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About This Site
Table of Contents
About This Site
About Our Authors
Profession: Freelance writer
Katie Alvord is a local freelance writer and the author of a book about
transportation reform, Divorce Your Car! Ending the Love Affair with the
Automobile. Over the last 20 years her articles and essays have appeared in
a variety of publications, including the Boston Globe, Santa Rosa
Press Democrat, Sonoma Index-Tribune, Upper Peninsula Post, E
Magazine, Northern Lights, Orion Afield, Silent Sports,
Sonoma Business,
The Urban Ecologist, Utne Reader, Wild Earth and Wine
Country Magazine.
Katie holds a Bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences from the University of
California at Davis and a Master's in Library and Information Studies from the
University of California at Berkeley, where she also studied journalism. She has
lived in the Copper Country since 1994.
Businesses feel the heat: Lake Superior warms up, part 3
By Katie Alvord Posted 06/30/2007
On June 21, the Senate passed an energy bill that would increase
average vehicle fuel efficiency, a measure meant at least in part to combat global warming. Meanwhile, in the Copper Country,
some businesses -- particularly those based on winter tourism -- might already have been feeling global warming's effects. In this
final segment of a three-part series on climate change in the Lake Superior
Basin, Katie Alvord looks at ways local businesses have already been affected by warming temperatures, how some have
responded with potential solutions and what some scientists say about the future of winter in our area.
Photo: Making snow at Mont Ripley Ski Hill near Hancock. In warmer winters, ski areas rely more on artificial snow.
The tall, slanted pipe in left foreground is newer, more energy-efficient snowmaking equipment.
(Photo © 2007 and courtesy Mont Ripley.)
Lake Superior Basin feeling heat: Part 2
By Katie Alvord Posted
The next G-8 summit starts on June 6 in Germany; and, with climate change high on the agenda, George W. Bush has responded to European pressures
by announcing his own counter-proposals for stemming greenhouse gas emissions. As world political leaders debate what to do about climate
change, several scientists from around Lake Superior say local plants and animals are already showing the effects of rising average
temperatures. Their findings range from northward shifts in bird and small mammal ranges to unexpected plankton blooms to a
diminishing moose population on Isle Royale, and some are expressing concern about what a
warming climate might mean for our future. more
Photo: Isle Royale moose shows areas of skin rubbed bare due to tick
infestation. Moose lose fur when they rub against trees in an attempt to remove ticks.
Warmer temperatures favor ticks and make moose more vulnerable to winter tick infestations.
(Photo © 2007 John Vucetich. Reprinted with permission.)
Second renewable energy forum attracts
large crowd
By Katie Alvord Posted
HANCOCK -- A larger-than-expected turnout at a Hancock renewable energy forum caught the organizers by surprise -- again.
Well over 100 people flocked to the April 17 forum, "Renewable Energy: Reducing Home Energy Costs, Part
2," held at Lakeview Manor and organized by the Keweenaw Sustainability Project
(KSP). The April forum featured talks by Terry McNinch about solar
photovoltaics; Terry Kinzel on solar, hydroelectric, and wind power; Mike Benda on his large residential wind system; and Dave Bach about retrofitting homes for energy efficiency and conservation.
The forum was a follow-up to the KSP renewable energy forum held in February,
which also attracted a large crowd. KSP also sponsored a Solar, Wind and
Retrofitted Home Tour on May 19, during which visitors were able to see some of
the energy systems presented at the forums. more
Photo: More than 100 interested residents attended the April
17 forum, "Renewable Energy: Reducing Home Energy Costs, Part
2," held at Lakeview Manor in Hancock and organized by the Keweenaw Sustainability Project
(KSP). (Photo © 2007 Gustavo Bourdieu. Reprinted with permission.)
Lake Superior warming fast: Researchers surprised by strong trends
By Katie Alvord Posted 05/03/2007
A growing number of regional officials and researchers have been examining how
climate change may already affect air, water and ice within the Lake Superior basin.
This regional work is taking place as the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) completes
its Fourth Assessment Report on the state of the world's climate. The IPCC is releasing its 2007 assessment in segments, and the next will be released Friday, May
4. In the first in a series of articles on climate change, Keweenaw
Now guest writer Katie Alvord reports recent climate changes affecting Lake
Superior, as researched by scientists at the University of Minnesota Duluth and
Michigan Tech University and as observed by meteorologists and by officials at
Isle Royale National Park and Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. more
Photo: Ice melting along the Lake Superior shoreline in late
March 2007. (Photo © 2007 Katie Alvord. Reprinted with permission.)
"Power is in Our Hands Walk" calls for reducing carbon emissions
Posted 04/19/2007
HOUGHTON -- About 30 people attended a talk and pinwheel parade with the theme
"The Power is in Our Hands" on a sunny Saturday, April 14, in Houghton. The
event was part of a national campaign called "Step It Up, Congress --
Cut Carbon 80% Or More by 2050." More than 1,300 other "Step It Up" events took place across the country on this same day.
The Houghton event started with a talk at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. Anne
Newcombe, who organized the event, talked of the need for laws to restrict carbon
emissions; and Barry Solomon, Michigan Tech professor specializing in energy issues,
gave advice about home conservation techniques. The parade walkers carried a banner stating, "Step It Up, Congress - Cut Carbon 80% by
2050," signs and pinwheels and walked from Houghton to Hancock and back.
Some came by bike to protest fossil fuels. more
Photo: "The Power Is In Our Hands" walkers
carry a banner expressing solidarity with the national "Step It Up, Congress"
event to address climate change. The walk from Houghton to Hancock
and back was a family-friendly community event coordinated with over 1,000 other
related events around the country. (Photo © 2007 Gustavo Bourdieu
for Keweenaw
Renewable energy events draw local crowds
By Katie Alvord Posted
A growing number of Copper Country residents like the idea of renewable power, if turnouts at recent meetings are any indication.
A wind energy talk by Calumet Girl Scouts attracted attention in January.
A Hancock forum on solar, wind, and energy conservation, sponsored by the
Keweenaw Sustainability Project (KSP), drew a larger-than-expected crowd in
February, as did a
Small Wind Seminar sponsored by Michigan State University Extension in Houghton in March.
KSP will sponsor another forum, "Energy Costs, Part 2," at 7 p.m. on
Tuesday, Apr. 17, at Lakeview Manor in Hancock. The forum will include presentations on solar power,
wind power and retrofitting older homes to save energy. more
This 10 KW wind turbine helps offset electricity needs for the adjacent home, which is also connected to the power grid.
(Photo ©
American Wind
Energy Association and courtesy Lynn Hamilton.)
Proposed Trans-Superior Cable would hit Keweenaw Peninsula
Posted 05/07/2002
BAY, ONT. -- As part of "bold new expansion plans" announced this
spring, an electrical utilities group in Canada hopes to lay a power
transmission cable across Lake Superior from a projected petroleum coke power
plant in Thunder Bay, Ontario, across a tip of Isle Royale, to the Keweenaw
Peninsula. Guest reporter Katie Alvord investigates possible impacts of the
Cdn$9 billion project. more
Afghanistan: War for oil? Local voices weigh
Posted 03/16/2002
HOUGHTON -- This month, as Congress considers a sweeping energy policy
bill and the Bush administration continues to push for oil drilling in the
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the debate over United States energy
security raises questions about the role of oil in the current Afghan
conflict. Guest writer Katie Alvord explores these questions with experts
at Michigan Technological University. more
Michigan registers warmest winter on record
Posted 03/07/2002
-- Guest writer Katie Alvord reports that preliminary numbers indicate this was
the warmest meteorological winter -- through February -- ever measured for the
state of Michigan. The National Weather Service says the last four months have
been the warmest November through February on record in Marquette, with the
average temperature hitting 27.2 degrees. more
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Opposing war, racism, sexism, climate change, economic injustice and high-stakes testing.
