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Difference between revisions of "El Salvador"
Revision as of 09:15, 31 December 2012
El Salvador [1] is a country in Central America and, geographically, is part of continental North America. It is bordered on the southwest by the Pacific Ocean, and lies between Guatemala and Honduras. ContentsUnderstandEl Salvador covers an area of about 21,040 square kilometers (the smallest country in Central America), although it is the most densely populated. El Salvador is home to more than 6,500,000 people. It is divided into 14 sections called Departments. It has 25 volcanoes, 14 lakes, and four large cities and is divided in to East, Central and West with the the capital San Salvador in the central region, Santa Ana in the west and San Miguel the largest city in the east. HistoryThe civilization of El Salvador dates from the pre-Columbian time, around 1500 B.C., according to evidence provided by the ancient structures of Tazumal in Chalchuapa. The Spanish Admiral Andrés Niño lead an expedition to Central America and disembarked on the Island Meanguera, located in the Gulf of Fonseca, on May 31st, 1522. This was the first Salvadoran territory visited by the Spaniards. In June, 1524, Spanish Captain Pedro de Alvarado began a predatory war against the native tribes of Cuzcatlán. During 17 days of bloody battles many natives and Spaniards died. Pedro de Alvarado was defeated and, with an injury to his left hip, abandoned the fight and fled to Guatemala, appointing his brother, Gonzalo de Alvarado, to continue with the conquest of Cuzcatlán. Later, his cousin Diego de Alvarado established the Villa of San Salvador in April 1525. King Carlos I of Spain granted San Salvador the title of City in the year 1546. During the following years, El Salvador developed under Spanish rule. Towards the end of 1810, a feeling of a need for freedom arose among the people of Central America and the moment to break the chains of slavery arrived at dawn on November 5th, 1811, when the Salvadoran priest, Jose Matías Delgado, sounded the bells of the Iglesia La Merced in San Salvador, making a call for insurrection. After many internal fights, the Acta de Independencia (Act of Independence) of Central America was signed in Guatemala on September 15th, 1821. In December of 1931, the corrupt and incompetent regime of the Labour Party, headed by Manuel Araujo, was overthrown and General Maximiliano Hernández Martínez assumed the presidency. The fraudulent elections of January 1932 were the detonating factor of the social outbreak. Several voting sites were suspended in populations in which the Communist Party had a strong presence. A new insurrection began. After two frustrated assaults on the Cuartel de Caballería (Cavalry Quarters) were conducted by the rebel forces, the government ordered martial law. Strict censorship of the press was implemented. In the following days thousands of farmers and workers, carrying machetes and some few "Mauser" rifles attacked police stations, municipal offices, telegraph stations, warehouses, and wealthy landowners' properties. This insurrection was crushed. On January 31st, Manuel Antonio Castañeda sentenced Farabundo Martí to death. He was shot and killed on February 1st, 1932. Over the next decades, many coups d'états followed, including the one that overthrew General Maximiliano Hernández Martínez. Relations with Honduras deteriorated in the late 1960s. There was a border clash in 1967, and a four-day so-called Football war (Soccer War), as it was named by the international mass media, broke out in July 1969. The war ended with a cease-fire prompted by pressure from the United States and the Organization of American States. The Salvadoran forces that had invaded Honduras were withdrawn. They were just a few kilometers outside Honduras' capital. A movement of organized leftist guerrillas sprang up in 1974 and 1975, amid increasing political violence. In 1980, three of the leftist organizations united to coordinate a fight against the government. This movement was called FMLN (Frente Farabundo Martí para la Liberación Nacional. English: Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front). In March of the same year Monseñor Oscar Arnulfo Romero, the archbishop of San Salvador, was assassinated while he was celebrating mass. It is widely believed that the order for his execution came from Major Roberto D'Abuisson, the founder and leader of ARENA, a right-wing party. D'Abuisson is best known for his suspected involvement in death squad murders. He died of cancer in 1992. On January 16th, 1992, the government of El Salvador and the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN), signed Los Acuerdos de Paz (Peace Accords) in Chapultepec, Mexico, putting an end to one of the most painful chapters in the history of El Salvador. The 12 years of armed conflict claimed the lives of over 75,000 people and caused the exodus of hundreds of thousands more who fled to the United States, Canada, and other countries in order to escape the violence. Today, El Salvador is stable and with a growing economy, leaving behind its painful history. ClimateTropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on the coast; temperate in the uplands. Holidays
Other destinations
Get inVisasImmigration requires that visitors entering El Salvador have their passport and one of the following documents: visa or tourist card. Visas are issued by the Consulate of El Salvador accredited in the countries where these type of diplomatic missions exist; and the tourist card is generally issued for 90 days and includes Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua (you can travel for 90 days throughout those 4 countries, called the CA-4 and the visa does NOT start over when you cross borders of any of those 4 countries). When arriving by air, your visa can be purchased for US$10 at the airport. [2] Land entrances are not charged for El Salvador as the visas for Guatemala, Nicaragua and Honduras include El Salvador in the CA-4 visa. Passports of certain countries might need to obtain a visa before entering El Salvador such as Malaysia. Some countries pay a fee for the issuance of the visa. By planeVisitors traveling by plane arrive at El Salvador International Airport in Comalapa, located forty-five minutes outside of the capital's city limits. The airport code is SAL. TACA Airlines is the national airline of El Salvador. TACA acquired the national airlines of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala so it also serves those countries; currently is in the process of merging with Avianca, thus expanding services further to South America and Spain. TACA flies a fleet of new A319s, A320s, and A321s throughout North, Central, and South America. However, Taca regularly has the highest ticket prices and savvy buyers would do well to compare options using an online service such as kayak.com. A US$32 departure tax must be paid upon departure. Depending on the airline, the full amount or part of the tax may already be included in the price of your ticket and the amount you must pay will vary from US$0 - US$32. Other airlines that fly into El Salvador include American Airlines (from Miami and Dallas), United (from Houston, Newark, and Washington, D.C.), Delta (from Atlanta), Spirit (from Fort Lauderdale), Iberia (from Madrid), Copa (from Panama City, Avianca (from Bogota), and Aeromexico (from Mexico City). By carThe Pan-American highway travels through El Salvador and is a safe route for entering the country and travelling between San Miguel in the East and San Salvador in the West By busNumerous buses also traverse the highways of the country. Domestic bus services are typically very cheap (not more than two or three dollars for even the longest rides) and difficult to understand. The buses themselves are often very well painted and adorned with all kinds of posters and trinkets, ranging from the religious to the pop-culture. Longer bus rides may include a stop in some town where plenty of mujeres, and sometimes their children, too, will board hawking mangos, nuts, water, and even sometimes fried chicken in a box. There is no central agency that coordinates bus routes and schedules, so it is best to just ask the cobrador where the bus is going and when. Most are very friendly and helpful, but do watch out for scams on the buses.
Anyone riding the buses (visitor or local) must take caution in riding the buses and microbuses that are seen around the country. The buses are often crammed and it is very easy to be robbed. The buses are cheap and are a great way to get around, but remember that as a visitor you are at a higher risk of being robbed. If you must ride a bus take extra care of yourself and your belongings. The following bus companies offer luxury (and safer) bus travel between El Salvador and other Central American destinations:
Get aroundIf driving, rental car agencies include Alamo and Hertz. Buses and taxis also provide good ways of getting around. Distances between sights make walking an unpopular option, as does the street layout in the city; San Salvador is not a square city, but has long avenues that are straight and streets that aren't. That said, in some areas walking is a great option, such as in Zona Rosa. El Salvador now has a well developed GPS navigation system called QFind [5] that can help you move around either in urban or rural areas. This is a fully functional system with thousands of points of interest and turn by turn routing to your destination. Another option for luxury transportation is Linea Ejecutiva [6], they bring private transfer. If you want, you can contact the Bureau of Conventions of El Salvador to visit the country. By trainAll rail transport in El Salvador was suspended in October 2002. In 2006 a pilot scheme for reviving the rail network commenced and in 2007 a service to between San Salvador and Apopa was restarted with two return trips each morning and evening aimed at commuter traffic. Whilst this will be of little use to travellers, it is hopefully a sign of future reopening of more of the extensive rail network. TalkThe official language in El Salvador is Spanish, however a large population does speak English. Around 1% of people speak Izalco or Nahuat, the Pipil language. SeeThe countryside of El Salvador is breathtaking, with volcanoes and mountains offering "green" adventurers exactly what they are looking for. Many of environmentally-oriented community-based organizations promote eco-tourism, and there are a number of beautiful and secluded beaches and forests scattered throughout the country. A well-maintained and practically deserted national park is found in the west at Bosque El Imposible. Additionally, there is Montecristo Cloud Forest, and a quaint fishing village with incredible local hospitality and remote coconut islands in La Isla de Méndez. Isla de Olomega in the department of San Miguel is an excellent eco-tourism destination, as are the beautiful Isla El Cajete in Sonsonate, Isla San Sebastian, Conchagua, Conchaguita, Isla Conejo, Isla Teopan, and Isla Meanguera. One should also visit the colonial towns of Apaneca, Juayua, Panchimalco, and Suchitoto as well as the Mayan sites of San Andrés, Joya de Cerén (The Pompeii of Central America and an UNESCO World Heritage Site), and Tazumal, whose main pyramid rises some 75 feet into the air. The on-site museum showcases artifacts from the Pipil culture (the builders of Tazumal), as well as paintings that illustrate life in pre-Hispanic El Salvador. Souvenir hunters will find some of the best artisans in San Juan el Espino and in La Palma (the artisan capital of El Salvador). The capital, San Salvador, is a cosmopolitan city with good restaurants highlighting the country's fresh seafood, as well as plenty of shopping, entertainment and nightlife. San Miguel in the East offers tourists a more authentic way to see El Salvador by getting off the beaten track to see its countryside, coastline and lakes Do
