I'd throw some pros and cons out there and hope that you leave your 2¢ in the comments. Deal?
This blog that you are reading now – pretty easy. The focus is to talk about the business of art licensing so artists can learn more about the industry. It is meant to educate, inspire, share… and if I do say so myself, it is doing a pretty good job! (Others say it too – not just me! 😉 )
As for my personal art blog – I have a harder time. I share a lot of information and photos of products that feature my art. I share some of my travels – mostly business related. And I share some things about me personally – so people can get to know me. The problem I have with that blog (www.TaraReedDesigns.com/blog.html) is that I'm not sure who the audience is or who I really want it to be. Hard to blog well if you aren't clear about that!
Do manufacturers who license art read the blog? I have no idea.
Do artists who read this blog read that one? Some.
Do consumers who like my art check in? Yes.
Do I know the mix of visitors? Nope.
In my opinion, which is what I was asked, blogs serve several purposes:
- They are an easy way to offer new information on a regular basis. It is much easier to write a blog post than change the text of web pages, not to mention, people expect to find new information on blogs and not to have sweeping changes on the more static pages of a website.
- Blogs help with SEO. New information brings more hits which should help with SEO.
- Blogs help your reader get to know you. And as we've discussed before, people like to buy (products) or license (art) from people they know, like and trust. Blogs help people get to know, like and trust you.
I'm so glad I was asked this question and I'm still looking at my art blog strategy and trying to decide if it is working as-is or if something should change to make it better. I really hope the insights, opinions and strategies of artists who read this blog will help.
So those are my thoughts – what are yours?
Here's to your creative success!
– Tara Reed


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I am a multidisciplinary designer with experience in digital graphics, user experience and interface design, web development, print, publication, advertising and marketing design. My design process incorporates essential human-centered design methodologies to create problem solving products and positive experiences.
As a designer, I have produced conceptual designs for national and regional clients. My background is rooted in hands-on design, so I am intimately familiar with each step of the design process, from concept to completion. This hands-on experience has allowed me to produce projects that range from original illustrations, publication design, marketing and corporate print collateral to storyboards, wireframes, high fidelity HTML/CSS prototypes, UX artifacts, digital assets and frontend web development.
I have worked closely with creative directors, designers, marketers, copywriters, instructional designers, project managers, software engineers, IT teams and developers to produce products for a variety of business audiences.
Onsite contractor via Telophase Corporation, supporting the Engineering and Technology Directorate (ETD) Software Engineering Division —multidisciplinary role producing visual designs, user interface design, user experience assets and solutions, wireframes, prototypes, websites (frontend development), digital graphics, animation and graphic design services.
Goddard's Strategic Partnerships Office (SPO); onsite contractor (via Telophase Corporation) producing digital, web, event and publication products for outreach and inreach initiatives. Worked within multidisciplinary team. The SPO links Goddard's internal inventors and industry's external partners through three core program areas managed by the office: Technology Transfer, SBIR/STTR, and Global Partnerships.
Onsite designer and illustrator (full-time contractor via Randstad) in product development for two years creating activity books, nonfiction magazines, storyboards and original illustrations for educational publications before joining the marketing team as a graphic designer.
Onsite freelancer – designed and produced marketing and corporate print collateral. User interface design and maintenance for several corporate sites. Created websites, wireframes, email templates and a variety of digital assets.
Design Services Department (web/print). Managed a department that produced interactive and print design work for a variety of business audiences (B2B) from conception of ideas through design, layout and production, to the deployment of client web sites. Worked collaboratively with marketers, publishers and developers to create high quality, relevant and effective products.
Created conceptual design, layout and production of retail ads, in-store and outdoor signage, direct marketing, annual reports and other business and event collateral for national and regional clients (B2B and B2C). Worked with broadcasting editors and designers to create imagery for commercials and digital multimedia projects.
Publication design and production of elementary, high school and college textbooks, including bilingual editions in English and Spanish. Traveled regularly with sales and marketing teams to assist in sales efforts.
My interests include health and fitness (kickboxing, racquetball, killer fitness bootcamps and an occasional arm wrestle challenge). Healing the body through diet and excercise is an important focus. I also enjoy the challenge of learning and researching new tricks or tools that streamline the design discovery and development process.


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When you vacate the rentable, it should be in the condition it was in, when you moved in.
If the rentable was refurbished upon your moving in, it must be restored, when you vacate it. The landlord might prefer to hire professionals to do the restoration. The expenses will be covered by your security deposit. You and your landlord should inspect the lease together and agree on what needs to be repaired, and who should pay for it.
You must vacate the rentable 14 days before the tenancy expires, so the landlord has time to make the lease ready for new tenants.
If the lease was not refurbished when you moved in, no restoration should be needed upon the end of your tenancy.


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Profitec T64 Espresso Grinder Overview
Profitec is known for making espresso machines with immaculate attention to engineering detail. The Profitec T64 espresso grinder is no different.
Immediately you'll notice that Profitec has kept the design simple and paid homage to the cone-shaped chutes of classic cafe grinders. Each and every touch point drives home the T64's hand-built quality. The steel grind adjustment knob and sturdy timed dose buttons make every shot a tactile, mechanical experience. The timed doses are programmable to the tenth of a second through the simple digital interface at the bottom, making for repeatable dosing and maintaining the classic silhouette. It's also equipped with an adjustable portafilter holder that allows for hands-free grinding with any portafilter. Plus, the design of the chute means that grounds always fall in a tidy pile right in the middle of your basket.
