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The Woman from Wales
"Cougar? I've never heard that expression." Catherine Zeta-Jones looks perplexed—gorgeous, to be sure, but perplexed, nonetheless. "Cougar?" the actress says again in her native Welsh accent, which still sounds surprising, given how many American characters she's played on film. The question was: Is the term "cougar" (referring to an older woman who takes a much younger man as her lover) a compliment or an insult? With another person, that could be a conversation-stopper. But nothing fazes Zeta-Jones, who is chatty and upbeat for this lunch on the patio of the famed Polo Lounge in the Beverly Hills Hotel. "Is it a compliment? Absolutely—why not?" she says with a throaty laugh. The subject is actually The Rebound, a new romantic comedy scheduled to open before year's end, in which Zeta-Jones plays a divorcée with two young children who unexpectedly finds herself involved with a considerably younger man (played by Justin Bartha, the missing groom in The Hangover).
But it gets Zeta-Jones talking about the way the film mirrors her own life—only backwards.
"I happen to have the reverse in my own relationship," she says, sipping an iced tea, ignoring the glances of other diners, who have spotted the Oscar-winning actress. "When I was dating Michael (Douglas, her husband of nine years), there was this 25-year age gap, and what I heard was that I was just this girl from Zorro who was after his money.
"But the older woman—younger man thing—I don't know if there's a taboo or if it's just a social stigma. I don't think it happens in movies much, unless it's a comedy. I don't know why age matters so much."
It's another day in paradise and the Beverly Hills Hotel is hopping. Guests arrive and depart in flocks, striding the red carpet from the valet-parking stand to the lobby. The peach and aquamarine color scheme with a palm tree motif bespeaks an old-school glamour, from the elaborate chandelier in the lobby to the bellboys dressed in starchy uniforms and chin-strapped pillbox hats to the lavishly landscaped patio where Zeta-Jones is dining. The hotel is a reminder of a bygone era, an old Hollywood still visible in the kind of pictures that play on the Turner Classic Movies channel.
But Zeta-Jones, in a beige silk top and matching skirt, has none of that "Look at me—I'm a star!" quality. Granted, she's a beautiful woman, with her lush figure, lustrous brunette hair and deep brown eyes. But she's not dressed to make a scene or call attention to herself, with one obvious exception: a 10-karat diamond ring with a rock the size of a cashew that was a gift from her husband.
"Jewelry is my one guilty pleasure," she admits. "Fortunately, my husband has fantastic taste."
The waiter approaches the table and Zeta-Jones orders a salad, then sighs: "I've had everything on the menu," she says. "This place is a little bit like home because we stay here whenever we're in Los Angeles." When her salad arrives shortly thereafter, Zeta-Jones takes a bite and observes, "Really, I was brought up on meat and potatoes."
That's the paradox of Catherine Zeta-Jones: She's a movie star who can glam it up when she needs to, but at heart, she's still the small-town girl from a village in Wales. She's an Oscar winner who's just as happy spending her time at home tending to her two children—although home is in Bermuda (where she and Douglas live much of the year).
"She has great style and she knows how to live well, but she never puts on airs," says friend David Foster, the producer who cast her in The Mask of Zorro, her breakthrough film in Hollywood. "She's just very down-to-earth."
Which, she says, is why she and Douglas avoid living in the industry town of Los Angeles, instead dividing their time between homes in Bermuda and Manhattan.
"I wouldn't say I'm shy but I'm not the flamboyant showgirl," Zeta-Jones says. "I love my work. I can turn it on for the red carpet or a photo shoot. But when you live in L.A., you can't go anywhere without being critiqued—on your purse or the fact that you've gained weight or that you've got spots on your face. That's not the life I want. Deciding to live in Bermuda was the healthiest thing we ever did."
For Zeta-Jones, maintaining that distance works because she's already been to the top—a couple of times. She achieved stardom in Great Britain by the time she was 21—then started again from scratch when she came to the United States and hit it big once more in films such as The Mask of Zorro, Entrapment, Traffic and Chicago.
In the process, she survived the ravening attention of the tabloid press, first as a British TV star whose social life was fodder for the Fleet Street reporters, then as the fiancée (and wife) of American movie star Douglas, which made the couple a tabloid target on both sides of the Atlantic. She stood up to it all with uncommon grace, says husband Douglas.
"There's a lot to be said for how early she started working," Douglas observes. "She worked really hard. She's been doing this a long time; she's an old soul. She's got this inner joy, this inner energy, that strong Welsh character that says, 'Get on with it.' "
Stagestruck at an early age in the little town of Swansea, Wales, Zeta-Jones (both Catherine and Zeta were her grandmothers' names; the hyphen came later) was nine when she landed her first role onstage in London's West End. By the time she was 15, she had appeared in West End productions of "Annie," "The Pajama Game" and "Bugsy Malone"—and then found her career mirroring the plot of "42nd Street," a revival in which she'd won a job as understudy, when she replaced the show's star who was taken ill.
It turned Zeta-Jones into an overnight sensation at 15 and even made her a pop star in Great Britain briefly. After playing roles in smaller films and TV productions, she landed another breakthrough role: as the ingenue in "The Darling Buds of May," one of the most popular British TV series of the early '90s.
"I'm glad I got my start in theater, rather than film," Zeta-Jones says. "The fact that I was in theater meant I wasn't so much in the public eye. One thing I do regret is that I missed the camaraderie of the college thing. I miss not having studied the classics in drama. I was self-taught at a young age. But I'm doing the only thing I can do. As a headmaster once said to me, 'You're no brain surgeon.'
"Then the TV series made me known in Britain when I was 19. After the first episode of the TV show, I've never been on a subway again. Once the TV show started, there was that thing of people looking at you." Having achieved stardom in Great Britain, Zeta-Jones decided to tackle American show business—only to find that British fame didn't carry much weight in Hollywood.
"It was like starting over," she says. "It was weird. I was so associated with my TV character that it was hard to break away from it. Then I came here, where I'd go into meetings and they'd ask, 'What have you done?' But when I'd get off the airplane in Britain, I'd be mobbed."
Says Douglas, "It was tough for her after she left England. But when things started rolling for her, she never looked back."
When she hit Hollywood, there were questions and more questions, always beginning with the same one: Could she do an American accent? Which she quickly showed that she could.
"She makes everything look easy," Douglas says. "She can handle dialects and accents to the point that people are surprised to hear her in her real Welsh voice."
(Zeta-Jones laughs when the topic of Douglas and her accent comes up: "My accent is pretty mellow, unless I'm with my family," she says. "When Michael and I were dating, I was talking to my mother one time and Michael said afterward, 'That Welsh language is so beautiful.' And I said, 'We were speaking English!'")
But her talent was obvious enough that she began winning parts. She played a villain in 1996's The Phantom, then grabbed a lead role in a TV miniseries about the sinking of the Titanic, a year before James Cameron's feature film. That performance led directly to her role in The Mask of Zorro (1998), the film that made her a Hollywood star.
David Foster, who produced Zorro, recalls that, as he and director Martin Campbell were going through the casting process for the film, they struggled to find an actress who could hold the screen with co-stars Anthony Hopkins and Antonio Banderas.
"One day we got a call from Steven Spielberg (the film's executive producer), who said, 'Were you watching TV last night?' " Foster says. "He said, 'I was watching this miniseries about the Titanic and there was this actress who was really terrific.' A day later, he sent over tapes of 'Titanic' and she was terrific so we set up a meeting."
She was only one of the actresses in the running for the female lead (Famke Janssen was another). When the contenders were flown to Mexico City to test with Banderas, Foster, who was championing Zeta-Jones for the role, took her to dinner and began coaching her for the screen test.
"I was like a nervous father," Foster recalls, "and she was so cool: 'Honey, relax, I'll be fine.' And then she wiped everybody out with her screen test." The film was a hit, launching Zeta-Jones in ways she'd only dreamed of.