The indefatigable Coalition of Immokalee Workers recently wrapped up its "Now is the Time" Tour—a ten-day, ten-city tour designed to pressure Wendy's and Publix supermarkets—two of the remaining hold-out retailers—to embrace the highest standard of farm labor protections and increased pay in US agriculture, the Fair Food Program.
Wendy's now stands alone as the only major fast-food brand that has refused to join the FFP, a unique farmworker-driven initiative consisting of a wage increase supported by a price premium paid by corporate purchasers of Florida tomatoes, and a human-rights-based Code of Conduct, applicable throughout the Florida tomato industry.
More than 800 consumers marched on Wendy's headquarters in Columbus, OH, and over 1,000 faith, student and community supporters joined farmworkers on March 14 for a 24-hour vigil and march in Publix's hometown of Lakeland, FL.
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Another big step in the direction of equity and justice is National Farmworker Awareness Week. Five days of action for students and community members to raise awareness about farmworker issues, the annual event is currently marking its 15th anniversary in 2014. Honor the occasion by learning how you can help advance the cause of farmworker justice and equity by calling Wendy's management, delivering info to Wendy's franchises, educating your community about the issues and helping spread the word about the campaign.
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Today more than 5,000 organizations, including The Nation, are participating in "The Day We Fight Back" a worldwide day of activism in opposition to the NSA's mass spying. The coalition is asking Americans to support the USA Freedom Act, a bipartisan effort to rein in the worst abuses of the NSA. Write to your representative and senators now and tell them to support the USA Freedom Act. To amplify your voice, call the congressional switchboard at 202-224-3121 or tweet using the hashtag #StoptheNSA.
Read Next: additional actions you can take to rein in the NSA.
Here we go again. With President Obama on the cusp of a decision on whether to approve the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline, on March 2, hundreds of students and young people are expected to risk arrest in an act of civil disobedience at the White House to pressure President Obama to reject the project.
The sit-in is expected to be the largest act of civil disobedience by young people in the recent history of the environmental movement and it will be led by just the demographic that helped propel Obama to the presidency. The protest, known as "XL Dissent," is meant to send a clear signal to President Obama that the base that helped elect him sees Keystone XL as a decision that will define his entire legacy.
"Obama was the first president I voted for, and I want real climate action and a rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline," said Nick Stracco, a senior at Tulane University. "The people that voted him into office have made it absolutely clear what we want, and that's to reject Keystone XL."
The tar sands, also known as the oil sands, are one of the largest remaining deposits of oil in the world, and efforts to extract the resource from a mix of clay and other materials underneath Canada's Boreal forest have created the biggest, and by the accounts of numerous scientists and environmental groups, one of the most environmentally devastating energy projects on earth. For details and background, the Natural Resources Defense Council has compiled an extensive document.
The Keystone XL fight has become an iconic issue for environmentally minded young people across the country, many of whom are involved in local campaigns to help stop the pipeline or the broader fossil fuel divestment campaign, which has spread to over 300 universities across the United States.
As 350.org co-founder Bill McKibben aptly puts it:
As the fight to stop KXL enters its final stages, it's truly inspiring to see young people at the forefront. This pipeline is scheduled to last 40 years—right through the prime of their lives. President Obama needs to look them in the face.
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The "XL Dissent" protest on March 2 will begin with a march from Georgetown University to the White House. After a rally in Lafayette Square, hundreds of students and young people are expected to risk arrest at the White House fence. The day before the protest, students will meet for a nonviolent direct action training and fossil fuel divestment conference.
Get more info and sign up for the march; find out exactly what's being planned and see how you can help the cause, whether you can be in DC on March 2 or not.
Read Next: Wen Stephenson on voices from Keystone XL's front lines
The first concert I ever saw was Pete Seeger playing Carnegie Hall in 1970 when I was a toddler. ("What took your parents so long?" my friend John Nichols asks.) Since then, I was privileged to see him sing at numerous shows, labor rallies, anti-apartheid protests, annual Clearwater Festivals, an environmental fundraiser, an early Farm-Aid benefit, after breakfast at my lefty summer camp and, most recently, on the streets of the Upper West Side of Manhattan at an Occupy rally in the fall of 2011.
Seeger, who died on January 27 at the too-young age of 94, was everywhere. It's a cliché, but wherever people were struggling for their rights and their dignity, Seeger was there. He spearheaded an American folk revival while championing a long litany of social justice causes and lived an extraordinary life marked by hard work, skilled musicianship and kindness,
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Musically, Seeger was both a songwriter and, like his idol Woody Guthrie, a great interpreter of America's deepest folk traditions. He didn't write "We Shall Overcome," the iconic anthem of the civil rights revolution, but no one played a greater role in popularizing the song. His most famous original compositions, "If I Had a Hammer," an immortal tale of perserverance and "Where Have All the Flowers Gone," a haunting lament over the absurdity of war, are now and forever a core part of the culture of protest in the United States and around the world.
Seeger's life and legacy resonated deeply with generations of artists and activists of all stripes and inspired considerable musical tribute; this list is meant simply as a starting point for discussion (and listening!) Please use the comments field below to let me what I missed.
Pete Seeger's Top Ten Songs
1. If I Had a Hammer
2. Where Have All the Flowers Gone
3. Midnight Special with Arlo Guthrie
4. What Did You Learn in School Today
5. Little Boxes
6. Turn, Turn
7. Guantanamera
8. This Land is Your Land with Bruce Springsteen
9. We Shall Overcome
10a. Worried Man Blues with Johnny and June Cash
10b. Kisses Sweeter than Wine
Read Next: Pete Seeger moves the crowd at Vietnam Moratorium Day.
In honor of today's national holiday marking the birth of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., I embarked on the impossible task of selecting a top ten list of songs about civil rights. The theme has resonated deeply with generations of artists of all stripes and inspired considerable musical tribute; this list is meant simply as a starting point for discussion (and listening!) Please use the comments field below to let me what I missed.
In Fairly Random Order:
1. Mavis Staples, We Shall Not Be Moved
2 The Impressions, People Get Ready
3. Sam Cooke, A Change is Gonna Come
5. Phil Ochs, Here's to the State of Mississippi
6. Bob Dylan, The Times They Are A Changin'
7. Sweet Honey in the Rock, Eyes on the Prize
8. Gil Scott-Heron, 95 South (All of the Places We've Been)
9. The Roots, Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me 'Round
10. The Staple Singers, Freedom Highway
Few, if any, of the towering figures of the twentieth century inspired as many people, or as many songs, as Nelson Mandela. Artists of all genres and stripes found different ways to pay tribute to Mandela, the architect of the ANC's resistance strategy, as he served twenty-seven years in prison before emerging to lead his country into a peaceful transition to majority rule. As the world mourns the loss of Mandela, 95, here are ten of my favorites presented in tribute. Please use the comments field below to let me know what I missed. RIP.
1. Free Nelson Mandela, The Specials
2. Mandela (Bring Him Back Home), Hugh Masekela
3. Asimbonanga, Johnny Clegg
4. When You Come Back, Vusi Mahlasela
5. Nelson Mandela Song, Nomfusi & The Lucky Charms
6. Give Me Hope Joanna, Eddy Grant
7. Black President, Brenda Fassie
8. House of Exile, Lucky Dube
9. Sooner Than Later, Kent O'Shea
10. Number 46664, Bono, Joe Strummer and Dave Stewart
This one commercial should be enough to make every parent vow to never ever again shop at Toys"R"Us. The spot, airing in numerous markets coast to coast, suggests that trees are boring and nature sucks while a stroll through the plastic corridors of Toys"R"Us is just what young minds need to stimulate their inner creativity and happiness. It views like satire but it's no joke. Join Climate Parents in telling Toys"R"Us to stop pushing anti-environmental messages on our kids.
