text:
The best blissfully warm and cosy knitting projects for winter nights
Most of the time, winter means staying indoors, rugged-up with a nice cuppa tea (and these are the best teas to have on-hand!), a good movie or book - or better yet, magazine! - but, if either of those fail, picking-up the knitting needles and a good ball of yarn for a soothing knit is always a good option. These are our most preferred knitting projects to while away the winter months this season...
Knitting bangle
If you're sittin', you're knittin'! And the world needs to know. Don your 'knitting bangles' so everyone can tell what time it is as you settle into the settee for a good session. Use your old knitting needles or ones you simply don't need anymore and give them a new lease on life!
Click here for how to make these nifty old knitting needles bangles.
Boho Chic woollen throw rug
Planning a movie night? Want nothing more than to snuggle-up and read a good book? We hear ya! Do it all and more with this strikingly colourful and bohemian-chic knitted or crocheted throw rug! It comes as part of this year's knitting kit from Better Homes and Gardens, complete with everything you need to make it happen.
See more by clicking this link.
Mini pom-poms
As bookmarks, keyring accessories or just to dangle off things, mini pompoms are as cute as they are handy when it comes to decorations and this is a super simple way to make them! See more by clicking here.
Swirl wool scarf
These scarves can be hemmed by hand using hemming stitch, matching thread and a hand sewing needle. The wool can be hand stitched by stitching over the wool to hold in place. Cosy!
Cuddly sock teddies
Adorable! And great for the kids, too as it's pretty child-friendly. See here for how to make your own.


text:
How Tall Is Don Collier?
Don Collier's height is 6 ft inches or 183cm
Page submitted: Thursday, 25 April, 2013 - 00:32
At a height of 6 feet 0 inches, or 182.88cm tall, Don Collier is taller than 58.09% and smaller than 41.9% of all males in our height database. This makes him slightly taller than average.
Compare your height to Don Collier
|Your height in cm:
|Your height in ft:
|ft inches
Add new comment
Recent Posts
Today's most visited
They are a recent invention, only becoming popular since the turn of the...

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Blue Room EP Album Cover
The Blue Room EP was the third EP released by Coldplay, and their first release after signing with the Parlophone label in April 1999.
The version of "Don't Panic" featured on this release is a different, more atmospheric version than the one that appears on the band's debut album Parachutes. It also features two songs culled from their Safety EP: "Bigger Stronger" and a shorter version of "Such A Rush" – the original recording but without the music before Chris Martin's vocals. The fourth track, "High Speed", would also appear on Coldplay's debut album, Parachutes.
Only 5000 copies were manufactured in the original pressing. The EP is available in greater quantities after a 2001 re-issue.
Track listing
- "Such a Rush"
On October 8th 2010, the official Coldplay site [1] continued their new series of news articles that focus on interviewing the designers of some of the artwork to their previous releases. They featured Tim Moore, the man responsible for designing the cover of Coldplay's first release for Parlophone, The Blue Room EP, which was released almost exactly 11 years before this interview was published, on October 11th 1999.
Hi Tim. So, how did you come to design the cover for the Blue Room EP?
It was a lucky one, I had just graduated from Edinburgh College of Art & was in London planning a trip to Japan funded by the Royal Society of Arts I was discussing my work with a friend who had popped round and was mates with Claire O'Brien at Parlophone. He gave me Claire's contact details, I made contact and showed her my portfolio at EMI. Luckily she really liked my sketchbooks, so she held onto them and mentioned she would show them to a new band she was working with, I was called back into Parlophone soon after that & ended up meeting with Chris and the band at their flat in Camden.
Was it among the first covers you designed?
I had done a few covers for Electronic Music artists – Global Communication but yes it was early days in terms of my commercial work
What had you trained in at college?
I trained as a Graphic Designer on the Visual Communication course at Edinburgh College of Art. I did my dissertation on the visualisation of music & that subject continues to fascinate & inspire my work.
Was there a specific brief for the Blue Room EP?
Both the band & the label had some ideas of how they wanted the cover to look, I remember feeling pretty hemmed in by the process. At that time I had no studio of my own and laptops were a bit out of reach on my budget, so due to time restraints and the way it all turned out I did the design in the basement of the EMI building in Kensington. It was full of people busy artworking EMI communications, this gave me my first taste of the realities of Commercial art for major record labels.
Who was responsible for picking the image and why was it chosen?
Chris Martin had this book on the National Geographic Photographer David Doubilet called 'Water Light Time' published by Phaidon. It contains incredible images of marine life & I was also really interested in underwater photography so it was decided to work with several images from the book. We had to contact the photographer's agent and request the rights to the eventual image, in the end the image of a delicate coral in the hand worked best within the 12-inch format.
Were there lots of different options for the cover?
Not really no. It was a choice between 5 potential images and the coral in the hand worked best within the frame. Then it was a case of working with type to best balance the information with the beauty of the image itself.
Were the band involved with the process?
Not after the first meeting, no. I remember they gave feedback on the first visuals and liked the crop and the way in which the cover felt using a simple layout & clean typography. I remember wondering how I could work more of my own ideas on this job, but to be honest at this time pure typography alongside photography didn't play to my strengths. This was a lesson to me & soon after I ended up working for one of Europe's top designers for 3 years to greatly improve my typographic skills.
Were you a fan of Coldplay's music? Obviously it was very early days for them.
I had never heard of them before I received an early copy of the EP & knew straight away that they had a sound that would go on to be very popular. It wasn't my kind of sound, but I did appreciate the production even then, the Bigger Stronger & High Speed tracks felt like well-honed pop records. I was fresh out of college, & had been djing and producing underground dance music since I was 16 so I didn't take the music as seriously as I might have. I would certainly take the cover in a new direction now, but hindsight is a luxury of the past.
How much time did you spend on the design?
Probably about a week as I also did a promo mail out in the form of the coral from the cover image. I remember thinking the CD worked best, as the Digipac opened up and the CD on body was the coral with the hand sitting behind it under the clear tray to make it seem as you were removing the coral from the hand. It's such a beautiful image and ended up working well across formats with the tone of the EP.
Were you pleased with the finished result?
I learnt a lot on the job and it was great to work with an image of such power, but I had little creative freedom & when the vinyl came out the record company had placed this huge white limited edition box below the type in the lower left hand corner without consulting me, which completely messed the entire balance of the cover and just felt like such a careless thing to do… I was pretty shocked by that to tell you the truth.
And what do you think of it now?
The cover is really the photograph & the photograph is excellent so it certainly works as an arresting image & fits the music well in terms of the mood, with almost ten years having passed there are lots of things I would change especially the type on the back – it makes me cringe. It's probably the worst bit of typesetting I have ever let out into the world but as a cover it works well.
The EP goes for quite a bit on eBay now – do you still have a copy?
Yes I still have copies of the CD and vinyl release + some very rare and rather basic blank colour versions that have a varnished finish to them. I was lucky enough to be given the 0001 copy of the 12 inch so if anyone wants the first ever limited release of Coldplay's Blue Room EP on Parlophone make me an offer! It's been in my portfolio for some time, so it's pretty mint.
Do you tell people about your role in Coldplay's career?
It's always been a useful door opener when it came to working for other labels & design companies, but it's nearly ten years ago now so I don't tend to bring it up that often. I am still proud to have been involved though.
Have you designed many covers since?
I have designed quite a few, but mainly for independent labels as on the whole that's where I find a lot of the music I love. I designed the Nigeria Special series for Soundway records & created designs for other releases on that label. I Art Direct the House music label Prime Numbers out of Manchester, I also designed much of the early firecracker records releases & I am currently working on a new label for Electronic Sound records.
Are you still designing? What do you work on these days?
As Art director of Nth Creative I get to design lots of different things which is how we like it, although we make sure thats it's for things we like which sometimes reduces the big fees but keeps us inspired & engaged. I design logos for companies such as Canongate books, websites for Galleries & a lot of work for the music industry. I am currently designing my brother's new record label, I have just finished the cover for my new record which is out now… It's a track called Shake Your Body Down by Discreet Unit on Prime Numbers. I am also trying to get time to design our new website as the current site is about 3 years out of date. I am a visiting lecturer at Edinburgh College of Art, although since moving to Cornwall the visits have become less frequent. And when I get the time beyond all that I am doing up an old barn in Cornwall which I hope to turn into a studio in the very near future.
And do you still keep an eye on Coldplay's progress?
I listen to a wide spectrum of music, but to be honest Coldplay's sound is not regularly on my system. I did like the last album & could certainly hear the effect Brian Eno had in terms of the production, it's great that they have been so successful & I hope it all stays positive for them.
The Oracle on The Blue Room EP
April 3, 2013 – submitted by Erin, United States of America
Q. Hey guys
I am totally wondering about the Blue Room e.p. and Brothers and Sisters e.p.
Are these the first Coldplay recordings or just demos? Thank you in advance! (PS you guys are awesome!)
The Oracle replies:
Brothers & Sisters was a band demo that was released as a single by Fierce Panda. There was a subsequent version of Brothers & Sisters recorded for the b side of Trouble.
Coldplay's first release for EMI was The Blue Room. It contained a couple of tracks from their professionally studio recorded Safety ep demo.
So to answer your question, both eps are made up of both.
Coldplay's demos were all of high quality though so it's hard to see them as demonstration when they were so good.
February 1, 2012 – submitted by Caleb, Malaysia
Q. Hey Oracle, I just bought Coldplay's The Blue Room E.P for GBP 20.00 and the item is in good condition but it have a little defects on the back cover. Since this is my first time buying things online, I want to make sure that the purchase is a good purchase. Therefore, I want to ask you about The Blue Room E.P. Can you please tell me how many of them were produce and are they considered as rare items? 🙂
Thanks in advance for your help! 🙂
The Oracle replies:
It would depend from which batch the cd you have is from. The initial run of the E.P was 5000 which is considered low and would make the item somewhat rare. It was re-issued a couple of years later which means it was more readily available and therefore cds from that batch wouldn't be considered to be rare.
I don't have access to serial numbers so can't help you work out whether yours is from the earlier or later pressing.
December 21, 2011 – submitted by Britt, United States of America
Q. Hello, Oracle! I have a CD copy of the Safety Room EP, but I'm not sure if it's the original 1999 version or the 2001 re-release. Is there any way to tell the difference?
The Oracle replies:
Unless I am going mad, do you mean The Blue Room? The Saftey EP was never re-released… It was 'released' in 1998 too so that would rule it out. It's hard to know with The Blue Room but I'm not sure it would make much difference in financial worth or investment terms.
November 12, 2010 – submitted by Karen M, Colombia
Q. Q.Dear Oracle
the hand that is in the picture of the Blue Room EP is from one of the guys? Or is from another person?
The Oracle replies:
Anchorman recently interviewed the designer of the Blue Room EP's cover; the hand in the photo does not belong to anyone in the band.
The article explains the picture was sourced from a magazine.
September 25, 2010 – submitted by Dan, United States of America
Q. Good day to you Oracle,
I was wondering if the name for The Blue Room Ep stemmed from an unreleased song with that name; quite like LeftRightLeftRightLeft (Coldplay's live album from the Viva La Vida Era).
As always I appreciate your time and consideration.
P.S. How Is Your Life Today?
The Oracle replies:
There was never a song called The Blue Room; it doesn't exist, unlike Leftrightleftrightleft that does but hasn't been released (as you say).
The Blue Room got its name from the studio where it was recorded.
p.s My life today is great. Thanks for asking!
April 16, 2010 – submitted by Baran, Germany
Q. Dear Oracle,
The Blue Room ep there are 5,000 copies, I have a promo of The Blue Room and wanted to get you ep questions whether this is or whether it really is just a fake. The ep has no image and only in white above and below the name in blue Coldplay The Blue Room ep
Moreover, still stuck two stickers on it. In front the phone numbers of Kevin McCabe, Mike Walsh and Jackie Jenkins are on it. On the back side is a sticker on it on the band's history.
One more quick question, I have a Brothers & Sisters Cd original unopened wrapped in foil, will you have this, perhaps, because it has all started with this CD, so to speak?
The Oracle replies:
The first run of the Blue Room EP was limited to 500 copies and what you have is a promo copy from EMI so is not a fake exactly although different of course from the released version in appearance only. Promos usually state "not for resale" on them.
I have never seen a foil wrapped promo of Brothers & Sisters; it wasn't released in one and it would be unusual for it to be.
September 1, 2009 – submitted by Nikki, United States of America
Q. Dear Oracle,
How much is The Blue Room EP worth?
Around the £40 mark but can of course reach more in online auctions.
August 12, 2009 – submitted by sam, Australia
Q. Oracle,
Who's hand is it in the Blue Room EP cover?
Who's idea was it?
Why is that version of Don't Panic so different and cool? Who made them change it to the version on Parachutes?
The Oracle replies:
It isn't a band member; it's a deep sea diver. The design company Blue Source, erm, sourced the photo. Mark Tappin who used to work there still has a creative input on Coldplay artwork.
The first version of Don't Panic was recorded with a different producer to the album. Chris Allison worked with the band before Ken Nelson was brought it for Parachutes. The band and label preferred the material with Ken's production.
April 3, 2009 – submitted by Jean Baptiste, France
Q. Dear Oracle. I recently bought the Blue room EP and I was wondering : "to who belongs the hand on the cover ?" Chris? Will? Guy? Jonny?
The Oracle replies:
The design company chose that shot and it isn't actually a photograph of anyone in the band.


