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The case against UTM: Is there a better alternative?
Unified threat management (UTM) promises tighter security with less required oversight, but are there security risks inherent in deploying UTM appliances? Enterprise network security expert Mike Chapple weighs in.
Call me an old fuddy duddy, but I'm not a big fan of unified threat management (UTM) technology. This approach...
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builds multiple security services into a single device, promising ease of management and more efficient updating, as well as reduced cost. However, I see a few major drawbacks to the UTM approach:
- Vendor lock-in -- UTM commits an enterprise to using a single vendor for its entire security infrastructure. The best-of-breed approach, however, allows security pros the freedom to choose the best security tools they can find, rather than putting all of their security eggs in a single vendor's basket.
- Questionable time-savings -- I'm not so sure that a UTM increases operational efficiencies. After all, managing an IPS, firewall and Web filter are really different tasks. While it might be possible to use a single management console to do all these things with a UTM product, you'll still be clicking around each area. How much time does it really take to open three different interfaces instead?
- Lack of redundancy -- I definitely don't like the idea of having multiple security services running on the same piece of hardware. In addition to the potential loss of defense in depth if the device is compromised, it puts the company at risk of losing all its security services in the event of a platform failure.
So, now that I've painted a bleak picture for UTM, let me temper my advice. There is definitely a place for UTM in the market, especially for midsize businesses looking for a way to add new security services to their infrastructure at the lowest possible cost. My point is to simply be wary of the potential drawbacks as well as advantages during the UTM technology evaluation process, or for that matter, when evaluating any network security technology.
For more information:
- Check out this screencast on how to configure a UTM device.
- Five considerations for securing a midmarket company: Read more.
Dig Deeper on UTM Appliances and Strategies
Find more PRO+ content and other member only offers, here.
Related Q&A from Mike Chapple
Are nonprofit organizations subject to FTC cybersecurity oversight?
Are nonprofit organizations, like higher education institutions, subject to FTC cybersecurity regulations and oversight? Expert Mike Chapple explains.continue reading
What should be included in a social media policy for healthcare?
It's important for healthcare organizations to have a clear social media policy. Expert Mike Chapple explains what needs to be in the policy to stay ...continue reading
Can organizations use a SOC 2 report to help with HIPAA compliance?
SOC 2 evaluations can be helpful tools for organizations assessing their HIPAA compliance, but companies should not solely rely on them. Compliance ...continue reading
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Ithaca's premier wedding venue specializing in wedding receptions & ceremonies. Breathtaking views, gazebo/tent area with flagstone patio, 50-300 inside, dance floor, bar, D.J. booth, built in sound system and more.
Four Points by Sheraton St. Catharines Niagara Suites is the perfect place to hold your wedding reception. Impress your guests with an all-suites hotel for those who stay through the night to celebrate. Our staff is committed to helping you with the details to make your special day one to remember.
This magnificent 15,000 sq. ft. home, surrounded by an acre of beautifully landscaped grounds, is a gorgeous Finger Lake region location for your wedding.
Enjoy your special day in an intimate and private atmosphere. Our undivided attention is focused on providing the best in food and atmosphere with warm, friendly personalized service.
The experienced staff at Elmira Country Club will coordinate everything from perfect menu selections to reflect your good taste as well as assist you in planning so that no detail goes unnoticed.
The Barn is proud to offer one of the Southern Tiers's most unique and charming venues for celebrations. The renovated and restored turn-of-the-century barn offers the perfect setting for your event.
The breathtaking country atmosphere, only minutes away from the QEW in St. Catharines, is an ideal setting to make your special occasion a memorable one. Hernder Estate's mission is to not only provide an excellent selection of fine VQA wines, but also to offer an outstanding array of foods.
The historic Old Library Restaurant would be honored to host your wedding reception in our tradition of elegance and impeccable service.
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The Hathaway House in Central New York offers you the highest quality service and attention to details for your wedding, reception, shower, banquet, conference, seminar, or workshop.
Nested amid lush gardens in the heart of Highland Creek Valley, the Miller Lash House is an ideal location for an intimate reception. Your guests will enjoy free parking. All facilities are wheelchair accessible. And of course, you will have exclusive use of our venue.
The Brewster Inn is a fine dining establishment with several different dining rooms to accommodate both small parties of 20 - 50 people and wedding receptions up to 175.
The Brae Loch Inn is the perfect setting for your wedding or special event. Our banquet menu offers everything from elegant sit down dinners, to lavish buffets, to sophisticated stations & hors d'oeuvres parties.
The gracious banquet rooms, stately conference rooms and elegant dining rooms are available for all of your individual needs. We can accommodate up to 150 guests. Our dedicated and professional staff always guarantee a successful event and will assist you with every detail.
Nestleton Waters Inn is a "turn-key" venue providing everything for your wedding from favours and photography to honeymoon and hors d'oeuvres (except for items/services you already have and don't wish to include)! Or you can book a basic package and add items A La' Carte!
The Royal Ashburn's charming country setting, first class facilities, and caring professional staff will reassure your day is perfect. Our beautifully landscaped bridal gardens are the perfect settings to capture tomorrow's memories. There is no need to go elsewhere for this treasure of memories – we have it all ...
We can accommodate up to 120 people in our South Dayton facility which can be decorated to suit your event.
A wonderful intimate outdoor setting with covered seating. a great place to ensure the attention and ambiance you deserve.
Greystone Castle is a unique venue in central New York that offers beautiful spaces for your wedding ceremony, wedding reception or both.
As a 13-acre village of brick-lined streets, with dozens of vibrantly restored Victorian Industrial buildings and pedestrians-only access, the Distillery District is a unique outdoor event venue with plenty of parking nearby.
Many important milestones have been celebrated here at the Schoolhouse through the years. A beautiful ochre brick building, designated under the Ontario Heritage Act, this gem of early Toronto's architecture provides a comfortable atmosphere redolent of a bygone era. There's simply no other place like it.

subset: commoncrawl


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In true BMW new model roll-out fashion, the hype surrounding the hotter 1 Series M Coupe has been exceedingly well documented. We've spied the car out testing, BMW has shown us videos of the prototypes and now the folks at 1addicts.com have snapped some shots of the M-badged 1's interior, showing a host of upgrades that stand true to the car's beefed up dynamics.
9Spy Shots: BMW 3 Series Touring closer to hauling into showrooms
- Steven J. Ewing
- May 25, 2010
- 9
BMW 3 Series Touring spy shots – Click above for high-res image gallery
18Spy Shots: Facelifted 2011 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster
- Jonny Lieberman
- Apr 21, 2010
- 18
Or is that a V12 Vantage? Looking at the pics of this Aston Martin test car snapped by our crack team of spies, it's tough to say if we're looking at a refreshed V8-powered Vantage Roadster, or what might in fact be a V12 Vantage Roadster. Either way, we dig the new wheels.
33Reader Spy: Are you a new tuner Pontiac Firebird homage, the Chevy Camaro Z28, or something else?
- Chris Paukert
- Feb 15, 2010
- 33
Mystery Chevrolet Camaro-based prototype – click above for high-res gallery
12Spy shots: VW Polo sedan spotted, possibly coming to U.S.
- Sam Abuelsamid
- Oct 26, 2009
- 12
At some point in the next couple of years it is probable that Volkswagen will introduce a new entry-level model below the Golf in the U.S. market. VW introduced an all-new version of its B-segment Polo earlier this year in Europe and VW of America officials are anxious to add the car to compete with the likes of the Honda Fit and Ford Fiesta.
10Spy Shots: Alfa Romeo Milano stopped by police by the Nurburgring
- Noah Joseph
- Oct 2, 2009
- 10
If you're looking at spy shots of a European hatchback and wondering, "Why should I care?", we'll tell you why. This car is, in all likelihood, coming to America. The test mule was snapped while stopped by local police, which isn't something you see every day. Oh, and it was near the Nurburgring, to boot.
20Spy pics: Refreshed 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe spotted camo-free
- Sam Abuelsamid
- Sep 25, 2009
- 20
2010 Hyundai Santa Fe - click above for high-res image gallery
20Spy Shots: Next-gen Volvo S60 caught completely uncovered
The gestation period for a new Volvo model has always been rather languid. Back in the 1950s, when tailfins were making annual progress toward low earth orbit, Volvo was cranking out PV444 and 544s. Those cars spent a good part of a decade looking like 1940s Fords, and so it's gone with Volvo's models. The iconic 200 series was in production for nearly 20 years, so while the current S60 was first teased nearly ten years ago, the fact that it's still on sale isn't that surprising given the brand'
44VIDEO: ABC features Brenda Priddy, International Spy Photog of Mystery
47Spy Shots: Facelifted 2010 Lexus ES350 caught in Japan
- Chris Shunk
- Aug 12, 2009
- 47
After years of sales dominance in the near luxury segment, the Lexus ES350 is beginning to see increased competition from the likes of – who woulda thunk it? – Lincoln and Buick. It doesn't help much that the styling of the ES is getting long in the tooth as, but new spy shots show that the ES could be getting a makeover in 2010.
11Spy Shots: Replacement for Ferrari 612 Scaglietti could get a greener engine
- Noah Joseph
- Apr 6, 2009
- 11
There's been discussion recently of an updated 599 GTB Fiorano and a replacement for the F430, but the oldest Ferrari in the stable is the 612 Scaglietti. So it would stand to reason that Maranello would be planning to replace the controversial 2+2 flagship before its smaller siblings were updated, and reason may now be affirmed by the latest reports and spy shots emanating from Europe.