The worm gear adjustment system is satisfying to use and built to be sturdy and precise. You'll get that sense with every turn, but opening up the burr chamber and looking at the massive threads around the upper burr assembly are sure to give you a greater appreciation for the craftsmanship behind this grinder.
Packed in its compact frame are large 64mm flat steel burrs and a 450 Watt motor, making it a true prosumer grinder that will easily fit under most kitchen cabinets. Comparable grinders like the Eureka Zenith or Mazzer Mini Type A are significantly taller, making the T64 an appealing choice. It is slightly louder than some of the other grinders in its price range, ECM's own V-Titan, for instance, is noticeably quieter, but it's certainly nothing that would stop us from highly recommending this machine.
The T64's high-end specs make for fast grind times, with a 20-gram dose taking just over 7 seconds which put it toe-to-toe with even more expensive grinders. We've long been fans of the way shots from the T64 taste as well. That classic, smooth flat burr flavor never gets old. That's why it's an old standby here at Clive, and why we have custom side panels made right here in Portland to add a uniquely warm touch.


text: Experts dismiss explanations for mystery vehicle fires TN News Friday, May 04, 2012 08:05 Email Print The official report on the causes is vague and unreliable, and ignores role of adulterated fuel The charred metal frame of a car that burnt down due to unknown causes in Hanoi last December. Experts are unhappy with the vague answers provided by the government for the rash of vehicle fires and its silence on fuel adulteration. Nguyen Phuc Xuyen sold the charred metal frame of his burnt car as scrap for VND1 million (US$48) after it burst into flames last December due to unknown causes while parked at a local garage. "The paltry amount was just enough to pay for damages to the garage," the 42-year-old man from Lien Quang in Hanoi said. He reported to local authorities who came to record the case but have not returned since to offer an explanation. Xuyen, who rejected allegations that someone destroyed his car due to personal animosity, said he had to sell the wreck after keeping it for three months because no one came for further inspection. He told Vietweek: "I bought it from my friend for VND240 million ($11,500). Now I've lost it without knowing why. I just want the government to take action to prevent similar cases." His was among 439 vehicles burning for no apparent reason since 2010, and experts have criticized the government for failing to identify the exact cause until now. Government agencies recently came out with a report but it has been panned for being too simplistic and vague and for completely ignoring what many consider to be the culprit: adulterated fuel. A study done by several ministries found five reasons for vehicular fires: "electrical short circuit, technical problem, carelessness, collisions with other vehicles on the street, and arson." This has come under fire from the experts for the long time it has taken and, more importantly, for failing to address the issue of adulterated fuel. Dinh Ngoc An, dean of the mechanical engineering faculty at the Hung Yen University of Education, said he disagreed with the report's claim that there was no evidence of low-quality fuel in the cases involving bike fires. He told Vietweek: "I do not believe the [report]. Gasoline is a sensitive commodity in a market dominated by state-owned companies, and it would affect many people. "When I attended a seminar on gas quality held by the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA) on April 25, some people said we should not talk too much about vehicle fires being caused by [adulterated] gasoline. "It seemed that they wanted to hide something." At the time of releasing the report, the authorities said there would be a further investigation which would take a year. But An said the investigation should not take a year. If the earlier one had been done by independent scientists, it would have been finished earlier and cost only VND300 million ($14,400) instead of the VND7 billion spent by the government, he said. Hoang Manh Hung, director of VUSTA's Center for Consultancy and Civil Assessment, said the Ministry of Science and Technology cannot claim there is no evidence of low-quality gas causing the fires because it only investigated some of the fires and a few gasoline samples. "I feel really sad. They have been indifferent to people's concerns." He too criticized the reluctance to look into gasoline adulteration, but said it is unacceptable to take more time for further investigation. At a meeting of the National Assembly's Science, Technology and Environment Committee on April 28, many lawmakers criticized the report saying it was not "convincing." "There is no explanation as to why there has been an increase in vehicle fires," Nguyen Thi Thanh Hai of the Culture, Education, Youth and Children Committee said. "There should be more details. For instance, the transport ministry should find out if the fires occurred in vehicles that used fuel from a same gas station." She herself recommends her car driver to be careful when choosing a gas station, she said. Mysterious "˜technical problem' The report was released on April 26 in Hanoi at a press conference held jointly by the ministries of Public Security, Science and Technology, Industry and Trade, and Transport. Major General Tran Anh Dung of the Ministry of Public Security said more than 30 percent of the fires had been caused by short circuits in the electrical system, 15 percent by "technical problems," and 9.8 percent by carelessness. Colonel Nguyen Van Tuoi, deputy director of the central firefighting department, said in case of technical problems further investigations were not done, adding that Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai had instructed relevant agencies and manufacturers to review their vehicle designs. As for the short circuits, the security ministry said it could not identify the reason, speculating merely that electrical wires could have been damaged by insects or chemicals. The ministries said there was no evidence that any of the fires had been caused by adulterated fuel. Interestingly, another report released at the same time, this one by the Ministry of Science and Technology, said 150 of 704 gasoline samples tested last year had octane and methanol levels that were below required standards. This year the number was 60 out of 541 samples. Many reporters wanted to know why the Ministry of Science and Technology had only investigated 16 of the fires. They also questioned the reliability of the investigation results since 35 percent of the 2010 and 2011 cases and 78 percent of this year's cases remain unsolved. Dung shrugged it off by saying it was just the "preliminary result" and further investigations would be done. The transport ministry said the Vietnam Institute of Chemical Industry would study gasoline quality, but added it would take a year to complete. Dodgy fuel Local news website VnExpress recently carried out a survey on the cause of the fires, and 85 percent of respondents said it was due to adulterated fuel. Petrol prices soared nearly 30 percent last year and analysts pointed out it created an incentive for traders to adulterate expensive fuel with cheaper substances. The popular perception is that tanker drivers and gas station owners are guilty of this practice and that this is the real cause of the fires. Vietnam imports most of its petroleum products since it has only one refinery in the central province of Quang Ngai despite large oil reserves. Thirteen firms have licenses to import gasoline which is supplied through 13,000 gas stations nationwide.