text:
~Reading notable women writers recognized by The Women's Prize For Fiction ~
Monday, April 18, 2011
new member intro
Hello I am really new to this so please bear with me!! I am a bookworm and have been all my life. My idea of a good afternoon shopping is going in a bookshop and not leaving till closing! I read anything if I think it looks good - not too much sci-fi but if someone reccomends I'll give it a go. I have followed the Orange prize for some time and although I know it is controversial in some arenas to have a prize only for women, it has been the means of discovering fantastic new writers and increasing their profiles. I am English and a home educating mother of 4 children, plus I have a big softie of a dog and a Garfield look-alike cat. I enjoy hearing other people's views on books I read but am a little apprehensive about techie stuff. Tess The books I have read are: 1999 SL The Poisonwood Bible Barbara Kingsolver 2000 SL Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood Rebecca Wells 2001 SL The Blind Assassin Margaret Attwood 2002 W Bel Canto Ann Patchett SL Fingersmith Sarah Waters 2003 SL Unless Carol Shields SL The Little Friend Donna Tartt 2004 W Small Island Andrea Levy SL Purple Hibiscus Chimimanda Ngozi Adichio SL The Colour Rose Tremain 2005 W We Need To Talk About Kevin Lionel Shriver 2006 W On Beauty Zadie Smith SL The Night Watch Sarah Waters 2007 W Half a Yellow Sun Chimimanda Ngozi Adichio SL The Observations Jane Harris 2008 W The Road Home Rose Tremain SL The Outcast Sadie Jones 2011 SL Room Emma Donaghue
Posted by cornflower blue at 5:14 AM
1 comment:
- Wendy said...
welcome to the group, Tess! I am looking forward to reading your reviews! Feel free to leave reviews or thoughts on the blog for books you have already read, if you would like to!
- April 18, 2011 at 5:54 AM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Recently I have noticed that my girlfriend started to behave oddly – she spends too much time chatting with someone, does not tell where she goes and she has changes the password to her accounts. I thought it was quite strange – we have always committed to each other. But I decided not to frighten her with my suspicious and check everything by myself.
So I asked my friend for the advice – what should I do to find out whom my girlfriend is texting without touching her phone? His answer was simple – to use tracking software.
How spying app helped me find out the truth?
I waited until she left her phone and installed tracking app. It took me just a couple of minutes, and when the installation was over, I received the notification at my personal account.
Spying app that I have installed gave me the opportunity to monitor all the activities at the device. However, I was mostly interested at the possibility to read messages that she sends and receives. And when I actually found the opportunity to find out whom my girlfriend is texting without touching her phone, I understood that I should have done that before.
I have got access to the SMS that she received but found nothing interesting, I checked her emails, and there was also nothing that could attract my attention. But when I finally read messages that she received via IM chats, I've seen that I was right.
Of course, my story is not so positive like it could be, but it is encouraging enough to install tracking app and start to monitor your partner right now. Of I have done that immediately, I could save so much time. I could always know everything about her and find out whom my girlfriend is texting without touching her phone. Do not make my mistakes – you can always prevent such situations, because you know now what you should do. Just install special software and start to use it!


text:
Inspiration, advice, and story analysis for those who wish to sell romantic fiction to Woman's World Magazine
Friday, December 18, 2015
Missing issue
Calling all Woman's World subscribers. I did not receive my December 7 issue. If anyone can photograph or scan the story and email it to me, I'd appreciate it!
4 comments:
Kate, I have the magazine but my printer doesn't work. If know one else has it to send you, I will see if one of my kids can scan it for me or at least make a copy which I can mail you.
Or what if I type it up and send it via e-mail? I can do that.
- December 18, 2015 at 9:08 PM
- Betsi said...
I emailed the stories to Kate.
- December 19, 2015 at 9:29 AM
Thanks, Betsi.
- December 19, 2015 at 6:34 PM
- Kate Willoughby said...
You guys rock!
- December 26, 2015 at 3:26 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
"Do you want to see one?" Arthur Nelson asked with a raised eyebrow.
My eyes bulged at the implication. We sat in an office inside the glorious Guardian Angel Cathedral, that peculiarly located church immediately north of Encore Las Vegas on the Strip. I had just finished telling him how, before the arrest of the suspect accused of heisting $1.5 million from the Bellagio in December, I had wondered whether one of those hard-to-cash $25,000 chips might show up in the collection plate here. With all the talk about how hard it might be to cash them because of possibly embedded tracking devices, perhaps the thief might drop one at church and watch from afar what happened.
And now Nelson wanted to know if I wanted to see one. Gulp.
I took the bait. I mean, a papal portrait loomed from the sparse wall.
"Uh, yeah. You have one?"
With that, Nelson emitted a gale of giggles. "No," he said through his laughter, "I thought I'd lead you on."
I could only smile, sigh and roll my eyes. What else could I expect from the man known as the "Chip Monk"? It's been his responsibility since at least the late 1980s to go cash the casino chips dropped in collection plates at Mass here.
The clever nickname suits an 80-year-old who instinctively tells corny jokes for the benefit, largely, of his own easy-to-please sense of humor. Nelson was an Episcopalian from Iowa who moved to Vegas in 1959 to work in the Review-Journal's classified ad section and converted to Catholicism after being hired as Guardian Angel's organist in the 1960s. He's long embraced the legend of the Chip Monk, even once getting his photo snapped with a pair of Chippendales because he thought it would be a gas.
Sadly, the legend is less accurate now than it once was. The cashiers at Caesars Palace came up with the moniker back when Nelson would bring in more than $2,500 in chips each month. At the time, Caesars would cash Nelson's stash regardless of which hotel it came from. Guardian Angel even solicited them; as the plate was passed during Mass, the speaker would tell worshippers: "If you've got any chips, toss 'em in. They're good here."
In the last decade, though, the Nevada Gaming Control Board ruled that casinos can no longer cash other casinos' currency for the public. The church stopped asking for chips after that; slot receipts and winning sports book slips are the most common gambling currency they now receive anyway.
Still, some chips do come in. Nelson stores them in long plastic bins in the back of the safe where the collection plates and communion cups are kept, but he'll go to a casino to cash them only after he's accumulated at least $100 from the property. Most of what they get are $1 chips, and those aren't worth Nelson driving all over town to redeem.
Nelson's status as Chip Monk has even drawn the interest of casino chip enthusiasts. A few years back, a collector from New York called asking if he had out-of-date chips he couldn't cash. Nelson did, so he mailed them on faith to the guy. He received a check back for the chips' face value, although there's no way to know now if any might have been worth more.
Still, Nelson is a crafty one. When asked whether he'd be unnerved if he had, in fact, come into possession of one of those hot $25,000 Bellagio chips, he smirked. He has the sort of manipulative solution that could only be divinely inspired.
"I'd say, 'Father, come with me,'" he said, referring to his Most Holy Boss, "and we'd go to the hotel together and say, 'This came in the offering. What are you going to do for us?' They'd give us something for it."
That's a pretty good bet.