2Spy Shots: Face-lift Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano on its way?
- Noah Joseph
- Apr 1, 2009
- 2
Three years may not seem like a long time to keep a car on the market, but for an exotic automaker built on a Formula One team accustomed to replacing their racing machinery every season, 36 months must seem like an eternity. That could explaining why the 599 GTB Fiorano, introduced just a few flips of the calendar ago in 2006, is already due for a refresh.
18Spy Shots: Revamped Audi Q7 snapped in Atlanta
8Spy Shots: Is this the next Porsche Cayenne?
Porsche's Cayenne is starting to show its age. With the arrival of the Panamera, it's no longer the most controversial looking vehicle in the company's product portfolio, though its road-scorching edge remains undiminished in turbo form. A new Cayenne is coming in gas, diesel, and hybrid flavors, and a fresh spy shot has surfaced showing what may well be the reshaped keister of the next model.
35Spy Shots: Cadillac CTS-V Coupe spotted testing
3Audi R15 TDI spotted testing for the first time in Spain
- Sam Abuelsamid
- Feb 12, 2009
- 3
The much-anticipated Audi R15 TDI has finally be spotted for the first time during a secret test at the Vallelunga track in Spain. Audi has been keeping a tight lid on the R15 since announcing it last November. Aside from that announcement about running the new car at Sebring and Le Mans this year, no other information has been provided. Unlike the Peugeot 908, the R15 retains the open top layout of its R10 and R8 predecessors. Aerodynamically, the R15 appears to be a big step forward from the R
18Spy Shots: Ford Focus C-Max caught testing
- Chris Shunk
- Jan 16, 2009
- 18
Ford is looking to bring over more C-segment crossovers from Europe to the US, and word has it that the people-hauling C-Max is toward the top of the list. The current C-Max would probably be sufficient for US duty in terms of size and performance, but with America's different legislative standards, if we get the Euro crossover Stateside it will likely arrive with the next redesign.
27Spy Shots: 2010 Mazda3 interior snapped
- Chris Shunk
- Oct 13, 2008
- 27
Judging from exterior shots of the 2010 Mazda3 that were released last week, Mazda is looking to be more than a bit player in the small car market. The styling of the new Mazda3 looks more expensive than the current model, and is perhaps a better example of the brand's new design language than the also recently redesigned Mazda6. We've been looking forward to seeing pics of the Mazda3 on the inside, and judging from this one spy shot we've seen so far, the Zoom Zoom designers didn't go cheap on
1Spy Shots: New Mazda3 caught with most of its covers off
- Sam Abuelsamid
- Sep 17, 2008
- 1
Ever since Ford's U.S. operations decided to forego the second-generation Focus in favor of a freshened version of the first generation model, Americans have been complaining that we can't get the best Focus. In fact, the essential underpinnings of that C1 Focus have been available here under two other brands. The pricier Volvo C30/S40/V50 and the current Mazda3. The Mazda has actually been quite popular here and it looks like it will be getting a mid-cycle refresh soon. Judging from the batch o
- Volvo shoots for self-drivers by 2021
- Jeep spends $1 billion on factories
- Find Parts & Accessories for your vehicle!
- Obama rolls out new EV plan
- Infiniti dealers ranked best, Tesla worst
- Compare Volvo XC90 and Lincoln MKX


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Beautiful recreational areas. Outstanding schools. Global industry leaders. The right balance between work and play. A highly-educated workforce. A gateway to global markets. A first-rate quality of life. That's the Lake County Promise. At Lake County Partners, we deliver a multitude of resources to optimize your business climate, in and out of the office.
From workforce development to financing sources, let us help you succeed and grow.
Your source for properties, research assistance, and incentives.
Looking for locations, financing sources? We'll be your Lake County partner.
Hear why Lake County residents enjoy local Farmers Markets so much in this video depicting the Lake County Promise in action.
We are pleased to welcome three new members to our Board of Governors. They'll join a fantastic list of leaders that help guide our organization.


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- Birth Control Slideshow Pictures
- Birth Control Quiz: Test Your Medical IQ
- Sex-Drive Killers Slideshow: Causes of Low Libido
- Birth Control Quiz FAQs
- Find a local Obstetrician-Gynecologist in your town
- Introduction to birth control
- Types of hormonal methods of contraception
- What are advantages and disadvantages of hormonal birth control methods?
- Oral hormones: The pill
- What are the side effects of the pill?
- How is the pill taken?
- How long will it take before the pill prevents conception?
- What drugs or conditions reduce the effectiveness of the pill?
- What are the benefits of taking the pill?
- When will my I start having periods again after I quit taking the pill?
- Injection: depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA)
- Contraceptive patch: Ortho-Evra
- Contraceptive implants
- Vaginal ring: NuvaRing
- How effective are hormonal birth control methods?
Quick GuideBirth Control Methods, Side Effects, Effectiveness
Injection: depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA)
Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) is a synthetic long-acting form of the hormone progesterone. DMPA is similar to the birth-control minipill in that it does not contain estrogen. Like other progesterone-based contraceptives, DMPA acts by preventing the release of the egg from the ovary (ovulation) and by promoting thick cervical mucus that impedes the sperm's progress. Its effectiveness in preventing pregnancy is close to 100%.
DMPA must be injected by a health-care professional every three months (12 weeks). It is administered as a deep muscle (intramuscular) injection. A lower-dose formulation of the drug that is injected beneath the skin (subcutaneously) is also available. The injection must be administered within the first five days of a woman's menstrual period. She is then protected from pregnancy within 24 hours of receiving the injection.
A woman may stop having periods altogether after using DMPA for one year. After two years of use, 70% of women will have no menstrual bleeding. Menstrual periods stop because the DMPA causes the ovaries to go into a "resting" state. When the ovaries do not release an egg every month, the regular growth of the lining of the uterus does not occur and no uterine lining is shed during the subsequent menstrual cycle.
A woman's menstrual periods should begin again within six to 18 months after she stops taking the injections. A woman can also become pregnant, usually within 12 to 18 months, once she stops using DMPA. If a new mother does not breastfeed her baby, she can resume the injections right after childbirth. Mothers who are breastfeeding can safely begin the injections six weeks after childbirth. The injections do not reduce the flow of her breast milk, and no harmful effects on the baby have been noted.
The most common side effects of DMPA injections are irregular menstrual cycles, cessation of menstrual periods, and weight gain. Other side effects may include nervousness, dizziness, stomach discomfort, headaches, fatigue, or breast tenderness. It is important that a woman realize that once she has been injected with DMPA, any side effects she may experience cannot be neutralized or eliminated. She has to tolerate these side effects until the medication wears off, typically three months later.
DMPA has also been shown to have a negative effect on bone mineral density, especially with longer-term use; however, studies have shown that her previous bone density is usually restored when the drug is discontinued.
Women may be able to use DMPA when avoidance of estrogen is prudent for medical reasons (see oral contraceptives). A qualified health-care provider should be able to help make the proper distinction. DMPA should not be used by women who have a history of breast cancer, blood clots, liver disease, unexplained vaginal bleeding, or stroke. A woman on DMPA should contact her health-care professional if she experiences a heavy menstrual flow, severe abdominal pain, headaches, or depression.
DMPA injections are over 99% effective if the injections are received according to the correct schedule. A woman using injection contraceptives has the advantage of being capable of becoming pregnant at a later time, if desired, simply by discontinuing use. DMPA does not increase a woman's risk of cancer, including breast cancer, and greatly reduces her risk of developing uterine cancer.
Injectable hormonal contraceptives do not protect against sexually transmitted infections.


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Last year and the year prior I received letters in the mail from the IRS prior to tax season explaining that they were to garnish my federal return for arrears. This year I have no received one, yet still owe probably 6500 in arrears.
Child support has been paid, and 140$ a month extra for arrears. Do they wait for a certain amount of arrears to accumulate or what?
I only ask because my first tax return I received after my divorce, i owed 4500 in arrears and they did not touch my tax return.
Tax Lawyer
The federal offset program varies by state and polices of the state. I posted the link to the Department of Health and Human services that administers the program. The link explains the policies of DHHS.
Phillip M. Smith Jr.
THESE COMMENTS ARE NOT LEGAL ADVICE. They are provided for informational purposes only. Actual legal advice can only be provided after consultation by an attorney licensed in your jurisdiction. The answer to question does not create an attorney-client relationship or otherwise require further consultation. Mr. Smith is licensed to practice law throughout the state of California with offices in Los Angeles County. He is authorized to handle IRS matters throughout the United States, and is also licensed to practice before the United States Tax Court. His phone number is 323-292-4116 or his email address is firstname.lastname@example.com.
Tax Lawyer
I agree with attorney Smith. He provides an excellent link for you to further investigate the rules of your particular state.
Any individual seeking legal advice for their own situation should retain their own legal counsel as this response provides information that is general in nature and not specific to any person's unique situation. Circular 230 Disclaimer - Advice given in this response cannot be used to eliminate penalties with the IRS or any other governmental agency.
Tax Lawyer
This is correct because it is the state taking your money. However, the IRS has no limit except the total amount you are in arrears.