"She played a wealthy Spanish gal and she came off so regal," Foster says. "She was drop-dead gorgeous. And she's a dancer so she moves so smoothly, the way she walks across a set."
Zeta-Jones was convincing enough in the film that, when the film premiered in Spanish-speaking countries, reporters stationed along the red carpet assumed that she was a Spaniard and would fire questions at her in Spanish.
"For all I know, they could have been saying, 'You're a piece of shit' — and I just smiled and said, 'Gracias, gracias'," she says with a husky chuckle. Almost as soon as Zorro finished filming, the buzz started growing about Zeta-Jones who was quickly cast opposite Sean Connery in the thriller Entrapment. When she headed back to Great Britain to start filming, however, she learned just how short the public's memory can be.
"I was back in London in a cab and the driver said, 'Weren't you the girl who used to be on TV?' and I said yes," she says. "It had been several years since the series, and Zorro hadn't come out yet. And he said, 'It didn't work out for you, did it?' I was quite indignant: 'Excuse me but I just finished a feature film with Anthony Hopkins and now I'm about to embark on a big motion picture with Sean Connery!' I didn't tip him, either."
Proving herself is a recurring theme for Zeta-Jones. When she emerged from the British musical theater to try straight acting, there were doubts that she could make the move. Once she'd established herself in Hollywood as both a comic and dramatic actress, there were skeptics who questioned her abilities as a musical performer when it was announced that she would play one of the female leads in the film version of the musical Chicago.
"In England, I'd done so many musical comedies that some snotty casting director made a remark to me about putting me in a straight drama: 'She's a musical-comedy actress,' " Zeta-Jones says. "To have that triple whammy—singing, dancing, acting—is hard. When I went in to that audition, I tried to make myself look as fuddy-duddy as I could so I didn't have that jazz-hands look to me. But it wasn't until I played Scheherazade (in the French film, Scheherazade) that people said, 'Oh, she doesn't just sing and dance—she can act, too.'"
The Mask of Zorro led to her romance with (and eventual marriage to) Michael Douglas, who had followed in the footsteps of his father, Kirk Douglas, as both an actor and a producer. At the point they met in 1998, Douglas was a dual Oscar winner (as best actor in Wall Street and as producer of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest) who had struck it rich producing Cuckoo's Nest, The China Syndrome and Romancing the Stone.
Douglas had seen a screening of The Mask of Zorro prior to its release. When he found that both Zorro and his own film, A Perfect Murder, would be screened at the Deauville American Film Festival, he made inquiries about Zeta-Jones.
"When I saw her on a screen, well, nobody since Julie Christie had made such a lasting screen impression," he remembers. "For me, it was totally visceral. I asked whether she was coming to the festival and whether she was alone."
Foster witnessed their first meeting, in a Deauville hotel lobby, where he was standing with Zeta-Jones, who had just flown in from shooting Entrapment in Scotland.
"In walks Michael Douglas, with his golf bag on one shoulder and his eyes go to this gorgeous chick," Foster says. "He was talking to me but he was looking at her. So we invited him to dinner and he not only came but he got himself seated next to her."
By the end of an evening of food and wine, Douglas was giving her the full-court press of charm and star power, at one point telling her with a smile, "I want to father your children."
To which she replied, "I've heard quite a bit about you—and I'm glad to see it's all true," and called it a night.
Says Foster, "He was known as Hollywood's great bachelor swinger. He was known as a guy with many women in his life. And Catherine was very conservative about that sort of thing."
A day or so later, Zeta-Jones went back on location to finish Entrapment. When the actress got to her hotel ("This little family-run hotel on the west coast of Scotland"), a massive bouquet of flowers awaited her from Douglas.
"I have no idea how he got them there—and that quickly," she says. Thus began a courtship that lasted the better part of a year, as Douglas filmed Wonder Boys on the East Coast, while Zeta-Jones starred in a remake of The Haunting.
"I really didn't want to start a relationship that was long distance," she says. "So there were nine months of courting. He thought it was going nowhere—until I called him on his birthday. He'd been married for 20 years before his divorce and had a few relationships since.
"I finally told him, 'I don't want to be one of the girlfriends. I want to be the girlfriend.' He said, 'OK, give me a minute and I'll go make some phone calls so it's just you and me.' Then he went up to the bedroom—and was on the phone for two hours! The ladies were all very gracious about it; I think they were glad he had the decency and courage to call them directly, so they wouldn't read about it in a magazine."
As predicted, Douglas did become the father of Zeta-Jones's children, sooner than expected: Son Dylan, now 9, was born in August 2000, a few months before their wedding. (Daughter Carys was born in 2003.)
"We went to Wales so Michael could ask for my hand in marriage," Zeta-Jones recalls. "My parents were toasting us with teacups and I said, 'Say something, Dad.' Dad said, 'Well, I'm really happy.' And Michael said, 'Good—because we're having a baby!' Which was the first we'd told them. Actually, my dad's a year younger than Michael—it drives him mad when Michael calls him 'Pops.'"
Then there was the matter of Douglas' parents—particularly his father, screen legend Kirk Douglas, now 93. Douglas brought it up casually during a trip to L.A.
"He said, 'Let's swing by the house. I want you to meet Dad,'" she recalls. "Before I knew it, we were swinging into the driveway. And Kirk was so charming. He started flirting with me and ignoring Michael. Finally, Michael said, 'Dad, what am I, chopped liver?' Kirk is an amazing guy: He's had a stroke, a pacemaker, a helicopter crash, both knees replaced—and he's writing his 10th book and doing a one-man show where he talks onstage for an hour and a half. He hasn't lost his love of life."
The pair were married at the Plaza Hotel in New York on Nov. 18, 2000, a wedding attended by an all-star guest list, prompting a media frenzy. And no, Zeta-Jones says, never in her wildest girlish dreams did she imagine having a wedding that would require security guards to keep reporters, photographers and the public at bay.
Indeed, she says, she remembers, years earlier, taking her mother to see Basic Instinct at a local cinema, and the nudges from her mother during the movie's sexier moments, neither of them dreaming that the actor on the screen would one day be part of the family.
Shortly before the wedding, while Zeta-Jones was pregnant with Dylan, she and Douglas appeared in a film together for the only time so far: Traffic, in which they never shared a scene and only shared a trailer on set for a half-day. They hope to finally make a picture together in the near future: a comic action-adventure with a Romancing the Stone vibe, called Racing the Monsoon. But they won't play romantic leads opposite each other.
"The history of married couples playing romantic roles is not great," says Douglas, who will produce the film. "The audience misses the mystery. I'm comfortable playing the villain. I think the audience will enjoy me lurking over her and her male lead."
Adds Zeta-Jones, "He wants me to have a young hunky guy to seduce."
Since the birth of their children (she was hugely pregnant with Carys when she accepted her Oscar for Chicago), she's gotten pickier about roles, averaging one film a year since the turn of the millennium. Like The Rebound, most have been comedies: America's Sweethearts, Intolerable Cruelty, No Reservations. But there was also Chicago, the film of Bob Fosse's Broadway musical that earned her an Academy Award for playing headline-hunting murderess Velma Kelly.
"Despite my roots, I never thought I'd get to do a musical on film—I thought musicals were dead and buried," she says. "Winning the award was like a blur. I had to go back and watch a rerun to see what I said. I remember that I sang a song with Queen Latifah, then had to change before going back to my seat—and getting changed was not easy to do when you're eight months pregnant.
"I was dumbstruck when I won. Afterward, I called up my mother and said, 'I won!' She said, 'I know.' It was 3 a.m. in Wales but they were watching—and drinking. The Welsh can drink!"
After Chicago, she says, "every musical that was going to be revived came across my desk." While Zeta-Jones would welcome the chance to get back on stage for the first time in 20 years, she's not interested in a show that's already part of the musical-comedy canon.
"I don't want to do another revival," she says. "I want something new, fresh, original, something I can put my stamp on. I'm talking to Bartlett Sher (Tony Award—winning director of South Pacific) about a musical based on Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.