BuyEl Salvador's official currency is the US Dollar (since 2001). Carry only $1, $5, $10 or $20 dollar bills. Most stores, supermarkets and department stores won't accept $50 or $100 bills. If you need to exchange to lower denominations, you can go to any bank. El Salvador has the largest malls in the region (MetroCentro - MetroSur), especially in San Salvador, with many upmarket international stores. Goods can also be purchased from markets, including national and international supermarkets. San Salvador has a number of large modern shopping malls stocking the latest in international fashion, accessories & cuisine. These are generally found in the city's upscale suburbs such as Escalón, Santa Elena, and their surroundings. These malls include: For those shoppers interested in purchasing fairly traded crafts and organically grown produce, a local alternative market is held every other Saturday in the San José park in the San Luis area just west of the National University. Expect to pay $30-60 for a room in a hotel, $3-5 for a simple meal, $0.25-0.35 to ride a San Salvador city bus, $1/hour to use the Internet, and $0.25 for a bag of sliced mangos. The one drawback to this is that large bills ($50 & $100) are almost unspendable. Get change wherever you can -- gas stations are always a good bet. A good idea is to visit a bank and ask for small bills and nothing larger than a $20. Take note of the prices that street vendors sell their products because at times they will take advantage of people that look or sound foreign by raising their prices dramatically. EatThe restaurant scene in El Salvador is influenced by many different cultures. Food options include Italian, Korean, Japanese, French, Chilean, American, Peruvian, Mexican, Spanish, Middle Eastern, German, Chinese, Argentinian and others. You can also easily find American fast food chains such as Burger King, McDonald's, Wendy's, KFC, Subway, Quiznos, Pizza Hut, Little Caesar's, and Domino's, in the largest cities in the country such as San Salvador, Merliot / Santa Tecla, and Santa Ana. Other franchises include Tony Romas', Bennigans and others. Some of the best restaurants are located in Zona Rosa (Paradise, Alo Nuestro, 503). The typical Salvadoran diet includes lots of rice and beans, seafood (particularly among those who live on the coast), and the most common Salvadoran dish, the famous Pupusa, a round corn tortilla filled with cheese and other elements, usually chicharon (shredded pork meat). It's widely agreed that the best pupusas in the country can be bought in Olocuilta, which you can get to along the highway on the way to the Comalapa airport. You will find 50+ pupusa stands there, competing for business. Also Salvadorans eat fried sliced plantains (platanos) usually with beans, sour cream, cheese and sometimes eggs, yuca con chicharron, pastelitos de carne, panes con pavo (turkey sandwiches), hand made tortillas among other very delicious Salvadoran foods. If you are staying on the coast, make sure you try the cóctel de conchas. It is a mix of black clams, lime juice, onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and chiles in a spicy black sauce. You can find them for about $3/bowl, using freshly harvested clams. A wide range of other seafood dishes can also be found. Many large modern supermarkets are scattered throughout the capital and in large towns, such as La Despensa de Don Juan and Super Selectos, which sell local produce and a large variety of international products. Like anywhere else in the world, these are a cheaper alternative to eating out every night. DrinkTypical beverages and fruitsTry the most delicious Horchata (made from rice and "morro" seeds) and Cebada (a smooth and sweet pink barley refreshment). If you prefer (at your own risk) to drink natural juices, such as: guava, jocote, arrayan, chirimoya, granadilla de "moco" and marañon. Furthermore, you should try to savour the local fruit, as: jocotes, marañon japones, green mango (with salt, lime, alhuaiste (ground pumpkin seed), manzana pedorra (orig.from Los Planes de Renderos), "nance", "red or yellow almendras" salvadorenias, "hicaco", "paterna" (also try the cooked paterna seed with lime and hot pepper, and don't miss the suave and liquory aroma of "carao". ClubsIn San Salvador The trendiest night spot to visit is called La Zona Rosa and although doesn't cover a large area, it's home to many exclusive, upscale bars and nightclubs, and the best restaurants in town. A famous spot to go is a mall named Multiplaza where it has several clubs and bars. There's also Paseo del Carmen. In San Miguel the famous Av. Roosevelt that hosts one of the biggest festivals in Central America in November is where you will find numerous bars and clubs for sexy nightlife. SleepSan Miguel has high end hotels on Av. Roosevelt by the Metrocentro mall and budget hotels near the bus terminal WorkFinding employment in El Salvador is difficult for both Salvadorans and extranjeros (foreigners) alike, although bilingual schools are constantly looking for English speakers, as well as other foreign language teachers. Bilingual schools offer competitive salaries for foreign teachers. For current vacancies see the schools websites (above). Most foreigners find themselves volunteering with one of a number of local community organizations or NGOs. The Centro de Intercambio y Solidaridad [11] is often looking to hire bi-lingual project managers and liaisons, and offers both Spanish classes and numerous volunteer and cultural opportunities. Another organization offering volunteer work in Santa Tecla and on the Islands in the south is Travel to Teach [12]. The recent incursion of the call center business has raised the bar in the need for a bi-lingual workforce. Stay safeEl Salvador has a bad reputation due to the civil war of the 80s. The Consular sheet from the US State Department indicates that El Salvador has one of the highest homicide rates in the world. Crime is an issue, most of it is attributed to street gangs, though statistics from official sources do not support that claim. You must use common sense and avoid entering into a zone that does not appear safe, just like you do in any country of the world. Avoid carrying fancy items such as jewelry, expensive cameras, and watches if you are walking on the public streets. Females should avoid traveling alone as they may catch the occasional cat-calling and perhaps get felt up on tightly packed buses. As a foreigner the kind of response you might get from the police is "hit or miss." If you have been pick-pocketed or otherwise robbed without harm to your person, a visit to the police station will almost certainly be an exercise in frustration. Police officers have also been known to harass or to be inappropriate to female travelers. Many Salvadorans are armed, and shootouts are not uncommon. Foreigners, however, may not carry guns even for their own protection without first obtaining firearms licenses from the Salvadoran government. Extortion tactics have included indiscriminate grenade attacks on buses, businesses and restaurants, resulting in the death or injury of dozens of people, including children. These types of attacks are unpredictable and the U.S. Embassy advises its personnel to remain alert to their surroundings and to minimize risk to themselves. It is a good idea for any person visiting El Salvador to keep only necessary forms of identification, such as a driver's license, when exploring the city or tourist locales. If you must keep your passport on you at all times, a traveler's pouch would allow you to have it safely with you. Police officers routinely ask tourists to present their passports, most can be convinced that a copy of the passport and another form of id is sufficient. Others will insist on accompanying back to your hotel to retrieve your actual document. Most tourists prefer to stay within the safe areas of El Salvador such as La Zona Rosa where there is relatively no crime. In case you are not staying at one of the country's 5 star hotels, remember to ask if the city or town you are visiting has a high level of gang activity. In 1996 San Salvador was considered the second most dangerous city in the Western Hemisphere, according to statistics. Since the end of the civil war in 1992 El Salvador has not seen a reduction in crime rates. Today San Salvador, and El Salvador in general, experience some of the highest homicide rates in the world, it is also considered an epicenter of the gang crisis, along with Guatemala and Honduras. The homicides reported in 2006 reached up to 3,906, in 2005 3,779 were reported; 57.2 violent deaths per every 100,000 people. Crime rates in general have been steadily growing throughout the years, from 2005-2006 crime rose 7.5%.El Salvador is the most dangerous and violent country in Central America. The government tried controlling the gangs with a tactic called "Super Mano Dura" which means "Super Strong Hand", however it has not been successful and crime rates have continued to rise. Stay healthyIf you are not accustomed to food sold by street vendors, you might want to stay away from food sold on the streets until you acclimate. If you want to try a pupusa, you should try to find a restaurant to taste this popular dish rather than buying them from street vendors. That said, street food that you see cooked can sometimes be safer than restaurant food that you do not see cooked. 'Agua en bolsa' (water in a plastic bag) is very commonly sold in the streets and corner stores of El Salvador. Pharmacies are easily found all over the country. Be sure to have a first-aid kit if you travel to the countryside and to archaeological sites. Mosquito repellent comes in handy. RespectSalvadorans are known for their great hospitality. They are among the nicest people in the world. They are friendly, industrious people always willing to help anyone. That is what has earned El Salvador the nickname of "the country with a smile". When speaking with people you don't know, it is customary to address them in a formal manner, using señor, señora and/or usted. ContactThe international country code for El Salvador is 503.