text:
Named scholarships
When it comes to earning a college degree, the greatest obstacle can be funding.
For this reason, The University of Akron is pleased for the opportunity each year to assist talented, deserving students achieve their dreams, thanks to more than 1,300 named scholarships established through the kindness and generosity of thousands of UA alumni and friends, corporations, and foundations.
Scholarships truly are the best way to ensure that today's students persist to graduation. Scholarships allow students to enroll full time and remain focused on their studies; they also reduce drop-out rates, decrease the stress of student loans, and shorten the road to graduation.
The need for scholarships grows each year, however, as students continue to face an increased financial burden in pursuit of a college degree. In fact, 94 percent of today's baccalaureate students borrow to pay for college – versus just 45 percent in 1993. Across the country, the average college-related debt for borrowers in the class of 2016 was $37,172; for Ohio students, that figure was $30,239.
If you are interested in making a significant contribution to student success, please consider a gift to the MAKING A DIFFERENCE AND MOVING FORWARD scholarship campaign, which is the University's most important initiative. You may also establish a named scholarship at The University of Akron, which can be created to honor a living person, in memory of a loved one, or to contribute to the growth of an area of study.
To learn more, please contact the Department of Development at 330-972-7238.
How do I apply for a scholarship?
This is not the page to apply for scholarships.
Students who want to apply for scholarships should visit the scholarship page on the Financial Aid site.
The Department of Development does not accept applications for or distribute scholarships. Scholarships are distributed through the University's Office of Student Financial Aid.
Search for a Named Scholarship
Baker, Royce R. and Kathryn McCormick Baker Endowment Fund
Kathryn "Kitte" Baker attended The University of Akron and earned a bachelor's degree in secondary education, music, in 1944. She went on to earn an M.A. from Teacher's College at Columbia University in New York. While at Columbia, she performed with fellow University of Akron alumna Bette Burke Pruett as duo pianists at New York's Town Hall. Mrs. Baker's musical career also consisted of professional accompaniment and teaching piano. Mr. and Mrs. Baker were generous benefactors of The University of Akron during their lifetimes, providing funds for the purchase of a Steinway D grand piano for the School of Music in 2002.
The Royce R. Baker and Kathryn McCormick Baker Endowment Fund is designated to fund scholarships for students in the School of Music who demonstrate strong commitment to their academic and musical studies.
Selection of scholarship recipients of The Royce R. Baker and Kathryn McCormick Baker Endowment Fund will be made by the director of the School of Music or the appropriate designee. Recipients may apply for renewal of the award provided they remain in good standing at The University of Akron and in the School of Music.


text:
One can lose the art of conversation so easily. It's easy to slide into a pattern of introspection. A conversation with a friend, acquaintance, colleague, loved one or passer by provides a refection of ideas, feelings and thoughts that are refreshing, entertaining, meaningful and considerate. Conversations with some individuals can also be distasteful, mean, hurtful and downright crazy.
Knowing the difference is the art of good conversation. Be artful. Spend your time with those who will stand in the shade with you, lean back, look you in the eye and understand.


text:
This video is not available in English (UK). The video is available in English (US).
Episode 50 - Matt Winkler Builds an AppFabric Application
In this episode, Matthew Winkler—Senior Program Manager Lead on the AppFabric Team—talks to Steve and Wade about building AppFabric Applications. AppFabric Applications bring new ways of building, running, and managing applications at scale in Windows Azure. The June CTP of AppFabric includes support for AppFabric Applications, and you can start by downloading the new SDK and Developer Tools and by signing up for a free account at the AppFabric Labs portal.


text:
The Autumn Break Top - checked black
Sold Out
The Autumn Break Top is a twist on the classic tartan button up. This top's laid back feel is amped up by a cold shoulder design and neck tie. Detailed with pale buttons and traditional cuffed sleeves this top is perfect with a pair of distressed denim and sneakers.
- Black and white tartan finish
- Buttoned closure at front
- Cuffed sleeves
- Collared
- Shoulder cutouts
- Attached neck tie
- Slightly longer at back
Measurement: approximately 86cm (from back center to bottom hem)
How does 'pre-order' work?
The expected delivery period of pre order items will be noted in the description of the Product on our website. Please familiarise yourself with the following Pre-Order terms before completing your purchase:
- At the time you place your order, you will be required to pay the full RRP to secure your Pre-Order
- Due to the pre-sale nature of such transactions, you should expect a delayed period between the purchase of the product & the actual delivery of the product. Delivery dates are subject to change & our customer care team will be in touch should there be any unexpected delays with your order.
- If you have ordered regular items as well as a Pre-Order item, you can expect ALL products will arrive at once after the delayed period that is mentioned above. We recommend that you place two separate orders if you want to receive the non-pre-order items at an earlier date than that is expected of the pre-order item.
- Standard return & exchange policies apply to all pre-orders.


text:
No products
New product
Statue of Saint Peter of resin, 30 cm, handmade in Italy
0 Item Items
Time of realization about 20/30 days
Warning: Last items in stock!
Availability date:
Statue of Saint Peter of resin, 30 cm, handmade in Italy
Recipient :
* Required fields
Cancel or
Full resin statue, printed and hand perfected by skilled artisans, who delete the imperfections. When the statue is perfectly smoothed it is carried to the coloring section, where it is hand painted with indelible varnishes, according to the classical iconography. The resini s a plastic material, which is solid thanks to hardener substances. It is resistant to the atmospheric agents. The difference with the fiberglass is that it does not contain the fiber.
Saint Peter was an apostle and a martyr who is commemorated on the 29th of June, on the 22nd of February and on the 18th of November.
He died around 64.
Simon was son of John and he worked as a fisherman in Galilea. When he got married he lived in Betsaida.
He was disciple of Saint John the Baptist and then, with his brother Andrew, he became a follower of Christ, who named him "the rock". (Cephas, Petros, Petra, Peter).
The climax of his Gospel is when he confessed that Christ was the Son of God and that Christ replied him "You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. I will give you the key of the Heavenly Kingdom".
After the resurrection, Christ confirmed this promise saying: "Graze my sheeps" .
In the Gospels, Peter is always described on the side of God. He attend the most important events, like the resurrection of the Giairo's daughter, the Transfiguration and the agony in Getsemani; after the Christ's Ascension he managed the Jerusalem's community.
He was probably the bishop of Antioch and the leader of the Church in Rome, where he was martyrized on the Vatican Hill.
His relics are preserved under the altar of the Confession in the St. Peter's Basilica.
He is illustrated while he is wearing the clothes of that time, with a book and one or two keys in hand.
He is the patron of Rome, Lamezia Terme, Lissone, Assemini, Villa San Pietro, Brema, Colonia, Las Vegas, Umbria, Galatina and also the protector of the Popes, the fishermen, the bakers, the engineers, the harvester, and of the watchmaker.
Group 5 shepherds from cm. 10 wood...
Viewed products
Statue of Saint Peter of resin, 30...


text:
On the campaign trail, both Democrats and Republicans are pointing angry fingers claiming that the opposition party's plan will end Medicare as we know it. There can be no doubt that both parties are correct.
While I'm nowhere near convinced that the GOP has a completely workable plan, I'm even more fearful of what I predict will happen under President Obama's Affordable Care Act (ACA). A new working paper from American Action Forum scholars Michael Ramlet and Robert Book clearly shows how the $700 billion in cuts mandated by the ACA are both real and damaging.
The Ramlet-Book study is based on the July, 2012 Congressional Budget Office report. It shows cuts to each state based on shares of Medicare spending and Medicare Advantage enrollment.
The cuts hit payment rates to Medicare fee-for-service providers the hardest, to the tune of $415 billion. Payments to Medicare Advantage plans and hospitals pick up another massive chunk ($156 billion and $31 billion, respectively). Dozens of small ACA cuts trim Medicare spending by an additional $114 billion. All told, the ACA whacks nearly three-quarters of $1 trillion from Medicare spending between 2013 and 2022.
That's a ton of taxpayer money, but what does it really mean to Medicare beneficiaries?
Democrats make the claim that the ACA does not rob Medicare, because it does not cut benefits. While technically true, Democrats fail to explain that fewer and fewer health care providers will offer services at the new ACA mandated rates. This is an unintended consequence of devastating proportion to many seniors.
When cuts to health care providers near or dip below what it actually costs to deliver the services, they stop offering services to Medicare patients. Put bluntly, seniors will be offered fewer benefits because fewer providers will offer them services. When seniors go to a provider that does not accept the government approved rate, the senior pays the difference. In essence, the ACA cuts shift billions in "excess charges" to seniors.
Regardless of which political party you align yourself with, it's difficult to deny how the ACA's cuts to Medicare can be anything but a bad thing for seniors. So, you have to ask, why would the president make the cuts he did? It boils down to political party accounting.
By claiming they did not cut Medicare, the Democrats get an IOU, of sorts, from the U.S. Treasury. The reality is that the money is being spent on subsidies to fund private health insurance on state exchanges. Sounds like a good idea until you realize we're simply moving the burden from one demographic to another.
According to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the total bill for the state health exchanges is likely to exceed $800 billion by 2021. That means the cuts to Medicare fall short of actually funding ACA and will not extend Medicare's solvency.
Like your presidential candidate for whatever reasons suit you, but go into this election understanding the reality. The Affordable Care Act might very well be what this country needs to provide health care to those who have none, but it will do so on the backs of America's seniors.


text: Sample BBQ from the region's finest cook teams and vote for your favorite at People's Choice BBQ Championships, part of the Bear's Smokehouse New England BBQ Championships. Enjoy craft beer, live music, fantastic bbq and more. We'll be adding all of the delicious details to this page as we get closer to the event; be sure to get your tickets while you still can.