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Daughter your dreams are real and valid
We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post at no extra cost to you.
Little girls with dreams become women with vision.
author unknown
This past week I took a walk down the memory lane and it dawned on me that every single thing I dreamt of as a child has become a reality! whoo hoo…………… I have joy and peace in my heart so great it makes me shed tears of joy.
As a child, I cannot remember what prompted me to start writing all my dreams down as it came to me and I kept updating and rewriting them on new pages as I grew older. One of the many dreams I had, was to have a company selling my brand. The name of the company came to me and I wrote it down too. Last month I decided to start working on getting my company started. I searched for the special name to check its availability so I can register it and there it was available and now registered. Even the website is available and now secured. It was a very emotional and fulfilling time for me because all I can see is how important our dreams are to God and how he does not put anything on our mind for the mere fun of it. I remember sharing those pages with my husband to be, now my husband and he loved it and encouraged me to go for it, love you baby.
Due to these recent occurrences and accomplishments, I then decided to help my daughters to also begin to birth their dreams by encouraging them to write everything that comes to their mind to either become or to do and I want you to do the same for your daughters as well. My first daughter is 9 years old and already has a list of dreams for her future lately and I see how her face lights up when she talks about them. We, however, need to put them into writing to begin to give the dreams life.
"Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. Habakuk 2:2
Can you see how important it is to write your visions, dreams, hopes, aspirations, goals down? Even the Bible stresses how important it is. We can only remember and act on what we have written. One of my greatest joy will be to see my daughters dream that we are beginning to document unfold. But how do we go about these?
- Get them a small notepad and pen as soon as they can write legibly. Make it a colorful and fun one.
- Tell them the journal is for writing anything they ever dream to be or hope to be no matter how silly. (I know some multimillion dollar companies that stemmed from silly ideas). Why do they need to write their dreams down? One of the reasons is that there's a greater tendency to forget the dreams you have if they are not written especially our young girls. Another reason is that it gives a sense of hope for the future because you are able to see, eat, digest, breathe and feel what you wrote down.
- Tell them every time and at any given opportunity DAUGHTER YOUR DREAMS ARE REAL AND VALID. Print this out and personalize with their names and paste where they can see this every time. For instance: Daisy, your dreams are real and valid. Have them say it over and over again until they believe it.
- Another special thing I did with those written dreams of mine is to pray over them from time to time. Now teach your daughters to do the same. Prayer is very powerful and the earlier they know this the easier their life will be.
- Let them know that they will keep rewriting these dreams as they grow older and as their life takes on new adventures.
- Now I know we as parents have our own dreams for our daughters which is a beautiful and good thing. But let us also embrace their dreams and not just impose and enforce ours on them. We can tell them why we want them to pursue a particular dream and if God wills then they will embrace it together with their own dreams. I believe there's no limit to what our daughters can be or achieve. It is called multitasking. And if we aren't blessed with anything at all as women, we are super blessed with that. Just like it was when we were growing up, every parent wants their children to be a doctor, I still hear that today too. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, your dreams for your child shouldn't stop them from having or accomplishing their personal dreams. A greater number of people I've seen studied the course of their parents choice while growing up, got out, found no fulfillment, settled into their own home as adults and then started all over again to pursue their own dreams and suddenly fulfillment came and happiness followed.
One of the reasons why I do all I do is so I leave a legacy that will outlive me long after I leave this world. I don't want to leave without impacting lives and inspiring the next generation of girls. Now it is our turn to help our girls carry out all that their heart desires and longs for. It will be super sad to come to this world without fulfilling a purpose or leaving a legacy behind.
The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
Eleanor Roosevelt
It is never too late mom and dad to start dreaming again if for one reason or the other you don't have any dreams or life issues has halted your dreams.
Dare to dream again momma. Why is this important? Remember your daughters look up to you and one of their very first dreams as a child is to be like mummy. Let them see you having your dreams, writing them down, living your dreams and achieving your dreams. There's no greater and faster lesson than that. Is it easy? NO. But is it achievable? YES.
Daughter your dreams are real and valid. -Bola Adesanya Click To Tweet
37 Comments
I love this article! Always a great reminder to have your kids dream and write those dreams down. I enjoyed reading through all of your tips. One thing that I do annually with my kids are vision boards where my kids choose goals for the short and long term and they have to think and explain how they plan to accomplish them. This article reminded me about that! Thank you!
Thanks. We love dream boards as well.
Thanks for this! I am a new mom to a daughter and I often think about how I want to make sure she knows that all of her dreams are possible.
Great Janine. This will definitely help . Thanks
Twinstant Gratification
Such a great message to teach your children, and you're never too old to follow your dreams!
This is precious! I recently started a dream board and it is amazing how much more motivating it is to see dreams and goals written out. It forces me to be proactive–what am I doing to accomplish this–instead of wishing and hoping that everything will fall in my lap. Dream big–then chase after it!
So true. Thanks
Powerfl thoughts for our daughters! Thank you!
My pleasure Katy. Thanks
I love this! I am always encouraging my girls to dream and to know that anything is possible!
Keep at it. You are doing awesome. Thanks
Crafty For Home
Pray for them all the times is the best thing I could do beside all important thing we always do together!