text: It's 2011 Civil War Smack talk time. Next up is Oregon State Beavers fan Matt Martz with his 5 reasons he can't stand Oregon Ducks Football. Player attitudes. Of course. Oregon fans call it "swagger", but OSU fans can recognize a rude attitude when they see it. You can blame Chip Kelly and Cliff Harris for this one.

subset: commoncrawl


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Denton: Injuries Piling Up; Magic to be Limited Tonight
By John Denton
February 4, 2013
PHILADELPHIA – An already injury-ravaged Orlando Magic squad has taken even more hits of late and will likely have only nine available players tonight when they face the Philadelphia 76ers.
J.J. Redick (sore shoulder) and DeQuan Jones (foot) likely won't play tonight because of injuries they suffered in Saturday's loss in Milwaukee. Neither will Jameer Nelson (bruised forearm) or Arron Afflalo (calf strain), who missed Saturday's loss as well. And those injuries have come at a time when the Magic (14-33) have yet to have Al Harrington (knee) all season and have likely lost Glen ``Big Baby'' Davis (fractured foot) for the remainder of the season.
``I think we'll have 10, right. We'll come to play. That's what you do,'' said Magic coach Jacque Vaughn, who may or may not have been including Harrington who could return any day now. ``You play this game because you want to be on the floor and you want minutes. I haven't come across one professional basketball player who hasn't complained about their minutes. This is an opportunity to take advantage of the minutes that are available.''
Vaughn could be forced to start Ish Smith at point guard and slide E'Twaun Moore – usually the backup at point guard – over to a starting slot at shooting guard. Or small forward Maurice Harkless could play shooting guard and Hedo Turkoglu could return to the starting lineup at small forward.
Other than the injuries, the night will be important for a couple of other Magic players because of their ties to the Sixers (20-26). Orlando center Nikola Vucevic spent his rookie season with Philadelphia and faces the Sixers for the first time since he was traded to the Magic in August. Meanwhile, Harkless was drafted No. 16 by the Sixers last June, but included in the August blockbuster trade.
Vucevic has blossomed into one of Orlando's most consistently productive players and is the league's only second-year player averaging a double-double in points (12.1 ppg.) and rebounds (11.3 rpg.). His playing time in Philadelphia was sporadic and he welcomed the opportunity to come to Orlando because of the team's belief in him.
``I wasn't really shocked (the the trade) and I just looked at it as this is how the business goes,'' Vucevic said. ``They wanted to bring some new people in and I thought going to Orlando would be a good opportunity for me. I took a lot from my rookie year and overall it was a solid year for me. I had a lot of ups and downs and it was a learning experience for me dealing with the travel and the amount of games. Coming into this year, I was more prepared. No regrets.''
Harkless, 19, is coming off a career night in Milwaukee on Saturday. He set career highs in points (19), rebounds (14), steals (four) and minutes (43) against the Bucks. Harkless also whacked across the nose during that game, but he didn't allow it to slow him down on Saturday and he's planning on playing tonight – especially with the Magic being short-handed and needing his services at possibly three different positions.
Harkless knows the area where he can make the biggest impact is his ability to rebound the basketball.
``We just have to go out there and compete with these guys,'' Harkless said. ``We don't have a lot of guys playing tonight, so we've just got to try to find a way to get stops and easy buckets.''
ORLANDOMAGIC.COM FEATURES: Vucevic Earns Spot in Rising Stars Challenge
Note: The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Orlando Magic. All opinions expressed by John Denton are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Orlando Magic or their Basketball Operations staff, partners or sponsors. His sources are not known to the Magic and he has no special access to information beyond the access and privileges that go along with being an NBA accredited member of the media.
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Thomas Locke Hobbs
Hi! Thanks for visiting. I'm an American photographer living in Buenos Aires. These are photos from the blog I kept on my site from 2003 to 2009. I now have redesigned the home page to just show a portfolio of my current work. I also blog at BuenosAiresPhotographer.com where I post my baires snapshots.
Old Signage in and around Chinatown/LES. Old timey new york things seems to be a popular photoblogger subject; lightningfield, bluejake, quarlo, rion
Blurry people in Grand Central. I walk thru here everyday and it's a bit like that visual acuity test for airforce pilots where you have to track multiple dots moving independently. The blurred effect is from a long shutter speed. My new Canon Digital Rebel goes up to 30 seconds. To get the blurred effect all I have to do is find a steady ledge and pick a small aperture.
The stairwell in 525 W. 26th St. I went there for a gallery show but just exploring the building was the coolest part.
Me [on a bad hair-day], in the foyer of the Gagosian Gallery. These giant frosted windows create this fantastic diffused light effect. It's like having several thousand dollars of light equipment for free. This photo is too dark on a PC. I need to calibrate my mac...
Sorry about the lack of postings. I've bought a new digital camera, a Canon Digital Rebel. It's taken me a few days to figure out the UI and hook it up to my computer. The measly 300x300 pixel, low grade jpg images I post on this site will never do the camera justice. In fact, they probably only mask the differences between it and my disposable-quality Sony Cybershot. Still, I'm happy as a clam with the new camera, and especially with the long perspective and shallow depth of field [seen above] I get with the standard length 50mm lens.
I was in DC last weekend and spent most of it obsessively talking politics, which, i guess is appropriate. Waking up early on Sunday morning to see Bush on Meet the Press was a Big Deal. I met a lobbyist who claims that there's not enough money in politics. To be fair, I think he was only pointing out that the sums spent electing congress and the senate, even the presidency is puny compared to a $2.4 trillion budget. This has always struck me as true especially when compared to what I know about Latin America [perhaps not a flattering comparison]. For instance, in the 1994 Governor's election for the Mexican state of Tabasco, Robert Madrazo spent $70million. This in a state where the population is only 1.5 million [tho I suppose this isn't so far off what Bloomberg spent to win New York City].
The Canals of Venice, CA.
I love two-story mini-malls. They're this bizarre hybrid of urban and suburban that only seems to exist in Los Angeles.
Some parting shots of LA. I need to get back to posting New York photos now that I've been back here for two weeks. Kevin Kelly's Cool Tools has a neat rundown of Ultra-light camping gear. Since I've traveled a lot, I really fetishize traveling light. It stokes my fantasies of a wandering life. Overall Kelly's Cool Tools blog is a great read. It's like Gizmodo for the post-apocalyptic set.
The Original Downtown Los Angeles, along Broadway. It looks a lot like New York's Broadway in SoHo, except that instead of Prada, you have 99cent stores.
Hi. I'm a 33 year-old American currently living in Buenos Aires. Before that I lived in California, Sao Paulo and New York and if you browse through the archives below you can see photos of all those places. Currently I'm posting most of my pictures on BuenosAiresPhotographer.com. I also have an old geocities page with some outdated information but also more photos of Buenos Aires, friends and my 9/11 pictures.


text: Steve Wozniak Will Buy Two iPads For Himself This WeekendKat Hannaford3/30/10 4:33amFiled to: AppleSteve wozniak ipadipadIpadsapple ipadSteve Wozniak155EditPromoteShare to KinjaToggle Conversation toolsGo to permalink In case you were doubting Steve Wozniak's allegiance after the Nexus One debacle, he's told Newsweek that he's going to buy three iPads this weekend—two for him, and one for an unnamed friend. He's not the only one who has had doubts about how necessary the iPad is: Advertisement Advertisement "At first I thought, this is not for me. I have the iPhone for mobility and a computer for my computer life. With the iPhone there are certain things it just doesn't do well, mostly in browsing. It's horrible to navigate a map on an iPhone because of the screen size."On the two iPads he's buying, one will be the Wi-Fi model, the other a 3G model, presumably for the same reason he carries two iPhones:"If the battery runs down on the first one, I can use the other. And if I'm talking on one, I can use the other one to look something up. You would not believe how much use I get out of that"He'll be waiting in line from Friday night, so if you're queuing at the Westfield Valley Fair Mail in San Jose, keep your eyes peeled—he may just nick your spot in the line. [Newsweek via CNET] Sponsored Image credit: Anirudh KoulReply155 repliesLeave a reply


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Hiring a car in Johannesburg
60-second guide to Johannesburg
in its own head
"We're the New York of Africa! With world-class stadiums, boutique hotels, top restaurants and designer outlets on offer, we've got something for every 2010 World Cup visitor."
but more realistically
Jo'burg, Jozi, eGoli or The City of Gold (never Johannesburg) is by far the largest city in South Africa. It's brash and fast-growing but it's got wealth, incredible energy and a beautiful climate. It won't disappoint during the World Cup.
the vibe
Wander around the city's many flea markets, bartering for curios and locally made art, then dress to kill and hit the city's top trendy watering holes.
the natives
Hooting taxis and brightly dressed hawkers form the heart and soul of Jo'burg's streets.
the weather
Jo'burg can be scorching in summer, but a fresh breeze will take the sting out of a Jozi January - the days average a toasty 26 degrees. The World Cup falls during winter, the sunniest time of year, with cool days and cold nights.
the local speciality
Traditional local food can be both innovative and unusual: from African phutu (maize meal porridge) to Afrikaner potjiekos (stew cooked in a three-legged iron pot on an open fire).
the celebrity
Actress Charlize Theron grew up on a farm outside Benoni, a Johannesburg suburb. She was the first South African woman to win a Best Actress Oscar - and to be nominated for a Razzi, the anti-Oscars.
did you know?
Despite the relatively dry climate, Johannesburg has over 10 million trees and has the biggest man-made forest in the world.
they say
"Johannesburg is vibrant, the weather is excellent, the northern suburbs have lovely gardens, and there are excellent shopping malls" - anti-apartheid campaigner and friend of Nelson Mandela, Helen Suzman.
5 to see in town...
1. Ellis Park Stadium
Iconic pictures of Nelson Mandela holding aloft the 1995 World Cup Rugby trophy in this very stadium have been seen around the world. Make your own triumphant visit during the 2010 World Cup.
where to park?
Located in the central business district of New Doornfontein the stadium has several car parks, accessed from Fitzrey, Erin and Bertrams. Further spaces are available at nearby Charlton Park.
2. Mary Fitzgerald Square (fan zone)
Jo'burg's World Cup party kicks off in this central square, named after a local campaigner for women's rights. View games on big screens or visit the surrounding attractions, such as Museum Africa.
where to park?
Spaces can be found on the streets surrounding the square, try the car park behind the nearby Market Theater.
3. Soccer City
Bordering one of South Africa's most famous townships, Soweto, this jewel in the crown of World Cup stadiums is designed to resemble an African cooking pot being warmed by flames.
where to park?
Park at one of the designated car parks around the city (Marks Park in Emmarentia, Bezuidenhout Park near Ellis Park Stadium, Wits West campus at Wits University and Montecasino in Fourways) and catch a bus to and from the stadium.
4. Lion Park
Get up close and personal with some big cats, including rare white lions. Other large predators include cheetahs, hyenas, wild dogs and jackals. They'll even let you cuddle a lion cub.
where to park?
There's free onsite parking.
5. Gold Reef City
Ninety per cent Disneyland clone, this theme park offers a token nod to historical authenticity with its adventure ride interpretation of gold-rush Jo'burg. Parents can pop down for a drink in the world's deepest mine pub.
where to park?
All visitors to any of the attractions can use the free onsite car park.
and 4 to drive to...
1. Pilanesberg Game Reserve
It's a given that you'll want to see the big five (that's lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo to you and me), and a visit to the fourth largest game park is your ticket to holiday photo envy.
how to get there?
Head north-west on the R512, which becomes the R104, then turn onto the R556, which will take you into the game reserve. The drive will take you around two hours.
2. Soweto
Despite its modern-day gentrified restaurants, shebeens (bars) and budget accommodation, this famous anti-apartheid campaign site is still a fascinating place to visit. Impress your fellow travellers: 'Soweto' isn't African, but an acronym for 'South Western Townships'.
how to get there?
Soweto is a 10-mile drive from Johannesburg. Head south-west on the M1/N12.
3. Pretoria
Surprisingly Pretoria, and not Johannesburg, is South Africa's capital city. Drive to the Union Buildings, where Mandela was inaugurated on May 10th, 1994, or skip a generation and visit a Boer War fort.
how to get there?
Head north on the M1/N1, then the N14. It'll take you about 40 minutes.
4. Cullinan Diamond Mine
Get your bling fix at the home of the largest diamond in the world - The 3106-carat Cullinan Diamond, found in 1904. Handle or even buy one of the sparklers for that special someone.
how to get there?
Head north on the M1/N1, then the N14 until you reach Pretoria. Head east on the R104 then north on the M8. Take the R513 east to Cullinan. It'll take about an hour and a half.