text:
Our May book for the Kitchen Reader was Food: A Love Story by Jim Gaffigan. It's hilarious. Here's a sampling of the delights.
Cheese and Gratitude
"There's an old Weight Watchers saying, 'Nothing tastes as good as thin feels.' I for one can think of a thousand things that taste better than thin feels. Many of them are two-word phrases that end with cheese (Cheddar cheese, blue cheese, grilled cheese)."
"In America we have gone way beyond sustenance. Eating is an activity. 'Why don't we get lunch, and then we'll grab some pizza.' Most Americans eat constantly. And when we're not eating, we're chewing gum. We are literally practicing eating. We chew gum with a swagger and purpose that says, 'Yeah, I got a big meal coming up. I'm training for Thanksgiving.'"
"My wife likes to pause before the meals with our [five] kids and say grace. While I think this is a great opportunity for our children to learn to appreciate the gifts God has given them, I view grace as kind of 'On your mark, get set...' and the 'Amen' and the 'Go!'. I am pretty sure that's the way God intended it."
"We are totally out of control. We're a country that loves to eat so much that instead of learning how to eat less, or honestly exercising, we find ways around it, like wiring our mouths shut and undergoing surgeries in which our stomachs are stapled smaller. 'I don't want to do something barbaric like exercising, so I'm just going to have someone vacuum the fat out of my body.'"
Lobster, Guacamole, and Cheese
"Lobster... is a unique food that requires its own wardrobe, the lobster bib, which indicates not only that consuming lobster is messy, but also that people don't mind looking like a toddler while they do it."
"I eat a lot of guacamole. If I died right now, I'm sure some of my children would just remember me as the balding guy who brought home the overpriced, delicious green dip. I hope at one point some really important person sat the inventor of guacamole down and told him or her, 'You are a great human. We thank you for your contribution to our planet.' Guacamole is made with the avocado, which is so delicious I think it should be reclassified as a cheese."
Fruit and Vegetables
"Nobody really wants fruit. We only act like we do. A false desire for fruit is woven into the fabric of our culture. We are told that Adam and Eve were kicked out of paradise for eating an appple. An apple? Would an apple ever really tempt you? I wouldn't look at the serpent, 'An apple? Uh, cover it in caramel and come back to me. You got any cake back there?'"
"If nobody wants fruit, even fewer people want vegetables. This is because, overall, vegetables taste horrible.... I mean, I don't want to be fat, but I want vegetables less. Of course, I'm forced to eat vegetables when there are children present."
"Let's say I'm wrong. Maybe you do want to eat a vegetable. Let's now subtract deep frying, vinegar, dairy [cheese], oil, or an unhealthy amount of salt from the vegetable. Do you still WANT the vegetable? If you say no, you are like me. If you said, 'Yes, Jim, I love eating raw radishes by the handful,' you are a weirdo and probably need therapy. Okay, I'm jealous."
As I was laughing I was also identifying with some of the tongue in cheek jibes at the Western diet. If anything, this book made me want to eat vegetables more. And find tasty ways of doing it! Clearly Mr Gaffigan has never tasted a freshly scrubbed radish.
I'm really glad that Pech, Vicki, and Stephanie all suggested Food: A Love Story for the Kitchen Reader. I still have some reading left to do and it's so funny that I have been laughing out loud on the train to work.
In June we are reading The Third Plate: Field Notes on the Future of Food by Dan Barber, chosen by Melissa of Melos bookshelf and Emily of Highly Social Media. Please join in if you like reading about food as much as we do.
Are you going to be remembered as the person who brought home the guacamole? Or some other food?
Connect with Simply Cooked on Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/SimplyCooked
Sunday, May 31, 2015
Food: A Love Story by Jim Gaffigan [book review]
Labels: apple, avocado, cheese, food reading, health, Kitchen Reader, radish
Food: A Love Story by Jim Gaffigan [book review]
apple|avocado|cheese|food reading|health|Kitchen Reader|radish|


text:
(I take this "one word" business pretty seriously.)
But this year my word arrived quite unexpectedly before I had even started to mull over what I was aiming for.
It happened to be at a time when I was feeling overwhelmed almost to the point that I wondered if I was depressed. I was starting to wonder if "this feeling" was normal...to wake up with anxiety each morning and to feel snappy and impatient with my children and husband. I was worried because generally I am one to see life with rose-colored glasses. The glass is always half-full as far as I'm concerned and I'm quick to find the good in things. But for a while I had been feeling like I was in a dark tunnel with no light beckoning me from the other end. There was just too much on my plate and I didn't know how to remedy it all.
I was in my closet getting ready for the day. As usual, my mind was going a million miles a minute. What did I need to accomplish that day, which girls I could reach out to in Young Women, when would I ever get around to changing that burned-out lightbulb, what would I make for dinner, how did my closet get so cluttered...and then my mind jumped suddenly out to our waitress from dinner the night before.
Dave and I had snuck away in the midst of the holiday hoopla for a quiet dinner on our own. We had scarcely seen or talked to each other and needed to re-group.
At some point in the middle of our meal we needed something (I can't remember what...more water? more Marsala sauce?). We both looked around for our waitress and suddenly came to the realization that neither of us had the foggiest idea what she looked like. She had checked on us three times, brought us water, had told us about the specials and had taken our order.
Yet we didn't know what she looked like. We hadn't really "seen" her...we had just looked through her and answered and ordered like robots wrapped up only in ourselves.
As I stood there in my closet and thought about that sweet waitress we had worked on "seeing" for the rest of the meal my heart sunk again (just like it had the night before). And then my mind randomly jumped again to Lucy's preschool holiday party the day before. All the parents had been there helping their children decorate their own foam gingerbread houses with stickers and watching the kids do the limbo. I thought about the parents of one of Lu's friends who had been there. They are fairly recently divorced. They are obviously struggling through the trenches of the tough stuff that most inevitably comes with divorce, as were their two little girls. In my subconscious mind I had been aware of them, but had been preoccupied with those parents I knew better, (and obviously with Lucy).
But as I stood there in my closet that next morning I was overcome with an awareness that just like that waitress the night before, I hadn't "seen" them. At this point in their journey how nice would it have been for them to have even someone they scarcely know reach out to them and just show a little extra kindness. Maybe ask them how they were doing...how their children were doing. I know how it feels when you're going through a rough time to have someone "see" you...and do something about it.
Then my mind wandered to Dave. As much as we've been living in the same house and raising the same children, and discussing the same parts of life, things had been so crazy this Christmas season up to that point that I hadn't really "seen" him. I was so wrapped up in trying to stay afloat with my own things that it hadn't dawned on me that he (along with Heavenly Father) are the ones who actually keep me afloat. When I "see" him and his needs like he always seems to "see" mine life comes into focus and there is a clarity in things around me that brings pure happiness. When I take a moment to "see" what he is involved in and put his needs and issues first all my worries and stresses somehow fade.
And my children...I had been going through the motions of "being there" for them, and I was. But instead of the fulfilling happiness I always feel when I am "in the moment" with them, my mind had been on who I needed to text about such and such an event and what in the world would we bring to our neighbors for Christmas.
So I sat there in my closet and let tears well up in my eyes. I had let the stress of life take over and had been so wrapped up in so many "good" things that I had forgotten to "see" my family. My friends. Even random strangers. And that was what was making me feel so uneasy and pressed down on.
It seems like an oxymoron to add "really 'seeing' others" to balance out an already overflowing plate. Part of me had been telling my subconscious that I could "see" others better just as soon as I finished this or that task...as soon as life slowed down a bit.
But that morning in my closet I realized once again that "seeing" others (maybe it's simple true charity I'm talking about here) if put first on the list rather than last after all the busy stuff, is the conduit to balancing an unbalanced life.
It IS life.
"Seeing" others as Christ would see them is truly the starting point.
All the mumbo-jumbo stuff can fill in after that most important part.
Sometimes it's just so darn easy to get wrapped up in what WE are involved in that we forget to see the needs of others.
I realized right then and there that no matter how overwhelmed I am in my life, I can never let striving to "see" others as Heavenly Father would, slide away. And if I do, I better start to get my balance back quick. Which means perhaps getting rid of a few things I'm holding on to and simplifying my life. (which I'm working hard on now)
Because when I make the time to truly "see" others, I can "see" myself that much more clearly.
In 1 Samuel 16:7 it says, "for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."
How I hope that this year as I focus on the word "SEE" that I will be able to more fully see what the Lord sees in myself and others: not the outward appearance, but the heart. And that I will be able to balance my life in such a way that I can give of myself to build up and nurture what I see.


text:
Extremely comfortable sleek underwire white full coverage bra woven with glossy thread. Decorated with snow white lace. Originally decorated straps. Crafted with top quality European fabric. Supportive vertical cuts offer uplift effect to the breasts. Match with Ellice White Lace Bikini Panties.Read More...
Transform your mundane evenings into intimate ones by introducing this snow-white Ellice full coverage bra into your wardrobe. The classy and elegant European fabric exclusively used to design this outstanding bra will surely give you the supreme feeling of softness and sophistication. You can't help yourself falling in love with this absolute gorgeous piece of white lace bra.
The feminine aura of this European piece of lingerie will glamorize any outfit and several occasions too. The radiant white color and the intricate lacey patterns is what makes this underwire full coverage bra a must have for all lingerie lovers. Let the semi-transparent lace do the magic, allow yourself to submerge in the ignited flames of passion and enjoy each romantic complimeant from your partner. Listen to the throbbing sensual desires within yourself and meet them with a note of style by wearing this lovely white lace bra. This bra gives extra comfort to women wearing sizes D+ as well.
The Ellice White Lace Full Coverage Bra is known for its dramatic and highly coveted design. You can now enjoy the mesmerizing uplifting effect by wearing this bra. The soft padded cups are exclusively designed to create the hour-glass effect that accentuates the uplifted contour of your breasts. You will have the appropriate cleavage benefit and can avoid the fear of too much exposure. Get immersed into the delicate motifs of the silky threads because they are the signature elemeant of this bra. The modernity of the silky embroideries and the cuteness of the ribbon accent create a sense of completeness that you can't ignore. The back closure functions smoothly to make sure a swift open and close pattern so that you won't get stuck during the momeant of urgency.
If you want to add a little gracefulness to your present lingerie collection then this white lacy bra is one of the greatest addition. The adjustable bra straps won't push you to your limits, you may adjust them so to meet your body's demands. At every step you will enjoy the sculpted look created by the comfortable cups of the D+ lace bra. This full busted bra won't snatch away the modern style statemeant from you, instead it will bestow you with loads of grace and elegance. Allow your heart to melt away with every touch of the European lace over your skin, the feather light feel of the sheer fabric is intoxicating enough to turn on the flames of passion and satisfaction.
The silky smoothness of the fabric will pamper you, while the gorgeous lace will create an everlasting graceful effect, this full cup bra is a true charmer.
Available in sizes: 30DD, 30DDD, 32D, 32DD, 32DDD, 32G, 32H, 34D, 34H, 34I, 36C, 36G, 36H, 38D, 38DD, 38DDD, 40DD
fits beautifully
This Bra fits beautifully. I am very pleased with this product and the speedy delivery. Very impressive.
my bra
thank you for fast shipping I really like this bra
very comfy bra
I love this bra for its well structured cups. The bras usually give me a lot of discomfort in the armpit area, but this one is amazingly comfortable. I love the lace, it is stretchy a bit and my breast fills the whole cup. I am not buying cheap ugly bras anymore!