Typhoon Haiyan, the Category 5 mega-storm that pounded the eastern Philippines on November 8, has left at least 10,000 people dead and many more injured while destroying critical water, electricity and transportation infrastructure. Towns and villages are leveled in an already impoverished region. There's little water to drink or food to eat. According to all accounts, the need for outside assistance is urgent.
Here's an incomplete list of groups on the ground working to immediately aid the victims. Please use the comments field to let me know what other relief groups deserve support.
If you're looking or have information on a missing person, Google Person Finder has launched a Typhoon Yolanda page. A Google crisis map is also available for evacuation and relief information.
Oxfam's work combines immediate, practical assistance post-disasters with an intelligent, tough-minded approach to the longer-term needs for development, justice and sustainability. Oxfam aid teams are on the ground in the Philippines and reporting urgent needs of food, clean water, medicine and shelter. Communication lines between some provinces are cut and many areas are experiencing total black outs. Oxfam teams are assessing the extent of the damage now and are ready to deploy water and sanitation materials to those affected but urgently need help to scale up.
The National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON) has created a disaster relief fund for victims in the Philippines.
The American Jewish World Service, which has worked extensively in the Philippines, is collecting funds to provide urgent aid to local groups in the country that know their communities and what they need to help survivors.
Shelterbox is providing tents, kitchen equipment, blankets, water purification systems and classroom supplies to refugee families in the Philippines. You can help with an online donation or by using one of these methods.
The UN's World Food Program has allocated an immediate $2 million for Haiyan relief, with a greater appeal pending. The organization is also sending 40 metric tons of fortified biscuits in the immediate aftermath, as well as working with the government to restore emergency telecommunications. Americans can text the word AID to 27722 to donate $10 or give online. Learn more here.
World Vision has a long history of relief and anti-poverty work in the Philippines and is mobilizing nearly 500 staff around the country to respond to the disaster. Donations are accepted online and the organization also lets you sponsor a child in the Philippines.
US Representative John Conyers Jr., Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg and actor Maggie Gyllenhaal join a chorus of prominent voices calling for an end to mass suspicionless surveillance by the National Security Agency (NSA) in a new short video released by the StopWatching.us coalition.
The video is a call to action released in support of the Stop Watching Us: Rally Against Mass Surveillance being held in Washington, DC, on Saturday, October 26, the twelfth anniversary of the Patriot Act. Formed in June 2013, the StopWatching.us coalition comprises more than 100 public advocacy organizations from across the political spectrum demanding that Congress investigate the full extent of the NSA's spying programs.
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The protest should be the largest privacy protest in the history of the republic. The demand is for a full congressional investigation of America's surveillance programs, reform to federal surveillance law and accountability from public officials responsible for hiding this surveillance from lawmakers and the public. Sign the coalition's petition and find out how you can support the campaign, whether or not you can get to DC on October 26.
There may be no family in the history of the republic which has done more to promote culinary awareness, sustainability and food justice than the indefatigable Lappé clan.
Frances Moore Lappé's seminal and best-selling 1971 book, Diet for a Small Planet, launched one of the first substantive critiques of the industrial food industry and was groundbreaking for arguing that world hunger is not caused by a lack of food but by an unfair system of resource allocation.
Lappé's husband, the late toxicologist Marc Lappé, was an early, persistent and perceptive critic of the agrichemical industry and what its products do to human beings.
In 1975, Lappé and Joseph Collins launched the California-based Institute for Food and Development Policy (Food First) with a mission to end the injustices that cause hunger, poverty and environmental degradation throughout the world. Having evolved into the country's leading food think tank, Food First currently sponsors countless projects coast to coast aimed at building local agri-food systems.
Building on the success of Food First, Lappé later founded the Small Planet Institute in 2001 with her daughter Anna Lappé to reveal how people on every continent are creating living democratic models to establish their own food security and power to remake societal rules and norms to serve widely shared values.
Then, in 2006, Anna Lappé took Small Planet a step further with her book, Diet for a Hot Planet: The Climate Crisis at the End of Your Fork and What You Can Do About It, in which she revealed the disturbing connection between food production and climate change and outlined how we can eat food that's better for both people and the planet.
Delving deeper into the myths that lead so many people to eat against their own interests, as it were, the younger Lappé's latest campaign and series of short movies, Food Myths, seeks to unpack the often stealth marketing of junk food to kids and counter the billion-dollar annual investment by the fast-food industry in shaping the public conversation about our food system.
In the second and most recent movie, Lappé debunks one of the most pervasive myths propagated by the junk food industry—the myth of personal choice—and calls into question the industry's defense of its marketing: that parental authority is the sole factor in deciding what kids eat. Citing a range of studies and reports, Lappé explaines how junk food industry marketing is designed to undermine parental authority and exploit children's vulnerabilities.
Lappé explains how children like her daughter, Ida (and my daughter, Claudia!), are inundated with marketing throughout their lives—from the Internet to the classroom to the sports field—despite the best efforts of their supposedly enlightened parents. Today, the food industry reaches our children far beyond commercials during Saturday morning cartoons. Big Food marketing pops up in the classroom and lunchroom; on sports leagues jerseys and playground equipment; on branded websites and social media platforms. This constant onslaught shapes our childrens' habits and preferences, undermines parental guidance and helps drive the nation's growing epidemic of diet-related disease.
"For decades, McDonald's and its junk food cohorts have worked to convince Americans that bad parenting, not aggressive marketing, is the reason for exploding rates of diet-related disease," said Lappé. "It's time we stood with parents to end the tsunami of marketing that targets kids and creates an environment devoid of healthy choices."
In conjunction with the campaign launch, Lappé cobbled together a Food MythBusters coalition and, as its first campaign, its members are calling on McDonald's to shut down its flagship website for kids, HappyMeal.com.
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Happy Meals are a staple of McDonald's youth-targeted playbook, featuring toys from children's movies and cartoons. To reach young people, McDonald's has enlisted role models like Olympic Champion Gabby Douglas and cartoon characters like Shrek. As parents and health professionals become increasingly critical of such tactics, the fast-food giant has moved to digital marketing aimed at reaching kids in spaces where parents often exercise less vigilance.
Join the call for McDonald's to turn off the lights on HappyMeal.com and find out how to watch and share the films and help support the project.

subset: commoncrawl


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Our Mission
To support a high quality of life in Fond du Lac through reading, lifelong learning and community involvement.
Jeans Pocket Purse
Bring old jeans (the bigger the better) to the Sept 20 Crafternoon: Jeans Pocket Purse. Registration required.
Fermentation series
Learn to make delicious kombucha at home 6 pm Tues Sept 16. No registration required.


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Back in 1995, Join Together developed a fledgling web-based smoking cessation program. It eventually became an independent company, QuitNet.com, which may be the largest smoking cessation program in the world.
That's why we're especially glad when we see other public health advocates continue to innovate in this area.
Case in point: the Vermont Health Department is offering an online video game to smokers who want to quit, the Burlington Free Press reported Aug. 20.
The video game, called Khemia, features five difficulty levels and two styles of play: ?fast-and-furious,? and strategic. Its goal is to help smokers ?kill? their cravings while reinforcing traditional smoking cessation skills.
The game was created by the Vermont Health Department and Hoozinga Game Media. ?It definitely keeps your mind and your hands busy,? said Sheri Lynn, who directs the health department?s tobacco control program. Adults between 25 and 34 who want to quit smoking are the primary target.
Smokers can find the game at the Vermont Quit Network. They can also find other services on the site to help them quit smoking, such as support groups and forums, coaches, and nicotine replacement therapy.


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Is Lululemon really claiming no fault?
Amid some quality issues with its popular yoga pants, the apparel maker points fingers at supplier.
Investors don't like to hear the word "recall" followed by the name of a company in which they own stock. In the case of Lululemon (LULU), the recall of its "unintentionally see-through" black yoga pants is especially painful.
