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Body Piercing News
Archive for February, 2011
Many people believe (incorrectly) that it is a good idea to have a few drinks before getting a piercing or tattoo, and that it will lessen the pain felt. While having a few drinks can indeed numb out some of the discomfort associated with tattoos or body piercings, alcohol also thins the blood and can lead to excessive bleeding, or loss of consciousness.
Professional body artists know that mixing alcohol and getting a tattoo or piercing are not a good idea, and will usually refuse to work on a client that is obviously drunk. Instead of having a few drinks to ease the pain, a better solution would be to take an over-the-counter pain reliever called acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol). Acetaminophen will help lower the pain you will feel without thinning your blood. Remember, whether you are getting a body piercing or a tattoo, make sure you consult the services of a professional body artist that is in full compliance with health department rules and regulations and who uses the proper body piercing supplies for the job.
We here at the BodyPiercingNews.com are always looking for true stories that enlighten, instruct or just plain entertain that have to do with body modification or body piercing. We constantly scour the web and media for stories and photos to bring to keep you on the cutting edge of the body art industry.
Do you have an interesting story or photo you'd like to share with us? Maybe you have an interesting experience with a body piercing kit or saw something funny at a tattoo shop. Whatever your contribution is, feel free to contact us and maybe you'll see your story published for all of us to share.
Piercing yourself can either be a money-saving task or a nightmarish experience. Depending upon the type of body piercing you are wishing to carry out on your body, and the experience the piercing requires will determine your chances for success or failure. Although it is always recommended that you consult the services of a professional body piercer, self-piercing, when done properly and with the proper body piercing supplies, can be simple and successful.
Some piercings should never be attempted because of their difficulty. Piercings that lend themselves to piercing yourself are; navel, eyebrow, nose, septum, lip and even tongue piercings. When at all possible, you should always have a professional body piercer do your piercings. If you are determined to pierce yourself, make sure you have researched the technique required for the piercing you are going to do, and purchase a sterile body piercing kit that includes the proper tools, needles, skin preparation and of course, the most crucial factor of all, sterile body jewelry.
The question of whether you should get a name of a special person tattooed onto your body is an often asked question. Tattoos, unlike body piercings or other body modifications are more permanent, and because of that fact, must be given more thought than other body art decisions.
If the name of the person you wish to have eternally inscribed onto your skin is a romantic element in your life, or a spouse, it can be a loving tribute to your sincerity. Of course, if the relationship does not last, it cold also be later viewed as a 'mistake', and serve as a glaring reminder of a painful time in your life. A body piercing can be removed, and usually will heal itself. A tattoo, once done, cannot be reversed without the use of painful and expensive procedures, if at all. If you must etch a name onto your body of a dear person in your life, make it a name that is not transitory, like the name of a parent, sibling, child or friend. That way, you will not regret it in the end.
A very popular type of body piercing now is the Auricle piercing. Also, known as a 'rim' piercing, the Auricle piercing is a piercing of the cartilage that is found along the outer edge of the ear at the furthest point from the head.
The most common form of jewelry worn for this body piercing is a captive bead ring (shown to the right of a daith piercing in photo). This type of body piercing can be easily done with a body piercing kit, or by a professional body piercer. Healing time for this type of piercing is generally between 2 to 3 weeks.
If you are looking for out-of-the-ordinary nose jewelry, you can find it online from select respected sellers. A new style that is currently very popular is the new line of Playboy body jewelry, which includes nose screws with flat semi-dome bunny logos.
This type of body jewelry is made of the finest quality 316L Surgical Stainless Steel and is as functional as it is stylish. Make sure the Playboy body jewelry you buy is authentic licensed body jewelry. Look for the holographic logo on the packaging to insure quality and authenticity.
There is an ongoing debate amongst body art devotees and apprentices alike as to which gender makes for better body piercers. On the one side, men can make a strong argument for having a possible slight edge in coordination over women (at least the hand-eye kind), while women are more nurturing and respond to crisis better than most men (i.e. when a customer faints or has other issues like bleeding…).
The truth of the matter is that what makes a great body art technician is not whether they are male or female, but the dedication they have for their craft, along with their experience and training. For example, many people are piercing out there that have fulfilled only the basic requirements for being registered. Far better prepared are those piercers that have undertaken first aid and/or survival training, so they are prepared and ready to act if a customer goes into shock, faints or has a seizure. The next time you get a body piercing, ask your body piercer if he or she has any medical training, CPR or first aid knowledge. You never know when that training will be called upon.
The numbers of people choosing to self-pierce at home with body piercing kits is growing every day. This trend has been noted and followed the last few years and may be a result of several factors; the tough economic times, lack of competent professional piercers, and safer reasonably priced body piercing kits available.
If you are amongst the people that choose to pierce at home, make sure you are careful when choosing the body piercing kit you use. As anyone that has looked for a piercing kit knows, the types, quality and price of body piercing kits vary widely. When choosing a body piercing kit, make sure first and foremost that the kit includes sterile body jewelry (most kits offered on ebay and on the web do NOT include sterile body jewelry). Next, make sure the kit you purchase has the proper tools and jewelry for the type of piercing(s) you wish to complete. Lastly, look for kits that also include how-to video instructions and aftercare materials so you will not be left in the 'dark' on how to carry out the piercing, nor will you be at a loss on how to take care of the piercing to insure you will not get an infection. Remember, with anything else, you get what you pay for – the cheapest kits are not always the best – use what is actually included to determine what body piercing kit you purchase, and then follow the directions by the word. Good luck!
Like other fashions, body jewelry is constantly evolving and changing. What started out decades ago as basic steel shapes bent to be worn in noses, navels, nipples and lips, has become thousands of different colors, styles, and materials that offer almost unlimited variations.
If you are looking for the latest style adaptations in body jewelry, you can find them at finer sellers of body jewelry online. Make sure that the company you order from stands behind the quality of their body jewelry with clear return and/or exchange policies to protect you against defective merchandise.
What is shocking today becomes common tomorrow. It used to be that having a tattoo meant you had a 'wild' side to you, since the vast majority of people did not have them (back in the 70's and 80's). Now, it seems more of a statement not to have a tattoo. Body piercing hit the public awareness in the early nineties and was taken seriously as a tried and true form of personal rebellious expression around the turn of the millenium, where it has enjoyed immense popularity since. But now that body piercing has joined the ranks of tattoos as just 'average' forms of body modifications, what is next on the horizon for today's adolescent youth looking for their own form of body modification?
Clues to what lies ahead for us in body modification can be found at the cutting edge of modifications being done now; procedures such as scarification, branding, implantation, and eyeball tattooing may be foreshadows of the next big crazes. In a recent news story, a man had attached a camera to the back of his head only to have his body later reject the item. Similarly, people are now experimenting with implantation of interface ports that mimic their computer peripherals (i.e. computer usb ports or cell phone inputs). For now, these mock ports are for appearance and are not functional in any way. But functional interfacing of the body to computers is not something so far fetched, and could yield great advances in education and entertainment once accomplished. It could be that today's extreme trends in body jewelry extremism may be giving us glimpses of what is coming for all of us in the years ahead.