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Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, all voluntary tax refund check-off programs shall expire and not apply to any personal income tax returns required to be filed after the thirtieth day of June, one thousand nine hundred ninety-one: Provided, That if any such program has an earlier expiration date specifically provided by law, such earlier expiration date shall apply.
Note: WV Code updated with legislation passed through the 2016 Regular Session
The West Virginia Code Online is an unofficial copy of the annotated WV Code, provided as a convenience. It has NOT been edited for publication, and is not in any way official or authoritative.


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Places to be in Cebu on Valentine's Day
Still haven�t decided what to do or where to go this Valentine�s Day? Don�t despair.
Be it lunch or dinner by candlelight or a stroll in the mall, take inspiration from the various offerings of Cebu establishments to make this day of hearts memorable for you and your loved ones.
The Parklane Cebu (Ayala Business Park, Cebu City)
From February 10 to 14, The Parklane Cebu offers a set menu at its poolside for only P888 per person or an overnight stay for two with breakfast and dinner for only P4,900 before taxes. Booking before February 14 gets you the room at P4,500. Call 411-70000 or 232-9079 for reservations
Olio Bar and Restaurant (Crossroads, Banilad)
The restaurant offers a 7-course meal for P2,000+ per person. Dinner is a set menu that includes lobsters and scallops, a choice of beef tenderloin, lamb or seafood for the main course, and strawberry sorbet and tiramisu ice cream plus a glass of wine. Call 232-3589 for inquiries and reservations
GV Tower Hotel
From February 10-15, avail of an overnight stay for two in a deluxe room at the GV Tower Hotel for only P2,500 net of taxes. The package comes with welcome drinks, breakfast in bed, set lunch, and dinner.
The hotel is located at the corner of Osme�a Blvd. and Sanciangko St. Call 416-0000 or 253-6518 for inquiries and reservations.
Ayall Mall
Get free Valentine cakes and chocolates from February 9-14 for a minimum purchase amount at the Ayala mall. On February 14, listen to a string serenade at the Ayala food and entertainment center at noon and 6 p.m. and in Food Choices at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Sunburst is celebrating Valentine's Day early and urges customers to do the same. Eat at Sunburst from February 12 to 13 and get a heart-shaped balloon for every P200 purchase.
Table 7
Set menus for P350 net per person and a surprise gift for the first five couples in red when you dine at Table 7 on February 14. Music is provided by the restaurant�s pianist who accepts request for love songs. Ladies get a Valentine�s blossom. Table 7 is located along the Lagoon Area of the Ayala Center in Cebu City. Call 232-8873 or 232-8811 for inquiries and reservations.
Rajah Park Hotel
The Fuente O' Restaurante in the Rajah Park Hotel offers fine dining for lovers at P450 net per person. Ladies get free heart-shaped miniature cakes and men get a glass of wine. Dinner includes shrimp cocktail in chili sauce, French onion soup, chef's salad, black forest cake, mashed potato or pandan rice, iced tea or softdrinks, and a choice of beef, fish fillet, chicken cordon blue, or pork steak. The hotel offers 20 percent discount on all rooms on February 14. Call 412-3337 or 254-7277 for inquiries and reservations.
A Valentine�s dinner buffet costs P180 per person at Sugbahan. The restaurant offers a wide array of Filipino dishes to choose from. It is located along A.S Fortune Street in Mandaue City. Call 346-8455 for inquiries and reservations.
Kaishu Seafood Japanese Restaurant
Diners at Kaishu Seafood Japanese Restaurant get a five percent discount on all food and drinks and a glass of wine and other freebies. For inquiries and reservations, call 495-2888.
Cafe Orchidia
Caf� Orchidia in Nivel Hills, Lahug, Cebu City is offering dinner with entertainment on February 14 at P495 net per person. Call 233-4054, 233-4679, or 233-5426 for inquiries and reservations.
Treat your special someone to a Valentine's dinner buffet and the works at the Marriott in Cebu City for P999 net per person. Ladies get red roses and chocolates while dinner comes with refillable soft drinks, ice tea, or draft beer and a serenade of romantic music. Three couples will have the chance to win an overnight stay with breakfast at the hotel during the hourly raffle draw. Call 415-6100 for reservations.
Cebu White Sands in Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City
For P650 net per person, get a special dinner with a glass of wine, long stemmed rose for the lady, and a heart-shaped chocolate. Get serenaded with beautiful music to make the evening more memorable. Call 495-2222 for reservations or email [email protected]
Montebello Villa Hotels
Montebello invites lovers to an evening of love songs, romantic candlelight, dinner buffet, and ballroom dancing on February 14. Tickets are priced at P500 per person. The dinner starts at 7 p.m. while ballroom dancing begins at 8 p.m. The hotel is also offering a room package that includes an overnight stay for two in a deluxe room, breakfast for two, two tickets to the evening affair, and a bottle of sparkling wine for P4,000 net. Call 231-3681 to 89 for inquiries or reservations.
Cafe Havana
On February 13 and 14, dine at Cafe Havana at the Lagoon Park in Ayala Center, Cebu City and get to choose from chicken cordon bleu, tournedos, and salmon supreme for the main course for P550 net per person. The meal comes with soup, two sidings, dessert, and a glass of red wine. Call 231-7787 for inquiries or reservations.
Waterfront Airport Hotel and Casino
From February 13 to 17, Waterfront in Lapu-Lapu City is offering room packages of P4,200 nett per room per night for single or double occupancy. The package includes overnight superior room accommodation, buffet breakfast at Uno, buffet dinner at Uno, and late checkout at 2 p.m. Rate is valid for local residents and expatriates living in the Philippines. The hotel is also offering candlelight dinner on February 14 at Uno where a luscious spread of specialties could be had along with a glass of wine. Dinner buffet is P700 per person and set menu at P1,200 per person. For inquiries and reservations, call 340-4888.
Caf� Adriatico
Celebrate Valentine's in Cafe Adriatico at the Crossroads in Banilad and partake of a sumptuous meal that comes with soup, sidings, dessert, and a glass of wine for P495+ per person on February 13 and 14.
Portofino Resort
Portofino in Lapu-Lapu City is offering a Valentine�s celebration by the bay at P1,200 net good for two persons. Dinner comes with white wine and a long-stemmed rose for the ladies and red wine for the gentleman. Call Joy Marinduque at 495-7768 to 69 for inquiries and reservations.
This entry was posted in banner, Feature, Food, Hotels/Resorts, Places, Restaurants and tagged ayala-mall, cafe-havana, cebu, cebu-city, cebu-white-sands, crossroads, hotel, lapu-lapu-city, maribago, marriott, olio-bar-and-restaurant, parklane-cebu, portofino-resort, rajah-park-hotel, Restaurants, sunburst, waterfront. Bookmark the permalink.
Cebu is absoutely perfect for a quite break.