text:
Can't resist these snarky remarks from The Onion (a satire site):
- With Northwest and Delta airlines filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, more than half of U.S flights will be made by bankrupt carriers. What do you think?
Nancy Armistead, Artist
"Is there anything sadder than a huge, faceless corporation going through hard financial troubles?"
Niles Burnham, Systems Analyst
"This could be the wake-up call the major airlines need to quit focusing so much on customer needs and pay some more attention to generating revenue."
Heh heh.
Hide comments


text:
Require Foreclosure attorney in Bushnell of FL ? Tying in with Bushnell FL Foreclosure Lawyers will be the best option to gain solution with respect to Foreclosure issues.
When you are hiring a Foreclosure lawyer in Bushnell, it will enable you to cover the complete legal formalities with respect to Foreclosure laws in Bushnell Florida, and at the same time explore the benefits and drawbacks of the many legal options available.
You can easily find a solution to either of the legal matter by calling at 877-959-5302 in the entire US or also by submitting your case details on this site and Depending on your legal concern, a Foreclosure attorney of Bushnell (FL) will contact you in just few minutes.


text:
How India can learn to tackle climate change from its indigenous communities Continue reading
NESFAS Annual Report
Follow Us!
Tags and Categories
How India can learn to tackle climate change from its indigenous communities Continue reading
Traditional grass rain coats and graduation hats made of leaf—14 women farmers from Nagaland and one from Meghalaya, for the first time in their lives, were honored (with the coat and hat) for their contribution to biodiverse farming during the … Continue reading
Let us understand jhum cultivation before writing it off.. Also known as slash and burn cultivation, jhum has over the years received a lot of negative press and not without reason. "The current practice of shifting cultivation in eastern and … Continue reading
An interactive session "Conserving Indigenous Knowledge on Traditional Medicine: Preventive and Therapeutic Nutrition Practiced in India and South Africa" was organized by the Asian Confluence at its conference center on the sidelines of a survey visit to Meghalaya by scientists … Continue reading
Is biodiverse agriculture an anachronism? Or is it a vital part of a food-secure future? Given the need to feed an estimated 2.4 billion more people by the year 2050, the drive toward large-scale, single-crop farming around the world may … Continue reading
With a sharp decline in pollinating insects, farmers are being encouraged to grow flowering plants that can support these important insects. It's a fledgling movement that could help restore pollinators essential for world food production. by Richard Conniff For the … Continue reading


text:
GGotW: What styles do you enjoy?
S: I like so many. Usually, it depends on my mood. I like all the different underground subcultural styles. I like fashion, erotica, fetish, glamour, theatrical, etc... I'd like to experiment with them all.
GGotW: What led you towards goth?
S: When I was a little girl I was at this amusement park and I saw these crazy goth girls dancing in the rain and it looked like they were having more fun than anyone I have ever seen in my life. That made me realize that life doesn't have to be boring. Later on I got into metal and then deathrock and goth music and felt like I could connect with the "darker" side of things I guess and it's just always been a part of my life.
GGotW: From what you sent us it sounds like your a photographer first, model second. Is that a correct assessment?
S: Yes, I would say so because I only really photograph myself.
GGotW: What got you started in photography?
S: It kind of happened by accident because I never had a deep interest in photography and knew absolutely nothing about the subject. When I was about 20 years old I noticed I had an eye for composition when I took photos with my crappy point an shoot camera. Then my interest in modeling took it a bit further and I started taking photos of myself and my friends and just kept at it until I got better. Once I learned some editing tricks in photoshop, took a few photography classes, and got some better equipment my photos got better and I guess I just got hooked.
GGotW: What kind of photographer do you classify yourself as?
S: Experimental Portrait Photographer
GGotW: Why did you put yourself in front of the lens?
S: I put myself in front of the lens because I was always interested in modeling but never really dove into or got involved shooting with other photographers. I figured I could just do it myself and have total control over everything. Not all of my self portraits come out exactly how I would like them to but I'm pretty satisfied with them considering I do it all myself. I always feel really good after finishing up an image of myself that I'm happy with. Sometimes I don't see them as me, but as different characters.
GGotW: Where do you hope to see your modeling or photography take you?
S: I'd like to actually make money with it one day but for now I'll just keep improving and experimenting.
GGotW: Have you worked with any other photographers?
S: I've modeled for Barbara Wegner and posed for the Unscene-tv Goth Calendar 2005. The best was posing for two Lori Earley paintings! That's about it though, I never really had a chance to work with many photographers.
GGotW: Who inspires you?
S: Filmmakers and musicians inspire me the most. I'd say the majority of my inspiration comes from movies. I love David Lynch, I'm obsessed with the dark seedy lighting in most of his films and I love John Waters, Gregg Araki, Harmony Korine, Jodorowsky, and a ton more. As for photographers I love a lot of the pinup and erotic photographers I find on the web.
GGotW: What do you do when you're not modeling?
S: When I'm not photographing myself I'm photographing my friends, editing photos, assisting a really awesome artist, watching tons of movies, working out, and trying to stay positive.
GGotW: Do you get out to the clubs in your area?
S: Not usually, but once in awhile I'll hit up QXT's
GGotW: Where can you recommend a visitor to go in the Jersey area?
S: I would just recommend go to NYC for clubs and bars but if I have to recommend places I guess Jersey City & Asbury... there are some cool bars/venues and art galleries there and Red Bank has some really yummy restaurants and some awesome shops. It really depends on what you're into.
GGotW: As a model who would you like to have shoot you?
S: If someone I was a fan of asked me to pose I would do it in a heartbeat but I'm honestly not expecting to model for too many photographers.
GGotW: As a photographer who would you like to shoot?
S: I want to shoot so many girls, it's just a matter of meeting them. I totally want to shoot Raquel Reed someday and I think Mosh is the most gorgeous fetish model out there today.
Click on the images that appear with the article to see larger versions. Please feel free to leave comments below, you don't need to be a member to leave comments.


text:
6th Grade Parents and Guardians
Parents and guardians of 6th graders who are attending Outdoor Ed,
We are so excited that our trip is next week! Here are a few last details for you:
On Monday morning, students may begin arriving at 7:55 with their luggage, or they can take their normal transportation to school. Luggage can be any size, as long as each student only has one item and they are able to carry it themselves. Students may also have their small personal bag (such as a string backpack) if they wish. Luggage will be dropped off in the gym, and then students will report to their assigned classrooms.
When we return on Wednesday, please be aware that we need to sort luggage and return it to the students before students can be released to parents. We anticipate returning to school around 1:30. If you would like to pick up your child, we will have a sign out process in the front lobby. Otherwise, students are welcome to take their normal transportation home on Wednesday afternoon.
If you have any further questions, please email Jamie Daniller at jamie_daniller (at) hcpss.org
Thank you!
Outdoor Ed Packing List
○ 2 pairs of sneakers/hiking shoes (one should be old so you can wear them in the water!) ○ 5 comfortable, layered outfits:
○ Comfortable pants (sweatpants, athletic pants, track pants, etc) ○ Athletic shorts to layer under
○ Tshirt
○ Sweatshirt/long sleeve shirt
○ 5-6 Pairs of socks
○ At least 5 pairs of underwear
○ Pajamas/sleep clothes
○ Jacket
○ Poncho/Raincoat
○ Reusable water bottle with your name on it
○ Toothbrush/toothpaste
○ Soap, shampoo, hairbrush, deodorant
○ Towel(s)
○ Trash bag to put dirty/wet clothes in
○ Hat or visor
○ Sunscreen
○ Small backpack (a string backpack or shoe bag is a great idea)
Optional Items:
○ Bug Spray
○ Flashlight
○ Feminine Hygiene products (if applicable) ○ Flip flops for shower
○ Water shoes
○ No more than $15
Items NOT to bring:
○ Food, gum, electronics (ipods, ipads, tablets, etc) of any kind, hairdryers, curling irons, any items prohibited by HCPSS policy.
Cell Phones: We would prefer that students leave cell phones at home. NorthBay's office can be called if you need to contact your child at any time during the trip. IF cell phones are brought to camp, they will be locked in a safe in the cabin and will only be available at designated times. Please note that HCPSS will not accept responsibility for any lost, stolen or damaged electronic device.