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Arenta's feelings were in kind and measure shared by several other people; Doctor Moran held them in a far bitterer mood; but he, also,— environed by circumstances he could neither alter nor command,—was compelled to satisfy his disapproval with promises of a future change. For the wedding of Arenta Van Ariens had assumed a great social importance. Arenta herself had talked about the affair until all classes were on the tiptoe of expectation. The wealthy Dutch families, the exclusive American set, the home and foreign diplomatic circles, were alike looking forward to the splendid ceremony, and to the great breakfast at Peter Van Ariens' house, and to the ball which Madame Jacobus was to give in the evening. None of the younger people had ever been in madame's fantastic ballroom, and they were eager for this entry into her wonderful house. For their mothers—seeing things through the mists of Time—had, innocently enough, exaggerated the marvels of the Chinese lanterns, the feather flowers and gorgeously plumed birds, the cases of tropical butterflies and beetles, and the fascination of the pagan deities, until they were ready to listen to any tale about Madame Jacobus and to swallow it like cream.
So Doctor Moran, being physician and family friend to most of the invited guests, had to listen to such reminiscences and anticipations wherever he went. He knew that he could not talk against the great public current, and that in the excited state of social feeling it would be a kind of treason even to hint disapproval of Arenta, or of any of her friends or doings. But he suffered. He was questioned by some, he was enlightened by others; his opinion was asked about dresses and ceremonies, he was constantly congratulated on his daughter's prominence as bridesmaid, and he was sent for professionally, that he might be talked to socially. Yet if he ventured to hint dissatisfaction, or to express himself by a scornful "Pooh! Pooh!" he was answered by looks of such astonishment, of such quick-springing womanly suspicions, that he could not doubt the kind of conversation which followed his exit:
"Do you think Doctor Moran very clever?"
"Most people think so."
"He is so unsympathetic. Doctor Moore knows everything Madame Jacobus is going to have, and to do. I think doctors ought to be chatty. It is so good for their patients to be cheered up a little."
Doctor Moran divined perfectly this taste for gossip and medicinal sympathy combined, and to administer it was, to him, more nauseous than his own bitterest drugs. So in these days he was not a cheerful man to live with, and Cornelia's beauty and radiant happiness affected him very much as Hyde's pronounced satisfaction affected Arenta. One morning, as he was returning home after a round of disagreeable visits, he saw Cornelia and Hyde coming up Broadway together. They were sauntering side by side in all the lazy happiness of perfect love; and as he looked at them the sorrow of an immense disillusion filled him to the lips. He had believed himself, as yet, to be the first and the dearest in his child's love; but in that moment his eyes were opened, and he felt as if he had been suddenly thrust out from it and the door closed upon him.