In a statement Monday, the company said, "The ingredients, weight and longevity qualities of the pants remain the same, but the coverage does not, resulting in a level of sheerness in some of our women's black Luon bottoms that falls short of our very high standards."
CNN Money reported that the company says the recall, which amounts to 17% of all women's pants sold in its stores, will cause shortages that will have a significant impact on the company's financial results.
Prior to the recall, the company was on track for an 11% increase in sales at stores that had been open at least a year. Revenue in Q1 ending in April was expected to come in between $350 million to $355 million. Now the company expects no more than a 5% to 8% sales gain and revenue as low as $333 million.
Shares of the Vancouver, B.C., company tumbled 5% in midday trading.
This follows a 3.8% drop in the stock in trading Monday ahead of the company's announcement of the recall.
Meanwhile, according to the Wall Street Journal, the chief financial officer of Eclat Textile Co., a Taiwanese supplier to Lululemon says their clothes were not "problematic."
The remarks came after Lululemon blamed the supplier for the "see-through" problem.
"All shipments to Lululemon went through a certification process which Lululemon had approved. The pants were manufactured according to the requirements set out in the contract with Lululemon," Eclat chief financial officer Roger Lo said.
The WSJ said Lo confirmed Tuesday that the company supplies Luon pants to Lululemon. He insisted that the manufacturing process complies with Lululemon's requirements.
Lo said Lululemon hasn't contacted him or the company since the news broke, so he wasn't able to tell what might have gone wrong. He was unsure which factories produced the yoga pants. Neither was he sure where the materials came from.
Eclat, established and based in Taipei since 1977, is a contract manufacturer of functional sportswear and stretched knitwear, designing and producing for brands such as Columbia (COLM), Asics and Lululemon.
Stifel Nicolaus reduced its price target on Lululemon to $75 from $83, noting that this is the company's second major quality issue in a year. While the firm is "highly concerned," it still maintains a "buy" rating on the stock.
Sterne Agee downgraded the stock from "buy" to "neutral." Sterne Agee analyst Sam Poser said, "We are lowering our estimates in 1Q13 and 2Q13 from $0.43 & $0.44 to $0.40 & $0.42."
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Priorities for Excellence: Penn State's strategic plan for 2009-2010 through 2013-2014
Priorities for Excellence is Penn State's strategic plan for the period 2009-2010 through 2013-2014. The University Strategic Planning Council has worked on the development of the plan since November 2007. The strategic plan was approved by the Board of Trustees at the May 15, 2009 Board meeting. Implementation of the plan began in August 2009.
Implementation of Priorities for Excellence
The strategic plan articulates seven goals. This five year plan differs from previous plans because a clearly defined process for implementing the plan was included in the appendices and key administrators were assigned primary or secondary responsibility for the implementation of each strategy. The Strategy Implementation Matrix in the plan (Appendix 5) identifies those leaders responsible for pursuing the actions required to implement the strategies associated with each goal, the projected start date, a general indication of fiscal impact of each strategy, and selected measures of performance.
At the start of each year of implementation, the administrators with primary responsibility for strategies scheduled to be implemented in that year are tasked by the Provost to submit a progress report at the end of the year. Information in these progress reports is used to periodically update the Board of Trustees, the Academic Leadership Council, the Faculty Senate, and other key stakeholders, and can be found at Progress and Performance.
Updates on Progress
2011-12 Budget and Strategic Planning Report, University Faculty Senate (August 30, 2011)
Penn State Live article (August 28, 2011) - Core Council committee finds millions of dollars in cost-savings
Penn State Live article (May 13, 2011) - Board hears about strategic plan and continuing progress
Penn State Live article (January 26, 2011) - Program changes necessary to capture savings and opportunities
Provost Erickson's Budget and Planning Report to Faculty Senate (October 19, 2010) -slides [PDF]
Newswire article (May 14, 2010) - Trustees hear strategic plan update
Newswire article (April 1, 2010) - Changes under way to help Penn State position for the future
Newswire article (March 25, 2010) - President names council to find savings and identify opportunities
Newswire article (January 28, 2010) - Report updates Faculty Senate on budget, strategic plan
OPIA February 2010 Newsletter - Implementing Penn State's Strategic Plan - An Update
If you have additional ideas for cost savings or efficiencies contact the Office of Planning and Institutional Assessment at email@example.com.
Unit Strategic Plans
Strategic plans for each of Penn State's colleges and budget units were submitted during summer 2008.
Strategic Planning Guidelines for 2008/2009 through 2012/2013 [PDF]
2008/2009-2012/2013 - Themes from Penn State units' strategic plans
The following Penn State units make their unit strategic plans available on their Web sites:
2008-2013 Plans
Business, Smeal College of [PDF]
Communications [PDF]
Education [PDF]
Educational Equity [PDF]
Global Programs, University Office of [PDF]
Information Sciences and Technology
Information Technology Services
Intercollegiate Athletics [PDF]
Outreach [PDF]
Penn State DuBois [PDF]
Penn State Erie, The Behrend College
Penn State Fayette [PDF]
Penn State Greater Allegheny [PDF]
Penn State Harrisburg [PDF]
Penn State Hazleton [PDF]
Penn State Mont Alto [PDF]
Penn State Schuylkill [PDF]
Penn State Shenango [PDF]
Penn State Wilkes Barre [PDF]
Penn State Worthington Scranton
Penn State York [PDF]
Research [PDF]
Schreyer Honors College [PDF]
Science, Eberly College of [PDF]
Undergraduate Education [PDF]


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Colorful styles get the most attention. Plater still gets calls about a photo of herself that she uploaded two months ago. In it, she's wearing long, black curly hair extensions with the ends dyed bright orange. That photo alone has generated about $10,000 in sales.
"Without Instagram I couldn't tell you where we would be right now," she says.
Instagram is an increasingly important part of small businesses' social media strategies. It's helping them drive sales, gain customers and develop their brand. The app is especially helpful to restaurants, bakeries, clothing stores, hair salons and other businesses that sell items that photograph well.
The app, which was founded in 2010 and was bought by social media company Facebook Inc. in 2012, reaches more than 200 million users worldwide. Owners say it's easy to use and like that they can automatically post their Instagram photos on their businesses' other social media accounts, including Facebook and Twitter.
To boost Limelight Extensions' followers, Plater pays local models and reality show stars to promote the company on their accounts. Payment is either a percentage of sales, a flat rate or free hair. In return, they post photos of themselves wearing the extensions with a link back to Limelight Extensions' Instagram account. The company has more than 27,000 followers.
Yumbox is trying a similar strategy. The Doylestown, Pennsylvania-based company makes colorful lunch boxes with portioned sections meant to teach kids balanced eating. It recently paid a well-followed health food blogger to post a photo of a food-filled Yumbox. The post spiked traffic to its website and doubled its Instagram followers to nearly 5,000.
Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter allow small businesses to pay to promote their posts and gain followers. Instagram, which declined to comment for this story, doesn't do that yet. On its website, it says it is working on offering advertising to more of its users.
There are cheaper ways to build followers. Yumbox reposts customer photos. Devitt and co-owner Maia Neumann scour Instagram for photos others have posted using Yumbox as a hashtag. (A hashtag is a word or sentence that begins with the pound sign (#), such as #yumbox. Using a hashtag, which is clickable, makes it easier for users to find all the pictures about one topic.) (continued...)
© 2014 Associated Press under contract with NewsEdge. All rights reserved.
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Jerk Sauce
Recipe courtesy of Food Network Kitchen
Recipe courtesy Food Network Kitchens Get Grilling, Meredith 2005
- Total Time:
- 18 min
- Prep:
- 15 min
- Cook:
- 3 min
- Yield:
- 1 1/2 cups
- Level:
- Intermediate
- 1/3 cup cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup dark rum
- 3 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 1 bunch scallions (white and green parts), roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 Scotch bonnet chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
- 2 tablespoons Pickapeppa sauce
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated peeled ginger
- 1 tablespoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Pulse the vinegar, rum, brown sugar, scallions, garlic, chile, Pickapeppa sauce, ginger, allspice, and pumpkin pie spice in a food processor to make a slightly chunky sauce. Heat the oil in a medium skillet, add the sauce, and cook, stirring, until the oil is absorbed and the sauce thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Cool.