text:
Around The League's Training Camp Preview series will identify three things to watch for the teams in each division this summer. Next up is the NFC West.
Arizona Cardinals
1. All eyes will be on Tyrann Mathieu, who was a legitimate Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate before shredding his knee in December. All reports to date suggest the "Honey Badger" is ahead of schedule in his rehab, but the Cardinals won't rush him back into action.
2. Is former Pittsburg State star John Brown the next T.Y. Hilton? The speedy wide receiver drew as much offseason hype as any rookie in the league, suggesting he could be fast-tracked even with the addition of veteran Ted Ginn.
3. Is there reason for hope on the offensive line after two seasons as the least effective unit in the NFL? Jared Veldheer and Jonathan Cooper will solidify Carson Palmer's blindside, but right tackle and right guard remain up in the air entering camp.
San Francisco 49ers
1. All-Pro pass rusher Aldon Smith escaped serious legal trouble for three felony charges, but the NFL might not be so lenient. A suspension is looming and likely will be announced in August.
2. Vernon Davis skipped offseason workouts while keeping a close eye on Jimmy Graham's new contract with the Saints. Davis has said it's "not the end of the world" if he doesn't get a new mega deal of his own, but there's no telling if he will report to camp on time.
3. Marcus Lattimore's comeback from a pair of gruesome knee injuries ratcheted up a notch in offseason practices. Will we finally see signs of the pre-injury Lattimore in training camp?
Seattle Seahawks
1. Marshawn Lynch arrived for mandatory minicamp in mid-June, but that doesn't mean we've heard the last of his contract squabble. "Beast Mode" is no lock to report for training camp, even with Christine Michael coming like a freight train behind him.
2. After drafting playmakers Paul Richardson and Kevin Norwood in May, the Seahawks suddenly boast a crowded wide receiver corps. Sidney Rice will have to prove he's fully recovered from ACL surgery to make the final roster.
3. Although the Seahawks lost several key contributors from their Super Bowl run, they have a handful of young players ready to step into the rotation on defense. Keep an eye on linebackers Kevin Pierre-Louis and Korey Toomer, cornerback Tharold Simon, defensive end Greg Scruggs and defensive tackle Jesse Williams and Jordan Hill.
St. Louis Rams
1. Coach Jeff Fisher has "no doubt whatsoever" that Sam Bradford will be ready for Week 1 following November surgery to repair his ACL. After watching Robert Griffin III mightily struggle in his own return last season, Rams fans will be keeping a close eye on Bradford's movement in the pocket.
2. Is Zac Stacy truly competing to keep his starting job? The Rams have stated as much, but the second-year back remains the heavy favorite after averaging more than 20 carries per start as a rookie. Tre Mason is a good bet to siphon 8-10 touches per game as the change-of-pace option.
3. Is Kenny Britt's offseason resurgence legit? Teammates and coaches have raved about his practice performances, which is surprising because he hasn't separated from coverage since undergoing multiple knee surgeries over the past few seasons. Britt can be Bradford's No. 1 target if his speed and cutting ability are finally back to 2010 levels.
The latest "Around The League Podcast" invites Bucky Brooks in-studio for a team-by-team AFC training camp preview.