"I do get a rush when I perform live. When I hosted Saturday Night Live with a live audience, I was terrified. But when it was finished, it was such a rush that I said, 'I want to do it again.' Performing live is such a great adrenaline buzz. I'd like to do a Vegas show and work with dancers again."
Because she's being interviewed for a magazine that celebrates the joy of a good cigar, the subject is raised: "For me, cigars always conjure the image of sophisticated gentlemen, who pride themselves on enjoying a good cigar," she says.
Then she admits, "I've never smoked a cigar. Michael used to smoke them. I remember spending time with him in cigar bars, with dark lighting—those were some of our dates. I didn't realize how expensive they could be. I have a friend who smokes them and you could be smoking something that's the price of a diamond ring! Believe me, he savored them to the last ash."
She also encounters cigars on the golf course: She's an avid golfer who misses no opportunity to get in a round.
"When she's in L.A., she'll call me sometimes and say, 'Let's go play nine holes,' " Foster says. "I remember one time, she parred a hole and she danced around the green like a little kid. She takes it very seriously."
Says Douglas, "I'm the better golfer but she looks better playing. We both have a healthy competitive streak. And she's got a fine cursing vocabulary. She swears well."
As the lunch winds down, the talk returns to The Rebound and to the notion of age. She'll be 40 on Sept. 25, a birthday she shares with Douglas (who will be 65 the same day). A realist, Zeta-Jones recognizes that meaty parts become scarce for women of a certain age.
"I feel much younger than I am," she says. "When you're 10 or 20, 40 looks really old. When I was nearing 30, I thought, 'Wow, I'm going to be 30 in the millennium.' That seemed like a huge milestone.
"Career-wise, I think it will be a huge change; I'm going into a different chapter as an actor. You change; I have two kids so I'm not going to be playing the young ingenues. But I'm not going to play the mother of teenagers either. It's about finding those other roles."
Her parental instincts have tempered her hunger to work: "It used to be, 'What? You want me in Africa? What time?' Now I've got kids in school and that's what my life is about. So I've got to be passionately enthusiastic about a role for it to take me away from them. There aren't many movies made in Bermuda—and I don't know why because it's quite beautiful."
Instead, she's leaning toward producing and even directing. Her production company, Milkwood Films (named after Welsh poet Dylan Thomas's play, "Under Milkwood"), is developing a miniseries for HBO based on Geraldine Brooks's novel, People of the Book.
She has a couple of acting projects in development as well, including a film about the death of gangster Johnny Stompanato, in which she'd play Lana Turner, and a possible 3D rock musical about Caesar and Cleopatra that her friend Steven Soderbergh (who directed her in Traffic and Ocean's Twelve) is putting together: "Only Steven could do that. I'd read the phone book for him, if he asked."
There's also the possibility of television. Zeta-Jones, who has been a commercial spokesperson for T-Mobile and Elizabeth Arden, points to actresses such as Glenn Close, Holly Hunter, Kyra Sedgwik, Mary Louise Parker and Toni Collette—all of whom have found substantial roles starring in their own series on cable TV.
"There used to be such a stigma about movie stars going on TV," she says. "Then Helen Hunt won an Emmy and an Oscar in the same year. A lot of the best writing is on television these days. There was also a taboo about appearing in commercials. But I've been very successful in those. It's all business."
As lunch ends, the conversation turns back to her native Wales and the fact that most Americans, hearing her accent, assume she is English.
"But we're not English," she says emphatically, then smiles. "Except when it comes to the World Cup; Wales never does too well, but England does. When England's in the World Cup, all of a sudden, the whole country is English!"
Marshall Fine is an author and film critic whose work can be found at www.hollywoodandfine.com.


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The Central Connecticut women's basketball team will host LIU Brooklyn at Detrick Gymnasium on Monday night. The Blue Devils (9-12, 3-8 NEC) and Blackbirds (5-17, 3-8 NEC) are scheduled for a 7 p.m. tip-off.
Below are notes on the Blue Devils heading into today's game:
Tonight • The Blue Devils (9-12, 3-8 NEC) host the Blackbirds of LIU Brooklyn (5-17, 3-8 NEC) at Detrick Gymnasium in New Britain, CT. CCSU and LIU enter tonight tied for eighth place in the Northeast Conference and while there are still seven games left to play the outcome of this contest could have a major effect of on the playoff of chances of both programs. The Blue Devils need a victory to split the season series with LIU and prevent the Blackbirds from taking the crucial head-to-head tiebreaker.
Seven Games Left • Seven games remain in the Northeast Conference regular season and all 10 teams are still in the hunt for a playoff berth. CCSU is currently tied with LIU for eighth place, the final playoff spot, and the two teams meet tonight in an important contest. CCSU must still make road trips to Robert Morris, Saint Francis U and Fairleigh Dickinson after today and home games over the final weeks include LIU, Sacred Heart, Wagner and a visit from Bryant in the regular season finale. With the NEC standings packed between first and ninth places the final three weeks of the season will see a lot of movement.
Series History • The Blackbirds hold a 16-11 edge in the all-time series between these programs. LIU earned a 60-51 victory over the Blue Devils earlier this season on their home court, but now the Blue Devils are at home for tonight's contest. CCSU won the only meeting last season a 63-54 victory at Detrick Gymnasium.
Tough Stretch • Today's game is the only home game in a stretch where five of six contests will be away from Detrick Gym. A trip to Robert Morris and Saint Francis U next weekend will conclude the difficult road stretch. However, CCSU will close the season with home games against Sacred Heart, Wagner and Bryant, with a road game at Fairleigh Dickinson scheduled for the season's final Saturday.
Spark off the Bench • Freshman Aleah Epps gave the Blue Devils spark off the bench in Saturday's loss. When Epps entered the game with 9:04 left in the first half the Blue Devils were down 13-6. Epps scored nine of CCSU's next 12 points to help spark the offense and close the scored to 27-18. Epps added six more points in the second half to finish with a career-high 15 points.
Academic All-District • Senior Jessica Babe was named to the CoSida Capital One Academic All-District First Team on Thursday (1/30). Babe was one of five players named to the first team for District I, which includes institutions from Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire and New York. Babe was joined on the District I first team by student-athletes from Harvard, Brown, Cornell and Fordham.
Double-Digit Victories • A win today over LIU Brooklyn would give the Blue Devils 10 or more victories in six straight seasons. It would be the first six-year run of double-digit win totals in the history of CCSU women's basketball. Last year's 16 wins gave the Blue Devils five straight double-digit win seasons for the first time in the Division I era. The program also had a five-year run at the Division II level between 1975 and 1980.
Quick Facts • The Blue Devils are 6-1 when scoring 70+ points this season • The Blue Devils are 7-0 when leading with two minutes left to in regulation • Senior Jessica Babe made her 75th career start on Monday at Mount St. Mary's • Head Coach Beryl Piper led the Blue Devils on the court for the 200th time against Mount last Monday •
Climbing the Career List • Senior Jessica Babe - already third on the CCSU career steals list at 222 - passed Sethe Thompson (343) for fourth on the career assist list on Monday (1/27). With 351 career assists, Babe is 42 shy of the all-time CCSU record of 393 by Nikki Flocco.

subset: commoncrawl


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elias abuelazam
Sponsored By
Flint Serial Stabber Linked To 2009 Slaying In VirginiaPolice believe Elias Abuelazam was responsible for multiple other attacks, possibly targeting victims by their race.
Flint Serial Stabber Sues To Be Sent To IsraelA man serving a life sentence for murder in a series of stabbings in Michigan is suing to try to be sent to Israel, his native country.
Man Blamed For Flint Serial Stabbings Loses AppealThe court found no grounds to overturn the results of the first-degree murder trial of Elias Abuelazam, a native of Israel.
No More Trials For Flint Serial StabberA man charged in a series of stabbings in a Michigan city in 2010 will face no additional trials unless his first murder conviction is overturned on appeal.