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The place to be....for the Characters, Places & Things on Television
Snap, Crackle & Pop - Three cute little elves who scamper about the kitchen promoting Rice Krispies, Frosted Rice and Cocoa Krispies for the Kellogg's cereal company located at One Kellogg Square in Battle Creek Michigan.
Originally designed by children's illustrator W. T. Grant, the three elves made their debut in 1928. Both Snap (the leader and first elf to be introduced), and Pop (the clumsy comic) wear tall baker's hats; while Crackle (the know-it-all middle one) wears a red-striped stocking cap. The elves derived their name from the Snap! Crackle! Pop! sounds emitted from the cereal when milk is poured onto it.
Over the years, the elves' large ears and noses have been softened and downsized. With the introduction of television, the Snap! Crackle! Pop! campaign initially targeted such children's shows as THE HOWDY DOODY SHOW and later advertised on CBS's SCHOOLBREAK SPECIALS and ABC's AFTERSCHOOL SPECIALS.
Voice-over actor Len Dresslar (famous for his Jolly Green Giant rendition of "Ho! Ho! Ho!") provided the first voice to thje Snap character. Others providing the voices to the early elves were Daws Butler, Paul Winchell & Don Messick - and as of late Chris Evans and Keith Chegwin. The lyrics to the Snap! Crackle! pop! song follows:
TRIVIA NOTE: In 1939, Snap, Crackle and Pop starred in a short Cartoon Films Ltd. feature called "Breakfast Pals." The cartoon opens as two boys are eating breakfast cereal. One of the boys is staying over night at the other boys house and he complains that his cereal is soggy, not like the cereal he gets at home. With a whistle he summons Snap Crackle and Pop who climb in through the kitchen window. Just as Snap, Crackle and Pop are about to offer their crispy cereal, three anti-cereal heroes called Soggy, Mushy and Toughy climb out of a generic cereal box and challenge Snap, Crackle and Pop to a fight. After a bit of rumbling, Snap Crackle and Pop win the battle by rolling the bad guys up inside syrupy pancakes. Victorious, Snap Crackle and Pop pour their cereal in a bowl for the boys to enjoy. You will note that Snap, Crackle and Pop are all wearing baker's hats.
Stills from "Breakfast Pals" starring Snap, Crackle and Pop
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LettersGetting Progressively BetterDear Alibi, "What a sad state progressives are in" starts the guest editorial by Eli Lee ["Brothers in Arms," Dec 23-29]. Truer words were never spoken from one who has done much to contribute to the sad state of affairs. Lest one miss the obvious target in this contribution, clearly Eli Lee has moved on from just attacking the Green Party; moved on from getting City Council candidates to withdraw; moved on for bigger fish to fry. Now, apparently Councilor Miguel Gomez is not voting as a member of a bloc, as Mr. Lee would desire. For this, he apparently has to endure Mr. Lee's rebuke. It still baffles me how Eli presumes to speak for "progressives" in this city, when he has really become an integral component of the Democratic machine. At least the Green Party made an effort to get people engaged in establishing their own agenda and organization. We were indeed grateful for the legal assistance provided by attorneys who are registered Republicans regarding the issue of voter ID. We have been using John Boyd, not a Republican to my knowledge, for the state recount effort, something that Mr. Lee seems to have overlooked in his editorial. We were also grateful to the Republican Legislative Caucus for preventing Democratic Speaker Ben Lujan's effort to raise the pole for major party status in the state to 10 percent of registered voters. It sure beats the alternative of lying down and rolling over so that the machine can have its way. When I became a Green, I made a decision not just to be willing to oppose both the Democratic and Republican Party at the ballot box, but also to promote an independent political party that has a distinct agenda and platform. We have long sought to define our agenda through our constituencies. There have been Republicans that have sought Green support for their candidacy, who active Greens have respected. There has been one Democratic candidate in recent elections who publicly sought Green and independent support and that was Richard Romero in 2002. In response to that, some Greens expressed support without proposing a "fusion-type" endorsement. I have seen Councilor Greg Payne work in Council and have no problem with his style of politics. He is a small 'd' democrat in the truest sense of the word. His columns are to the point and insightful in their content. He is willing to say what others see. There are criticisms I can make of any councilor, but I hardly feel that Councilor Gomez deserves to be singled out in this regard. What is the point in it? This is just more of the old backroom politics, just as Mr. Payne described it. "Progressives" had better wake up and make sure that those who speak for them are actually representing their views through a democratic process. Believe me, Greens have seen what happens when self-appointed spokespeople try to define strategy for everyone else through the media. "O" NoDear Alibi, [RE: Feature, "The Story of O," Dec. 16-22] Once again, I am surprised by exactly how much misinformation can be condensed into one or two paragraphs. And how much misinformation people will accept as long as it's about Christians. Your article "The Story of O" claims that: 1) Celibacy/chastity was invented by sex-hating Christians and 2) Catholic priests are sexually repressed pedophiles. And I'm not even going to address the (sensationalistic, old and worn out) claim the Jesus was involved with Mary Magdalene. First let's talk about claim number one. Many religions other than Christianity value chastity and celibacy; including Buddhism. So remember, every time you call Christians repressed you are also insulting the Dalai Lama. Also, the official position of the Catholic church is that sex is a wonderful, powerful gift from God, which is precisely why it should be limited to the sacramental relationship of a marriage. In other words, Christians don't hate sex. We respect it. Now the second claim. Obviously child abuse is a terrible thing, and must be rooted out of any organization. This is why the Catholic church recently commissioned a study to see exactly how widespread the problem of sexual abuse by priests was. The results were interesting. The abuse rate among priests is actually lower than that among teachers, psychologists and married clergy of other religions. Since we can assume that these people's sex lives are as normal as our own, the logical conclusion seems to be that priestly celibacy actually prevents abuse, instead of causing it. In the future, please remember that religious bigotry is religious bigotry, no matter what religion it attacks. Palestinian ApartheidDear Alibi, In response to Judy Calman's letter ["Arafacts?," Dec. 16-22], I would like to share a little bit of history on occupied Palestine, specifically regarding events around 1948 and the current apartheid situation. In 1947, the United Nations, under Zionist pressure, appropriated 55 percent of Palestine to the 30 percent mostly immigrant European Jewish population, which owned at that time only 8 percent of the land, thus inflicting a great injustice on the Palestinians. In 1948 Zionist organization, the Haganah, Irgun and the Stern destroyed and ethnically cleansed more than 400 Palestinian towns and villages, robbing 800,000 Palestinians out of their lives. According to the New York Times (April 13, 1948): "Deir Yassin 254 Arab men, women and children were killed by a combined force of Irgun and Stern Group terrorist organizations." In his memoirs, The Revolt, Menachem Begin, then the leader of Irgun, wrote of the value of Deir Yassin: "In the rest of the country, too, the Arabs began to flee in terror, even before they clashed with Jewish forces." The forced expulsion of Palestinians was a prerequirement for forming a Jewish majority in what became Israel. "Apartheid in the Holy Land" was the title of an article in The Guardian (April 29, 2002) by the South African Bishop Desmond Tutu. He wrote "I have been very deeply distressed in my visit to the Holy Land; it reminded me so much of what happened to us blacks in South Africa." Israel confiscates Palestinian lands, demolishes Palestinian homes and expands its illegal settlements and highways with signs saying "for Jews only," while preventing Palestinian towns and villages from expanding. Israelis in neighboring settlements are allocated five times the amount of water allocated for Palestinians, and Palestinians pay six times as much for water as Israelis. In addition to all this, the state of Israel terrorizes Palestinians by killing civilians, including women, men and children. Readers need to be reminded that the real problem here is the dehumanizing and demoralizing military occupation of Palestine by Israel, and for any peace to happen, this situation should end. Letters should be sent with the writer's name, address and daytime phone number via e-mail to firstname.lastname@example.com. They can also be faxed to (505) 256-9651. Letters may be edited for length and clarity, and may be published in any medium; we regret that owing to the volume of correspondence we cannot reply to every letter. | Today's EventsSalsa Level One at Hiland Dance StudioBuild on the fundamentals of salsa dancing by reinforcing the basic steps, essential footwork, turning and spin techniques, and leading and following methods. Salsa Rhythm and Timing at Hiland Dance StudioBentley Zumba at Hiland TheaterMore Recommended Events ›› | |
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Preview of the new Beak, Delta lines and CRISTINA IN CUCINA
14/03/2014 - CRISTINA rubinetterie, the Italian leader in the field of plumbing fixtures, this year will be exhibiting at Salone Internazionale del Bagno (pav. 22, Stand B23-B27) and will present the new line Beak, the latest series of bathroom taps created by the designer Claudia Danelon Meroni; th…
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Traveling perspective
Traveling perspective
Does traveling make one optimistic? I pondered this question during the 20-hour flight from Nairobi, Kenya to San Francisco, California. I was returning from a week in Mombasa, Kenya attending meetings and giving a keynote speech about my International Bill of Rights work.
My answer: yes. Even when I see and experience some ugly things, overall travelling leaves me more optimistic. In this instance given the brilliance and enthusiasm of the people I met, it is easy to be optimistic about their future. But after traveling for many years, some of the reoccurring sights of poverty and misery are grinding away at my belief that we can fix these things. An example of how maintaining optimism can be hard from my most recent trip to Kenya: only 53% of Kenyans have running water.
Ultimately, I'm still an optimist, but I see this challenge differently– particularly after reflecting on my group discussions and interactions with people after talking about International Bill of Rights in Kenya. It's a matter of perspective. We see things through a nation state perspective – even progressives for the most part—instead of as a human family, yet the problems facing us require the perspective of a human family.
Poaching for example is on the rise in Kenya. The media focus is on how Kenya is going to solve the problem, and this is a genuine question since it's occurring in Kenya's national parks. But what's creating the market for the ivory? Much of the demand comes from China. What's needed is not more anti–poaching laws in Kenya, but education in China, and Chinese laws banning ivory sales in stores.
Take the International Panel on Climate Change's report that came out last month. Kenya will be hit extra hard, particularly Mombasa where I was staying: flooding, Malaria, crop failures – mostly from greenhouse gasses created outside Kenya. Again, only action by our human family will do.
The International Bill of Rights will not completely eradicate these problems, but it will dramatically reduce them. It does so in part by shifting one's perspective from the nation–state to the human family. Click here to sign the International Bill of Rights.
Become a member or sign up for a free issue to read about globe trotting optimism.


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Underage Drinking Debate: Why Both Sides Agree More Than Not
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Aired 4/19/09
Tom Fudge: The legal drinking age in California and around the country is 21. It hasn't always been that way. In the 1970s, many states lowered their drinking age to 18. The idea was that if young men could be conscripted into the Vietnam War, they should be able to have a drink too. But lobbying groups like Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) established a 21-year-old drinking age nationwide in 1988. States risked losing their federal highway funds if they didn't comply.
Today, the idea of lowering the drinking age is being raised anew. Like in the 70s, some people say that young men serving in Iraq should be allowed to have a beer. Others argue the higher drinking age has never caused teenagers to drink less or made them safer behind the wheel of a car.
- Barrett Seaman , author of Binge: Campus Life in an Age of Disconnection and Excess , and member of the board of Choose Responsibility -- a non-profit organization which opposes the current minimum drinking age requirements.
Patricia Hodgkin,
executive director of MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) San Diego County, who agrees with the current minimum drinking age requirements.
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a place for zinesters - writers and readers
July 25, 2009 at 7:30pm to July 26, 2009 at 5pm – 56a Infoshop and The Grosvenor 56a has tons of zines, dating back to the 80s and coming from all over the world. It's an amazing, free resource! We've been working on re-organising & cataloguing the zines for a few months now,… Organized by | Type: benefit, study, and, discussion
February 8, 2009 from 3pm to 4pm – We Make Zines chatroom! Hello all - I have taken it upon myself to host the second We Make Zines discussion. This will occur on Sunday February 8th at 3:00 PM EST. It will last an hour.. or longer if the discussion is good… Organized by NicoleIntrovert | Type: discussion, chat
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Learn more >
The Informed Medical Decisions Foundation, a division of Healthwise, has been working to advance evidence-based shared decision making since 1989. Our research and advocacy efforts help people make better health decisions.
Neither clinicians nor patients like the idea of "one-size-fits-all" health care. Recently, the concept of "personalized medicine," also called "precision medicine," has been popularized. Personalized medicine involves tailoring the diagnosis and treatment to the risks of disease and likelihood of response to treatments for individuals, rather than populations.
Shared decision making (SDM) continues to gain great momentum through the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) and Meaningful Use (MU), but a proposed change to the MU requirement for Stage 3 threatens that progress.
In April 2015, President Obama signed into law the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, simply called MACRA. Unlike the Affordable Care Act ("ObamaCare"), the MACRA bill had rare, overwhelming bipartisan support, with a final vote of 392-37 in the House and 92-8 in the Senate.