text:
TV & Radio
2007年 09月
2007年 08月
2007年 07月
2007年 06月
2007年 05月
2007年 04月
2007年 03月
2007年 02月
2007年 01月
2006年 12月
2006年 11月
2006年 10月
2006年 09月
2006年 08月
2006年 07月
2006年 06月
2006年 05月
2006年 04月
2006年 03月
2006年 02月
2006年 01月
2005年 12月
2005年 11月
2005年 10月
2005年 09月
2005年 08月
2005年 07月
The New York Times
October 21, 2005
Methodist Divisions Over Gays Intensify
By NEELA BANERJEE
Kevin P. Casey for The New York Times
Cathy Bihler, left, who left the United Methodist Church in Edmonds, Wash., because of its acceptance of gays, with her new prayer group.
Sabina Louise Pierce for The New York Times
Barbara Revere, left, chats with the Rev. Irene Elizabeth Stroud, a lesbian who is fighting a bid to defrock her.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 - In Virginia, the pastor of a United Methodist church is challenging a decision by his peers to suspend him for a year without pay because he barred a gay man from joining his congregation.
In California, a regional conference of the church voted to protect openly gay clergy members from discrimination and dismissal. And in Pennsylvania, the Rev. Irene Elizabeth Stroud is fighting a ruling by the church to defrock her after she disclosed to her congregation that she was a lesbian in a long relationship with another woman.
The confluence of the cases underscores the intensifying debate within the denomination on the role of gay men and lesbians in the pews and in the pulpit. The highest judicial body of the United Methodist Church is expected to rule on them when it meets in Houston for one of its two annual gatherings, starting Oct. 27.
The United Methodist Church, the country's third-largest denomination, has struggled for 30 years to define and then further refine its stance on homosexuality. But in its effort to accommodate disparate views, it has fashioned a position that some clergy members say is ambiguous, even contradictory, and people are demanding clarification.
The church's official policy is to welcome all people, regardless of sexual orientation, into its congregations. Gay people can also serve in the clergy, as long as they are celibate. But church rules ban "self-avowed, practicing homosexuals" from the ministry.
"I'm sure there will be more of these cases and they will accelerate because the issue is not at all resolved in the church," said the Rev. Richard S. Parker, a retired Methodist minister in Babylon, N.Y.
Mr. Parker, a former chairman of the church and society committee in the denomination's General Conference in the 1980's, when the church articulated rules on gay clergy members, said, "Those of us who support full inclusion of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people are not interested in backing off."
Neither are those who would like to limit the involvement of gays in the church. In Edmonds, Wash., for example, about 200 people left the Edmonds United Methodist Church in late 2003 because of its support for an openly gay music director, said Cathy Bihler, one of those who left and a board member of Good News, a conservative Methodist group.
"Those of us who agree with the authority of Scripture and traditional Christian doctrine cannot condone a practice incompatible with church teaching," Ms. Bihler said.
The Judicial Council will also review a case filed by Ms. Bihler and her minister, the Rev. Rick Vinther, pastor at Woodinville Community United Methodist Church in Washington, that opposes a resolution passed by their regional conference this year asserting tolerance for the plurality of views about sexual orientation.
Ms. Bihler and Mr. Vinther maintain that such a resolution contradicts Methodist teachings. The Rev. Dean Snyder, pastor of the liberal Foundry Methodist Church in Washington and the moderator of a Web log, www.untiedmethodist.com, said that on his site "there is increased attention to the issue, an increase in openness to gays and an increase in resistance, all at the same time."
The Rev. Thomas W. Ogletree, a Methodist minister and professor of theological ethics at the Yale School of Divinity, noted that at the church's last General Conference in 2004, a coalition of churches was beginning to emerge that threatened to leave the denomination because of its tolerance toward gay men and lesbians.
When Ms. Stroud, 35, revealed to her congregation in April 2003 that she lived in a long-term relationship with her partner, Chris Paige, she acknowledged in a sermon that she risked losing her credentials as an ordained minister. But she added, "I have realized that not telling the whole truth about myself has been holding me back in my faith."
In December 2004, a jury of 13 clergy members in eastern Pennsylvania found her guilty of violating church law and ordered her defrocked. An appeals committee overturned that decision in April because of legal technicalities, and Ms. Stroud's bishop took the case before the Judicial Council, akin to the Supreme Court and made up of nine clergy members and lay people.
Church experts said they thought the council would probably strip Ms. Stroud of her ordination. But even if she wins, Ms. Stroud says she does not expect the larger question of whether to exclude practicing gay people from the ministry to be addressed. Instead, she said, a victory would probably rely on technicalities like the vagueness of the church's definition of practicing homosexuals. She said she expected the next General Conference in 2008 would move to close such loopholes.
The rule to keep practicing homosexuals from the ministry has passed by a slimmer and slimmer margin at each General Conference, said Mr. Snyder, indicating a dwindling of resistance. But some, like the Rev. Edward Johnson of South Hill, Va., are standing firm against a change in the rules.
Mr. Johnson refused to admit a gay man into the congregation of South Hill United Methodist Church, said Carole Vaughn, a spokeswoman for the church's Virginia Annual Conference, its regional governing body. After trying to persuade Mr. Johnson, the church's pastor for six years, to change his mind, his peers in the conference voted in June to place him on "involuntary leave of absence" for a year. If he loses his appeal before the Judicial Council and does not change his position, he will probably be let go, Ms. Vaughn said. Mr. Johnson could not be reached for comment.
The Judicial Council will also be looking at the legality of a resolution made by the clergy of the California-Nevada Annual Conference to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation anywhere in the church, including among clergy.
The conference stated that sexual orientation should be considered an innate characteristic, like race. Bishop Beverly J. Shamana, head of the California-Nevada conference, who does not vote on issues, said the resolution was only a guideline and did not challenge or supersede church law and it was being reviewed as a matter of course. But other clergy members and lay people said they saw it as a jab at church policy.
In the shadow of these cases, anxiety is growing among some Methodists that the church could split over homosexuality, as it did over slavery in the mid-1800's. The likely outcome, some clergy members said, is that those who oppose liberalizing the church's position on gays will leave.
"I wouldn't be surprised if a split happened over this," Mr. Ogletree of Yale said. "The Methodist Church will get through this, of course, but we will have a big challenge holding things together."
▲ by alfayoko2005 | 2005-10-22 15:53 | LGB(TIQ)
Clark plans a purge with dignity
21 October 2005
By TRACY WATKINS - Dominion Post
Prime Minister Helen Clark wants her aging MPs to leave with dignity.
But the lesson from the cleanout of National's ranks in the lead-up to the 2002 election is that party purges are often messy and rarely dignified.
When National Party President Michelle Boag moved to trim deadwood from the party list, National was plunged into crisis. Ms Boag began in much the same way as Miss Clark has – with backroom chats with individual MPs, leaving some in no doubt that it was time to move on.
Ms Boag, who campaigned on a promise to "stop the rot", raised hackles. Miss Clark has been equally open about the need for Labour to rejuvenate and that could also raise dissent.
Former police minister George Hawkins and former trade negotiations minister Jim Sutton are the first public casualties – both have been retired from the Cabinet and associate minister Dover Samuels is likely to follow. He was expected to be dropped from the executive but appears to have been returned after indicating that he is likely to leave Parliament next year.
Mr Samuels is refusing to say if that is his plan. He has apparently been offered a diplomatic posting, to Niue, but turned it down. Mr Sutton has rejected a diplomatic post in Canada.
Others who may be in Miss Clark's sights include MPs who lost seats on election night but survived on the party list. They are Mita Ririnui (formerly Waiariki MP), Jill Pettis (Whanganui), Dianne Yates (Hamilton East) and Ann Hartley (Northcote). Another may be list MP Georgina Beyer, who planned to stand down but changed her mind.
National's purge claimed former cabinet ministers and even MPs in safe seats. It included John Luxton, Max Bradford, Warren Kyd, Doug Kidd, Brian Neeson, Annabel Young, Marie Hasler, Arthur Anae and Belinda Vernon. Others, such as Maurice Williamson and Clem Simich, were thought to be on Ms Boag's list but outlasted her.
Miss Clark is hinting at mid-term departures – which may be a cleaner way of clearing out the party's ranks.
National's rejuvenation drive resulted in bitter battle-lines between MPs, who ended the term hopelessly divided. The heavy 2002 election defeat finished what Ms Boag started by reducing the caucus to a shadow of its usual self. The dividend was finally delivered this year – the National caucus, with 21 new faces, several of them stars.
Labour's lineup of hopefuls is topped by Wellington lawyer Charles Chauvel, who ran a strong campaign in the Ohariu Belmont seat won by United Future leader Peter Dunne. Mr Chauvel, 35, was on state-owned Meridian Energy's board but stood down for the campaign. He is deputy chairman of the Lotteries Commission and has held company directorships.
Unionist and former party official Lesley Soper would be next in line, then sportswoman Louisa Wall and South Auckland city councillor Su'a Williams and Brendon Burns, a former Marlborough Express editor who headed a Beehive press unit.
▲ by alfayoko2005 | 2005-10-22 14:10 | トランス
集合日時:11月3日(祝) 09:20 (雨天順延 11月6日)
集合場所:洞川温泉 バス停 (当日はメディアの方にもきていただく予定)
Peak's spiritual tradition raises hackles
No women allowed on Japan's holy Mount Omine
Bruce Wallace, Los Angeles Times
Sunday, September 5, 2004
Mount Omine, Japan -- At 5 a.m. on a summer day already sticky with humidity, three dozen ascetic priests known as yamabushi -- "those who lie down in the mountains" -- have gathered at the foot of this mountain in western Japan to pray before climbing its sacred slopes.
Peaking at 5,640 feet, Mount Omine is far from the highest mountain in Japan. But the yamabushi who follow the Japanese religion of Shugendo and other pilgrims have been climbing it since the ninth century, drawn by a belief that the two-hour ascent up its rocky trails will help them touch the spiritual world above, while leaving their worldly concerns below.
And that means leaving women behind, as well.
Women are not welcome on Mount Omine. Never have been. For 1,300 years, only men have been allowed to huff and puff the rutted paths leading to the Buddhist temple at the top.
With a final clap to draw the attention of the mountain's spirit, the yamabushi pass without pause through the "Off Limits to Women Gate" that demarcates where the men-only turf begins.
The barrier is hardly imposing, little more than a stumpy marker forged from three old logs. But in a culture where conformity rules and few dare to cross its invisible lines, the gate is a psychological maze of barbed wire.
The ban's logic is rooted in sex. The yamabushi and, later, trainee Buddhist priests on the mountain, were supposed to be engaged in a test of strict self-denial -- at least until they came down to avail themselves of the numerous brothels awaiting them at the bottom. Women on the mountain would be a distraction.
"We still believe this, that the mountain is only for men," says Kosho Okada, a 34-year-old Buddhist monk who is deputy to the chief priest at the Ominesanji Temple that crowns the mountain. "We have been protecting this mountain for some time now, and we are going to defend its tradition."
The gender ban persists despite an 1872 Japanese government decree that struck down ancient conventions keeping women off many of the country's mountains -- including national icon Mount Fuji. Across the mountain-ripped Japanese landscape, only Mount Omine has ignored that order, its uniqueness nurtured by generations of like-minded monks and municipal officials who insist they are defending tradition, not discriminating against women.
The locals can now point to a 21st century endorsement of their views, from an unlikely source. This summer, the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, or UNESCO, declared the entire Mount Kii range -- which encompasses the men-only pocket of Mount Omine -- a World Heritage site.
The United Nations said the sacred sites and pilgrimage routes across the mountain range reflected Japan's fusion of Shinto and Buddhist spirituality, and that universal access was not a requirement for World Heritage status. The decision dismayed Japanese women's groups that had lobbied the Japanese government and the United Nations against enshrining what they see as discrimination on Mount Omine.
"UNESCO didn't even seem to think this was an issue," says Junko Minamoto, 57, of the Institute of Human Rights Studies at Kansai University. Minamoto said her interest in the mountain was stirred by her academic study of Buddhism, which alerted her to what she saw as the religion's enduring bias against women and its tenets requiring women to be obedient to men.
There is virtually no sign of sympathy for her crusade in Dorokawa, the one-street town at the base of Mount Omine, where local businesses are wondering whether the U.N. designation will usher in a tourist boom.
"This is a convention, a custom we have kept for 1,300 years, and we are happy the U.N. has decided to help us preserve and recognize it," says Genichi Masutani, head of the innkeepers' association in Tenkawa and the local official most identified with the push for World Heritage status.
Some women do occasionally sneak onto the mountain -- activist Minamoto walked unimpeded across the demarcation line along with seven other women one sunny October afternoon a few years ago. They took pictures to document their act of defiance and left without climbing to the top.
So the mountain is not just for Japanese men, then? Foreigners are welcome to climb?
"Of course," Masutani says, with a huge smile.
"Yes, yes."
"If they are men," he says, laughing.
"Of course."
Female dogs?
"Fine." He is laughing hard now. "Look, we've even had men on the mountain dressed as women. That's OK, too."
But no women?
The New York Times
March 26, 2000
Governor Butts Heads With Sumo Ban on Women
By CALVIN SIMS
OSAKA, Japan, -- In one of her first public acts as Japan's first woman governor, Fusae Ota, weight 97 pounds, was to enter the ring at the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament on Sunday and bestow prizes on competitors up to five times as hefty.
Every year since 1953, it has fallen to the governor of Japan's second-largest prefecture, a tough commercial region 250 miles southwest of Tokyo, to award the prizes at the spring sumo competition. But there has never been a woman governor before. And so, just a month after taking office, Ms. Ota found herself battling not just the sumo wrestlers' ban on women in their hallowed ring, but also the centuries of tradition that have accorded her sex a distinctly second-class place in Japanese politics.
Hundreds of years of custom dictate that women may not enter the dohyo, the 15-foot diameter ring of sandy clay in which the sumo wrestlers grapple. At first, Ms. Ota aggressively challenged the rule. Eventually, after a tense standoff with Akebono, the 500-pound heavyweight of sumo wrestling's governing body, she backed down, agreeing that her male deputy would present prizes in her place, but vowing to pursue the matter again next year.
For the advocates of equal opportunity, the affair was cause to ponder just how far Japanese women have come, despite Governor Ota's election victory -- after her male predecessor was forced to step aside over charges of sexually harassing a 21-year-old female campaign worker.
"We were all so elated over Governor Ota's victory, not only because she was the first woman, but also because she was the best qualified candidate for the job," said Kiyoko Yamanaka, a woman who is a member of the Osaka prefecture's legislature. "But this sumo confrontation was like being splashed with a bucket of cold water. We suddenly realized that basically nothing had changed."
Only 7 percent of Japan's legislators are women, and the country, which has the world's second largest economy, ranks 140th among all nations in terms of participation of women in politics, she said.
An official of the Japan Sumo Association said that banning women from entering the sumo ring had nothing to do with sexism but rather was an age-old tradition that should be honored.
Sumo's ancient roots are entwined with Japan's indigenous Shinto religion that detests defilement, especially death and blood. Sumo wrestlers toss salt into the ring in a ritual meant to purify the ground at the start of each match.