Flint Serial Stabber Sentenced To Life In PrisonA man convicted of murder in a 2010 stabbing spree in Michigan was sentenced to life in prison Monday, wrapping up the first in a series of cases against Elias Abuelazam.
Flint Serial Stabber Convicted Of MurderA man suspected of fatally stabbing five men and wounding nine others in and around the Michigan city of Flint two summers ago was convicted Tuesday of first-degree murder in the first case to go to trial.
Expert: Flint Serial Stabber Is SchizophrenicA psychiatrist testifying for the defense said Elias Abuelazam had "bizarre delusions" that "evil forces directed him to harm others."
Uncle Testifies In Flint Serial Stabbing TrialThe uncle of a man who police say went on a stabbing spree says he doesn't see his nephew as a violent person.
Trial Begins For Man Accused In 2010 Flint Stabbing SpreeTrial begins Tuesday for an Israeli-born man in the first murder case to come from a series of mysterious stabbings that left the city of Flint terrorized nearly two years ago.
Prosecutors Win Key Ruling In Flint Stabbing CaseA jury that hears the first murder trial linked to a 2010 stabbing spree in Michigan will be allowed to consider evidence of the other attacks, a judge said Friday.
Uncle Helped Suspected Flint Serial StabberThe uncle of a man charged in a series of stabbings helped his nephew try to flee the country after hearing he had been involved in an assault, according to newly unsealed court records.
Accused Serial Stabber's Mental Health Still In Question Mental-health issues still are unresolved in the case of the suspected Flint serial stabber.
Judge Orders 3rd Murder Trial In Serial StabbingsA man blamed for a series of stabbings in and around Flint has been ordered to trial in a third case of murder.
Serial Killer Targeted In Poisoning AttemptProsecutor David Leyton says an inmate tried to put an oven cleaner in Elias Abuelazam's food.
4 More Trials Ordered In Flint Stabbing SpreeThe trials are piling up for a man accused of being a Michigan serial killer after a judge ordered four more on charges of attempted murder in the Flint area.


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What is a pier 1 gift cards
A gift card is a nice gift for any person. Any pier 1 gift cards has a certain amount. Gift Card is activated upon first purchase. Money spent is deducted from the card after each purchase. A gift card has a specific expiration date. But if the money on the card runs out earlier than its expiration date, the card will prevent its activity. And also after the expiration of the pier 1 gift cards becomes inactive.
In case you have a pier 1 gift cards
It may happen that your pier 1 gift cards is damaged. And if you find that the gift card is damaged, then you need to contact support. In order to avoid illegal actions, you should enter the card number only on the official website of the supplier.
HOW TO CHECK pier 1 gift cards
Each pier 1 gift cards has its own unique number, which is located on the back of the card. With this number, you can check the balance of your card. Go to the suppliers website and enter a unique card number in the field. If you have any questions or difficulties, you can use the contact phone number located on the back of the pier 1 gift cards.


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What to Do in an Emergency
Approximately 1800 documented fires occur on university campuses in the United States each year.
- Cooking
- Arson
- Candles
- Smoking Materials
- Electrical
- Alcohol-impaired judgment
- Own a fire extinguisher
- Test smoke alarms
- Keep sprinklers unobstructed
- Keep exists, extinguishers, alarms available and clear
- Report fire hazards
- Know that fire is fast!!
During a Fire
Quickly exit the area and close the doors as you leave to stop the spread of fire.
Always check doors with the back of your hand before opening them - If a door is hot, DO NOT OPEN IT as there is a fire and toxic smoke on the other side. If a door is cool, carefully open it and proceed to the closest exit, staying low to the floor.
If you cannot use the door, stuff towels and/or clothing under it to keep smoke out and call 911to notify the Fire Deparmtent of the fire and your location.
Use the closest stairwell and never use an elevator. If the closest stairway has smoke in it, close the door leading to it and find another way out.
Use a pull station to activate the building's fire alarm and alert others as you leave the building. Once outside, call 911 and ensure that the Fire Department is aware of the fire. Never go back inside the building to retrieve belongings - they can be replaced but you cannot.
Know How to Get Out
Pay attention to your surroundings - your life may depend on being able to get out through an exit other than the one used to enter the room. Do not wait for an emergency since there may not be enought time to find another way out.
In public and private places, always look for at least two ways out (including windows).
Clear escape routes in your room.
Avoid placing objects in front of doors or windows.
Never paint or nail windows shut preventing them from being used as an exit.
Fighting a Fire
Call 911 or activate the fire alarm before attempting to put out a fire with a fire extinguisher.
If the fire is small and you have been trained in the use of a fire extinguisher, you may chose to attempt to put the fire out after calling 911. By calling 911 first, the fire department will already be on the way should the fire grow beyond your capabilities.
Fire extinguishers are place throughout campus for use during fires. Know where your nearest fire extinguisher is located. To use an extinguisher, follow these steps:
NEVER let the fire get between you and the way out. Always keep yourself between the fire and the doorway for a quick escape.
Remember P A S S for the proper technique:
- P ull the safety pin at the top of the extinguisher.
- A im the nozzle, horn or hose at the base of the flames.
- S queeze the handle of the extinguisher.
- S weep the nozzle slowly from side to side starting at the base of the fire and covering it until it goes out.
Watch carefully to make sure it does not reignite.
If the fire is large or one extinguisher was not enough, leave the area immediately shutting the door behind you.
Tampering with Fire Safety Equipment
Fire safety is an important life safety issue and tampering with any fire safety equipment or activating fire alarms as a joke are very serious violations and are handled in a very serious manner. Tampering with fire equipment is a misdemeanor punishable with a fine not exceeding $1000 and/or imprisonment for up to one year. A person found tampering with fire emergency equipment or who refuses to vacate a building during a fire alarm may be referred to the fire and/or police department for prosecution. The person(s) will also be referred to the College Judicial System.


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1 (3 1/2 ounce) package instant vanilla flavor pudding and pie filling
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
1 cup thawed whipped topping
1 (10 ounce) package prepared round angel food cake
10 small strawberries, for garnish (optional)
Mix dry pudding mix and pineapple with juice in medium bowl.
Gently stir in whipped topping.
Cut cake horizontally into 3 layers.
Place bottom cake layer, cut side up, on serving plate.
Spread 1 1/3 cups of pudding mixture onto cake layer.
Cover with middle cake layer.
Spread 1 cup of the pudding mixture onto middle cake layer.
Top with remaining cake layer.
Spread with remaining pudding mixture.
Refrigerate at least 1 hour or until ready to serve.
Garnish with strawberries (optional).
Store in refrigerator.
I found this recipe on a cool whip container a long time ago. This is very light and yummy!


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The Senators had a 3-0 lead when Tom Preissing scored a power play goal at 14:38 of the second. Jordan Staal cut the lead to 3-1 with a stuff in goal at 16:58 of the second.
Ottawa added three more goals before the halfway point of the third period before Sergei Gonchar (12:42) and Sidney Crosby (19:11) put in power play goals.
Sidney Crosby also had a goal disallowed after a video review determined he had directed the puck in shortly after the Senators had made it 4-0 early in the third period. Marc-Andre Fleury gave up six goals on 36 shots before mercifully being replaced by Jocelyn Thibault.


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What we read while–BOO!
- A great World Series concluded Friday night. As usual, the great series caused a lot of debate. Jonah Keri listed the 21 craziest things about Game 5 (only one of which was Bullpengate). That game alone was so fraught that Will Leitch needed an extra day to get over it. Of course, things got better for him in Game 6, with the Cardinals TWICE pulling off shocking comebacks, leading Tim McCarver of all people to come up with the call of the postseason. Plenty of writers tried to put the game into perspective, but perhaps Roger Angell's scorecard sums it up best. Of course, St. Louis ended up coming out on top, and Keri tried to determine if the Cardinals were the most unlikely champion ever. Meanwhile, Joe Poz called all this back in August…
- Where did the seven-game series come from, anyway?