Prayers are absolutely important. Thanks
Lovely! So important to support our children in their dreams and not force ours onto them!
Yes Gail. Thanks
T. M. Brown
I love that you have started this tradition with your daughter. It's important to write down our dreams and see if and how they come to fruition. Glad yours did.
So important. Thanks Brown
That is great that you wrote those down! Writing them down makes them more likely that they will be achieved!
So true. Thanks
Cynthia Mackintosh
Love the inspiration and heart you wrote this post with! Dare to dream…
Thank you so much.
Arianny Rodriguez
It is so important to write down your dreams! Thanks for the wonderful ideas!
Super important. Thanks Arianny
I love this! We need to empower the youth more. 🙂
Absolutely. Thanks Heidi
Stacey Billingsley
I never realized it was Biblical to write down your goals. I just started writing down my biggest dreams and goals. We'll see how this goes. Congrats on realizing so many of your dreams!
Sounds like a perfect plan. Thanks Stacey
Perennial Aging
Love this so much! Giving your dreams the importance of speaking and writing them is so empowering!
I'm glad you love it. Thanks
What a brilliant idea to encourage your girls to begin writing down their dreams/hopes/aspiratons. A great message for all. Thank you.
Thanks Verla. We need to keep hope alive.
The Bourbon Cactus
I love it! I will be encouraging my oldest daughter to begin a dream journal. Thank you so much for sharing this!
That is fantastic. Thanks
Ruth Iaela-Pukahi
I love this post! I'm big on goals and reaching them. I've written a bunch down and still see some in my head. It's amazing how far I've come in the last few years when I got out of a dream crushing relationship. I want to sit with both my daughters and sons and encourage them to write down their dreams! Thank you!!!
That is awesome. Thanks Ruth.
Ashley Reese
This is an amazing thing that every girl needs to hear!
Absolutely! Thanks


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While bathing and relaxing in the American River, a group of TikTok users stumbled upon what appears to be, well, a spine.
In a video of the unnerving moment uploaded on July 24, TikToker Ana Arias narrates the situation while one of her friends picks up the spine (yes, really).
"So we're at the American River and this … looks like a spine, dead a**," she says. "There's been dead people here," she adds, possibly referring to the two bodies found near the river in January and a young boy who tragically drowned in May.
"What is that?" Arias then says as one of her friends holds up the chain of bones to give viewers a clearer look.
Arias' "spooky" video, which has received nearly 203,000 likes, has received thousands of comments from concerned viewers, many of whom questioned whether the spine is human.
"That's a deer spine from the looks of it," one person said.
"Probably a dog spine," another user guessed.
"A deer or wild hog would be my guess," a third person added.
Other users simply took to the comments to express their horror.
"I'm never going to the American River again," one person said.
"Please call the police," another user commented.
"Y'all are really swimming with dead bodies," a third user added.
In a follow-up video, Arias informed her followers that she had "found more bones in [the same] area." Thankfully, by the looks of it, the bones are almost certainly from a deer and not a human.
If you enjoyed this story, read about these teens who discovered a crime scene while using the app Randonaut.
More from In The Know:
Woman shares eerie video of "haunting" in her home's basement
Over 39,000 shoppers love this $24 vitamin C skincare set
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The shampoo and conditioners our shopping editors can't stop using


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Weathersbee: If Blackburn is looking for votes, she should debate in Shelby County
GOP Senate candidate Marsha Blackburn's decision to skip a debate with her Democratic opponent, Phil Bredesen, in Memphis may be expedient.
What it isn't, though, is wise.
Recently, Blackburn's campaign spokeswoman said that the debate, set for Rhodes College on Sept. 13, didn't fit into the schedule of the Republican congresswoman, whose district sits between Memphis and Nashville.
That's their call.
But it's a tone-deaf one, considering the fact that Shelby County has the highest numbers of registered voters than all of Tennessee's 50 counties combined, according to research by Katie Cahill, the associate director of the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.
Wooing African-American voters
It's a county with enough votes so that Blackburn, who is locked in a tight race with Bredesen, could use the debate as an opportunity to woo more.
And while it's true that the 550,497 registered voters here don't vote in huge numbers, that could change if the Tennessee Black Voter Project registers close to another 75,000 African-Americans, said Tequila Johnson, statewide manager for the project.
Shelby County, which is 54 percent African-American, will be a huge part of that effort, she said.
"We're looking at engagement," Johnson said. "We're looking at building it (black voter participation) up through the grassroots groups on the ground to get people registered and voting...
"With the grassroots groups working on the ground, they can see someone they can relate to. That can help get them to the polls in the midterms."
Which is needed.
On the campaign trail:Tennessee US Senate race down to 2 debates after no deal reached on Chattanooga event
The 9:01:Memphis matters — and statewide candidates should take note
During the 2016 presidential election, only 49 percent of the 519,000 African-Americans registered to vote in Tennessee did so, according to U.S. census figures. With a black voting age population at 16.5 percent — a number 3.8 percent greater than that of other states — there's room to register more African-Americans and get them to the polls.
Yet tiny Polk County in southeast Tennessee ranks highest for voter turnout, at 76 percent, Cahill said. Shelby County is in the middle, with a 53 percent turnout.
That could change if more African-American voters are mobilized to vote.
'Democracy works better when everyone participates'
"We're not out encouraging African-Americans to vote for a particular candidate," Johnson said, who stressed the effort, which involves groups such as the state chapter of the NAACP, the Tennessee Equity Project, and Rise Up Memphis, is non-partisan.
"We just believe that democracy works better when everyone participates, but if you don't vote, you're not even in the game."