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On May 12th I received a huge surprise, that of being listed in MyHeritage.coms Top 100 Genealogy Sites for 2010. The news came early in the day, and I spent the entire day in shock. Every blog I've written has come easily, but this one is difficult. I am not an award type person, not competitive and haven't accepted any of the 23 awards I've received in the past from fellow bloggers. That being said, I would be a poor sport for not accepting this one, so from the bottom of my heart, I thank you. Somebody was kind enough to suggest my Life From the Roots, and through their voting, I was selected to be among the 99 others, many of whom I already follow and feel as though I know personally.
1) high quality content;
2) originality in topic choice, approach and design; and
3) frequently updated content."


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15 James Roberts
06/27/2013 Catching Up with Trojans in the Minor Leagues22 Trojans are competing in the minors with hopes of one day making the big leagues. 06/08/2013 James Roberts Drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 15th Round of the 2013 MLB DraftJunior infielder James Roberts was taken as the 441st overall pick. 05/26/2013 Despite Early Lead, Trojans Fall 7-1 at Arizona to Conclude SeasonRedshirt senior Greg Zebrack went 3-for-4 with one RBI in his last game as a Trojan. 05/24/2013 Trojans Finish Season with Pac-12 Series at ArizonaTrojans have 11 hits in the loss. 05/21/2013 Strong Pitching Performance By Guillen Carries Trojans to 6-4 Victory at UC IrvineRHP James Guillen had a stellar outing, going five innings in relief, only allowing one run on one hit. 02/19/2013 USC Baseball vs. Nebraska (Feb. 17, 2013)USC Baseball vs. Nebraska Feb. 17, 2013 Dedeaux Field Photos by Pierson Clair 2012 Summer 2011 High School Personal Career Statistics
Pac-12 Conference Career Statistics


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We'd love to speak with you! Call us 8AM to 5PM [Pacific Time] Monday-Friday.
Email us 24/7. We usually reply the same day to all inquiries. We respond to email messages in the order that they are received. We will respond as quickly as possible.
This 5/8 ct oval ruby and diamond ring is made of polished 14kt white gold. Gemstone details: one 6mm x 4mm oval faceted, genuine ruby. 1/15 ct tw diamond accents. Approximate item weight: 2.5 grams. Import.


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Paul McCartney Announces First Live Shows Of 2016
Behind-The-Scenes Of The New Skype "Love Mojis"
Paul Writes New Music For Skype "Love Mojis"
Valentine's Day Merch Sale – Save 10%!
Send 'My Valentine' To Your Valentine
January Newsletter: 'What's That You're Doing? (No.1/Vol.4)'
You Gave Me The Answer - Richard from the UK asks...
Happy Australia Day
Paul: A Message for Burns Night
Paul on David Bowie (1947-2016)
Happy New Year! A Message From Paul
December Newsletter: 'What's That You're Doing? (No.12/Vol.3)'
Download the PaulMcCartney.com 2015 Wordsearch
Go Behind-The-Scenes of the 'Out There' Infographic
PaulMcCartney.com get #OutThere in the UK
'Out There' Tour Infographic
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The Beatles' Music is Available for Streaming Worldwide
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Code Enforcement, Building Permit/Inspection:
The following hyperlinks provide additional information regarding permits that are required for various improvements and/or alterations to property.
Artisan permit: Paved surfaces, roof conductors, yard drains, etc.
Building permit: New construction, property alterations
Occupancy permit: Change in use of structure, new tenant
Zoning permits: Change in use of structure/property
Outdoors Activities Permit: Outside sales, carnivals, public events
Questions about Building Code requirements and or permit requirements should be directed to firstname.lastname@example.com or you may call (412) 831-6800 x. 133 or 135
The office of Code Enforcement/Building Inspection is located in the Community Services Department located on the first floor of the Bethel Park Municipal Building.


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Artist description:
Java Draw Created Jan 06, 2013 640 x 460px Unless noted Copyright 2013 sadpandacrie.
We encourage you to submit a comment and let the artist know what you think of this drawing. Please log in or join to post a comment.
Post a comment
anim3luver Jan 06, 2013
now if only i could draw a sky like dat lol- looks so pretty n bare- just clouds in it, can imagine birds in it.. fav
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Christian Relief Services Charities
Accredited Charity
Meets Standards
Accredited Charity
Meets Standards
Standards Legend
- Meets Standards
- Standards Not Met
- Did Not Disclose
- Review In Progress
- Unable to Verify
Standards For Charity Accountability
Board Oversight
Oversight of Operations and Staff: Standard 1
Organizations shall have a board of directors that provides adequate oversight of the charity's operations and its staff. Indication of adequate oversight includes, but is not limited to, regularly scheduled appraisals of the CEO's performance, evidence of disbursement controls such as board approval of the budget, fund raising practices, establishment of a conflict of interest policy, and establishment of accounting procedures sufficient to safeguard charity finances.The organization meets this standard.
Board Size
Number of Board Members: Standard 2
Soliciting organizations shall have a board of directors with a minimum of five voting members.The organization meets this standard.
Board Meetings
Frequency and Attendance of Board Meetings: Standard 3
An organization shall have a minimum of three evenly spaced meetings per year of the full governing body with a majority in attendance, with face-to-face participation. A conference call of the full board can substitute for one of the three meetings of the governing body. For all meetings, alternative modes of participation are acceptable for those with physical disabilities.The organization meets this standard.
Board Compensation
Compensated Board Members: Standard 4
Not more than one or 10% (whichever is greater) directly or indirectly compensated person(s) serving as voting member(s) of the board. Compensated members shall not serve as the board's chair or treasurer.The organization meets this standard.
Conflict of Interest
Conflict of Interest: Standard 5
No transaction(s) in which any board or staff members have material conflicting interests with the charity resulting from any relationship or business affiliation. Factors that will be considered when concluding whether or not a related party transaction constitutes a conflict of interest and if such a conflict is material, include, but are not limited to: any arm's length procedures established by the charity; the size of the transaction relative to like expenses of the charity; whether the interested party participated in the board vote on the transaction; if competitive bids were sought and whether the transaction is one-time, recurring or ongoing.The organization meets this standard.
Measuring Effectiveness
Effectiveness Policy
Board Policy on Effectiveness: Standard 6
Have a board policy of assessing, no less than every two years, the organization's performance and effectiveness and of determining future actions required to achieve its mission.The organization meets this standard.
Effectiveness Report
Board Approval of Written Report on Effectiveness: Standard 7
Submit to the organization's governing body, for its approval, a written report that outlines the results of the aforementioned performance and effectiveness assessment and recommendations for future actions.The organization meets this standard.
Program Expenses
Program Service Expense Ratio: Standard 8
Spend at least 65% of its total expenses on program activities.The organization meets this standard.
Fund Raising Expenses
Fund Raising Expense Ratio: Standard 9
Spending should be no more than 35% of related contributions on fund raising. Related contributions include donations, legacies, and other gifts received as a result of fund raising efforts.The organization meets this standard.
Accumulating Funds
Ending Net Assets: Standard 10
Avoid accumulating funds that could be used for current program activities. To meet this standard, the charity's unrestricted net assets available for use should not be more than three times the size of the past year's expenses or three times the size of the current year's budget, whichever is higher.The organization meets this standard.
Audit Report
Financial Statements: Standard 11
Make available to all, on request, complete annual financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. When total annual gross income exceeds $500,000, these statements should be audited in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. For charities whose annual gross income is less than $500,000, a review by a certified public accountant is sufficient to meet this standard. For charities whose annual gross income is less than $250,000, an internally produced, complete financial statement is sufficient to meet this standard.The organization meets this standard.
Detailed Expense Breakdown
Detailed Functional Breakdown of Expenses: Standard 12
Include in the financial statements a breakdown of expenses (e.g., salaries, travel, postage, etc.) that shows what portion of these expenses was allocated to program, fund raising, and administrative activities. If the charity has more than one major program category, the schedule should provide a breakdown for each category.The organization meets this standard.
Accurate Expense Reporting
Accuracy of Expenses in Financial Statements: Standard 13
Accurately report the charity's expenses, including any joint cost allocations, in its financial statements. For example, audited or unaudited statements which inaccurately claim zero fund raising expenses or otherwise understate the amount a charity spends on fund raising, and/or overstate the amount it spends on programs will not meet this standard.The organization meets this standard.
Budget Plan
Budget: Standard 14
Have a board-approved annual budget for its current fiscal year, outlining projected expenses for major program activities, fund raising, and administration.The organization meets this standard.
Fund Raising & Info
Truthful Materials
Misleading Appeals: Standard 15
Have solicitations and informational materials, distributed by any means, that are accurate, truthful and not misleading, both in whole and in part. Appeals that omit a clear description of program(s) for which contributions are sought will not meet this standard. A charity should also be able to substantiate that the timing and nature of its expenditures are in accordance with what is stated, expressed, or implied in the charity's solicitations.The organization meets this standard.
Annual Report
Annual Report: Standard 16
Have an annual report available to all, on request, that includes: (a) the organization's mission statement, (b) a summary of the past year's program service accomplishments, (c) a roster of the officers and members of the board of directors, (d) financial information that includes (i) total income in the past fiscal year, (ii) expenses in the same program, fund raising and administrative categories as in the financial statements, and (iii) ending net assets.The organization meets this standard.
Website Disclosures
Web Site Disclosures: Standard 17
Include on any charity websites that solicit contributions, the same information that is recommended for annual reports, as well as the mailing address of the charity and electronic access to its most recent IRS Form 990.The organization meets this standard.
Donor Privacy
Privacy for Written Appeals & Internet Privacy: Standard 18
Address privacy concerns of donors by (a) providing in written appeals, at least annually, a means (e.g., such as a check off box) for both new and continuing donors to inform the charity if they do not want their name and address shared outside the organization, (b) providing a clear, prominent and easily accessible privacy policy on any of its websites that tells visitors (i) what information, if any, is being collected about them by the charity and how this information will be used, (ii) how to contact the charity to review personal information collected and request corrections, (iii) how to inform the charity (e.g., a check off box) that the visitor does not wish his/her personal information to be shared outside the organization, and (iv) what security measures the charity has in place to protect personal information.The organization meets this standard.
Cause Marketing Disclosures
Cause Related Marketing: Standard 19
Clearly disclose how the charity benefits from the sale of products or services (i.e., cause-related marketing) that state or imply that a charity will benefit from a consumer sale or transaction. Such promotions should disclose, at the point of solicitation: (a) the actual or anticipated portion of the purchase price that will benefit the charity (e.g., 5 cents will be contributed to abc charity for every xyz company product sold), (b) the duration of the campaign (e.g., the month of October), (c) any maximum or guaranteed minimum contribution amount (e.g., up to a maximum of $200,000).The organization meets this standard.
Complaints: Standard 20
Respond promptly to and act on complaints brought to its attention by the BBB Wise Giving Alliance and/or local Better Business Bureaus about fund raising practices, privacy policy violations and/or other issues.The organization meets this standard.
Christian Relief Services Charities meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.
Year, State Incorporated
1985, Virginia
Also Known As
American Indian Youth Running Strong
Americans Helping Americans
Bread and Water for Africa
American Indian Youth Running Strong, Inc.
Americans Helping Americans®, Inc.
Bread and Water for Africa®, Inc.
Christian Releif Services/21st Century Campaign, Inc.
Christian Relief Services Kansas Affordable Housing Corporation, Inc.
Christian Relief Services of Virginia, Inc.
Christian Relief Services, Inc.
CRS Cambridge Court Housing Corporation
CRS Fountain Place Housing Corporation
CRS Housing Preservation, Inc.
CRS Peoria Housing Corporation
CRS Scottsdale Housing Corporation
CRS Somerset Place Housing Corporation
CRS Triangle Housing Corporation
CRSC Residential, Inc.
Mountain Lakes Housing Foundation, Inc.
Stated Purpose
"to support the efforts of its charitable affiliates to answer urgent needs for housing, food, water and medical care around the world as well as to support programs that address the long-term sustainability of communities locally and internationally."
CRSC is the non-profit parent organization to 15 separate subordinate non-profit affiliates whose unifying purpose is to connect those in need with those who care. The organization supports a wide range of programming through three primary charitable affiliates: Americans Helping Americans®, Bread and Water for Africa®, and Running Strong for American Indian Youth®. In 2014, CRSC reports that these three affiliates served 192,807 individuals struggling with severe poverty within rural Appalachia, in seven countries in Africa and on many American Indian reservations and Native communities. Programming concentrates on water development, food security, health care, language and culture, education, youth programs, emergency assistance, and home repair. The rest of the non-profit affiliates focus is on providing affordable housing along with supportive services to families and adults who are low-income, homeless, disabled, or survivors of domestic violence. Properties include multi-family and individual housing at various sites. In 2014, the organization reports that they provided a total of 1,835 units of affordable, transitional and permanent supportive housing with resident-related services in Arizona, Kansas, and Virginia, serving 5,641 individuals. CRSC provides technical support to its affiliates as a cost-effective model in the areas of accounting, human resources, information technology, legal counsel and governance.
Domestic programs | 996,840 |
International programs | 11,824,755 |
American Indian programs | 3,843,687 |
Housing programs | 14,415,576 |
Total Program Expenses: | $31,080,858 |
Governance & Staff
Chief Executive
Bryan L. Krizek, Chief Executive Officer
Chair of the Board
James J. O'Brien, Esquire
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation
Board Size
Paid Staff Size
*2013 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.
Fund Raising
Method(s) Used:
Direct mail, grant proposals, and Internet appeals.
Fund raising costs were 16% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $21,317,574, are donations received as a result of fund raising activities.)
Tax Status
This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.
The following information is based on CRSC's audited financial statements - consolidated - for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014.
Source of Funds | |
Housing rental and related income | 13,871,245 |
Noncash contributions | 13,532,510 |
Net realized and unrealized gains | 5,453,138 |
Cash contributions | 5,028,033 |
Interest and dividend | 1,785,419 |
Wills and bequests | 1,287,413 |
Grants from government agency | 1,070,977 |
Royalties | 639,307 |
Workplace campaign contributions | 398,641 |
Other income | 375,062 |
Fee income | 126,817 |
Total Income | $43,568,562 |
- Programs: 84%
- Fundraising: 10%
- Administrative: 6%
Total Income | $43,568,562 |
Program expenses | 31,080,858 |
Fundraising expenses | $3,492,816 |
Administrative expenses | $2,030,331 |
Total expenses: | $36,604,005 |
Income in Excess of Expenses | 6,964,557 |
Beginning Net Assets | 58,597,762 |
Other Changes In Net Assets | 193,000 |
Ending Net Assets | 65,755,319 |
Total Liabilities | 55,123,869 |
Total Assets | 120,879,188 |
Note 1: According to the audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014, CRSC received $13,044,345 in contributed goods and services including medicine and relief items ($11,596,163), food ($964,924), and clothing and household goods ($483,258). Note 2: As noted in the above financial section, "other changes in net assets" refers to return of unused funds and change in donor intent.
An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. A copy of this report has been shared with the organization prior to publication. It is not intended to recommend or deprecate, and is furnished solely to assist you in exercising your own judgment. If the report is about a charity and states the charity meets or does not meet the Standards for Charity Accountability, it reflects the results of an evaluation of information and materials provided voluntarily by the charity. The name Better Business Bureau is a registered service mark of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc.
This report is not to be used for fund raising or promotional purposes.