Christopher Larson
Insight Law
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J.J. Abrams Admits: 'It's Not Cloverfield 2' But It Does Have a Monster
Finally, the truth comes out. No, 10 Cloverfield Lane is not a Cloverfield sequel. In fact, it has nothing to do with Cloverfield (the original 2008 monster movie), producer J.J. Abrams finally admits: "This movie is very purposefully not called Cloverfield 2, because it's not Cloverfield 2." However, what he's getting at here is the "bigger picture" concept behind why Cloverfield is in the title and what they're going for: "there is a bigger idea at play for us with these movies and this connection." Essentially, movies made by Bad Robot that end up with "Cloverfield" in the title or synopsis are part of a series of "monster movies" that deal with a big sci-fi threat - not specifically the same monster. Abrams finally cleared the air about what to expect.
› Posted February 26 in Discuss, Hype, Movie News, SciFi | Comments
Editorial: Why Hollywood Mustn't Rate Everything D for 'Deadpool'
The box office totals are in. The reviews have been read and audiences have spoken with a mouth as loud as a merc - Tim Miller's Deadpool is a huge success, and not just financially or even critically. It has been universally well received, which is a tremendous accomplishment for a third tier superhero character that (according to 20th Century Fox) had minimal mainstream appeal that languished in development hell for years. It was the vulgar, graphic and unadulterated version of Thomas the Tank Engine, the little irreverent train that could. However, with the success of Deadpool, major movie studios everywhere might not take the best lessons from the film's astronomical success – as James Gunn illustrated so brilliantly last weekend. So let's take a look at what Hollywood can glean from the outrageous success of the Merc with a Mouth.
Ben Wheatley's 'High-Rise' Film Has the Best Posters So Far This Year
Leave the real world behind. Even though it's barely a week into February, I'm impressed by the amount of high quality marketing material we've seen this year so far. While I must acknowledge that the marketing for Deadpool has been brilliant across the board, and this new poster for Allegiant is worth pointing out, the best poster art released this year so far is for Ben Wheatley's High-Rise. The film already premiered last year and played at a few festivals (read Jeremy's review or Amanda's review) but has yet to be given a US release date, even though it opens in the UK in a few months. These posters are promoting the UK release, which is perhaps the explanation behind why they're so unique. View both High-Rise posters in full below.
88th Academy Awards Nominations Announced - Full List for 2015
The complete list of nominees for the 88th Academy Awards, the most prestigious award in Hollywood, have been announced today (via oscar.go.com). The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed the nominees this morning live via online/television broadcast. They've nominated many outstanding films, and most of the standout performances of 2015, though there are always more. There's no need to spend any more time introducing this, so let's get right down to it! This year, The Academy selected a total of eight Best Picture nominee films, including: The Big Short, Bridge of Spies, Brooklyn, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Martian, The Revenant, Room, Spotlight. So without further ado, here is the full list of 2016 Oscar noms.
› Posted January 14 in Awards, Discuss, Movie News | Comments
George Miller Says He Won't Be Making Any More 'Mad Max' Movies?
No way! Say it isn't true! This may just be a Golden Globes rumor, but it might also end up being true. Mad Max: Fury Road director George Miller, who just received a nomination from the Directors Guild Awards, is apparently not planning to make any more Mad Max movies again. In one of their recaps of celebrity musings from the Golden Globes, they include quotes from George Miller where he apparently straight up says: "I won't make more Mad Max movies. Fury Road… was forever getting completed." Ouch. Apparently the extended production was rough enough that he's no longer interested in more. Which is understandable.
› Posted January 12 in Discuss, Movie News, Rumors | Comments
Sound Off: Alejandro G. Iñárritu's 'The Revenant' - Your Thoughts?
Now that you've seen it, what did you think? "As long as you can still grab a breath, you fight. You breathe…" Now playing in theaters nationwide is the action survival thriller The Revenant, the follow-up feature from Best Director winner Alejandro G. Iñárritu (who also won Best Picture with Birdman last year). Based on a true story, Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Hugh Glass, a frontiersman left for dead after a vicious bear attack. He manages to stay alive and seek revenge on the man who betrayed him. Also starring Tom Hardy, Domhnall Gleeson, Will Poulter and Forrest Goodluck. So how is it? Too pretentious, or sublime? Once you've seen it, leave a comment below with your own thoughts on Iñárritu's The Revenant.
'Star Wars' Proves How Much the Experience Still Matters to Most
In cinemas around the world this past weekend, millions of people came out to experience the new Star Wars movie on the big screen. It wasn't just an event, it was much more than that. It's an experience that moviegoers have been anxiously awaiting for years (technically 32 years since last saw Han & Leia & Luke), with many challenging themselves to not watch any footage before release. And I'm not just talking about waiting to see our old friends again, but savoring a chance to go in and experience a movie without any of the major plot points or big reveals being ruined before. It's this kind of communal cinematic experience, and the ensuing discussions/arguments/enthusiasm that arise afterward, that I relish. And it's something I feel has been missing from Hollywood recently. Of course it was Star Wars that brought that feeling back.
Sound Off: J.J. Abrams' 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' - Thoughts?
Now that you've seen it, what did you think? "The Force, it's calling to you. Just let it in." It's here!! It's time!! Lucasfilm and Disney present Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens, now playing in theaters worldwide. The return of Han and Luke and Leia and Chewie and all of our old friends. But it's also an introduction to a new set of characters - Finn, played by John Boyega, as well as Rey, played by Daisy Ridley, and Poe Dameron, played by Oscar Isaac. On the bad side, there's Adam Driver as Kylo Ren + Domhnall Gleeson as General Hux. Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Peter Mayhew all return. Star Wars is back! Does it live up to the hype? How does it compare to the Original Trilogy? Or is it a mess? Once you see this, leave a comment below with your thoughts on Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Editorial: Why 'The Force Awakens' Won't Be What Every Fan Wants
This Friday (and in some places, Thursday or even Wednesday night) moviegoers across the nation and even the world will be plopping down in their theater seats as they anxiously wait for the first frames of the first Star Wars movie in ten years, The Force Awakens, to unspool on their screens. The anticipation for this next chapter – directed by J.J. Abrams - in the Star Wars legacy is literally through the roof of the Millennium Falcon, with many lucky journalists and fans having seen the film at the extravagant World Premiere in Los Angeles on Monday. Early word of mouth has been generally positive so far, but let's take a look at why it will be okay if The Force Awakens doesn't meet your expectations.
Sound Off: Ron Howard's 'In the Heart of the Sea' - Your Thoughts?
Now that you've seen it, what did you think? "We were headed for the edge of sanity… like we were aberrations, phantoms." Now playing in theaters everywhere is Ron Howard's latest movie In the Heart of the Sea, a story inspired by the whaling adventure that turned into the story of "Moby Dick", written by Herman Melville (who appears in the film as played by Ben Whishaw). Chris Hemsworth plays Owen Chase, a man who wishes to be captain but is assigned first mate on a voyage to hunt whales, captained by George Pollard, played by Benjamin Walker. So how is this adventure? After being delayed, is it worth the wait? Once you see it, leave a comment with your own thoughts on Ron Howard's In the Heart of the Sea.
2016 Golden Globes Nominees - 'Carol', 'The Revenant' & 'Trumbo'
The list of nominations for the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards (of 2016), the yearly precursor to the Academy Awards, have just been announced today - you can find all the film nominees below. The infamous Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced the nominees this morning from The Beverly Hilton. The selection this year is solid, but as always full of some wacky picks, and a few snubs. The top nominees are Todd Haynes' Carol, Alejandro G. Iñárritu's The Revenant, and Jay Roach's Trumbo, picking up a few surprise noms same as the SAG Awards. Another interesting year of picks but not surprising for the HFPA.
› Posted December 10 in Awards, Discuss, Movie News | Comments
Watch: David Ehrlich's 'The 25 Best Films of 2015' Video Countdown
We're still a few weeks away from Star Wars opening, which means most of us can't make our Top 10 list until we see that movie. But in the meantime, some critics have no desire to worry about Star Wars and are putting out their Best of the Year lists right now anyway. One of the annual must-see lists is actually a video countdown made by my colleague David Ehrlich (follow him @davidehrlich). He counts down his 25 best films of the year, including one excellent short (World of Tomorrow). It's a beautiful video that, along with trailer retrospectives, is a stellar reminder of why we loves movies - to discover the few that stick with you.
Sound Off: Mike Dougherty's 'Krampus' - So What Did You Think?
Now that you've seen it, what did you think? You don't want to be on his list. Now playing in theaters everywhere is Krampus, the new horror comedy mashup from Mike Dougherty, the director of Trick 'r Treat. This time he introduces us to the Krampus myth, with a story about the big, nasty Christmas beast and his friends who come torment a small town. Think Gremlins meets Christmas Vacation. Starring Adam Scott, Toni Collette, David Koechner, Allison Tolman, with Emjay Anthony as Max. So how is it? Will it become your new Christmas viewing tradition? The best horror comedy since Trick 'r Treat, or is it really awful? Once you've seen it, post a comment below with your thoughts on Mike Dougherty's Krampus.
John Waters Reveals His Always-Eclectic List of Top 10 Films of 2015
It's time! With the end of the year approaching, everyone starts to reveal their own Top 10 best of the year lists. One of our favorite lists that kicks off this time is from filmmaker John Waters' - his Top 10 favorite films from this year. In 2015, Waters has chosen yet another eclectic mix of films, including Mad Max: Fury Road, Tangerine, Xavier Dolan's Tom at the Farm, Kenneth Branagh's Cinderella (really!), and The Diary of a Teenage Girl, among some other oddball picks. A few years back his top film was Spring Breakers, and last year it was Cronenberg's Maps to the Stars. I always like hearing about Waters' favorites because he has such unique taste and his comments are fun to read. I'm glad he loved Mad Max as much as everyone else.