More in politics:Will Breseden pass Kavanaugh test? | Ryder
Democracy also works better when candidates consider the needs of all their potential constituents from the start.
So, even if Blackburn, a conservative Republican and Trump supporter, who was slightly behind Bredesen in the latest NBC/Marist poll, may not necessarily be poised to get much of the African-American vote, it's never smart for any candidate to signal early on that he or she may treat one of the most populous areas of their state as an afterthought, or worse, a pariah.
Blackburn must find a way to schedule a debate in West Tennessee or Memphis ahead of the midterms. And it matters not whether African-Americans, or white west Tennesseans, for that matter, vote for her or Bredesen. Candidates should at least show all their constituents that they matter.
You don't do that by refusing to go to where they live.


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tv CBS Evening News With Scott Pelley CBS February 26, 2016 6:30pm-6:59pm EST
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and we watch stom and gisell. >> when could whoa golf. >> maybe a little tomorrow. >> i am going. >> nice. >> on you. >> that's good. >> all right thanks for watching. >> see you back here for the wbz news at 11. >> pelley: the campaign deteriorates. >> donald trump is a con artist. >> pelley: and the front-runner get an endorsement saw coming. also tonight, zika virus is confirmed in nine pregnant women in the u.s. one child has a birth defect. the deadly shootings in kansas. what might have triggered the rampage and the hero cop who stopped him. and steve hartman with the duck. >> i'm his mom. >> reporter: you're not really his mom. >> yup, i'm his mom. captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley.
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the week the party of lincoln devolved into a crippling civil war of the own. there was nothing grand in the old party's debate last night-- name calling, mocking, attempts at humiliation reached lows that many republicans would say are beneath the dignity of the office that the candidates are seeking. maybe it reflected desperation, as time runs short before next week's super tuesday, which is likely the last chance to catch donald trump. today, the race was jolted by an impeccably timed bombshell when trump's campaign was validated by one of the last people you might have expected. here's major garrett. >> there is no one who is better prepared to provide america with the strong leadership that it needs, both at home and around the world, than donald trump. >> reporter: chris christie said donald trump is the best candidate to take on hillary clinton and praised his executive experience. >> he'll provide strong, unequivocal leadership.
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to protect the american people. >> reporter: but when he was a candidate, christi questioned trump's fitness for the white house. >> we are not electing an entertainer-in-chief. showmanship is fun, but it's not the kind of leadership that will truly change america. >> reporter: the high-profile endorsement turned attention away from last night's debate when, for the first time, marco rubio, trailing trump in his home state of florida, pummeled the billionaire front-runner with personal and policy attacks. >> here's a guy that inherited $200 million. if he hadn't inherited $200 million, you know where donald trump would be right now? selling watches in manhattan. you hired in someworkers from poland. >> i'm the only one on the stage who has hired people. you haven't hired anyone. >> let me finish the statement-- >> you haven't hired one person. >> he hired workers from poland and had to pay $1 million in a judgment. >> wrong, totally wrong. >> reporter: after the debate, trump told us this about rubio. >> the guy's a joke artist. i watched him melt four weeks
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i never saw anything like it. he melted. >> reporter: trump continued the theme on twitter with this "never let them see you sweat" depiction of rubio and stage makeup and his press conference. >> but i saw him backstage and he was putting it on with a trowel. >> reporter: on cbs this morning rubio trotted out his new attack line. >> donald trump say con artist. over the republican party. but not a con artist like donald trump. >> reporter: at a rally in dallas, rubio turned up the he want even more. he mocked trump's tweets by noting the misspelling. >> he meant to say the light-weight but spelled it l-ei-g-h.t . to toilet humor. mirror. i don't know why, because the podium goes up to here.
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weren't wet. >> reporter: trump hit back, imitating rubio's 2013 state of the union response when he drink of water. >> it's rubio! ( cheers ) >> reporter: the attacks have led many in the republican establishment to throw up their hands in dissmai as former candidate lindsey graham did last night. >> my party has gone bat ( bleep ) crazy. >> reporter: maine's governor paul lepage endorsed trump arguing donald trump could be one of america's great presidents if he put together a good team. >> pelley: major garrett, thanks. bob schieffer has been watching all of this play out today, and he's joining us right now. bob. >> reporter: well, scott, i must tell you, i thought things couldn't get lower than they'd already reached in this campaign. i mean, the political discourse, but last night it went even below where i thought it could possibly go.
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issues, but people arguing, screaming, hollering. it was like kids out behind the barn rather than a political debate. then, as he always does, donald trump has this tremendous ability to change the subject. he rolls out chris christie today and suddenly, that debate seems like it was years ago. we're talking about chris christie. >> pelley: after 2012, bob, the republican party realized it needed to reach out to a much bridgewater braurd electorate, including hispanics and african americans. what happened to that effort? >> well, i'll tell you, that is what is bothering a lot of traditional republicans. donald trump gets big applause when he talks about building that wall along the border with mexico, but what some republicans are beginning to wonder is, is he really building a wall around the republican party, making it impossible for the party now to reach out and to try to broaden its base.
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growing segment of our society, and trump seems to be trying to run them off with all of this talk. he says that hispanics love him, but the polls don't back this up. and i think-- i think this is the problem that is really bothering republicans now. i've got to tell you, scott. if they try to run a campaign that appeals only to people who look like me, that is going to be a very tall wall to climb. >> pelley: bob schieffer, on the campaign trail with us for 2016, bob, thanks so much. >> thank you, scott. >> pelley: now to the democrats on the eve of their south carolina primary. here's nancy cordes. >> hey, guys! >> reporter: the republican free-for-all overshadowed everything the democrats did today, and that was just fine with them. in a statement, the democratic national committee snickered, "if anyone is wetting their pants, as rubio suggested today, it's the republican establishment."