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Ah, the weekend. Is there anything better?
Fine, a weekend with a decent weather report is better. However, there is consolation in the sheer number of things to do this weekend. Behold: Five things you might consider.
Rev the kids up to see "Cars 2." The cast alone might be worth the price of admission.
Baby got baklava. And lamb. And souvlaki. Get your opa! on at Greek Fest.
Strawberry pancakes, strawberry ice cream, strawberry shortcake -- delicious (although we draw the line at strawberry bratwurst) and available at the 26th annual Cedarburg Strawberry Festival.
Yes, we've been talking this one up but there's a good reason to go -- it's free. See Gavin DeGraw and get bragging rights to having been one of the first to use the new stage at Summerfest.
Jimmy Buffett will entertain Parrotheads at Alpine Valley on Saturday but you can catch members of the band performing before then.


text:
Melissa Weibley
School: University of South Florida
Are you here to participate in one of our current school-based festivals? If so, choose your school and follow the instructions:
School: University of South Florida
Two friends discuss life and decisions, using ducks as an example.
date posted: 2010-07-14 | views: 143 | type: Movie
Dr. Avery Anderson discusses the dangers of a new 1950s drug craze, Swell, and screens graphic home videos of the horrific outcomes of Swell addiction in this mocumentary.
date posted: 2010-07-14 | views: 146 | type: Movie
No Favorites
Full Name: | Melissa Weibley |
School: | University of South Florida |
No Photos


text: CretinismMental imbecility accompanied by goître. So called from the Crétins of the Alps. The word is a corruption of Christian (Chrétien ), because, being baptised, and only idiots, they were "washed from original sin," and incapable of actual sin. Similarly, idiots are called innocents. (French crétin, crétinisme.) Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894


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Newsletter: Month Sixty
Dear Leta, Yesterday you turned five years old, or you could say that you celebrated your 60th month of life. Turns out I didn't write a newsletter for your 59th month, and I blame that entirely on what I call placenta brain, the situation that occurs when a pregnant woman's blood supply is so concentrated [...]
For Carol
My friend Carol recently gave me this hat with the specific instructions to put it on Chuck, so that's what I did. And now SHE OWES ME.
Last night we had a family birthday party for Leta at my mother's house, and here Leta is posing with my brother's two daughters, Rachel and Sienna, both who could not possibly look more like their father. That seems to be a recurring phenomenon in our family.
Kiss Me Exfoliating Lip Scrub
The Utah climate is brutal on my skin and lips, especially the winter, and I'm always fighting dry, flaky lips when trying to apply lipstick. I found this exfoliating scrub last time I was in San Francisco and could visit an actual Sephora store, and it's perfect for preparing my lips for gloss. I just [...]


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The Guangzhou Opera House was designed by London-based architect Zaha Hadid to represent two boulder-like structures of different sizes, with a theatre located in each. The Grand Theatre in the main structure has been installed with eight KUDO line source cabinets and two SB28 high-powered subwoofers per side, with a central channel of 10 flown dV-DOSC line source cabinets. A dV-SUB subwoofer is installed on each side of the dV-DOSC array. Both the KUDO and dV-DOSC array are concealed in the ceiling, in keeping with Chinese visual aesthetics.
On each side of the stage apron is a concealed installation of 10 ARCS medium-format line source cabinets and two SB28 subs. A total of 28 8XT compact coaxial enclosures are used as fill speakers; eight for the stage apron, six for second floor down-fill, nine for third floor down-fill and five for third floor up-fill. Additionally, there is a sound effects system of 33 12XTs and two SB28 subs, with 12 12XTs wall-mounted on the first floor, nine on the second floor, six on the third floor and six installed into the ceiling, along with the two SB28s. Stage monitoring is provided by 12XT high-performance coaxial enclosures, four 115XT HiQ active stage monitors and an SB28 subwoofer."The opera house's sound reinforcement system is incredible," says Mr. Zhou, chief sound engineer of Guangzhou Opera House. "Not too dry and not too bright, it meets the needs of a wide range of performances, including large-scale operas, enabling residents of the city to enjoy the performing arts."
The smaller, multi-function theatre has a mobile system of eight 115XT HiQs and four SB118 compact subwoofers, which can be configured according to the performance There is also a stage monitor system of four 12XTs, and a sound effects system of twelve 12XTs and eight 8XTs. Additionally, a rehearsal space and a news room have been installed with 112P self-powered coaxials.
All systems throughout the Opera House are driven by L-ACOUSTICS LA4 and LA8 amplified controllers.
"Having supplied equipment to such prestigious projects as the Beijing National Grand Theatre and Shanghai Oriental Art Centre, we are proud to have worked on such an amazing installation in our home town of Guangzhou," says Rightway Audio Consultants Director Danny Lau. "The Guangzhou Opera House will be central to this newly-built district of the city and the L-ACOUSTICS systems will ensure that visitors will benefit from hearing the very best sound from all performances."
L-ACOUSTICS is a leading innovator and manufacturer of high-performance loudspeakers, amplifiers and signal processing devices for touring and installed sound markets. Known around the globe for pioneering and championing the modern line array loudspeaker concept with V-DOSC, the company has received numerous accolades for its K1, KUDO, KIVA, ARCS, XT coaxial loudspeaker systems and SB line of subwoofer enclosures, all powered and processed with the LA4 and LA8 amplified controllers in fulfillment of a "total system approach." L-ACOUSTICS products for the North American market are manufactured and distributed by L-ACOUSTICS US of Oxnard, California.
# # #
2201 Celsius Avenue, Unit E, Oxnard, CA 93030
Tel: 805.604.0577 / Fax: 805.604.0858
Email: email@example.com / Web: www.l-acoustics.com