Copyright © 2005 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved
More Recipes and Ideas
Dipping Sauce for Spring Rolls
Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray
Sweet & Sour BBQ Sauce
Recipe courtesy of Food Network Kitchen
Chicken in Peanut Sauce
Recipe courtesy of Marcela Valladolid


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GIVEAWAY: The Man Box
I've seen a lot of blog giveaways before, but I've never really seen any for men. I thought I saw one once, but it turned out to be for an all female spa. In hindsight, probably for the best that I didn't win – I don't think I'd fit in with my Spongebob towel. So, when Ladbrokes came to me with some man stuff to do a giveaway, I decided to say yes. However, that's not to say that you ladies aren't welcome to apply to – maybe you're really good girlfriends or maybe you want to flog the hamper on eBay (sad face). Or maybe you have a beard…I won't judge.
Anyway, the contents are as follows –
- Esquire Magazine's Handbook of Style
- Reiss pocket square
- The Bluebeard's Revenge shaving foam and brush
- Love Hearts, yay!
If you fancy a flutter, you can find some more Ladbrokes deals here. Just don't bet £20 that Janet Devlin will win X Factor and spend three days locked in your room pouting when they get voted out. Like some of us did.


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8 U.S. Code § 1425 - Ineligibility to naturalization of deserters from the Armed Forces
A person who, at any time during which the United States has been or shall be at war, deserted or shall desert the military, air, or naval forces of the United States, or who, having been duly enrolled, departed, or shall depart from the jurisdiction of the district in which enrolled, or who, whether or not having been duly enrolled, went or shall go beyond the limits of the United States, with intent to avoid any draft into the military, air, or naval service, lawfully ordered, shall, upon conviction thereof by a court martial or a court of competent jurisdiction, be permanently ineligible to become a citizen of the United States; and such deserters and evaders shall be forever incapable of holding any office of trust or of profit under the United States, or of exercising any rights of citizens thereof.
Source(June 27, 1952, ch. 477, title III, ch. 2, § 314,66 Stat. 241.)
The table below lists the classification updates, since Jan. 3, 2012, for this section. Updates to a broader range of sections may be found at the update page for containing chapter, title, etc.
The most recent Classification Table update that we have noticed was Tuesday, August 13, 2013
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December 13, 2012
By: Nicole Williams
It started off as a partnership between Emmy and Grammy award winning producer Narada Michael Walden and chart-topping singer, Whitney Houston that would lead into a friendship full of unforgettable memories. After the singer tragically died in February 2012, Narada, along with family and friends spent time dealing with the grief of losing someone they loved. He then felt inspired to share the moments he had with the singer that he says, would have never been known without writing a book.
"My inspiration for writing this book on Whitney called, "Whitney Houston: The Voice, The Music, The Inspiration," is really to tell the story of how we worked in studio and to keep alive her music legacy and how much heart she has, how much love she has and to just speak about that."
Narada was at the Grammy Museum Wednesday, December 5 for a book signing and performance. His book officially hit shelves November 27. Before the performance and book signing started, Narada was interviewed by the Billboard Magazine Senior Editor Gail Mitchell in the Clive Davis Theatre. During the interview, Gail Mitchell asked Narada of his start in the music industry, his role as a producer and specific details of moments with Whitney in the studio.
"Every one of us who are producers has our own way of doing it, our own way of doing magic. Really, you're trying to ask the good Lord to come and bless your recording, so however you can do that, you do it. At my heart of it, I'm a coach. When Whitney sings I'm like a cheerleader. 'That was phenomenal.' 'How did you do that?' Then she wants to do it again," he said.
Narada was involved with the Houstons in the very beginning of his music career. Whitney's mother, Cissy Houston was a background singer for his debut solo album in 1976 titled "Garden of Love Light".
"Tom Dowd who produced that record with me, said we have to have Cissy Houston on this song and record. So in she comes with her singers and a little Whitney kind of tags along, the most beautiful, angelic-faced little girl. I had no idea that she'd be this one, but I was just stunned at how beautiful she was at thirteen years old," he said.
Narada described the powerful voice that Cissy Houston had and that it took on a "raw churchy vibe". It was no surprise that when first working with Whitney, he experienced déjà vu as the power in her voice mimicked her mother's.
That very same Whitney once again walked through those doors, only amidst Narada working with Aretha Franklin. After Narada was given a sense of urgency to hear Whitney's voice, he accepted the meeting of the two once again.
On the stage of the Clive Davis Theater, Narada stood up out of his chair as he described Whitney's features.
"Thin chick. Boots. Hair. Confident. Glowing. And knows it. She comes into the control room and sits down like 'Hey what's up?' That one take was your record," he said.
The audience laughed as he used hand gestures to describe the presence of Whitney. He was referring to the singer recording "How Will I Know" which only took one take at the studio in 1985. Before Whitney even recorded the hit song, Narada asked her if she was sure she wanted the key to be so high. He said that normally singers don't like to sing at such a high pitch, but she was fine with it. After she nailed the song, that began the two's journey together.
While Narada spoke, you could hear the passion and enthusiasm in his voice, which made it clear that his partnership with Whitney was more than just on a professional level, but also a level of friendship.
"Friendship is really built around trust because when you're in a recording studio you have headphones on, you have microphones on everybody, you have cameras. You have to find a partnership where you can kind of relax yourself and feel like you can give your very best and that's what I tried to give her. If it meant giving her flowers, a teddy bear, or rubbing her neck or whatever would just calm her down so she could be her best and do her thing. So that was really our friendship, to find that balance," he said.
The friendship the two had allowed him to learn more about the singer. He realized that Whitney was a beautiful, yet humble girl and what he describes as a "true music lover."
He said that he was able to become a fan of Whitney.
"It's not easy to do all the doubling. I'm telling you y'all don't know. That's why I put this book together because you don't know. To double yourself, to triple yourself, to harmonize with yourself so it can sound like what you hear 20 years from now…it's hard, but she didn't care," he said.
Narada helped produce huge hits for Whitney such as "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" and "How Will I Know". Those songs would later be performed that evening in a medley by up-and-coming artist, Shelea. Narada also joined in on the performance as he played the drums. Shelea says it was a privilege to be a part of the event.
"I was honored to be a part of the phenomenal tribute to Whitney Houston, a woman and artist who inspired me tremendously. I know her spirit was in the room that night and my hope is that we made her proud. I thank Narada for the opportunity and look forward to doing more with him," she said.
The music had the audience feeling the true presence of Whitney Houston as many clapped along with the songs and danced. By just merely watching Narada play the drums, you could see in his face the passion and love of the music that him and Whitney made together. It was a beautiful performance to witness and a wonderful surrounding vibe to feel.
The last time Narada and Whitney worked together in the studio was a song for the film "Sparkle" that Whitney starred in. The movie came out in August 2012. Besides that last memory of working together, other memories can be relived by reading the book. He says that he hopes readers will take away whatever they want from reading the book.
"I don't put a limit on it. I just want people to look at it and read it and kind of just take whatever they get from it because really, Whitney Houston was a skyrocket, so I say just jump on the skyrocket and ride it. Ride this love story that she touched our hearts," he said.
The book is currently on sale at bookstores and proceeds will benefit Narada's charity called the Narada Michael Walden Foundation, which helps music education for children.
December 13, 2012
By Kam Williams
LAWT Contributing Writer
Rise of the Guardians is Peter Ramsey's first feature film after directing the hit DreamWorks Animation Halloween special, "Monsters vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space." This project followed the feature film, "Monsters vs. Aliens" on which Ramsey served as Head of Story. While at DreamWorks Animation, Ramsey also served as a story artist on "Shrek the Third," and as a storyboard artist on "Shark Tale."