› Posted December 1 in Discuss, Indies, Movie News | Comments
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text: Winamp Beta Starts Whipping the Llama's Ass on AndroidSam Biddle10/21/10 12:19pmFiled to: AndroidappsWinampNullsoftMusicplaybackAndroidapps114EditInvite manuallyPromoteDismissUndismissHideShare to KinjaToggle Conversation toolsGo to permalinkIf you've got an Android 2.1 or above device, a beta copy of media software legend Winamp has your name on it. But this isn't the bare bones MP3 player you probably knew way back—the beta boasts sophisticated features. Winamp on Android will, for instance, allow for wireless syncing with your computer's library, let you fully control it via widget, and offers scrobbling support for you Last.fm fans. [Winamp]Reply114 repliesLeave a reply


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State police charge three more in Castleton theft caseSeptember 25,2013Vermont State Police have charged Eric N. Cross, 19; Dominic S. Heller, 21; and Zachary J. Howe, 28, with retail theft in connection with a string of thefts from Dick's Sporting goods, according to a release sent Wednesday.
Police had previously charged three players on the Castleton State College football team with theft and other counts after an investigation found that one man helped the others leave the store with goods that were not paid for.
The trio are due in court on Nov. 4.MORE IN This Just In
Full StoryPHILADELPHIA First lady Michelle Obama stepped into the presidential election Monday with a... Full StoryMONTPELIER Five complaints of professional misconduct have been filed against a Windham County... Full Story
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LondonUnited Kingdom
August 30, 2012
I've designed outdoor educational games with the Woodcraft Folk. I'm a teacher. I know much less about apps but would be keen to meet people who do!
I hope to get inspired to make more educational games, and maybe to contribute things I've done to the app world
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??!! Meanwhile, In Texas…
posted by June 20 at 12:20 PMon
An angry crowd beat a man to death after a vehicle he was riding in struck a young
girl boy. [UPDATE: Early reports had the child's gender wrong.]
The man, David Rivas Morales, was getting out of the car (which, to emphasize, he was not driving) to help the girl when the crowd descended on him and beat him to death.
girl, who was 3 or 4, was not seriously injured.


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Handtak Mittens by Védís Jónsdóttir
Welcome! You are browsing as a guestWould you like to see 184 projects made from this pattern and much more? join Ravelry now What am I missing?
© Védís Jónsdóttir
by hosa Flickr
Handtak Mittens
This pattern is available for free.
For those of you having trouble downloading this from Vogue Knitting (the file came across as corrupted no matter if I did it on Google, Firefox, Safari or on a non-Apple computer), here is a link a friend of mind found on Pinterest.
I hope this works for you. It worked for me. I just copied and pasted it to a Word document and printed it out.
Thank you to all those poor knitters whom I bugged trying to find this!
For more information, see: http://www.vogueknitting.com/free_patterns/lopi_hand...


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India, Tigers, Leopards, Lions, Vivek Menon, David Bowie etc
February 5, 2016
Now I am back in Sydney I can't quite believe I saw this tigress in Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan a week or so ago! She has been nick-named Arrow head and is 2 years old. Apparently she recently fought with her mother and is the age when they go off and live on their own. Our attention was drawn to the several jeeps with tourists that had parked quite near her as she rested in rushes beside a lake. All of us were thrilled – to be fortunate enough to sight a tiger (we had been unsuccessful on our first safari in the morning), and to just stare at the beauty of her markings and her magnificence.
I am feeling very blessed by the animal world after this recent visit to India where I was fortunate enough to see several Bengal tigers – in the wild – at very close range, and two leopards. India's wildlife is as exciting as Africa's – it is just sometimes more secretive, mysterious or requiring more patience. This can lead to disappointments …or bliss. A few years ago I only saw a tiger paw mark in Kaziranga National Park, Assam, but the compensation was seeing many elephants and rhinos on beautiful plains.
There was great excitement as the tigress got up and moved closer towards us and settled in the rushes again, perfectly camouflaged. All their markings are distinctive – and we can see why she has been nick-named "Arrow head". It was mid-afternoon and still quite hot.
I spoke at the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations conference in 2014 in Jaipur, and at the Minding Animals Conference at Jawaharlal Nehru University last January – so I have an idea of how much work is being done on behalf of animals in India – from the front line work of animal shelters, to all the wildlife conservancy work and related issues such as habitat destruction, wildlife tourism, protecting wildlife corridors, animal-human co-existence etc. In India and elsewhere, the academic field of Animal Studies is generating essential, diverse and often fascinating research work.
I am on the Committee of Working for Animals which administers animal shelters in Darjeeling and Kalimpong. Founded by Christine and Jeremy Townend, I am full of admiration for what the shelters achieve – for animals, and for the local populations.
I was fortunate to have lunch with Vivek Menon, Founder and Executive Director of the Wildlife Trust of India, who was about to fly to London as he was nominated for The Economist's Inspiring Innovator of the Year. He is the first wildlife conservator to be nominated – specifically for his work in securing, restoring and expanding corridors for elephants to prevent their accidental deaths and human-animal conflict. These corridors are traditional migration routes. Vivek also told me that as a result of the Minding Animals Conference last year that the WTI co-hosted, JNU is now offering an Animal Studies course.
After the first tiger sighting recently in Ranthambore National Park, we then drove to a lake where there were many animals and birds. This second tiger appeared unexpectedly. With the imminent danger of a tiger, animals and birds quietly disappeared, except for a few wild boars. This male tiger is also about 2 years old although he was bigger and heavier than the tigress we had seen earlier. He passed quite close to us and was striking looking. I felt quite vulnerable in our open jeep, although the tiger could not have been less interested in us. He was hunting. We watched him for half an hour, as he quietly moved closer and closer to an oblivious solitary wild boar knee-deep in the lake. As dusk was falling we had to leave the park and I'm glad I didn't witness a grisly end to a magical afternoon.
I travelled with friend and wildlife photographer Avi Gupta who took these photographs on my new Sony A6000 and familiarised me with the camera. As these encounters with tigers are relatively rare – and often fleeting, I didn't want to miss "the moment" of actually seeing a wild tiger – or mess up the photographs. I did take some photographs with my trusty Lumix and I'll share these next blog.
Last year I visited the Asiatic lions in Gir, Gugarat and was lucky to see several handsome young ones. We also saw a stunningly beautiful leopard that suddenly crossed right in front of us. The lions have now spread out of their sanctuaries, and according to a May 2015 census, an estimated 1/3 are now living outside, establishing new territories. This obviously creates problems for villagers and their cattle. I saw one tribal village at Gir that had been relocated to a safer position within the sanctuary – with a solar panel for a light above a well. Fortunately, the numbers of lions continue to increase, and currently stand at 523 in the region.
We next visited Bandhavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh in central India where we were lucky enough to have another tiger spotting…this time more fleeting. The number of tigers in India is estimated to be 2266 – and I have seen 3 of them! Jeeps materialised from nowhere and the tigress aged about 4 years old strode quickly across the track. Later, in another location, this male leopard (above) also crossed the dirt track. Next day we saw a very similar leopard, or it may have been him again.
As tigers and leopards are solitary and elusive, the safari guides rely on hearing the warnings of danger from other animals to each other. Spotted deer screech in a birdlike way, Sambar deer stomp their hooves, and langur monkeys cry out clamorously.
We saw many other animals including blue bulls, crocodiles, a sloth bear, and many birds, especially peacocks.
As we stopped to photograph some vultures, I asked Avi why he loved birds especially? He said "because they are everywhere". The Tree Pi bird actually acts as a tooth pick for tigers – a dangerous job! Over 300 species of birds have been identified in Ranthambore National Park alone.
We also visited Panna National Park and stayed at the beautiful Ken River Lodge – overlooking the mighty river. A proposed dam would flood this tiger reserve where 32 tigers have been introduced. As it was raining I didn't go on safari at 5.30am! On the way back to Delhi we visited the famous and magnificent Hindu temples at Khajuraho some dating from AD 900. The often erotic carvings have miraculously mostly survived intact. Near Agra I glimpsed the shimmering Taj Mahal which I have visited several times before.
TONY THE TIGER: Tony the tiger was never far from my mind in India and I have a renewed commitment to Tony the tiger in 2016. The Animal League Defence Fund say "our advocacy for Tony remains positive and strong" but time is running out. Please spread the word and have friends and family sign the petition to save Tony. There are many more tigers in private hands in the USA than there are in the wild in India, and this in no way ensures – or benefits, the long term survival of these truly magnificent animals.
The tiger replaced the lion as the National Animal of India in 1973 as part of a national tiger protection programme.
VALE: David Bowie (1947-2016). His emergence in the early 1970s had a huge influence on many of us and we are shocked by his death. I saw him as Ziggy Stardust (above) in 1972. We arrived in London from Australia in 1969 and this was at the tail-end of the "Carnaby Street" and "Kings Road" eras. Bowie's genius, originality and imagination helped change and set the tone for the next decade and beyond. See this tribute in the NY Times here, and I liked his Confessions of a Vinyl Junkie here.