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SecNav Names Multiple Ships
SecNav Names Multiple Ships
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced today the next three joint high speed vessels (JHSV) will be named USNS Yuma, USNS Bismarck and USNS Burlington, and two littoral combat ships (LCS) will be named USS Billings and USS Tulsa.
"It is my privilege as Secretary of the Navy to name these ships after five great American cities," said Mabus. "Several cities will be represented for the first time in the Navy fleet, establishing a new connection and tradition that forms a bond between a city's residents and the Sailors and Marines who serve in its namesake ship. For decades to come, these ships will sail in the fleet, building partnerships and projecting power around the world."
Joint high speed vessels are named after small American cities and counties. The future USNS Yuma (JHSV 8) honors the city in Arizona and will be the fourth ship to bear this name. USNS Bismarck (JHSV 9) is the first naval vessel to be named in honor of North Dakota's capital city. USNS Burlington (JHSV10) is the first to be named for the city in Vermont.
JHSV are high-speed transport vessels that serve in a variety of roles for the military branches in support of overseas contingency operations, conducting humanitarian assistance and disaster relief and supporting special operations forces.
Austal USA in Mobile, Ala., will build the three new JHSV, which will be 338 feet in length, have a waterline beam of 93.5 feet, displace approximately 2,362 tons, and operate at speeds of approximately 40 knots.
Littoral combat ships are named to recognize cities that are one of the five most-populated communities in a state. USS Billings (LCS 15) is named in honor of Montana's largest city and will be the first ship to bear the name. USS Tulsa (LCS 16) will be the second ship named for Oklahoma's second-largest city.
These ships are designed to defeat growing littoral threats and provide access and dominance in the coastal waters. A fast, agile surface combatant, the LCS provides the required war fighting capabilities and operational flexibility to execute focused missions close to the shore such as mine warfare, anti-submarine warfare and surface warfare.
USS Billings is a Freedom-variant littoral combat ship and will be constructed by Lockheed Martin with Marinette Marine in Marinette, Wis. This ship will be 378 feet long, have a beam length of 57.4 feet and travel at speeds in excess of 40 knots.
USS Tulsa is an Independence-variant littoral combat ship and is being built by Austal USA in Mobile, Ala. It will be 419 feet long and have a beam length of 103.7 feet and be capable of operating at speeds in excess of 40 knots.
Media may direct queries to the Navy Office of Information at 703-697-5342. For more news from Secretary of the Navy public affairs, visit www.navy.mil/SECNAV.
Additional information about joint high speed vessels is available online at http://ipv6.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4200&tid=1400&ct=4
Additional information about littoral combat ships is available online at: http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4200&tid=1650&ct=4>


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In it, but not of it. TPM DC
The Arkansas Senate Race Is Getting Tough So Tom Cotton Is Going Positive
Over the past month poll after poll has shown Pryor leading Cotton and three of those polls have shown the incumbent senator with a double-digit advantage over the first-term congressman. What's worse, a number of polls have found Cotton's favorability rating stuck down between 30 percent and 40 percent. Cotton's less-than-ideal favorables as well as Pryor's lead is likely because of the negative tone of the race so far and how well Pryor's been able to define Cotton through attack ads focusing on Cotton's Farm Bill vote and preferred changes to entitlement programs.
"I think it's to a degree the Cotton campaign allowing themselves to be defined by the contrast advertising and this idea that he's this unknown character who doesn't have the Arkansas belief system," Republican strategist Bill Vickery told TPM. "Kind of this idea of "who is Tom Cotton? We don't really know him.'"
Cotton's new approach is to highlight his background and Arkansas roots. A recent upbeat ad featured Cotton's Army drill sergeant. Another ad, released earlier this month, showed Cotton speaking directly into the camera about his father.
"I owe my dad a lot," Cotton said in the ad, while his dad hovers in the background. "He gave me a good name, a duty to country, a lot of commonsense. Dad said 'don't spent what you don't have. Stand on principle, even if you have to stand alone."
That ad was sort of a sequel to one the first-term congressman released about his mom in 2013. Early on in the 2014 election cycle Pryor was seen as one of the most vulnerable lawmakers up for reelection but the two-term senator has proven to be a tougher opponent than Cotton's campaign thought thanks to his political lineage (his father, David Pryor, was governor and U.S. senator from Arkansas) as well as his decision to angle himself as an "extreme moderate" in the words of The Washington Post.
"I think that the Cotton folks came up with more of an obstacle than they expected," University of Arkansas political scientist Janine Parry said. "So you're seeing them try a different approach."
On Tuesday Cotton's campaign made a move to head off the narrative that he was in deep trouble against Pryor, releasing an internal poll showing him essentially tied with Pryor, a contrast from a recent NBC News-Marist poll showing him trailing 51 percent to 40 percent.
Cotton's campaign did not return requests for comment on the race.
Cotton's big problems right now, according to Hendrix College political scientist Jay Barth, who helps conduct the Talk Business/Hendrix College poll, are first that Pryor's attacks have helped Cotton keep favorable/unfavorable ratings in the 30-40 percent range. Beyond that though, Pryor has the advantage of being better known throughout the state. As a first term congressman, many voters just don't know who Cotton is yet.
"Many voters in [the] state simply don't know who he is since he's only been in office a brief time and didn't have much history with the state," Barth told TPM in an email. "The fact that his favorables are 38/39 shows the Pryor camp has done a good job of defining him."


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Glowing tributes for late 'King Stitt'
THE thanksgiving service for veteran toaster/selector Winston 'King Stitt' Sparks at the Holy Trinity Cathedral on North Street, Kingston on Saturday, was a celebration his contribution to development of reggae music.
Dr Omar Davies, minister of transport and works, said that Studio One founder, Clement 'Sir Coxson' Dodd never had a proper filling system and it was 'Stitt's' knowledge of the music and his encyclopaedic memory that rescued Dodd many times.
Music historian Bunny Goodison expressed similar sentiments.
"And for that alone (Stitt's ability to record and recall important details), the 'King' should be accorded a very special place in the Studio One story. I think he has now gone to recollaborate with Sir D (Coxson Dodd) in that great studio up in the sky," Goodison said.
Kimani Smith, grandson of Enid Cumberland (of Keith and Enid fame) declared Stitt's contribution to the development of local music goes beyond a few vinyl recordings.
"He was an inventor and pioneer. He was a crucial link between Dodd and his sales. He (King Stitt) was the public face of Studio One..."
Tamika Alphonso, Sir Coxson' granddaughter, said Stitt lived next door to Studio One and was present when all the classics were being recorded.
In her eulogy, Marcia Daley said how the artiste turned the negative of his facial malformation into positive.
"The story of King Stitt was one of creating opportunity out of adversity. His early years were humble ones. But he had a natural talent and love music deeply. He made his name by creating his own brand of jive-talking. He was a master selector from the dancehall... he became internationally known and performed in many countries outside of Jamaica. Although close to his death he was over 70, is music was still demanded on the international scene and in 2011. He toured the UK, France and Brazil," she said.
Other tributes came from Carla Cooper, daughter of the late Winston 'Count Matchukie' Cooper and Selwyn Sparks, nephew of King Stitt. Appropriately, bridging the tributes with the eulogy, saxophonist Jeffery Brown performed a fitting instrumental tribute of My Way.
Interment followed in the Dovecot Memorial Park in St Catherine.
-- Basil Walters


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Enter for a chance to win a $100 gift certificate to MemorableGifts.com in celebration of Father's Day. Entering is simple! To enter the contest you can follow us on our social networks, tweet about the contest, or create a Facebook post about it; the more you do, the more entries you earn.
The contest ends on June 17, 2012. Good luck!


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ORLANDO, Fla. â" The Kevin and Kobe show won it for the West at the NBA All-Star game, holding off LeBron James at the end.
They got an MVP and a scoring record, too.
Bryant scored 27 points, moving past Michael Jordan as the career scoring leader in the game, Kevin Durant had 36 in an MVP performance, and the Western Conference held on for a 152-149 victory over the East on Sunday night.
James and the East cut a 21-point deficit to one in the closing seconds, but werenât able to move in front. James had 36 points and fellow Heat star Dwyane Wade finished with a triple-double.
âWith all these great players on the floor, you never know what will happen. Guys making big shots and they cut it down to one. We were up 18 (at halftime),â Durant said.
âIt was fun. Thatâs the type of All-Star game you want to see.â
Blake Griffin scored 22 points for the West, which rang up 88 points in the first half, setting an All-Star record. But he won the game with his defense, picking off Jamesâ pass when the East had a chance to tie in the final seconds.
âI canât turn the ball over like that,â James said. âI let my team down, but overall it was a great weekend.â
Griffin then hit one free throw with 1.1 seconds left, and Wade was off on a 3-point attempt from the corner. He finished with 24 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, joining Jordan and James as the only players with All-Star game triple-doubles.
Durant was the MVP, leaving Bryant tied for the All-Star record with his four. But he got a bigger mark in his 13th All-Star game.
He broke Jordanâs record of 262 points on a dunk with 4:57 left in the third quarter and now has 271 for his career. He entered with 244 and passed Oscar Robertson (246 points) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (251) earlier in the game.
It nearly wasnât enough, as the Eastâs comeback had the crowd filled with entertainers and athletes chanting for defense â" never a part of the All-Star game vocabulary â" in the final seconds.
With Bryant covering him, James hit two long 3-pointers in the final period, and the East had a chance when Bryant, with the crowd loudly booing, missed a free throw with 18 seconds left and the West up 151-149.
âJust being a competitor,â James said. âThey pretty much beat us up all game so we just wanted to make a game of it.â
But New Jerseyâs Deron Williams was short on a 3-pointer, and after the East came up with it, James fired a pass into a crowd that Griffin intercepted.