- In non-World Series news, Aaron Sorkin is writing a Steve Jobs biopic ("You know what's cooler than an iPod? An iPod Nano!"), but has everyone forgotten his true masterpiece, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip?
- This satire of The Mentalist is funny even if you've never seen a second of the show.
- Matt Taibbi continued his coverage of the Occupy Wall Street protests, while also exposing Rick Perry's ignoble reign in Texas.


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Avatron, the company behind the excellent Air Display (TMA Review), has released Air Dictate, an app that lets you use your iPhone 4S' speech recognition and turns it into text on your Mac computer. It's quite to similar to the recently released Vocal app, though Air Dictate's sole purpose is to act as a personal transcriber. You'll need to have Air Dictate installed on your iPhone 4S, the free Air Dictate Receiver app installed on your Mac and have on the same WiFi network. Then:
On Mac:
– Launch any app that allows text input. For example: TextEdit, Mail, Pages, Microsoft Word.
On iPhone 4S:
– Launch the Air Dictate app.
– Choose your Mac from a list of nearby computers.
– Press the microphone button, speak for a while, and press the button again to stop.
Air Dictate's a pretty simple app, though for those who'd rather "type" with their voice rather than an actual keyboard, Avatron's latest utility will get the job done. The app's also only sale now for intro price of $0.99, so if you have an iPhone 4S and want to check it out, you may want to pick this up sooner rather than later.
 Avatron Software, Air Dictate, – $0.99[engadget]


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Concord Law School Solo Immigration Practice?
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Concord Law School Solo Immigration Practice?
11 Replies
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Concord Law School Solo Immigration Practice?
October 27, 2010, 08:22:41 PM »
Hello everyone,
This is my first post and I would love to get some feedback about an idea that I've had bouncing in my head for quite some time. I've been working full-time as a paralegal with two immigration attorneys in a small, sunny Central California town. At 33 it would be very difficult to return to school as a full time student due to family responsibilities. Quitting my job and going to law school full time is definitely out of the question, so I have been looking into online schools.
My plan is to attend Concord Law School and establishing my own solo practice in a predominantly immigrant city in central California. My current bosses make more than a decent living so I know that there's definitely a huge demand for immigration legal services. Our clients are mainly working class Latino immigrants filing family petitions and I have never heard anybody ask my bosses where they went to school. The point is that I am not interested in working in a big law firm or practicing outside California (I have lived here 2/3 of my life).
My main concern is the bar passage rates for Concord and online law schools in general. I am planning to cut back my work hours during the first year to allow myself to absorb and process the material. I must admit though that I am frightened of failing the bar exam and I don't know what I would do if I failed. On the other hand, if I make it, I would be able to practice and do what my current bosses do for a third of the price (They both went to UC Davis).
So what do you guys think? Is it doable or I'm I dreaming? I would appreciate any feedback.
Thank you.
Re: Concord Law School Solo Immigration Practice?
Reply #1 on:
October 28, 2010, 02:07:40 PM »
I don't know anything about that particular field of litigation, but I can tell you that law school has almost nothing to do with the bar and the degree of bar-relatedness of the school is pretty much inversely correlated with school rank oddly enough. That is, doing Concord almost certainly won't make you, personally, any less likely to pass than if you went to Harvard or Stanford. Bar pass rates by school are primarily a proxy for how smart/motivated that schools students are. To some extent, some schools, particularly lower-ranked regional schools will focus more on preparing students for the bar and maybe their students have an advantage in that respect, but the "better" schools don't really teach to the bar.
If you fail the bar, study more and re-take it
Overall passing the bar isn't that hard. Its annoying though. You've just gotta study for a couple of months, memorize a bunch of crap, then write that crap down for a day or three and promptly forget it all that night:)
(btw I just passed the bar).
Morten Lund
Re: Concord Law School Solo Immigration Practice?
Reply #2 on:
October 28, 2010, 07:46:10 PM »
Bikepilot is exactly correct. Law school doesn't prepare you for the bar exam - studying for the bar exam prepares you for the bar exam. Study hard in law school to learn things and get grades, and then study hard during bar prep to pass the exam. Both are important, but they are almost entirely unrelated.
Re: Concord Law School Solo Immigration Practice?
Reply #3 on:
October 28, 2010, 09:06:45 PM »
With the abovementioned thoughts in mind, you might want to look into the less expensive online law schools because it is you yourself who must match the elements of each law with the facts of a case in order to reach the correct conclusion.
As far as immigration is concerned, most illegal aliens will not ask you what school you went to. Your reputation is based on how effective and efficient you are without trying to cheat people out of their money. I think that if "the word on the street" is that you "are a good lawyer and that you don't charge much", there just might be a line at your office door every morning.
Re: Concord Law School Solo Immigration Practice?
Reply #4 on:
October 28, 2010, 09:54:52 PM »
Thank you guys for your input. Yes, I am definitely motivated to work hard to achieve my goal. Unfortunately, I simply can't afford to not be working so this route (online) is definitely a blessing. I tend to learn better on my own and really never did well with study groups. For my undergrad I majored in Political Science and Latin American studies after many years out of high school. As I read almost everything I could get my hands on about poli sci and Latin American culture, society and politics before I went into college, the two years I did at UC were a walk in the park. While I understand that the study of law is completely different on so MANY levels, I feel that if I immerse myself completely in my studies I can do well with a distance learning format.
Affordability is definitely key and Concord's tuition is kind of steep. I will do more research on the other online schools to see whether I stick with Concord or not. California Southern University is affordable but I haven't heard anything about this school. Anyone know anything about it?
PS. Any recommendations on books to read before enrolling in law school?
Morten Lund
Re: Concord Law School Solo Immigration Practice?
Reply #5 on:
October 29, 2010, 12:47:16 AM »
I recommend Thane Messinger's
Law School: Getting In, Getting Good, Getting The Gold
Re: Concord Law School Solo Immigration Practice?
Reply #6 on:
October 29, 2010, 11:58:07 PM »
Read as many (hundreds) court opinions on immigration law as you can. Read as many court opinions regarding any area of the law as you can.
Re: Concord Law School Solo Immigration Practice?
Reply #7 on:
October 30, 2010, 01:19:22 PM »
Reading your description I am not sure if you live in or around Fresno and there is a CBA law school there San Joaquin College of Law. It is a CBA school and if you get a moderately decent score on your LSAT they may offer you a full scholarship. Even if you do not get scholarship money most CBA schools are are lot more reasonably priced than the ABA schools.
The online path is also an option and I would not disagree with what anyone said above. I just was not sure if you were aware of some of the CBA schools. I did not know about the CBA schools until after my first year of law school and they are not a bad option considering their relatively low cost. You can get the traditional brick and mortar school if you wanted that way so I thought I would offer the suggestion.
Re: Concord Law School Solo Immigration Practice?
Reply #8 on:
October 30, 2010, 02:38:26 PM »
Thanks again for all of your feedback. I live closer to the Salinas Valley than Fresno and the nearest CBA school to my location is Monterey College of Law (MCL) which about 45 minutes away. According to the Cal Bar statistics MCL has a bar passage rate of about 35 percent which is lower than Concord's, which according to my own figures its at about 40 percent. Concord claims on its website (under school metrics) that its overall passage rate its 51 percent. At this point, after doing more research and reading people's responses to other posts, I think I will stick with Concord.
I really need to focus now on my approach to financing this venture. I will contact Concord to check on the options they offer. Anyone have experience financing an online law education? Please share if you do!
PS. Thanks for the reading recommendations. BikePilot congratulations on passing the bar! Where did you go to school if you mind me asking and was it on you first try?
Happy and safe Halloween to you all!
Re: Concord Law School Solo Immigration Practice?
Reply #9 on:
October 30, 2010, 03:26:11 PM »
With Concord's reputation, you might be able to get a loan from Sallie Mae. Concord might also be able to debit your check card every month.
If you want to form a study group via email, let me know. All law schools discuss the same cases.
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Concord Law School Solo Immigration Practice?