I enjoyed The Australian Tennis Open (although shocked by the match fixing allegations – even in tennis!), mid-flight I finally saw Blue Jasmine with the riveting Kate Blanchett who I had seen in A Streetcar named Desire, and I read Island Home by Tim Winton where he beautifully describes his relationship and growing awareness of our unique environment in Australia, and how it has influenced his ideas, writing and life. We too grew up surrounded by bush and I was horrified to recently hear "children playing outside" referred to as "unregulated nature time"! Tim Winton concludes "Aboriginal wisdom is the most under-utilized intellectual and emotional resource this country has".
Christian the Lion, Art, Ai WeiWei, State Gallery Exhibitions, Grayson Perry, Aboriginal Art, Paris Agreement, Renewables, World, Islam, Australia, Animals, Ivory, Wildlife
December 19, 2015
CHRISTIAN: It is this time of the year again and thanks as always to Christian's photographer Derek Cattani. Do see some of his other marvellous photographs of Christian here – I always enjoy looking at them.
Some of you may be interested in this article from the Good Weekend, Pets on E-Parade, on pet and animal-themed YouTube channels. Christian the lion was not mentioned but I think our reunion with Christian was the first really popular "animal themed" video phenomenon on YouTube – we stopped counting years ago when we topped 100 million views.
Australia's most popular YouTube channel, Catmantoo has 133,000 subscribers and 40 million views. Many of these channels are "monetarised" and take months to prepare. In general I don't like performing or dressed up animals. I can understand why cat videos dominate the internet and I am sent many cat videos – thanks to Mandy lately, and thankyou to Deb especially.
I recently reread a letter I wrote to George Adamson at Kora in Kenya in 1978 about our reunion with Christian in 1971: "and the footage of us returning to see Christian and him running down the hill is pretty amazing footage". That has turned out to be quite an understatement!
ART: For anyone visiting or travelling around Australia in the next few months we have some very interesting exhibitions on at our State Galleries, and they all have extensive gallery collections.
Andy Warhol/Ai Wei Wei has just opened at the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne (until April 24th 2016), and is a "conversation" between the artists who did meet in New York years ago. They share a love of "social media" – Warhol was a precursor of celebrity and social media with his screen prints, polaroids, diary jottings, Interview magazine and ever present recorder – while WeiWei loves Twitter and Instagram etc.
Ai WeiWei's passport was taken away for 4 years, and this is one of the few exhibitions where he has actually overseen the installation – the positioning of the artworks, the lighting etc. More poignantly, it is the first international exhibition of his work he has actually seen for years.
I met Eric Shiner, the Director of the Warhol Museum, in Australia for the exhibition. I asked him about both artists loving cats and he said the Children's Education section of the exhibition is all about cats – with Ai Wei Wei drawing cat wallpaper, and the backs of chairs being cat tails! Warhol had 30 – all but one called Sam.
We were also celebrating the announcement of Tracey Moffatt being selected to represent Australia at the 2017 Venice Biennale. I can't wait to see what she does and I intend to be there!
In Sydney at the Museum of Contemporary Art is The Pretty Little Art World of Grayson Perry, the cross dressing art critic from the UK. He is most amusing, but was in trouble in Australia for saying our Aboriginal art is not "contemporary" art and should be shown in an ethnographic context. He has apologised but then said that we "mix it in" with contemporary art….
Also in Sydney, at the Art Gallery of NSW there is the rare opportunity to see wonderful paintings in The Greats: Masterpieces from the National Galleries of Scotland until 14 February 2016. Another exhibition at the AGNSW includes fascinating C19th drawings by Aboriginal artists Tommy McRae and William Barak. Murruwaygu (following in the footsteps of our ancestors), are Aboriginal artworks from south-east Australia and include Roy Kennedy and Harry J Wedge.
Wollongong Art Gallery is showing SHIMMER an exhibition "exploring expanded notions of historical and contemporary shell-working traditions in indigenous Australia". This is especially true of Garry Sibosado and I also loved the prints of Darrell Sibosado. These brothers, from the West Kimberley coast, both reference traditional designs through contemporary art practice. I love shells and other well known artists include Esme Timbery, Tess Allas and Julie Gough.
There is more Aboriginal art in Adelaide at the Art Gallery of South Australia. TARNANTHI is an Inaugural Festival of Contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art, described as a very ambitious exhibition that showcases the diversity of Aboriginal art.
A major Gilbert & George exhibition is at the privately-funded Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), in Hobart, Tasmania.
APT8, the 8th Asia Pacific Triennial is in Brisbane at the Queensland Art Gallery and GOMA until 10 April 2016. The APT was a great initiative and is always interesting. It has focused international attention on the artists of our region. I would especially like to see the contemporary tribal art from India and I have collected and exhibited Indian tribal and village artists over the years.
WORLD: A memorable and often scary year comes to the end. It will be remembered for extreme and catastrophic weather events, air crashes, mass migrations and displacement, and "terrorism". One probably has more chance of dying from a car accident, smoking, or being shot – especially if you live in the USA. 30,000 were killed by guns there over the year – coincidentally about the number killed world-wide by terrorism.
The Middle East/Islam conflict seems as complex and unsoluble as ever and innocent people, mostly Muslim, continue to be killed.
At least a more informed debate about Islam is emerging – with the exception of Donald Trump, our ex PM Abbott, far right groups like the National Front in France, and various unattractive bogans in Australia supposedly fighting for "our values".
I thought Waleed Aly's article last blog was very informative – as is this more recent one. He argues "The Reformation is here. Theyr'e looking at it. The Muslim world -and indeed Islamic thought – is in crisis". New voices have emerged here like Ahmed Kilani who thinks it is time for a new generation of Muslim leaders to speak up, and he was a co-founder of the website Muslim Village here.
Also see this article on Wahhabism to ISIS: How Saudi Arabia exported the main source of global terrorism. The article is extremely informative about this very narrow and very influential form of Islam, which only emerged in the C18th. There is a trade-off with the Saudi Royal family, and it was a break-though that some women were allowed to stand for, and vote in, recent municipal elections. Perhaps they may even be allowed to drive one day!
PARIS CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE: The Paris Climate Agreement is a real achievement and cause for optimism about the human race, even if it is "aspirational" and not legally binding. They are aiming for a less than 2 degree rise in global warming – ideally 1.5. Progress will be tracked every 5 years, and target reductions increased. Of course there will be problems and recalcitrant leaders – thank God Tony Abbott is no longer our PM! Well done to host France, the USA, India and China especially. There will be $100 billion for poorer nations.
Another reason for optimism is that I hope we are seeing the end of the fossil-fuel era. Coal is a "stranded asset", "carbon capture" seems to remain as elusive as ever, banks are reluctant to finance new mines, and shares in fossil fuels are being divested. Fuel subsidies should be abolished and no new mines should be approved – especially the huge Adani/Carmichael mine in Queensland.
There are those that argue that coal is necessary, for example, to provide power for the 300 million without it in India.
What about subsidised micro grids?
But it is the unstoppable growth and utilisation all over the world of renewables that is displacing coal, and effective battery energy storage is the game changer of the year.
Powerhive, based in the USA, is providing cheap power to poor and remote African villages through roof top solar paid for via ubiquitous cell phones as power is required or can be afforded.
Do you know what the best thing an individual can do to curb carbon emission? Become a vegetarian! Meat is responsible for 15% of emissions. I am very contented as a vegetarian and it doesn't seem to be too inconvenient for my family and friends. This is not always true of vegans however, and their fundamentalism can be disruptive and even counter-productive.
My cat is now a piscatarian although I don't think this explains her provocative behaviour with 2 snakes that have unfortunately appeared in my garden. I'm very frightened she may join her brother in "crossing the rainbow bridge", as some say these days, and I will be completely broken-hearted.
At the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra there is the most comprehensive exhibition ever assembled of works by the "legendary" Australian artist Tom Roberts until 28 March.
Also in Canberra at the National Museum of Australia is Encounters: Revealing Stories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Objects from the British Museum (until 28 March) which includes items such as an Aboriginal shield collected by Captain Cook in Botany Bay in 1770, one of many objects (and even body parts) that most Aboriginal people would like repatriated back to Australia.
AUSTRALIA: The gloss is going off our new PM Turnbull pretty quickly – from tensions within his own party, a defection, a Minister under investigation who won't step aside, and Turnbull is wedged over climate change policies. He is as likely to be undone by the bitter conservative elements in his own party as he is by the Opposition. Our economic conditions continue to decline and the budget deficit is now $37.4 billion. In the absence of any proposed economic strategy or reform so far, he is hoping "innovation" will save us, but that takes time!
There is a recent biography on PM Malcolm Turnbull. His own mother described him as a child as "a bundle of demonic energy". At school, a deputation went to the headmaster to say "anyone but Malcolm" for head prefect, but they were unsuccessful.
I can be mean as I don't like many of the government's unfair policies. But Turnbull is at least intelligent, personable, and has had a very successful law and business career – and he got rid of Tony Abbott. After breaking yet another promise not to "snipe", the ex PM Abbott has gone feral and seems completely delusional, speaking out inappropriately on Islam, or "defending" his non- existent "legacy". Some commentators have said we have replaced a "psychopath with a narcissist" – but most leaders probably suffer from one or the other.
Angela Merkel seems to be regarded as the leader of the year in 2015 – in a very weak field. While Greece has little chance of recovering economically through the "austerity" measures she supported, I admired her for her initial response to the refugees in Europe.