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released this picture of a seal overcome by laughter. this was sanders in minnesota. >> there are some people out there, people like trump and up. they think they can get votes by making bigoted and racist remarks about latinos, or telling us that we're supposed to hate muslims. >> reporter: but democrats admit trump would be an opponent. new jersey senator cory booker. how do you go up against a candidate like trump? back twice as hard. >> this will be a choice for us as american people. do we want someone smb who dwiedz or someone who unites. >> reporter: but as a clinton supporter, he knows if she and trump are the nominees it will not be pleasant. he will go after her constantly, scott, over benghazi and her e-mails, another 1500 pages of evening. >> pelley: nancy cordes for us tonight. nance, thank you. in another important story we
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off the gunman who shot up that factory in kansas where he worked. more than a dozen coworkers were hit and three of them died. the rampage yesterday began on the road to the factory, and manuel bojorquez is in hesston, kansas. >> my car stopped. he was already out of the car and had this big machine gun. >> reporter: edna decker was one of 38-year-old cedric ford's first targets. what was he like? >> angry. >> reporter: he tried to carjack her, but shot and missed. >> i could have been his first victim. that died, because it was directed right at my head. >> reporter: you ducked just in time. >> yeah, i did. >> reporter: just up the road, ford shot and carjacked another person, then drove that car to his job, excel industries, in hesston. inside this building, armed with an assault rifle and a pistol, he shot 14 coworkers, killing
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gunned him down. just 90 minutes before the shooting, ford had been served with a protective order taken out by his former girlfriend who wrote, "he is an chemicallic, violent, depressed, and it's my belief he is in desperate need of medical and psychological help." authorities believe the protective order triggered ford's action. action. video from his facebook account appears to show him firing a gun. ford has a criminal record. state and federal investigators are looking into whether he legally obtained the weapons. sheriff. >> this man was not going to stop shooting. the only reason he stopped shooting is because that officer stopped the shooter. >> reporter: and it wast wasn't just an officer. it was the town's police chief, doug schroeder. kansas governor, sam brownback. >> rather than waiting on backup, he went right in and did heroic duty and service. >> reporter: when the police
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were still 200 to 300 people inside the building behind us here. scott, late this afternoon, officials announced they would charge a kansas woman for giving ford the weapons, knowing he was a convicted felon. >> pelley: manuel bojorquez in kansas tonight. manuel, thank you. we learned today that the governor's office in michigan was concerned about the drinking water in flint long before the public was told of dangerous lead contamination. dean reynolds found the proof in the e-mails. >> reporter: problems surfaced soon after the city, under government-appointed emergency manager, switched its water from industrial flmp. it was cheaper that way, but the water was discolored and foul smelling, and people got sick. jim ananich is a state senator. >> time and time again, members of the highest level of the government have clearly been just lying to the citizens of flints and everyone else. >> reporter: and now e-mails
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showed they knew the water was bad early on. in october 2014, a half year into the plan, snyder's policy adviser, valerie brader, wrote that elevated chlorine levels could cause long-term damage if not remedied. michael gadola, the governor's legal assistant, responded, "they should try to get back on the detroit system as a stopgap asap before this thing gets too far out of control." the state's water quality experts insisted the river water was fine. but independent researchers said the heavily treated river water was so corrosive, lead from aging pipes was leeching into the water for homes. today, a contrite snyder held a press conference. >> there were red flags in this in the e-mails if you look at it and beyond e-mails. we didn't connect all the dots that i wish we would have. >> reporter: melissa mays was among the first to explain complain about the the water here. when you read the e-mails today, how did you feel? >> furious. i keep telling myself, "nothing's going to shock you anymore."
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in the office going back and forth emailing about this but nobody stood up and helped us. >> reporter: governor snyder today authorized a $30 million aid package to help flint residents pay at least a portion of the water bills they're still getting. scott, as he put it, "people shouldn't have to pay for water they cannot drink. the tonight a partial cease-fire is supposed to take effect in syria. if it does, it would be the first in the five-year-old civil war there, but no one's holding out hope. we do know the guns will be quiet in one town south of damascus because there is no one left to kill. it's rare for western reporters to get into syria, but our elizabeth palmer traveled there today. >> reporter: the drive in to sheikh miskeen is none stop wreckage, and when you stop,
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before the war, 30,000 people lived here. now, no one is left. opposition fighters, a whole collection of groups working together, were so entrenched here that the syrian army simply couldn't advance into the town. it was a stalemate that lasted a whole year, until they called in the russian bombers. wave after wave of air strikes, starting in december, followed by a syrian army ground offensive, forced the rebels to retreat. today, there are a few soldiers left guarding the ruins as the battle has moved on. the two friends who were killed... jafar oleyan is an infantry soldier. how fierce was thified fooiting? "i can't even describe it," he says. "rebels had the advantage because they knew the terrain." >> reporter: you must be tired, though? "oh, yes, yes he says "we are so tired."