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Off The Map
This story appears in the September 1998 issue of . Subscribe »
Say goodbye to the days of the cattle-call bus tour, when masses of weary visitors were herded through seven countries in six days, stopping just long enough to snap a photo and climb back into their air-conditioned coaches. "Today's travelers want to participate in their vacations, not be passive sightseers," says Hank Phillips, executive director of the National Tour Association in Lexington, Kentucky. "They want to explore and experience new things."
This contemporary breed of traveler has spurred the growth of the specialty travel industry. Tourism is the third-largest retail sales industry in the United States, and specialty travel is one of its fastest-growing segments. In 1996 (the most recent year for which figures are available), more than 25 million people--many of them baby boomers with unprecedented discretionary income--traveled on tours, an increase of 22 percent since 1993.
The explosion in specialty travel has given the word "vacation" a whole new meaning. Tour companies catering to virtually every taste and interest imaginable are springing up. No longer content to settle back with a bestseller on the beach, ordinary people can spend a week living the life of a Civil War soldier, taking a Jeep safari through the Arizona desert or learning the elements of espionage. They can rope calves from atop Palomino horses, go on archeological digs, sample various types of cigars or take cooking classes in Mexico.
"A lot of these tour companies were started by people who had a particular interest," says Steen Hansen, publisher of Specialty Travel Index, a monthly adventure and specialty travel magazine. "If it's done right, anything can become a specialty travel business."
To start, you'll need $20,000 to $25,000. Much of that goes toward initial marketing efforts, purchasing blocks of tickets and reserving hotel space; the remainder covers office equipment. It's good for prospective specialty tour organizers to have experience in the travel industry or a network of contacts at hotels and other destinations. Many specialty tour operators are former travel agents.
Entrepreneurs in the specialty tour industry say the greatest challenge is marketing. Because direct mail is the most effective way for them to attract clients, many purchase mailing lists from groups whose members might be interested in their tours. They also maintain Web sites and advertise in national and special-interest publications.
Christine Johnson, owner of World Beat Tours, a Portsmouth, New Hampshire, travel company that specializes in trips to music festivals, has looked beyond the obvious and sent company literature to university music departments and record label executives.
As with any start-up, profits can be slim initially, especially since you must pay upfront to buy tickets or reserve hotel rooms--even before you've booked a single client. As the business grows, however, so do annual profits, which can range from $30,000 to more than $100,000, or an average of 10 percent to 15 percent of gross sales, say industry experts. But for people in this business, getting rich quick isn't the primary motive. Making a living doing what they love is the big payoff.
On the following pages, meet nine specialty tour operators who turned their passions and interests into an exciting way of life.
The Wheel Deal
Company: Randonnée Tours Ltd.
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Owners: Rick Bueckert, 48, and Ruth Marr, 40
Date started: November 1990
Start-up costs: Approximately $30,000
Sales: $500,000 in 1997
"Randonnée" is a French word meaning "to make an excursion under one's own power." And that's the key to Randonnée Tours, a Winnipeg, Manitoba, company that arranges self-guided cycling and walking tours of England, France, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Nova Scotia and Switzerland.
"Self-guided tours are a European style of travel," says Ruth Marr, who co-owns Randonnée Tours with her husband, Rick Bueckert. "You have the feel of being on an organized tour, but also have time alone."
This husband-and-wife team is uniquely qualified to run the business. Bueckert is a travel consultant with a degree in classics and art history; Marr is an environmental consultant who speaks fluent French, has traveled in Africa and Asia, and has written two books on walking and cycling. Marr ran an environmental consulting firm for five years before deciding to follow her bliss in the specialty travel industry.
"We have experience traveling this way, so we know what it's like to spend seven days on a bike. That helps us plan and gives us a better idea of customers' expectations," explains Marr, who makes two or three trips with Bueckert to each destination to work out details before clients arrive.
Most of Randonnée's clients are women in their late forties, although ages range from 20 to 70. The company's fastest-growing market is honeymooners. In the future, the partners plan to create shorter self-guided tours for businesspeople who want to combine work with pleasure--as they themselves have done.
"Adventure travel is a lifestyle," says Marr. "My husband and I get to spend five or six months each year in Europe. [In this industry,] you have to look at nonmonetary rewards as well as monetary ones."
Ladies First
Company: Wild Women Adventures
Location: Sebastopol, California
Owners: Carol T. Rivendell, 51, "Queen Executive Officer," and Martha Lindt, 49, "Queen of Operations"
Date started: May 1994
Start-up costs: $5,000
Their motto is "Insanity with dignity." They pose for their promotional literature in outfits that would make Carmen Miranda turn grape-green with envy. And the names of their tours could win a creative writing contest: Red Hot Mamas Cookin' (a week of cooking classes in Mexico), What's Mayan is Yours (a trek to the Yucatan Peninsula) and Erin Go Braghless (a tour of western Ireland).
But behind the lighthearted facade, Carol Rivendell, a former psychotherapist, and Martha Lindt, a travel agent, are serious about offering women high-quality, guilt-free getaways.
"We created Wild Women for women who want to travel on their own--but not alone," says Lindt, who met Rivendell when their children were high school sweethearts.
Without enough start-up capital to compete with established tour operators and their slick brochures, the partners needed to find another way to distinguish themselves. "We decided to be menopausal bitches from hell," Rivendell wisecracks. They dressed up and had a friend do their photography. Their catalog, reminiscent of Mad magazine, is printed on inexpensive newsprint. Their first clients came from a mailing list provided by a local comedian.
Although they initially targeted housewives and older women longing to see the world, their client base has expanded to include young professionals too busy to plan their own vacations. "We're passionate about travel and feel strongly about women taking time off to do something for themselves," Rivendell says. "This is hard work, but my God, it's fun."
Surf's Up
Company: San Diego Surfing Academy
Location: San Diego
Owners: Pat Weber, 38, and Lynne Weber, 34
Date started: June 1995
Start-up costs: Less than $5,000
Sales: $200 to $1,600 per day
He used to sell carpet for a living, but his heart always longed for the waves he had surfed since age 6. After talking with owners of other surfing camp companies, Pat Weber knew he had to make the break.
While his wife, Lynne, continued working as an administrative assistant, Pat bought three used surfboards for $250, begged friends to donate wet suits, bought liability insurance and started the business. The company offers surfing lessons; a six-day adult surfing camp in the spring and summer; and surfing jaunts to Baja, California, in the fall and winter.
Pat still remembers his first clients, a twenty-something couple who'd always wanted to surf but lived in the Midwest. Other clients who now flock to his camp for sun, fun and adventure include teenagers who get surf lessons as graduation presents, people battling midlife crises, and sales representatives who win surf lessons as workplace incentives.
Working from home, the Webers (Lynne's now in the business full time) market their company through the chamber of commerce and local tourist bureau, ads in surfing magazines, and word-of-mouth; much of their business comes from their Web site. Although the business sounds glamorous, there's a great deal of grunt work: loading equipment, rinsing wet suits and completing paperwork. "Some days, I'm a poster boy for Advil and Ben-Gay," Pat says. "But I have a romantic notion about being paid to be an athlete."
The Beat Goes On
Company: World Beat Tours
Location: Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Owner: Christine Johnson, 31
Date started: November 1997
Start-up cost: $25,000
Sales: Aiming for $300,000 in first year
A happy confluence of Christine Johnson's love of music, her experience as a travel agent, and a fiancé who's a concert promoter with access to tickets gave rise to World Beat Tours, a travel company that coordinates tickets, travel accommodations and related activities for music aficionados planning vacations around music festivals.
World Beat makes arrangements for clients attending everything from the New Orleans Jazz Festival and the London Beatles Tour to the Reggae Sunsplash in Jamaica. Because each concert attracts a very different type of client, Johnson targets her direct mailings accordingly. Focusing only on residents of Boston, Los Angeles, New York and Seattle, she buys appropriate mailing lists in those cities, then markets only to people she perceives as potential customers. For an upscale event, such as the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, Johnson sells to a middle-aged, upper-middle-income customer; for the Reggae Sunsplash, she focuses on a younger crowd. Despite the success of direct mail, her Web site has given the best return on investment.