ANIMALS & WILDLIFE: After attending and speaking at several Animal Studies conferences in India, it is so encouraging to learn that there is such important and diverse research and work in relation to animal welfare and rights, and animal/human relationships. Information now is so easily shared, and petitions and suggested actions etc can be widely circulated.
What is Animal Welfare? Welfare v Rights? Welfare v Conservation? "Conservation" is caring about species (extinction), and "animal welfare" is caring about individual animals (and their suffering). For discussions about these definitions and questions see this site and the Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare co-created by John Webster.
John Webster recently launched One Welfare an interactive portal for vets to keep them up-to-date on ethics and animal welfare.
There was an excellent review of the recent book by M.R. O'Connor which I have just bought for my Christmas reading – Resurrection Science: Conservation, De-Extinction and the Precarious Future of Wild Things. I'm hoping it will help me understand some of these complex issues.
I think we are seeing a changing of community attitudes and a growing support for animal welfare. Many of you are part of that. Looking at the last blog – chimpanzees were no longer to be experimented on in the USA, and PHASA was no longer supporting canned hunting of lions in South Africa. In Australia the horse racing industry is to limit the number of times a horse can be whipped (which is counter-productive anyway), and the worst aspects of the greyhound industry and live cattle and sheep exports have been exposed.
While people are also very concerned about a spate of shark attacks on our coast, many people now accept that the sea is the domain of sharks, and "smart" drum lines – and the netting of beaches, kill other marine creatures like turtles. Beaches need guards and aerial surveillance, and swimming in the early morning and late afternoons is regarded as dangerous.
The Japanese are resuming whaling in the Southern Ocean – intending to kill 330 minke whales. This is despite the ruling of the International Court of Justice, and the Japanese pretence of "scientific research". Over many years only 2 articles have ever been "peer reviewed" and no-one really eats whale meat – if they can avoid it!
IVORY: The Chinese President Xi Jinping has recently been in Africa. The Chinese are the major consumers of ivory and 20,000 – 40,000 elephants are slaughtered each year. In September Xi pledged "to take significant and timely steps to halt the domestic commercial trade of ivory". The Chinese also have to rethink traditional medicines that are driving animals to extinction. The Chinese have protected their giant pandas with numbers stabilising and possibly growing which is very admirable, but now this has to extend to other animals – and the prohibiting of the horrific and cruel practice of "milking" up to 10,000 bears for their bile.
Watch this amazing clip of The Elephants in the Room – a herd of elephants walking through a hotel in Zambia. They are walking on their traditional path – which now includes through a hotel lobby, to a favourite mango tree as it is spring and the fruit is ripe.
SHAME: Cardinal Pell did not come back from the Vatican to face the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Pell lived and worked with some of the most notorious clergy – and says he saw nothing and he certainly did nothing: the ZUMAMUSTGO protest in South Africa indicated the frustration and exasperation with the failure of leadership by the self serving Zuma (although he will probably be as difficult to dislodge as Mugabe in Zimbabwe): Syria's Assad; and Malaysia's PM Najib Razak is still refusing to explain the $700 million transferred to his private bank accounts.
Merry Christmas, Seasons Greetings – whatever! Hope you have a holiday or a break with family and friends. I am very appreciative of the support I receive for the blog, and the interesting information many of you send me.
I'm going to India and I am hoping to see some more of their marvellous animals and wildlife which I will blog about on my return later in January. So wishing you all a Happy (and more peaceful) New Year.
Lions, George Adamson Experience Tour, International Fund for Animal Welfare Awards, Tony the Tiger, World, Paris Climate Change Conference, Birds, Animals etc
November 27, 2015
Stephen Dalton has won the Fritz Steiniger Prize for his contribution to high speed photography for this photograph of a basilisk or Jesus Christ lizard running across water. I believe this had never been photographed before.
The Nikon Small World Photomicrography competition was won by Australian Ralph Claus Grimm and see here for his photograph of a honey bee's eye covered in dandelion pollen and magnified 120x.
These prizes are yet more examples of the many competitions for photography enthusiasts these days.
LIONS: Do watch this video of Will the Lion released from a Brazilian circus after 13 years by Rancho do Gnomos and his first reaction to more freedom, and the soil and grass. Have a hankie ready.
We want Tony the Tiger (and all caged animals) to experience this as well, so we must try even harder for the release of Tony from a cage at a truck stop in Louisiana, USA, to a sanctuary. Please sign the petition here if you have not already.
The tireless Donalea Patman, founder of For the Love of Wildlife, and Federal MP Jason Wood have both been honoured by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) for their commitment to lion conservation. Their great achievement has been the introduction of legislation prohibiting the importation of lion trophies and body parts into Australia. France has just followed suit! Donalea said "I do it because I believe Africa's wildlife is under siege".
Other news is that the president of the Professional Hunters Association of South Africa (PHASA), who has viewed the documentary Blood Lions, acknowledges how the campaign against the breeding of lions for "canned" hunting is making the PHASA position "untenable". He points out that with some airlines and shipping companies refusing to transport hunting trophies, PHASA has to realise that this issue is putting at risk "not only the reputation of professional hunting in South Africa but its very survival". He also noted "broader society is no longer neutral on this question, and the tide of public opinion is turning". At their just held AGM, PHASA voted that they could no longer support lion breeding and lion hunting.
Congratulations to Donalea and Jason, CACH, the makers of Blood Lions and everyone that is campaigning against canned hunting. We should all be very encouraged to keep up our opposition.
Aidan Basnett has organised another tour to Africa next year, the Adamson Experience Tour 2016. Apart from experiencing the beauty of Africa at Maasai Mara, Meru and Shaba National Parks, other highlights of the tour include visits to what are now almost regarded as Adamson and Elsa "sacred sites" including Elsamere (where we met Joy Adamson) and Elsa's Kopje. Email Geoff@yellowzebrasafaris for the itinerary and more tour details. See here for Aidan's George Adamson Legacy Australia Facebook page.
It is encouraging that SeaWorld in the USA will stop the killer whale shows at its San Diego park by 2017, and they promise the new killer whale attraction will have "a strong conservation message"! The reality is that more and more people are finding cruelty to animals unacceptable, and SeaWorld's share prices and attendances have both been falling.
It is very encouraging that the US National Institute of Health quietly ended the Federal Government's use of chimpanzees for biomedical research.
ART: Sylvia Ross photographs and loves pigeons and I have used my own photograph here of pigeons in front of the Taj Hotel in Mumbai, India. Sylvia has curated an exhibition called The Bird Show at SPOT81 (81 Abercrombie Street Chippendale, Sydney) until this Sunday, 29 November. More details about the show here.
WORLD: I listed many of my geo-political anxieties last blog…and I did have a sense of foreboding, especially the more I learnt about the apocalyptic nature of ISIL, and how good they are proving to be at creating fear and dividing populations. However, like most people, I was deeply shocked by the Paris bombs and horrific loss of life. The event raises so many questions: Why did the bombings in Beirut with 42 deaths, and over 100 dead in a "peace" march in Ankara, Turkey, receive so little attention in comparison? Why are we ignoring the fact that many more Muslims are being killed by ISIL, let alone the millions displaced? Why has France (and Belgium) failed so completely over decades to "integrate" their Muslim populations? How should moderate Islamists respond to the fundamentalists, and how will Islam reconcile with modernity? Are the West responding (in this case with the retaliatory bombing of Raqqa in northern Syria) just how ISIL has strategised, and is this boosting recruitment? What are the causes of radicalisation? What are the real agendas of countries like Saudi Arabia who have a record of supporting terrorist organisations?
The complexities and competing agendas in the region have been illustrated by the shooting down of the Russian jet by Turkey who are probably more concerned about the Kurds than ISIL, and the Russians who have been attacking Turkmen villages and are more interested in supporting Assad.
In Australia the Grand Mufti has been criticised for saying in a statement that the violence was "provoked by discontent at racism, Islamophobia, security laws,and foreign policy decisions" and I think this is a legitimate comment. We are experiencing the inevitable reaction here from racists and xenophobes that can only further alienate our own Muslim fellow Australians. The responses of Trump and Ben Carson in the USA was appalling.
Are Bush, Blair and our own ex-PM Howard ever going to be held accountable for the chaos in the Middle East that resulted from the invasion of Iraq in 2003 that has given rise to ISIL? Other more historic causes include the artificial creation of "countries" by colonial powers oblivious to tribal and sectarian differences, and Western support for appalling dictators when it suited them, especially in the pursuit of oil.
See Australia's Waleed Aly's informative and indeed refreshing article The fight that goes around in circles in the SMH on the Middle East conflict here. IS is the "Middle East's illegitimate child: a byproduct of the power vacuums of a broken region".
Our own PM has been attending various meetings with world leaders and he seemed to have struck an immediate rapport with President Obama. PM Turnbull proposed a Lebanese model of a power-sharing arrangement in Syria. However, an opposition Syrian spokesperson has said that unfortunately each group would have their own militias and proposed instead a combination of the "reasonable" elements of the Assad regime (who apparently exist), and the "reasonable" elements from the opposition. After the vacuum created by the removal of Saddam in Iraq, no-one is quite sure what to do with Assad.
(Apparently Obama is aghast that Australia has leased the port of Darwin in northern Australia, where the USA now have a base, to China, for 99 years!)
It is wonderful that Aung San Suu Kyi won the election and hopefully will assume power in Myanmar. I'd love to speak about her unreservedly given her long struggle and sacrifices, but I have to say however, for political expediency, under pressure from the Buddhist ultra-nationalists, she has studiously ignored the genocide of the Rohingyas.