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these men and some time to regroup, but what if their lull was replaced by a genuine truce? put your hand up if you think it has a good chance. yeah? >> yeah, they are ready for this. they are -- >> reporter: ready for the peace. but one soldier adds, "if we see isis or al-nusra, we will kill them all." like his country, syria, hoping for peace but braced for a lot more war. well, it's now after midnight here in syria, scott, and so, technically, this partial cease-fire is in effect, but it's far too early ton where or even if it's going to take hold, and, of course, how long it the last. >> pelley: elizabeth palmer inside syria for us tonight. liz, thank you. more pregnant women in the u.s. have caught the zika virus. that story when the cbs evening
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women consider not going to the summer olympics in brazil because of the zika virus. zika is suspected of causing microcephaly, a severe birth defect. each year, about half a million pregnant women travel between the u.s. and the countries now affected by zika. and dr. jon lapook has more. >> reporter: samantha mejia, newly pregnant, spent christmas in honduras with her husband, omar. back home in illinois, she became ill and tested positive for the zika virus. at two months of pregnancy, she went in for her first ultrasound. >> the doctor let us know that we had miscarried. so we went in and they didn't find a heartbeat. >> reporter: zika virus was found in the placenta, but there is no way to know if it caused the miscarriage. today, the c.d.c. said nine pregnant women, all u.s. travelers to zika-affected areas, tested positive for the virus. the c.d.c. is investigating the
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with microcephaly, an unusually small head and brain. six women had zika infection during the first trimester. one delivered a baby with microcephaly, two miscarried, and two had elective terminations. one pregnancy is continuing. of three women who had zika after the first trimester, two had healthy babies and one is still pregnant. the c.d.c. says there is no evidence that past zika infection poses a risk for future pregnancies. >> we no longer have the fear of what the zika virus is going to do to our baby, so my thoughts and my heart goes out to all the women who don't know right now. >> reporter: the c.d.c. continues to advise pregnant women to postpone travel to zika-affected areas. in addition, because of reports of sexual transmission, any male partner who has traveled to one of those areas should use a latex condom when having sex. >> pelley: remarkable interview, jon. thanks very much. coming up, a postscript to the
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>> pelley: there's a run on gasoline in southern california. we counted close to 70 cars lined up to pay $1.99 for gas. prices are expected to go up, though, about 37 cents this weekend as stations switch from winter to summer blend. it was one year ago that llamas kanita and lainey went on a nationally televised romp through sun city, arizona. today, we learned that after the escape, the u.s.d.a. ordered that the llamas be licensed. they and their owners have since retired to a farm. well, call in the little kids. steve hartman has a story they
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>> pelley: we end tonight with the best kind of children's story, the kind that grown-ups like, too. so here, now, is the story of kylie and the duck told by steve hartman "on the road." >> reporter: a lot of kids go to the park to see ducks, but five-year-old kylie brown of freeport, maine, takes her duck to see the park. snowflake comes here to swim around the pond and then returns when called because snowflake truly believes that kylie is his mother, and the duck is not alone in this delusion. ( quauking ) i'm his mom.
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>> yup, i'm his mom. >> reporter: how did you first find out? >> that he was a duck? >> reporter: no, that-- kylie is unbearably cute. and since i never did recover to ask that question again-- let me just tell you that kylie first noticed snowflake's attachment the day the browns brought her home last summer. >> look, look, look! he follows her! >> reporter: for whatever reason, the duck imprinted on kylie and just had to be by her hour. when snowflake refused to stay in the backyard, kylie's parents, ashley and mike, say they had no choice but to give him a diaper and make him a house duck. >> he goes everywhere that ducks are allowed and almost everywhere they are not allowed. i don't know if you had a two-year-old or a four-year-old who wouldn't leave home without their blanky. >> anxiety. >> she would not leave home without her duck.
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>> reporter: snowflake goes to in the winter. he's been to soccer practice, gone on sleeped oafers. he even went trick-or-treating "frozen." and over time, because they both sincerely believe they belong together, snowflake and kylie had formed a bond that most of us will never know. >> it's special. even at five years old, i know that's the person she's going to be. >> reporter: she really is going to make a great mom some is. you know, some day, he's going to grow up and go to college? >> what! >> reporter: steve hartman, "on the road," in freeport, maine. >> pelley: he fit the bill. tonight. for all of us at cbs news all
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eric fisher on wbz news from sony pictures studios, it's america's game. wheel... of... fortune! ladies and gentlemen, here are the stars of our show, pat sajak and vanna white. [ cheers and applause ] hey, there! thank you! thank you, jim! [ cheers and applause continue ] hello, dear. i guess you have work to do, don't you? i do. i'll be over here. [ applause continues ] hey. good to see you all. it's that time -- $1,000 "toss up." "phrase" is the category. vanna, let's go! [ bell chimes ]
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Opening Day is baseball's version of a national holiday, a day filled with hope, a time when optimism and joy converge in celebration of a journey that is just beginning.
Nearly 10 years after he was viciously attacked in the parking lot outside Dodger Stadium, Opening Day remains the worst day of Bryan Stow's life. It was when his journey almost ended.
"For everybody else, they're like, 10 years, that came quick," Stow said. "For me, it's been like 30 or 40 years because I have to deal with it ev-er-y day."
March 31, 2011 was the day Stow, a Santa Clara County paramedic, took a vacation to be at Dodger Stadium when his beloved Giants opened their title defense against the Dodgers. Wearing a Buster Posey Giants jersey, Stow was returning to his car after the game when he was assaulted by two men, Marvin Norwood and Louie Sanchez.
Norwood pleaded guilty to felony assault and Sanchez to felony mayhem. Norwood was sentenced to four years in prison while Sanchez was sentenced to eight. The assailants understood they would eventually receive opportunities to regain control of their lives.
Stow didn't get that chance.
"It was just day-by-day," Stow's sister, Erin Collins, said of waiting by her brother's hospital bed. "From praying we would see movement behind his eyelids, praying that his eyes would open and the doctors could never tell us how far he would come. So every step has been a miracle."