Before joining DreamWorks Animation in 2004, Ramsey's talent as a storyboard artist was on display while working on a notable number of live action feature films, including "Adaptation," "Minority Report," "A.I. Artificial Intelligence," "Cast Away", "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," "Fight Club," "Godzilla," "Men in Black," "Independence Day," "Batman Forever," "Far and Away," "Backdraft," and "Predator 2" amongst others.
Ramsey's directing skills were also honed early, as he served as Second Unit Director on live action feature films including "Godzilla," "Tank Girl," "Higher Learning," and "Poetic Justice." A lifelong resident of Los Angeles, California, Peter grew-up in Crenshaw, and graduated from Palisades High School before attending UCLA.
Here, he talks about his life and career, and about being the first African-American to direct a full-length, animated feature.
LAWT: Hi Peter, thanks for the interview. I'm honored to have this opportunity to speak with you.
Peter Ramsey: Oh, the pleasure's all mine, Kam. The pleasure's all mine.
LAWT: I really enjoyed Rise of the Guardians. Let me start by asking you what it meant to make history as the first African-American hired by a big studio to direct a full-length, animated feature?
PR: I thought about it a little bit when I first got the job, but then rapidly got lost in the work. It wasn't until later, when my mom and dad read that fact about me in the newspaper, and I saw how it affected them, that it came back to me. Since I talk to a lot of groups at schools, one good thing is that kids can look at me and have direct knowledge of someone who's doing something they might be dreaming of doing themselves.
LAWT: How did you get the gig? Judging from your bio, it seems like you've been a storyboard artist most of your career until now.
PR: Right. I got into film as a storyboard artist, but my dream was always to be a director. The way I was able to get into the industry was through drawing. As a storyboard artist, you basically pre-visualize the whole film through drawing. So, I spent a lot of my career doing that with many different directors. That was really film school for me, my training ground, because I got to work with so many great people.
LAWT: So, what was your academic background? Did you study art?
PR: I'm pretty much self-taught. I took a couple of art classes in high school, and I entered college with the intention of majoring in art. But I was a little too young when I started at UCLA at 17, and I wasn't ready for the concept of art that was being taught there. I was intimidated by Art History, and didn't get it. All I was interested in was drawing. I wish I had been able to hang tough, but I dropped out after a couple years. Of course, I did learn a bunch of that stuff later on.
LAWT: Editor/Legist Patricia Turnier was wondering whether the film is faithful to the book series it's based upon.
PR: An interesting thing about the movie and the books is that they were both being developed at the same time. The books' author, Bill Joyce, in his talks with the studio, said, "It would be really cool, if I could do a series of books about the origins of these characters, how they came to be and their backs stories while you guys were simultaneously developing a movie about the first time they all came together." So, they're all the same characters and they share the same mythology, but the movie and the books are pretty different.
LAWT: Patricia also asks: What message do you want children to take away from your movie?
PR: The main message of the film is that you have the power to create magic through your imagination and to bring it into the world, whether that's in the form of the Guardian characters who represent a lot of things we need, or whether it's just anybody creating something. That is the best way to fight fear. That's probably the central idea of the movie.
LAWT: Why did you tweak these familiar characters, like giving Santa a Russian accent and making him look a little different from what we've come to expect?
PR: The basic idea behind the books was to suggest that you grew up with a made-up version of all these characters, as if there's a secret world alongside our world, and we've never known the whole truth about it. What you see in the movie and the books is the real truth about what these guys are. And it's pretty cool, more like a Lord of the Rings kind of epic, fantasy world they all operate in as opposed to the cute, fluffy image you get from greeting cards. That was the central idea of the books. We thought that was pretty interesting and a really fresh way to get people to take another look at these characters.
LAWT: Harriet Pakula-Teweles asks: Where were some "Guardians" when the hunters shot Bambi's mother? I can still hear the shot ring out all those many years ago. How much trauma-less support can animation/fable offer young children without some need of a degree of reality check?
PR: Wow! I'm not sure what to do with that question. I can't answer for Bambi. We have a mom in our movie. Some form of reality check? Yeah, I don't know what to do with that one.
LAWT: Film student Jamaal Green asks: What is your favorite film, and is there a filmmaker whose work inspired you to make the move to becoming a director?
PR: Omigosh, I literally have too many favorite movies to name them all. But I can throw a few out there: Kurosawa… Coppola… David Lean… I'm a huge fan of Ang Lee. And there are tons of French films I love. Like I said, way too many to mention.
LAWT: The Tasha Smith question: Are you ever afraid?
PR: Of course! Are you kidding? [LOL] But you have to realize that fear is something that lives in your mind, just like all the positive things that reside there. The key is to try to find a balance or a way for the positive to at least cancel out what the fear is telling you. Most of the time, fear is taking something that sounds very rational and blowing it out of proportion, and letting your mind run away with it.
LAWT: Will your next film be live-action or animated?
PR: I don't know. So much depends on how this one is received and how well it does? I'd love to make another animated film, because I feel like I'm really just beginning to learn how to use all these tools. It's a real experience working in a big studio system. It's like learning how to command a battleship.
LAWT: The Columbus Short question: Are you happy?
PR: I'm very happy with the work and the spirit my crew brought to the movie. I couldn't be prouder of them.
LAWT: The Teri Emerson question: When was the last time you had a good laugh?
PR: Today! I've been laughing a lot lately. [LOL] This is my first time directing, and it's been quite a roller coaster ride.
LAWT: What is your guiltiest pleasure?
PR: Playing the video game Halo 4.
LAWT: The bookworm Troy Johnson question: What was the last book you read?
PR: What I'm reading is a new book by Robert Greene called "Mastery."
LAWT: When you look in the mirror, what do you see?
PR: I see a guy who always feels like he's a beginner. Sometimes it's a good thing, sometimes it's a bad thing, but I can't shake that image of myself.
LAWT: I can't recall who said it, but that makes me think of the saying, "The greatest freedom is the freedom to begin again."
PR: Very true. I think there's a Zen saying about a beginner's mind.
LAWT: The Ling-Ju Yen question: What is your earliest childhood memory?
PR: My earliest childhood memory is very abstract. I must have been about 3 years old. It's just me in the backyard looking at a flower. I have another one from when I was just a little bit older of my parents taking me to see Snow White at a drive-in theater.
LAWT: Thanks again for the time, Peter, and best of luck with the film.
PR: Thanks so much. I really appreciate it, Kam.
December 06, 2012
By MARK KENNEDY Associated Press
Michael Strahan has tackled something few football stars have attempted — Broadway.
The gap-toothed co-host of "Live with Kelly and Michael" made three short appearances at Wednesday's matinee of "Elf" and said he has new respect for Broadway performers.
"I was surprised at how nervous you get and the adrenaline and that feedback from the audience — it really was an amazing thing," the former football player said after the show. "To see these performers who do it every day — eight or nine times a week — is really amazing. I take my hat off to them."
Fans can see a behind-the-scenes recap on Thursday's TV show.
The musical is adapted from the Will Ferrell film from 2003 about Buddy, a human raised in the North Pole who travels to New York in search of his parents.
Strahan thought making his Broadway debut would be fun and represented a new experience for a guy who holds the single season sack record. He found himself more nervous than he has been for high-stakes football games or live TV.
"It's a little nerve-wracking because so many people depend on you, you want to get your line across and you have to play to the crowd. It's a lot more intricate with everyone hitting their marks. You don't want to be the guy that messes everyone up," he said.
Strahan, 41, played both a police officer and a Salvation Army Santa in the first act and later came on as himself in a scene with the real Santa in the second act. As he waited in the wings of the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, he saw the toll the musical takes on its dancers.