Australia, however, has recently been severely criticised by the UN Human Rights Council by paragons of virtue like North Korea and Iran for our inhumane policies on asylum seekers, and the men, women and children who remain imprisoned on off-shore processing centres. I am ashamed to say these policies are supported by both major parties, although just when the Australian population finally seemed to be becoming uncomfortable about this, the events in Paris have hardened attitudes again.
While Malcolm Turnbull is still polling exceptionally well, it is primarily because he isn't Tony Abbott, and in comparison he appears so measured, moderate and intelligent.
Turnbull likes saying that everything, like necessary tax reform for example, is "on the table" as in "up for debate". The problem is that this government has been in office for over two years and so little has been achieved. An old Labor war-horse Graham Richardson recently wrote that Turnbull's career has mostly been as an advocate, but that now was the time for some over-due action as "both the Coalition and Labor have no plan to offer but a plan to develop a plan".
PARIS CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE: This event begins next week, and I hope the optimism for this climate change conference will be justified. It will be the first test for our new PM who as an intelligent person knows action to curb carbon emissions is essential, but he now leads a party which has been sceptical of climate change and indeed, unimaginable as it seems, has even appeared to be anti-science. The government policy has been to do as little as they can get away with, PAY the polluters with our taxes, and provide $5 billion in subsidies to fossil fuel production.
Do see a recent article by Ross Gittins Growth doesn't need to cost the earth from the SMH about the limits of economic growth and sustainability of our natural resources – "economic growth cannot continue indefinitely because the natural world – the global ecosystem – is of fixed size".
While Obama has cancelled the proposed Tar Sands Pipeline from Canada, Australia has just given permission for a friend of Indian PM Moti, Mr. Gautum Adani, to mine in the Galilee Basin in Queensland. The development of EITHER the Tar Sands or Galilee Basin would on their own, ensure that the global target of restricting global warming to 2 degrees warming is impossible.
I am hoping for a global moratorium on any new coal mines, or the expansion of existing ones. The planet requires it.
The Australian Conservation Foundation is taking the Australian Government to court over the deleterious effect the development of the Adani-owned Carmichael Mine will have on the Great Barrier Reef. – and for failing to protect our lives! See here.
The ACF has also organised the People's Climate Marches around Australia on November 27 -29th to coincide with the Paris Conference and many other people marching around the world. In Sydney we are meeting at 1 pm in The Domain on Sunday 29th November. See here for the day and times in other Australian cities.
Mr. Adani's companies do not have a good environmental record in India, and one of his mines in Zambia polluted a river which was a source of drinking water, fishing and irrigation for many people. The company did not even report it. Greenpeace has recently been kicked out of India which is not a good omen.
However, Australians cannot be righteous either as the recent collapse of a dam in Brazil owned by BHP Billiton (and Brazil's Vale) has killed over 30 people, displaced 500, destroyed villages and polluted land and water for hundreds of kilometres.
More than half the recent studies published in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society indicate that human caused climate change has substantially influenced either an event's frequency or intensity, or both.
We have already experienced the first bush fires of our summer season in West Australia and more recently South Australia. Lives have been lost and the fires have been described as "unstoppable" and "catastrophic".
MISC STATS: about 120 Australians are in the Middle East fighting with groups but mainly ISIL; only 27% of Australians think Prince Charles who has recently visited Australia should be our next head of state; and people are hoping that the actors De Niro and Di Caprio have donated the obscene $10 million that they were each paid to appear in a short film promoting our James Packer's casinos. De Caprio has been a very generous and active supporter of environmental issues.
VALE: Jonah Lomu, who despite kidney disease, exploded on the Rugby Union scene in 1995, has died at 40. I loved this fax sent by a 14 year old at the time: "Dear All Blacks, Remember, Rugby is a team game. All 14 of yers, pass the ball to Jonah." Like many Pacific Islanders, despite his extraordinary ability, Jonah was a modest and humble man.
MAIL: thanks to many of you who keep me informed and amuse me. Thanks to Christine Townend for drawing my attention to Will the Lion, and an article entitled Your cat probably wants to kill you which many cat owners may relate to – or understand – I do! Thanks to Tim for the peacocks in his garden at Bayview, and "Hi" to Hugh who has watched Christian's documentary or our reunion with him over 200 times, according to his mother!
Congratulations to Bindi Irwin (our Jungle Girl) who has won the US version of Dancing with the Stars.
BIRDS: So many birds have ended up – almost inadvertently – on this blog, but this probably reflects the interest so many people have in them. Like so much wildlife and the Atlantic Puffin and European turtle dove, the Carnaby's Black-cockatoo is struggling to survive urban sprawl in West Australia. Birdlife Australia's Cocky Count co-ordinator has said that on current trends their population would halve again in the next five years. They are the most endangered of the species which includes the Glossy, Yellow-tailed, Red-tailed and White-tailed Black cockatoo. I quite often see a flock of Glossy Black cockatoos in the same area as I drive out of the Royal National Park from Bundeena.
Bird keeping has a long tradition in Indonesia and competitions for song birds (kicau-mania) are hugely popular. Birds are assessed on their volume, power, melody and their ability to mimic other birds. This hobby took off when many men were made redundant during the Asian economic crisis of 1997-8. Unfortunately but not unexpectedly, their popularity and their shrinking habitats are contributing to declining songbird populations.
The disastrous and ongoing march of the introduced poisonous cane toads across northern Australia has nearly driven the Northern Quoll into extinction – like much else. The Island Ark Project established a colony on two islands and next year they will be introduced back to the mainland. They will hopefully have been conditioned by "taste aversion" to no longer eat toads. Read more here.
Tasmanian Devils have had their populations decimated by an epidemic of devil facial tumour disease. Over 4 years a healthy colony has been established on the mainland as an "insurance population", and they are to be re-introduced back to Tasmania. See Devilark.org.au for more details.
The issue of species extinctions is both complex and contested and this recent article Animal pragmatism by Maddison Connaughton in The Saturday Paper is a good introduction. "The battle against species extinctions is ethically fraught, with questions about the purpose of zoos and how we go about choosing winners in the animal kingdom. As habitat diminishes, what is the purpose of conservation?"
PETA however, are unequivocal about zoos: "Zoos teach people that it is acceptable to interfere with animals and keep them locked up in captivity", and I certainly agree. Do see this article from Animals Australia titled "5 things we need to stop telling ourselves about zoos".
Animals, Big Cats, Wildlife Photographer of the Year, World, Middle East, Australia, Refugees, Sharks, Koalas, Tech Revolution, Adani Mine etc.
October 23, 2015
The winners of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year have just been announced. This annual competition is run by London's Natural History Museum and attracted 42,000 entries from almost 100 countries. A selection of entries tour internationally. Broken Cats by Britta Jaschinski won the Wildlife Photojournalist Award. The deadness in the faces of these humiliated animals performing in China, reminds me of the depression I saw in the lions bred for canned hunting in the recent documentary Blood Lions. I was horrified by the recent photograph of another animal being dissected in front of school children at a zoo in Denmark – this time a lion.
I suppose my blog is a sort of diary of what I have found interesting – or scary – over the last few weeks. I think most people would find the present times uncertain and this blog articulates many of my worries! In addition to family and friends, I know many of us find great solace in animals: as companion pets; working for their welfare and rights and to protect their habitats; or just for their sheer beauty and company. I always look forward to the Wildlife Photographers Awards touring to Sydney (usually early in the year), and the beauty of most of the photographs is extraordinary – and very contemplative and soothing. The winner of the Wildlife Photograph of this year (below) is both beautiful and rather grisly, and reminds us, as we learnt with Christian the lion and his on-going battle with the local wild lions, life in the wild can be tough!
While many of you have winter approaching, in Australia our spring, like autumn, can be fleeting, and we have already had summer temperatures of 30+. Native plants like grevilleas and bottle brushes are flowering and gardening is even more of a pleasure. Bush-fire warnings have already begun. The sea looks inviting – although none of the protection measures suggested recently to protect against sharks convinces me yet.
WORLD: I suppose we have all been concerned post GFC that our leaders are failing to properly address both the old fundamental problems and weaknesses in our global economic and financial systems and structures, but also new challenges, transitions and necessary reforms. There is even more inequality. Most leaders seem to be floundering on most fronts, and some are confronted with the many millions of displaced people at present on the move and overwhelming Europe on a scale unseen in the life times of many. Read my extended view and comments on the Middle East, ISIS, Russia, China, and other anxiety-inducing topics HERE.
TECH REVOLUTION: It is obvious that we are going through a technologically driven social and knowledge revolution – apparently this sort of movement happens every 50 – 60 years. The potential for sharing knowledge, education, the global connectivity, the shaping of opinion, the changing of laws etc, is very exciting and transforming. For various reasons I resist Facebook and I know I miss excellent articles, and more concerning, the dates of protests, or marches in support of animals. It will be so interesting to see the ramifications of this new – and not face to face, changing social interaction.
I love the potential of "citizen science" – from the reporting and data collection on bird populations, to "nodders" who, for example, are at present tracking forest fires in South East Asia online. I also believe in the power of "aggregate voices" – and clickitivism, and some of us have contributed to the success of some animal campaigns via this blog.
I have to say, despite efforts by so many people, the campaign to free Tony the Tiger has so far failed, and his continuing imprisonment haunts me. He is now 15 years old. Dee de Santis tells me she visited Tony twice last month. This must be so heart breaking and I admire Dee enormously for her commitment to Tony. She says "Sorry there are no updates concerning his case, his petition remains open". If you haven't already, sign THIS PETITION to help free Tony.