Still in the start-up phase, Johnson is learning about details such as accurately estimating the number of tickets she can sell per event. But those are snags that will work themselves out. Doing what she loves is what her business and her life are about.
Star Tours
Company: FilmScape Vacations
Location: Fresno, California
Owners: Jacqueline Farkas, 52, and Jay Farkas, 28
Date started: April 1997
Start-up costs: Less than $20,000
Sales: Estimated at $65,000 in first year
Deep in our hearts, we all want to be movie stars. FilmScape lets clients fulfill that dream--at least for a week. Guests experience the art of movie-making, assuming the roles of writer, director, producer and actor under the careful direction of Farkas' 28-year-old son, Jay, a professional producer and director, and FilmScape's co-owner and vice president.
Participants come from all walks of life, but many are middle-aged and upper-middle-class folks who long to penetrate the mystique of Hollywood. To expand the market, the Farkases recently launched a program for clients aged 15 to 23 who want to learn about TV production.
FilmScape was born of necessity when Jacqueline, who had owned a travel agency since 1994, found profits dwindling after airlines placed a cap on commissions. Jay came up with the idea for FilmScape; his mom provided the start-up capital.
A one-time accountant, Jacqueline much prefers travel to numbers-crunching: "I get a far better reaction when I'm handing people a ticket to a vacation than a tax form."
Pamela Rohland is a writer in Bernville, Pennsylvania.
Contact Sources
FilmScape Vacations, (800) 345-6625, http://www.filmvacations.com
National Tour Association, (800) 682-8886, http://www.ntaonline.com
Randonnée Tours Ltd., (800) 465-6488, http://www.randonneetours.com
San Diego Surfing Academy, (800) 447-SURF, http://www.surfSDSA.com
Wild Women Adventures, (800) 992-1322, http://www.wildwomenadv.com
World Beat Tours, (888) 430-BEAT, http://www.worldbeattours.com


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Check out this month's infographic to find ten great foods to eat more of!
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This year, studies continue to confirm the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet.
Benefits of Owning Pets
Our furry friends provide a mood boost and unconditional love—but what if a senior with health challenges has trouble caring for a beloved pet?
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If we assume certain symptoms are due merely to our advanced years, we might miss out on treatment that could protect our health
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"Unbefriended" elders are vulnerable to a host of health problems.
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America's seniors are filling movie theaters in record numbers to watch Hollywood's mature actors reinvent themselves on the big screen.
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More Americans than ever are taking yoga classes. Is this a safe practice for people with painful joints?
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Providing care for a loved one with dementia can significantly raise the caregiver's risk of heart disease, depression, even dementia.
Helping Senior Relatives Get the Hang of Facebook
Today's families keep in touch through social media. If older loved ones aren't on board, they can miss out.
This Summer, Drink to Your Health!
Most of us know to take in more fluids during the warmer months. But does it matter what we drink? Nutritionists assure us that it does!
Experts Say the Rate of Dementia Is Declining
The number of seniors living with Alzheimer's continues to climb—yet the percentage seems to be trending downward. What's behind this unexpected but welcome news?
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Modern life and growing older both put us at high risk of lower back pain.
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May is Better Hearing & Speech Month. Did you know that hearing loss raises the risk of depression, dementia, falls, and even hospitalization?
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The need to spend time with others is a powerful human need, even when a person is living with memory loss.
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Many older adults have been left out of the communications revolution, but new senior-friendly technologies promise to remedy that.
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Evidence shows that talking on the phone, texting and other activities behind the wheel are as dangerous as driving while intoxicated.
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With every meal you prepare at home, you've been selecting healthy ingredients and counting calories. What went wrong?
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Alzheimer's Disease Caregivers Ask: "Am I at Risk?"
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As you brighten the winter months with candles, lights and greenery, be sure to take a few safety precautions.
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You're Never Too Old to Kick the Habit
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Dancing offers physical, mental and social benefits, which makes it a great form of brain exercise.
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Grandparents and grandchildren influence each other's physical and emotional well-being in many powerful ways.
Older and Wiser?
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Overdoing the Retirement Toasts
A new study finds that some seniors turn to alcohol after leaving the workplace.
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It's a tough issue for older adults and the families who worry about them: Are Mom and Dad safe behind the wheel?
Mental Exercise Helps the Brain "Work Around" the Damage of Alzheimer's Disease
Brain imaging shows that despite the presence of physical changes normally associated with dementia, some people remain mentally sharp.
Having the Talk About Home Care
Professional in-home care agencies report an uptick in information calls in early January. The reason? The holidays are the time when out-of-town relatives are most likely to visit their elderly loved ones—and to realize that these seniors need help!
10 Healthy Aging Tips for Santa
Dear Santa,
We know that at this time of year, your mailbox at the North Pole is overflowing! But we hope you'll take time to read our wish list for you—the gift of healthy lifestyle choices. We're making our list and checking it twice to find ways for you to stay active and engaged for years to come!
Online Buzz: Exercise Your Brain After Retirement
We've long heard that physical fitness contributes to improved overall health, but scientists are now proving that your brain needs its own fitness program, especially if you are retired or over 65. Neurobiologists use the term "neurobics" to describe the mental exercises that help prevent memory loss and sharpen brain function. Neurobics includes brainteasers, puzzles and other cognitive exercises.
Is Gluttony the Real Culprit in Our National Obesity Epidemic?
If you're like many of us, November and December bring an unwanted holiday gift: a few extra pounds that show up when we step on the scale in January! Maybe you even got a head start by finishing off the leftover Halloween candy?
Online Buzz: University-Based Retirement Communities Offer an Alternative to Traditional Retirement
Golf, bridge and bingo not exactly on your retirement list? How about football, zoology and theater? A growing number of American seniors are opting out of traditional retirement communities, lush with golf courses and nearby shopping, for university-based retirement communities, or UBRCs.
Have the Flu or a Cold? Should You Exercise?
A poll in the August 2013 issue of Caring Right at Home yielded the good news that more than half of our readers exercise regularly. But what if you're sniffling and sneezing?
Dementia and Its Costs Soar Worldwide
September is World Alzheimer's Month. Alzheimer's Disease International sponsors this recognition event to call attention to the global impact of Alzheimer's, which knows no boundaries.
Online Buzz: Practicing Tai Chi Can Lead to Many Health Benefits for Elders
Perhaps you've seen or participated in the slow, fluid body motions of tai chi (tie-chee). If so, you are one of 2.3 million Americans who practice this graceful martial art that originated in China and is shown to reduce stress and anxiety, enhance self-confidence, and elevate overall well-being.
Online Buzz: Peanut Butter May Help Detect Alzheimer's
A dollop of peanut butter and a ruler may soon be a common tool for helping detect early-stage Alzheimer's disease. The Journal of the Neurological Sciences recently published a University of Florida study that used peanut butter to test for loss of smell in patients with suspect cognitive and memory impairment.
Happiness and Healthy Aging: What's the Connection?
It seems obvious that good health in our later years would make it easier to enjoy life. Yet two recent reports from Canada show that the way we feel about life—and about ourselves—is intertwined with our health in a more complicated way.
Seven Great Ways In-Home Care Keeps Seniors Connected
From time to time, the Caring Right at Home newsletter has highlighted the ongoing research of University of Chicago's Dr. John Cacioppo, whose groundbreaking work on the effect of loneliness has changed how we think about how seniors spend their time. Dr. Cacioppo has shown that loneliness is highly stressful for humans, raising the risk of hypertension, sleep disorders, depression and even Alzheimer's disease.
Online Buzz: Trace Your Ancestry Using the Internet
Every family has a unique story. Discovering more about your ancestors from decades past can be an enjoyable and educational project. Tracing your lineage may even surprise you with insights into your own personality, likes, dislikes and customs.