For much of the last decade, each step Stow has taken appears more miraculous than the last. In the year following the attack, Stow spent nine months in a medically induced coma. He had to relearn how to walk and talk.
Today, thousands of children are the beneficiaries of his comeback.
Five years ago, Stow's speech-language pathologist, Brandy Dickinson, brought him to an elementary school so he could get acquainted with speaking in front of a group. Five years later, he has built a platform as a public speaker to spread an anti-bullying message at more than 300 schools around the state.
To those who saw Stow after the attack, the transformation is as shocking as it is inspiring.
"It's Opening Day and we lost the game and then we got the news about what happened to Bryan and it changed everything with the mood," former Giants manager Bruce Bochy said last week. "You just realized, we're playing a game and this poor man gets hit from behind and just gets beat up so badly and it's incredible the recovery he has made."
Bochy, Giants CEO Larry Baer and former Giants reliever Jeremy Affeldt were among a contingent from the team who visited Stow in the hospital in the days after the attack. Affeldt remembers sitting around with teammates at a hotel and being overcome with anger when the news of what took place in the parking lot aired on television.
"He was an EMT, he probably saw things and had all of these stories he would tell his family," Affeldt said, before putting himself in the minds of Stow's parents. "But when it actually happens to your son and you knew it was going to alter your life, not just his but everybody's, it was heartbreaking. They're scared and you wanted to bring some type of light to the situation."
Saving Stow's life required around-the-clock care from a team of Los Angeles-area doctors, whom the family remains connected with today. Erin says the Stows didn't allow the idea that Bryan may never be the same to cross their minds, because they were so focused on his fight for life.
"We didn't want to be crushed," Erin said. "Especially with not being able to get an answer from his doctors on what was going to happen, it was honestly day-by-day. What were we going to get today? Did he survive the night? Especially in the beginning, all we could really look at was him surviving."
Giants players passed the hat and donated to help cover the cost of Stow's medical bills while former third base coach Tim Flannery and his Lunatic Fringe band began playing annual benefit concerts close to Stow's home in Santa Cruz.
Initial support from players and Giants fans helped uplift Stow. Enduring support from the children he's spoken to has made an indelible impact on his new life.
After first talking to students about his career as a paramedic, Stow found a greater purpose in calling his assailants by name, showing their pictures to children and explaining how "adult bullies" changed his life. He encourages kids to help one another and seek out an adult for help if they're being bullied.
"I had a great job before this, I was a paramedic," Stow told the Bay Area News Group. "But now I think I have a bigger calling spreading the word about anti-bullying and telling kids that bullying is not good and it's not OK."
His life looks far different than he or anyone in his family ever imagined. Stow loves traveling down to Southern California with his mother, Ann, enjoys going over to friends' houses to watch football on Sundays and most of all, taking his kids, Tyler, 22, and Tabitha, 18, to dinner and the movie theater.
"To be part of their lives is really big for me," Stow said. "They're both really good kids."
Those activities may sound normal, but Stow still needs medical attention throughout the day. He uses a cane to get around his house and does physical therapy every other day. He has a charming sense of humor and radiates joy with every interaction, but he must live at home with Ann, and his father, Dave, so they can serve as his full-time caretakers.
"This is where I get emotional," Stow's sister Erin said. "Without my parents, my sister (Bonnie) and I would figure it out. But what they have done for him, not that they would admit it, but the toll it has taken on them is a lot. He's gotten much better physically, but he still needs help."
The whole family has pitched in, but it's mostly Ann who drives Bryan to his speaking engagements and who stays overnight with him at motels when they're far from home. She waits with Bryan after the presentations as kids approach for pictures and autographs. She sees the look on his face when he realizes the impact he has made.
"They tell me how I changed their life," Stow said. "Kids want attention and if I'm the only person up there, I'll give them the attention."
Kids aren't the only ones who have learned from Stow. By simply finding a platform, showing up and channeling all of the negativity and hatred he could hold in his heart into a positive cause, Stow has reached plenty of adults.
"What these guys did was meant for evil," Affeldt said. "They beat him up, their anger, their rage, their need for some of this sick desire to be hurtful, harmful and bring pain and he can turn around and say the biggest way to tell them they are nobody in what they do is to say, 'You tried to do this to me, but I'm going to take what you did and make an impact on many.'"
As the 10-year anniversary of his attack approaches, the coronavirus pandemic has cost Stow the opportunity to do what he loves most. It's been nearly a calendar year since he last addressed students, which he says, "is not good for me."
Stow has been forced to spend more time at home, where he and his mother Ann are considering adjusting his message so he can speak to children who have been cyber-bullied during online schooling. They're eager for the chance to visit a school again, and know that touching even one more student's life will be worth the wait.
"If they can get something out of what I'm saying, that makes this all worth it," Stow said.
Stow's attack may feel like a recent memory to some, particularly because the player whose jersey he wore to Dodger Stadium is still a crucial member of the club. Posey played alongside Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford during the 2011 season after Stow was attacked, and all three still hold pivotal roles with the team.
For the Stow family, the decade has been more difficult to measure.
"Sometimes it feels like 100 years," Erin said. "It's really bizarre. Other times we'll talk about it as a family at a family dinner and just remembering back at the hospital and it feels like yesterday."
Stow said he hasn't thought much about how he'll feel on Opening Day this year because he's more focused on the day he can return to classrooms and auditoriums to share the message that's become the guiding force in his life.
His assailants stole so much Stow will never be able to get back, but they couldn't take the joy he shares with everyone he meets.
"Bryan has this aura about him," Ann said. "He always seems to be happy. I've never seen Bryan down or mad about anything. That helps in staying positive."
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