By the way, it was a very successful March for Rhinos, Elephants and Lions on a recent lovely sunny day. We were addressed by Mark Pearson, the first member in the world for an Animal Justice Party.
Other implications of the internet concern espionage and cyber warfare. Apparently the Chinese are very active hackers politically, militarily and economically. State-backed theft of Western Intellectual properties is on a huge 'industrial" scale and is bankrupting many companies.
But some people are also warning about the "undemocratic" power and monopolies of Facebook, Google and Amazon etc – so called "economic choke points".
Edward Snowden informed us that as of last week, in Australia "everything you do online is being tracked and retained for two years".
AUSTRALIA: We have had great news in Australia! A cloud has lifted. Tony Abbott was thrown out in a surprise coup and Malcolm Turnbull is our new Prime Minister.
In his challenge for the leadership Turnbull said Tony Abbott "has not been capable of providing the economic leadership the nation requires". Abbott was very unpopular – he broke election promises, he was inept and gaffe-prone, and tried to inflict unfair policies. His world view was very out of date, like another dinosaur, Stephen Harper in Canada who has also just been thrown out. Harper has been replaced as PM by the refreshing Justin Trudeau.
In The Saturday Paper editorial Abbott was described as the "worst prime minister ever". See – it wasn't just me! Read my extended view and comments on Australian politics HERE.
ADANI COAL MINE: Despite the enchantment with our new PM, the government still has many distasteful policies, and has been especially shocking in relation to action on climate change. The government has just given permission for the huge Adani coal mine to go ahead in Queensland. Immediately the Australian Conservation Foundation announced a nation-wide People Climate March – see here for details in Australian cities. In Sydney we meet in The Domain at 1pm on Sunday 29th November. This mine just cannot go ahead as it will be an environmental disaster. Coal will be a "stranded asset" and several banks have already refused to finance the mine. As for the Indians without power who are supposedly the beneficiaries, they are off the grid, and domestic solar panels with battery storage is a much cheaper and cleaner option.
SHARKS: Eight Great White sharks have recently been tagged to try and understand the "spike" in shark sightings and attacks along the 2000 kilometres of our NSW coast. While those sharks have now scattered far away, there are still plenty of other shark sightings close to shore. The recent Sydney Shark Summit discussed netting (which some Sydney beaches have) and other physical and visual barriers, electric deterrents, physical aerial surveillance, and sonar, satellite and acoustic technologies. At this stage none are 100% safe – but are preferable to culling.
A recent report by researchers at the University of Adelaide states that warmer and more acidic oceans will lead to a food change collapse with large ocean animals like sharks, the most vulnerable.
KOALAS: Many of our koalas are suffering from a chlamydia infection that can result in infertility, blindness and death, and there is an alarming proposal to dramatically cull koala populations in the hope of eliminating the disease. Koalas "moderately" sick could be treated with antibiotics, but the others would be euthanised. Apparently the population would recover in 5-10 years. Koala populations also face the threat of deforestation, habitat reduction, and the dangers of cars and dogs.
SOUL SEARCHING: In Australia we have lately had to confront some very frightening statistics and home truths. There has recently been a spate of deaths of women through domestic violence which has illustrated the horrifying extent of this with one in four women having been the victim of domestic violence. The government has just allotted what seems to be a lot of money to fight DV, and while it has been welcomed, in general, funding to many essential front-line services such as Legal Aid, the Courts, shelters etc has been reduced. Drug addiction, and we are in an ice epidemic, is also under resourced. We have just had Mental Health Week which again highlighted the failure to adequately deal with the extent of mental health problems within the community.
A Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has continued to reveal the equally horrifying extent of this abuse. The Catholic Church has just described its own history regarding child abuse in Australia as "shameful, corrosive and complicit".
This treatment of women and children has finally made more Australians also outraged about the women and children (and men) we imprison on our off-shore detention centres.
A 15 year old boy shot and killed a police worker here recently which has heightened the debate around terrorism, the tightening of security laws, and the radicalisation of youth. The new PM's much more moderate and considered language (compared to Abbott's fear mongering) has led to a more productive cooperation with Muslim leaders. We did not need the divisive Geert Wilders, the ultra right MP from Holland, to come to Australia to support the formation of an Anti Islam party.
Rebellious teenagers, especially from Middle Eastern backgrounds could feel marginalised in Australia – because they are. They do not feel they belong here, and they could find ISIS attractive – until they get there I imagine. Parents, church figures and schools often have very little influence on youth going through these stages – that's the point of rebellion! The most insightful and realistic article I have read about teenagers and the "radicalisation" of Muslim youth was by Hussain Nadim in the SMH – see it here.
Racism in sport has also been a huge debate here. It is interesting the role sport plays in the national psyche, especially in the absence of an as yet defined Australian national identity. The Rugby League Final (NRL) was thrilling – a match none of us will forget. Both teams were led by charismatic Indigenous captains and the NRL is about to be dominated by Aboriginal, Islander, and Pacific Islander players. In comparison, while the Australian Football League (AFL) also has many Indigenous star players, a champion Sydney Swans player Adam Goodes, was booed by opposing teams and ended his illustrious career on a depressing note. He has lately also had to endure racist insults on social media for his promotional role with a leading department store. Adam was an articulate and outspoken Australian of the Year in 2014, and I hope he plays an important public leadership role in the future….
Thanks for reaching the end of an over-due and over-long post. I appreciate your interest and patience.
Happy Birthday Christian
August 12, 2015
Christian was born on the 12th August 1969 at Ilfracombe Zoo, in Devon, UK. His parents were Mary and Butch. A few years ago we were told that Christian was actually hand-reared by one of the staff. This probably explains why Christian seemed so comfortable with us right from the start.
We are often asked how long do lions live? I usually say 10-12 years but they can live longer in zoos. Christian was last seen in 1973 and even at four years old was growing into one of the biggest lions George Adamson had ever seen. He proved to be courageous and smart and survived the most dangerous years. Ironically, George regarded Christian, the lion from London, as one of the most successful rehabilitations.
The murder of Cecil the lion by an American hunter in Zimbabwe continues to be condemned around the world.
Let's ensure Cecil's death was not in vain. There are several petitions in circulation relating to Cecil – the AVAAZ petition is to the EU and the USA authorities asking them to classify lions as an endangered species and to ban the import of any hunting trophies. This is probably the most effective way to stop these senseless deaths, and you may want to sign here.
The United Nations has recently passed a Resolution "Tackling the Illicit Trafficking in Wildlife".
All of us must redouble our efforts to fight canned hunting, and Cecil's death will add momentum to the campaign against the breeding of lions for hunting, and the importation of animal body parts and trophies. I ring travel agencies that advertise tours to Africa and ask airlines about their policies on these issues. All volunteers and travellers to Africa should look at this updated Volunteers in Africa Beware Facebook page to ensure they are supporting reputable wildlife sanctuaries.
Last Monday was World Lion Day and I cannot resist sharing last year's message from Kevin Richardson and Tau the Interrupting Lion – who roared throughout! Watch the clip here. I met Kevin when he was in Sydney recently and he posted this photograph of us on his Facebook page and there are of course wonderful photographs of lions on there too.
I am told our YouTube reunion with Christian in Kenya in 1971 is circulating on Facebook again and I am receiving emails, especially through the website, www.alioncalledchristian.com.au, from people just discovering Christian's story. For example, Monique has just emailed "And wasn't Christian just the most remarkable being? He took everything in his stride and managed to bridge the animal and human worlds wonderfully".
Many of you have let us know over the years the influence Christian's story has had on you, and we of course will never know the full extent of his legacy. I also recently received an email from a volunteer at Stichting Leew (Lion Foundation) in the Netherlands. I was thrilled to read that the owner was so inspired by Christian's story and his successful rehabilitation that 3 years ago he opened his own big cat sanctuary to rescue animals from circuses, zoos etc. Their aim – see here – is to look after all animals that come to them, but to return purebred wild cats to the "semi-wild" where possible. This is of course a very complex indeed contested issue.
Also based in Holland is AAP and I do know much more about their marvellous work with rescued animals, especially big cats, after meeting their representatives at the Animal Studies Conference in Delhi in January.
AAP are soon to officially open their Spanish branch, Primadomus, and the first occupants – 2 lions and 2 tigers rescued from a French circus wagon, are already in residence. See here.
GEORGE ADAMSON: The 20th of August is the anniversary of George Adamson's murder at Kora in 1989. I love this photograph of George and Christian as it shows the love and familiarity of two good friends. Christian looks so big I think the photograph must have been taken early in 1973 and is possibly the last photograph of him. George, we thank you for your giant contribution to our understanding and protection of animals, and Christian…how can I express what you still mean to us and to so many others?
OK, I confess, as it is his birthday I've just watched the Youtube reunion and sniffled through it as I did with Born Free last weekend. HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISTIAN.


text:
Weiner's Last Day Will Be June 21
Bye-bye, Weiner.
In a letter addressed to Andrew Cuomo, CC'ing Nancy Pelosi and John Boehner, disgraced congressman Anthony Weiner announced that his last day in office will be tomorrow, June 21. It's now up to Cuomo to pick a date for a special election for his seat, a position which may well be a lame-duck one from the get-go. [Glenn Thrush/Twitter]