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Family caregivers are some of the busiest people around! These people who provide care for elderly or disabled relatives spend hours making sure their loved one is safe and well-cared for, often juggling work and other family responsibilities. Extra time to spend on their own needs is a scarce commodity.
Berry Power!
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acation season is here! Are you traveling by plane this summer? Here is some information to ensure that security screening goes smoothly for older adults with disabilities and medical conditions.
Little-Known Type of Dementia Affects 1.3 Million Americans
The STARZ Channel series "Boss," starring actor Kelsey Grammer, was the first time many Americans had ever heard of Lewy body dementia. In his Golden Globe-winning performance, Grammer portrayed the fictional Mayor Tom Kane of Chicago, who was struggling with the effects of the disease.
Could Poor Sleep Rob You of Your Independence?
When you were a small child, you probably complained to your parents at bedtime: "Why do I have to go to sleep? It's a waste of time!" Most of us spend about one-third of our life sleeping—but sleep remains a mystery to us. We don't think much about it until we encounter a sleep problem.
Creating Appetizing Meals for Seniors
Good nutrition is vital for the health and well-being of older adults. Yet when it comes to eating well, this time of life brings challenges. Disabilities, chronic health conditions and medications can all affect the appetite. Taste and smell often decline. Missing teeth, uncomfortable dentures and digestive problems can make eating uncomfortable. And for many with Parkinson's disease, arthritis, MS or stroke, eating is more of a challenge than a pleasure.
Does Forgetting Words Signify the Beginning of Alzheimer's Disease?
Has your memory failed you today, such as struggling to recall a word that's "on the tip of your tongue?" If so, you're not alone.
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Drinking coffee and other caffeinated drinks is not something people readily give up. In one survey of people 64 years of age and older, almost 20 percent indicated they would rather give up sex than give up drinking coffee. While there are dangers associated with consuming too much caffeine, the effects of the stimulant on seniors in particular aren't all negative.


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text: heart(3) ERLANG MODULE DEFINITION heart(3) MODULE heart - Heartbeat Monitoring of an Erlang Runtime System. DESCRIPTION The heart module sends periodic heartbeats to an external port program, which is also named heart. The purpose of the heart port program is to check that the Erlang runtime system it is supervising is still running. If the port program has not received any heartbeats within HEART_BEAT_TIMEOUT (default is 60 seconds) from the last one, the system can be rebooted. Also, if the system is equipped with a hardware watchdog timer and is running Solaris, the watchdog can be used to supervise the entire system. This module is started by the init module during system start-up. The -heart command line flag determines if the heart module should start . If the system should be rebooted because of missing heart-beats, or a terminated Erlang runtime system, the environment variable HEART_COMMAND has to be set before the system is started. If this variable is not set, a warning text will be printed but the system will not reboot. However, if the hardware watchdog is used, it will trigger a reboot HEART_BEAT_BOOT_DELAY seconds later nevertheless (default is 60). To reboot on the WINDOWS platform HEART_COMMAND can be set to heart -shutdown (included in the Erlang delivery) or of course to any other suitable program which can activate a reboot. The hardware watchdog will not be started under Solaris if the environment variable HW_WD_DISABLE is set. The HEART_BEAT_TIMEOUT and HEART_BEAT_BOOT_DELAY environment variables can be used to configure the heart timeouts, they can be set in the operating system shell before erl -heart is started or can be passed on the command line like this:erl -heart -env HEART_BEAT_TIMEOUT 30. The value (in seconds) must be in the range 10 < X <= 65535. It should be noted that if the system clock is adjusted with more than HEART_BEAT_TIMEOUT seconds heart will timeout and try to reboot the system. This can happen for example if the system clock is adjusted automatically by use of NTP (Network Time Protocol). EXPORTS start() -> {ok, Pid} | ignore | {error, What} Types Pid = pid() What = void() Starts the heart program. This function returns ignore if the -heart command line flag is not supplied. set_cmd(Cmd) -> ok | {error, {bad_cmd, Cmd}} Types Cmd = string() Sets a temporary reboot command. This command is used if a HEART_COMMAND other than the one specified with the environment variable should be used in order to reboot the system. The new Erlang runtime system will (if it misbehaves) use the environment variable HEART_COMMAND to reboot. The length of the Cmd command string must be less than 2047 characters. clear_cmd() -> ok Clears the temporary boot command. If the system terminates, the normal HEART_COMMAND is used to reboot. AUTHORS Magnus Fröberg - firstname.lastname@example.com Kenneth Lundin - firstname.lastname@example.com Ericsson Utvecklings AB kernel 2.7.2 heart(3)


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THURSDAY, June 5, 2008 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers report they have used neural stem cells to correct a congenital brain disorder in mice.
Dr. Steven Goldman, of the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York, and his colleagues used a type of neural stem cell called "glial progenitor cells" (GPCs), derived from human fetuses, to correct both behavioral and physiological abnormalities in a mouse model of a myelin-deficiency disorder.
The study represents "a very important advance," said Dr. James Goldman, an investigator in the Columbia Neural Stem Cell Program at Columbia University Medical Center, who was not involved in the study.
Though Steven Goldman and others previously had shown that injection of GPCs into mouse brains could lead to remyelination of demyelinated neurons, that observation did not include any change in disease progression.
"The fact that they were able to get at least some of these animals to survive, and show that physiologically and behaviorally they are doing well, is an advance," said James Goldman.
The findings were reported in the June issue of Cell Stem Cell.
Myelin is a structure, comprised of protein and fat, that envelops long neuronal fibers called axons. Axons are the conduits for neural impulses, both conscious and unconscious. Just as electrical cable must be insulated to prevent signal loss over distance, myelin ensures that nerve impulses can traverse long axonal processes in the central nervous system without degrading.
Myelin is formed by neural support cells called oligodendrocytes, which are derived from GPCs. Disorders that arise from the absence or degradation of myelin represent a "substantial proportion of adult neurological diseases," said Steven Goldman. They run the gamut, from autoimmune disorders like muscular dystrophy, to lysosomal storage diseases like Tay-Sachs, to congenital defects like Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease, an X-linked condition where myelin doesn't form.
In this study, Goldman and his team used "shiverer" mice, whose congenital lack of myelin basic protein causes them to shake and seize uncontrollably, giving them their name. They typically die by 5 months of age.
The shiverer mice were crossed with immunodeficient mice, so they would not reject the GPC transplant, and split into three treatment groups; 59 received no treatment, 29 received injections of buffer into five different locations in the brain shortly after birth, and 26 received injections of GPCs.
By about 130 days after birth, all 88 control mice died. But six of 26 transplanted animals survived at least 160 days, and four lived over a year. Behaviorally and physiologically, these survivors appeared largely cured, and post-mortem analysis of these animals' brains and spinal cords demonstrated why.
"The entire central nervous system had remyelinated and looked normal in terms of structural configuration of the myelination, both at the microscopic and submicroscopic level, and at the behavioral level," Goldman said.
In other words, from five separate injection sites, the GPCs migrated throughout the central nervous system, differentiated into oligodendrocytes, and began producing myelin.
The researchers then assessed the physiological effect of that remyelination, by measuring the speed of nerve transmission along remyelinated axons. They observed velocities on par with those of normal mice.
"That is proof in principle that putting glial progenitors in a brain like this will at least partially remyelinate the brain, and do so functionally," said James Goldman.
Though this study involved a congenital pediatric disorder, Steven Goldman said his goal is to apply the technique to adult diseases like multiple sclerosis. For now, his team is working to understand why most transplanted animals still die. He suggested this could stem from the seizures that plague shiverer animals, including transplant recipients that have not yet completed remyelination, and said he is exploring the utility of pairing transplants with anticonvulsant therapy to alleviate this problem.
But James Goldman pointed out that before this transplant procedure can be turned into a clinical therapy, several issues must be addressed, not the least of which is the politically sensitive problem of obtaining and using human fetal tissue as a therapeutic agent.
More information
For more on leukodystrophies, visit the U.S. National Library of Medicine.