"Some of these performers are breathing as if they just went into a football game and played a 12-play drive," he joked. "I was tired walking up and down from my dressing room."
Strahan rehearsed for an hour in the morning with stage managers and associate director Casey Hushion. At 1 p.m., some in the cast came in early to work with him, including Jordan Gelber, who plays Buddy, and Beth Leavel, who plays Buddy's stepmother.
The audience was quiet when Strahan first appeared as an officer with another cop after Buddy gets kicked out of Macy's. But the seven-time Pro-Bowler and Super Bowl winner flashed his trademark smile and they went wild. More applause greeted him after he played a Salvation Army Santa as he and Buddy wrestled over the kettle bells.
In the second act, he waited to ask Santa for a present. Santa asked him his name, the newly minted actor said "Michael Strahan" and he then asked for a red Schwinn bicycle with a bell shaped like Miss Piggy. The crowd cheered when Strahan identified himself and he got another wide round of applause at the curtain call, where the cast gave him flowers.
Strahan was named in September as Kelly Ripa's permanent co-host aboard the morning show "Live with Kelly and Michael." A former defensive star who spent 15 years in the NFL, he is also a host of "Fox NFL Sunday."
He follows in the footsteps of Joe Namath, a quarterback nicknamed "Broadway Joe" who made an appearance on Broadway in 1983 as a replacement in a revival of "The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial."
Strahan would not rule out a return to the stage. "I will take it off my bucket list, but if the opportunity came across again, I might just take it up and do it again," he said. "I had a great time."
December 06, 2012
Associated Press
Stand-up comedian and actor Katt Williams said he was ordered to leave a Seattle hotel late Monday, hours after he was released from jail following a dispute at a bar.
Williams was ordered to leave a Courtyard Marriott after an unspecified incident that involved a police presence, Seattlepi.com reported.
Williams didn't say why he was ejected, and neither police nor a hotel manager immediately returned calls from the Associated Press. Attempts to reach Williams were not immediately successful.
Williams was released from jail early Monday after police say he argued with a patron at a bar, menaced the manager with a pool cue and refused to leave World Sports Grille on Sunday. He was also accused of flicking a cigarette into a woman's face through a car window and throwing a rock at the vehicle.
Police say Williams struggled with officers who arrested him and jailed him for investigation of assault, harassment and obstruction.
Police say Williams also was involved in an altercation with three fans last Friday evening after they tried to take a photo with him. He said they had forced their way into his dressing room.
December 06, 2012
Associated Press
Costumes worn by Michael Jackson commanded hundreds of thousands of dollars at auction, and Lady Gaga was among the collectors.
Gaga tweeted Sunday that she bought 55 pieces in the sale administered by Julien's Auctions and said she plans to keep the items "archived and expertly cared for in the spirit and love of Michael Jackson, his bravery and fans worldwide."
Auctioneer Darren Julien said the jacket Jackson wore during his "Bad" tour fetched $240,000. Two of Jackson's crystal-encrusted gloves sold for more than $100,000 each, as did other jackets and performance costumes.
The auction featuring the collection of Jackson's longtime costume designers Dennis Tompkins and Michael Bush raised more than $5 million. Some proceeds benefited Guide Dogs of America and Nathan Adelson Hospice of Las Vegas.


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At The Travelers Championship, Wounded Soldiers Get Many Thanks
You watch Dan Nevins make his way slowly up the 18th fairway on two prosthetic legs. You look at Dan Perry's face, a face that has paid the price, a face that breaks into a huge smile after he chips in at the second hole at TPC River Highlands.
Jeff Jacobs
June 24, 2010


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April 8, 1997
Duties of Officers
1. Preside at all meetings of the Senate.
2. Represent the faculty at official college functions in person or by appointed representative.
3. Represent the faculty at all meetings including:
- Governing Board Meetings
- District Tenure Review Committee
- Budget Committee
- Equivalency Committee
- College Council
- President's Cabinet
- Governance Committees
- Equivalency Committees
- Tenure Review Peer Evaluators
- Task Forces
5. Be an ex-officio member of all Senate committees.
6. Direct the overall operation of the Senate and Senate office, and authorize the expenditure of Senate funds.
7. Represent the Senate as the official voting delegate, in person or by proxy, at all meetings of the State Academic Senate.
8. Meet on a regular basis with the President and Vice President(s) of the college to discuss matters of mutual concern with the Senate.
9. Carry out all directives of the Senate and serve as the Chairperson of the Steering Committee.
10. Coordinate travel arrangements for faculty to attend State Academic Senate Fall and Spring sessions and summer leadership conference.
11. Monitor minutes of other governance committees and articulate Senate concerns/positions where appropriate.
12. Organize Senate and Steering Committee meetings by:
- Preparing agendas
- Review minutes of previous meetings and coordinate the typing and dissemination of this information to Senators.
- Compile any background information needed for clarification of agenda items.
- Contact any resource speakers who need to attend Senate meetings for informational purposes.
13. Read and keep abreast of, and be conversant about the myriad of information of concern to the Senate including:
- AB1725 and Title 5 legislation and updates
- Other current legislation
- Statewide Senate documents and mailings
- Material from the California State Chancellor's Office.
- State standards, matriculation, etc.
15. Interact with Associated Students o Hartnell College, as appropriate.
16. Aid in writing position statements of the Senate and draft letters to the Superintendent/President and other college officials.
17. Act as an information conduit to Hartnell College faculty concerning:
1st Vice President
1. Act in the place of the President in the absence of that officer.
2. Succeed and fulfill the office of President for the remainder of the unexpired term in the vent that office becomes vacant.
3. Act as parliamentarian at all meetings of the Senate.
4. Perform such functions and duties as directed by the President or Steering Committee.
5. Sit as a member of and regularly attend meetings of: Academic Senate and Senate Steering Committee.
6. Attend the State Senate summer leadership conference and the Fall and Spring sessions.
7. Cosely work with the President to learn the workings of that office.
8. Serve as a member of the Steering Committee.
2nd Vice President
1. Act in the place of the President when the 1st Vice President is not available.
2. Succeed and fulfill the office of the 1st Vice President for the remainder of the unexpired term in the event that office becomes vacant.
3. Perform such functions and duties as directed by the President or Steering Committee.
4. Sit as a member of and regularly attend meetings of: Academic Senate, Senate Steering Committee, and Shared Governance Committee.
5. Aid in drafting position papers or letters.
6. Attend State Senate Fall and Spring sessions.
7. Serve as a member of the Steering Committee.
1. Prepare a tentative budget and present it to the Senate for adoption.
2. Provide the necessary forms and help process expenditure transactions.
3. Balance the budget of the Senate and bank account(s).
4. Periodically review expenditures of the Senate.
5. Maintain all past financial reports and information.
6. Purchase gifts as designated by the Senate or Steering Committee.
7. Serve as a member of the Steering Committee.
8. Assist the President with the preparation of Senate meeting minutes, the correction of the minutes and dissemination as necessary.
Immediate Past President
1. Serve as a member of the Senate with full privileges, rights and responsibilities.
2. Serve as a member of the Steering Committee for only the year immediately following his/her presidency.
3. Provide the Senate with a historical perspective when such information is appropriate and/or solicited.
Duties of Senators
1. Attend all Senate meetings.
2. Represent and inform their constituents faithfully.
3. Perform liaison functions with governance committees.
4. Serve on at least one Senate standing committee.
5. Perform other duties as assigned by the Senate President.
Duties of Senate Steering Committee
1. Give direction to the Senate.
2. Set the agenda for Senate meetings.
3. Recommend to the Senate faculty appointments for Governance and other committees.
4. Define the main objectives of the Senate each year.
5. Form ad hoc committees with the approval of the Senate.
6. Monitor Senate appointed faculty serving on committees.
7. Run Senate elections.
8. Communicate with the Senate.
9. Schedule and attend meetings with college administrators as required.
10. Disburse Senate Special Activity funds, with a limit of $50, with a report to the Senate at the next meeting.
11. Act as advisor to the Senate President.
Selection Committee Appointments
4.1. Faculty appointments to all selection committees must be approved by the Senate by a simple majority vote.
4.2. Nominations for faculty or administrative selection committee positions shall be solicited from the discipline or divisionfaculty in which there is a facancy.