"In my opinion, the sumo association is perfectly justified in maintaining its own traditional culture at a time of constantly changing views on values and history," Katsuo Tokitsukaze, the association's chairman, told Ms. Ota according to local news reports of a telephone conversation in which he persuaded her not to press her case. But Mr. Tokitsukaze left the door open for further discussions, saying, "It is also important to hear others' opinions on the issue."
Governor Ota, a former senior official of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, declined to be interviewed for this article, citing a busy schedule of budget meetings with the prefecture legislature.
Ms. Yamanaka, who described herself as a feminist legislator, said that the sumo association's tradition was problematic because it perpetuates the notion in Japan that women are unclean and therefore not as worthy as men.
She cited other examples of traditions that have excluded women, including one at Mount Ominesan in Nara prefecture, which for religious reasons has been off-limits to women for centuries.
A group of 10 female teachers climbed the mountain last year, much to the consternation of local priests who said the women had "trampled underfoot the faith of believers." The teachers' union later apologized.
In a public opinion poll conducted recently by the newspaper Asahi Shimbun, 47 percent of people surveyed said that Governor Ota should be allowed inside the ring, while 37 percent backed the sumo association and the remainder were undecided. Forty-eight percent of the men and 45 percent of women polled sided with the governor, while 39 percent of men and 35 percent of women supported the association.
Outside the stadium where the tournament is being held, sumo fans voiced differing opinions on the issue. "Tradition is often difficult to explain, but no one is trying to hurt women or deprive them of something by keeping them out of the ring," said Shigehiro Yonezu, a businessman. But his daughter, Kiyo, 25, disagreed. "No, papa, you have to understand that this tradition was created by a male-dominated society," she said.
The controversy comes at a time when the popularity of sumo wrestling is declining, especially among young Japanese, and the sport's credibility has been damaged by charges of bout-fixing.
For the first time in years, there are empty seats at major sumo tournaments, which have traditionally been sold out. Faced with hard economic times, many Japanese are unwilling to shell out the $50 needed for a decent seat.
Television ratings are also declining. More Japanese have come to prefer baseball and soccer and the $100 million-a-year sport now faces an uncertain future.
Many people still recall an incident in 1991 that was a severe blow to sumo's reputation. In grade school, boys and girls practice sumo together. A 10-year-old girl became the champion in Tokushima prefecture but a boy who came in second place was awarded the medal and allowed to attend the national championship.
At the sumo stables, where wrestlers rise every morning at the crack of dawn to practice, there were no words of support for Governor Ota's effort to step inside the ring. "I'm all for women's rights but the dohyo is a place where only men fight and if a woman steps inside I'm not going to wrestle there anymore," said Dejima, a 360-pound champion.
"You must understand that we've devoted our lives to these traditions, which encompass so much more than just keeping women out of the ring," he added.
Makiya Saito, Governor Ota's husband, said that his wife was very surprised and upset over what he said was the sumo association's narrow-mindedness. "On the surface it seems like a ridiculous issue, but it has big significance," Mr. Saito said. "It shows just how backwards Japanese society is when it comes to women's rights."
Mr. Saito, who refers to himself as Japan's "First Husband," said that since his wife's election, Japanese men keep asking him "what kind of man are you?"
"I'd like to tell Japanese men that I am secure enough in my manhood to support my wife and fulfill my official duties as husband to the governor," said Mr. Saito, who operates an optical lens company.
Norio Tsuboi, a popular television announcer, offered a comical solution to the dilemma: "We should strap the governor into a harness that hangs from the ceiling of the stadium and gradually lower her into the ring, stopping just before her feet touch the ground."
▲ by alfayoko2005 | 2005-10-22 10:35 | ジェンダー・セックス
Firms see sales boosted by a woman's touch
The Yomiuri Shimbun
More women shop assistants are now helping men choose a suit, tie or car as female workers find positions in workplaces that are traditionally male-dominated.
When it comes to buying a suit or car, a man's partner has a strong say in the choice. And a saleswoman is often better suited than her male colleagues when it comes to exchanging opinions with the male customer's wife or girlfriend.
In August, Aoyama Trading Co. decided to appoint an all-female staff--including the manager--at the Miyanosawa branch of Aoyama Suits Kobo Sapporo, one of its outlets in Sapporo.
At the outset, about half of the employees were female, just like at other Aoyama stores. The change to an all-female staff was an experiment to try to make the store stand out from its rivals.
"We've tried to create a relaxed atmosphere," said Midori Uesugi, the 27-year-old manager. Being attentive to the store's interior decor, she put flowers at the entrance and a flower-patterned cloth over a table by the cash register.
All products at the store are for men, but many customers come in with their partners to shop. It is often the partners who have the final say on what the man buys.
According to Uesugi, male clerks tend to have the same point of view as male customers and usually recommend products that are conservative in design and color. On the other hand, female clerks can suggest a look that appeals to women, and also chat with the man's partner. As a result, female employees are more likely to feel confident in recommending goods that are pricier, she said.
"Women still have the feeling that they can't beat men. But when we're among only women, we get competitive. This leads us to work harder," Uesugi said.
She added: "Men are concerned about the hierarchy in the workplace. Women are not so worried about that, which makes decision-making faster."
The store's sales were up 39.8 percent in September compared with the same period last year, although before the personnel change the figure usually remained little changed, year on year.
Aoyama Trading will watch the store's performance for the next couple of years and then decide whether to staff its other stores exclusively with women.
This summer, Nissan Motor Co. announced that it would increase the number of female employees at its 2,600 dealerships.
By 2007, Nissan plans to increase to 10 percent the proportion of its female "car life advisers," a position held by only 3.6 percent of its female employees last year. The ratio of women serving as technical advisers, who offer consultations on shaken vehicle inspections, will be increased from 7 percent to 10 percent in the same period.
Nissan will ask its dealerships to work toward realizing the goal by transferring female workers in management or desk jobs if finding suitable female recruits is difficult.
The firm issued a handbook in September instructing its dealership managers on issues related to using female employees to better effect. The 37-page manual covers topics such as child care leave.
The firm's salespeople have traditionally been male because its customers are mostly men. According to a survey conducted by Nissan, however, the decision on which vehicle model to buy was made by the male customer's family in 30 percent of cases, with the wife usually having the last word. Fewer men bought cars based only on their own preferences.
With this trend in mind, a Nissan employee said, "We want to get ahead of the competition by expanding the number of our female sales personnel. It's unbalanced if we only have salesmen."
Prof. Machiko Osawa of Japan Women's University pointed out that as more women are making decisions on their families' consumption, a salesperson needs to feel empathy with them, and so companies have decided that female workers tend to best at playing this role.
"It will create an environment in which positions will open up for women in male-dominated companies. Hopefully, it will lead to the realization of gender equality in the workplace," she said.
(Oct. 22, 2005)
▲ by alfayoko2005 | 2005-10-22 09:18 | ジェンダー・セックス
Sex inequality slows growth
By CESAR CHELALA
Special to The Japan Times
NEW YORK -- A growing number of countries have adopted population and development policies to meet the health-care and education needs of women, including their reproductive health needs. In spite of that, gender inequality persists in most countries around the world. According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) state of world population report 2005, gender inequality hinders not only the growth of affected individuals but also the evolution of societies and the development of countries.
Greater equality in the power relations between women and men, combined with increased access to adequate reproductive health services would save the lives of thousands of women. In addition to its effects on health of women, gender inequality undermines the possibility of reducing their poverty. Several studies have shown that societies with the greatest gender discrimination are poorer, have slower economic growth and lower quality of life than those with with less discrimination.
Although 99 percent of maternal deaths during pregnancy and delivery are preventable, it has been estimated that 529,000 women died from complications of pregnancy and childbirth in 2000. That is the equivalent of one maternal death every minute, almost all occurring in developing countries. In addition, for every woman who dies during pregnancy and delivery approximately 20 more suffer serious harm -- adding up to between 10 and 20 million mostly preventable injuries a year. Maternal deaths are practically nonexistent in industrialized countries.
Maternal death has both immediate and long-term consequences on families and communities. The death of a mother increases the risks of infant and child mortality. Because of their role in maintaining family cohesion, the death of a mother can have devastating psychological and economic consequences affecting the futures of surviving family members.
Education is another area with significant disparities between men and women. There are 600 million illiterate women compared to 320 million men. While access to primary education has increased in total numbers, still only 69 percent of girls in Southern Asia and 49 percent in sub-Saharan Africa are able to complete primary school. The percentages are even lower for when secondary-level education is considered.
Higher education levels in women are associated with better economic prospects, better reproductive health and higher awareness of the dangers posed by risky behaviors that lead to HIV/AIDS. Children of educated mothers also benefit, since for every year of a mother's education there is a 5 to 10 percent drop in the risk of their child dying before their fifth birthday.
Good reproductive health can also result in economic benefits through what has been called the "demographic dividend." Smaller families mean that a higher proportion of young parents enter their reproductive years with fewer dependents to support. Smaller families mean slower population growth, which in turn diminishes competition for natural resources. Economists attribute the unprecedented growth of East Asian economies between 1965 and 1990 to a lower birthrate.
From the economic point of view, much of women's work is still unrecognized and poorly paid, even though in developing countries rural women are responsible for 60 to 80 percent of food production. According to the World Bank, women still earn an average of 75 percent of men's pay for the same jobs.
Violence against women continues to be a curse worldwide, affecting all societies and all social strata. The toll of violence on women's health is greater than that of traffic accidents and malaria combined. Gender-based violence can take many forms and includes domestic violence, rape, female genital mutilation, and "honor" and dowry-related killings.
To achieve a more equal and just society means addressing all forms of gender inequality, which in turn can improve as access to health care, to economic and educational opportunities and lead to greater respect for every woman's human rights.
Ensuring equality of rights between men and women in terms of education, health, jobs, property and credit, as well as fostering women's participation in public life will contribute to reduce child mortality, improve public health, slow population growth and stimulate economic growth. Societies should be judged for their efforts to lower the gap between women and men's rights.
Cesar Chelala is an international public health consultant and the author of "Maternal Health," a publication of the Pan American Health Organization.
The Japan Times: Oct. 22, 2005
▲ by alfayoko2005 | 2005-10-22 09:14 | ジェンダー・セックス
Asia falls for a girl band of former boys
By Elizabeth Davies
Published: 22 October 2005 - The Independent
They strut their stuff and shake their booties as well as any pop band worldwide, and their infectious dance tunes are taking the Asian music scene by storm.
But in one crucial respect Lady, the hottest music act to come out of South Korea in years, are not your average girl group. They may have looks that many women would die for - but none of these four singers was born as a lady.
Shinae, 29, Sahara, 25, Binu, 22, and Yoona, 21, have all undergone sex change operations and used their new, curvaceous physiques to propel them to stardom. Earlier this year, to a frenzied fanfare of television appearances, newspaper interviews and even the odd nude photo shoot, Lady became Korea's first transgender pop group.
"We love chocolate, shopping and gossip. Mentally we were always women, the only difference being that we changed something physical, simply we are women with an extra scar," one of the girls told Chosun Ilbo newspaper.
And with their debut album Attention flying off the shelves in their native country and concerts lined up in China, Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan, Lady's risqué dance act is blowing a breath of fresh air into the traditionally conservative world of Asian music. The girls are seeking to follow in the footsteps of Harisu, Korea's most successful transgender singer, whose song "Foxy Lady" is popular from Bangkok to Beijing.
But the group's path to stardom hasn't been entirely smooth. Lady have come in for scathing criticism from the media, who accuse their record company of trying to cash in on the novelty of "sex change stars" and of manufacturing a pop act whose selling point, they claim, lies in sexual status rather than in musical talent.
The girls, however, remain defiant.
"Soon," they proclaim, "we'll show everyone what we've got on stage."
They strut their stuff and shake their booties as well as any pop band worldwide, and their infectious dance tunes are taking the Asian music scene by storm.
But in one crucial respect Lady, the hottest music act to come out of South Korea in years, are not your average girl group. They may have looks that many women would die for - but none of these four singers was born as a lady.
Shinae, 29, Sahara, 25, Binu, 22, and Yoona, 21, have all undergone sex change operations and used their new, curvaceous physiques to propel them to stardom. Earlier this year, to a frenzied fanfare of television appearances, newspaper interviews and even the odd nude photo shoot, Lady became Korea's first transgender pop group.
"We love chocolate, shopping and gossip. Mentally we were always women, the only difference being that we changed something physical, simply we are women with an extra scar," one of the girls told Chosun Ilbo newspaper.
And with their debut album Attention flying off the shelves in their native country and concerts lined up in China, Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan, Lady's risqué dance act is blowing a breath of fresh air into the traditionally conservative world of Asian music. The girls are seeking to follow in the footsteps of Harisu, Korea's most successful transgender singer, whose song "Foxy Lady" is popular from Bangkok to Beijing.
But the group's path to stardom hasn't been entirely smooth. Lady have come in for scathing criticism from the media, who accuse their record company of trying to cash in on the novelty of "sex change stars" and of manufacturing a pop act whose selling point, they claim, lies in sexual status rather than in musical talent.
The girls, however, remain defiant.
"Soon," they proclaim, "we'll show everyone what we've got on stage."
▲ by alfayoko2005 | 2005-10-22 09:08 | トランス


text:
Welcome back for another My Favorite Things Preview! I'm very excited for today's post because I have cards to share in two VERY different styles. Up first, I have a more elegantly designed card using two new stamp sets from Lisa Johnson Designs at My Favorite Things.
I cut several scraps with my Fishtail Flags Die-namics and anchored them with a bit of zig-zag stitching and a Black Licorice Button.
You'll find full set graphics for today's stamps and Die-namics over at the My Favorite Things Blog. Don't forget that you'll also find information about the My Favorite Things Teaser Time Prizes - so head on over!
All the latest stamps and Die-namics will be available Tuesday at 10pm. Hope to see you there!