4.2.1. Discipline or division faculty shall vote on the nominations and forward their recommendations to the Senate President.
4.2.2. Additional nominations may be made from the floor prior to the vote of the Senate.
4.3. Nothing in this process can conflict with the Hartnell College Hiring Policy.
Amendment to the Bylaws
5.1. The Bylaws can be amended by a simple majority affirmative vote of the Senate, providing written notice of any proposed amendment was filed with the Senate President at least two weeks preceding the vote. Copies of the proposed changes must be given to Senators at least two weeks prior to the vote.


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A book review is a conversation that excludes the author of the book. It addresses the potential reader. A reviewer isn't paid to be right, just to make a case for or against, and to give pleasure either way. I didn't enjoy Margaret Atwood's The Blind Assassin, which I thought structurally defective and basically novelettish. Its winning the Booker in 2000 didn't prove me wrong, any more than it would have proved me right if I had liked it.
Adam Mars-Jones reflects on reviewing after receiving the newly-created Hatchet Job of the Year award (from The Observer)


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Every hero has a beginning; either you came from a distant planet or starts off with a dark past. Either way it is your choice on what legacy you want to begin and for Bruce Wayne, it was to be the Dark Knight that Gotham needed. This is the supposed prequel to the other Arkham titles where you take on Gotham as a fresh start Batman against a lot of heavy hitters, but the question that everyone is asking, has Warner Bros Montreal succeeded in this Batman? We shall definitely get into that.
The main villain this time around is Blackmask and right now Blackgate has been infiltrated unleashing all of Gotham's most deadly of villains. The only wrench standing in Sionis's way is Batman himself, but he has a night selection of assassin's to keep the Dark Knight occupied while his plans are coming together, or so we think. I am sorry I am going to have to stop right there, because I am still looking for the "Origins" portion of the game. I get the fact that they wanted to keep the title with the Franchise, but so far with Arkham Asylum and Arkham City, they made sense. This title is very misleading and I was trying to save my negative points for the end of this review, but I just can't. Let's just lay all of our cards on the table right now, this is not Batman year one. I say this because many people are under the impression that this is. If this was it would of made a better game title. The second thing…you are infiltrating blackgate, which has nothing to do with Arkham Asylum. The reason the other two titles were called that because you had to deal with Arkham Asylum and then it expanded into a whole city area. This one really has nothing to do with the Asylum and if you played the first one with the Easter egg of finding Arkham's ghost, that would be the true origin.
Where are the changes from the other two titles? With this game being made by Warner Bros Montreal, I was expecting some differences especially being a fresh batman, but to my surprise; his gadgets are better than the previous titles. How is that possible? The enhanced and I do mean enhanced detective mode gives you a full spectrum of the crime scene and a play by play of what exactly happened. I mean you can do a recorded viewing of exactly what happened to a victim or in that area which was not in any of the other titles. If this is a "prequel", I would not expect his gadgets to be that impressive. The second was the rocket batclaw…we didn't get that until part two and we had to do those special glide missions just to unlock it, but they said to hell with it and gave it to us from jump…Wtf? Now some were complaining about the change of the buttons, but it was not that much of a drastic change. They only switched the trigger button layout and I was fine with that.
One of my readers Psychowulff who is on the Xbox 360 version made this valid point,
"Yes, its a little confusing about him being fresh in the game, but I already have gadgets that I would of had to unlock further in Arkham City."
I found it strange that you encounter all these badass assassins Copperhead to Killer Croc, but when you face them the battles are very weak, especially Electrocutioner or whatever hell you call him. I thought it was funny, but this is no time to joke right now Montreal, this is your time to impress us as you took over for Rocksteady! I finally got the chance to encounter Deathstroke and I was much hyped to get in this fight, but it was over in less than five minutes…I am laughing at this other reviewer that shall remain nameless who stated it took him 30 minutes on easy to defeat him…really dude thirty minutes…on easy? Either way, I was expecting a deeper fight with him, but surely was disappointed with that outcome. I mean come on I can let Bane or Killer Croc slide, but this is Slade and as a first time in a game outside of DCUO encountering him. The fact that you had him as the main selling point for this new franchise, really hyping him up and it ends in under five minutes. Go in the corner Montreal, you are done here.
So, the game can be beaten straight through in 8 hours and then you have the extras, like game plus mode and I Am The Night mode which only grants you one life. Then of course you have the challenge maps which will be in game as before against other players to show who can be the better fighter. This has been a fan favorite throughout the series and always challenging to go against others scores. At this point I feel that WB Montreal was just fishing to cause more replay value, even though it is already there by adding the 3 vs. 3 vs. 2 online modes. The objectives are not confusing at all, but it is up to you to follow them and that was not the case. The idea was to capture and eliminate enemy adversaries. However, you can skip the main objective and just go all death-match by either winning the match killing the two heroes. I was on Bane side for the past three games and my buddy ended up being batman. He got me that one time, but after that I figured out the pattern and the robin was getting done to easily. The shooting mechanics are very bad in terms of when I was taken down by a slow gliding robin and was getting hit markers. It does give you a final break down of how you died and how much damage you inflicted on your opponent. Not for nothing, but at a certain point you get to run to the door to activate bane or joker and frankly Joker is stronger than Bane. It all depends on who uses them I guess, but Joker is a bada** character to control.
There is a lot to unlock in the mutli-player as you level up, but they still need to fix the lobby system and of course the mic support, which the indicator was there, but not working. If you want to get your friends in a room, you can either do a private match or join a quick game, however you must invite your friends fast or the lobby will fill up and you are stuck with randoms'. The customization and abilities are pretty decent, but still not strong enough for me to make a return to multi-player. The challenge maps are enough to satisfy me.
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There is not much good I can say about this title and WB Montreal really didn't make this title their own. It is quite disappointing and feels more like an expansion rather than a prequel story. They changed the voice actor from Kevin Conroy to Roger Craig Smith and I thought he did a good job, but did he sound younger? No, not really. That's what I was told is the reason behind the voice acting change and batman does not look any younger prior to the other titles. The fact that they let you walk around the batcave was pretty neat and seeing that the batmobile was not built yet was very disappointing, since the car was his first mode of travel. Speaking of that the new fast travel feature is a nice touch, but you still have to travel around to take out the towers to even utilize it anyway. Side mission have to be hunted down this time, they are not gifted to you anymore and the A.I villains are not that much of a challenge, except for a selected few that can counter your counter. That is a problem because that should be for later games with an enhanced enemy of that nature!
Batman: Arkham Origins gets a 2.5 out of 5 and I am slightly upset at this, but the signs were all there from the beginning as time passed. If I were you, wait for the price to drop and get the Game of the Year edition with all the DLC, challenge maps and all that. Xbox 360 people do not be sadden that you could not get the nightfall costume or Adam West Costume, because they are just costumes and for my friend that was screaming out that he can run around as White Lantern Batman, unless I have the powers, it does not impress me at all. In multi-player you will unlock other costumes if you progress or bother to do so, but as for me I rather wait for Rocksteady to come back with something else or give us another DC game based on another character like Catwomen, Nightwing or Deathstroke.
That is all for me right now and please return for next week as we get into Battlefield 4 and Assassin's Creed 4. Stay frosty gamers!
Developer: Warner Bros. Games Montréal
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Genre: Action Adventure
Platforms: Nintendo WiiU, PC, Ps3, Xbox 360
Modes: Single-player, Multi-player
KKEnt's Verdict: 2.5 out of 5