subset: commoncrawl


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text: Cameron & Crown putters from Scotty Cameron are custom designed to fit players whose setup requires a 33-inch putter, which is a request that Cameron has increasingly received from golfers in the last few years. Precise heel-toe weighting, a small Gray Matador grip, and refined, stylish looks work together to provide tremendous aesthetics, as well as exceptional balance, feel, and feedback during the stroke. All Cameron & Crown putters feature multi-material construction for optimal performance, and they provide improved forgiveness on mis-hits thanks to heel-toe weighting. Additionally, a raw stainless steel finish featuring a unique Silver Mist bead blast provides a classic, elegant look. The Cameron & Crown Futura 5MB, which is a mid-mallet design, has near minimum toe flow, meaning it will work best for players who have slight arcs in their putting stroke.


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Out on a routine mission, Nanairo Planetary Patrol Officers Rallen and Jeena respond to a strange distress signal and discover the wreckage of an escape capsule in which an old man has been in a cryogenic sleep for over a decade. Once conscious, the man, whose name is Aldous, relays an unbelievable tale of the attack on his home planet by a vicious horde of creatures known as the Krawl. Rallen, Jeena, and Aldous then set out on a mission to save Nanairo from the destructive planet-eating Krawl.
Episode list
- Spectrobes Full Episode Sep 11, 2015


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Steve Dawson heeded Nashville's siren call
Only a year ago, Steve Dawson was packing up his Henhouse studio and Black Hen record label and heading for Toronto—a natural development, some might say, for the long-time local performer, producer, and slide-guitar demigod. But when the Georgia Straight tracks him down at a Calgary breakfast joint, the cellphone number we're asked to dial starts with 615. That, as any country music fan knows, is the area code for Nashville, Tennessee. Somewhere along the line Dawson's travel plans took a hard turn south, and so far that's been a very good move.
Toronto, he explains, is really not that much cheaper, or busier, than Canada's most expensive city. Nashville, on the other hand, remains a place where a good musician can earn an honest living.
"I did some work with [American roots guru] Tim O'Brien, and he was raving about Nashville," Dawson reports. "And then I did this show with Colin Linden about a year ago in Vancouver, and he was raving about Nashville too. So my wife and I went down to check it out, and we really liked it. I've got friends down there, and we just thought it made a lot of sense. The cost of living is substantially lower than it is in Vancouver, so that was appealing. And there's something about being so close to so much music that I've always loved that's kind of mind-blowing to me, actually."
Music City, then, is living up to its reputation. "In a lot of ways, yeah," says Dawson, who notes that as a producer he's already been cutting tracks with players like Double Trouble keyboardist Reese Wynans and the country hotshots from Marty Stuart's band. "They're just sitting in a room with me, doing overdubs like any other musician would," he marvels. "It's unbelievable, in a way—and people like that are everywhere down there. Like, if you're hanging out with your kid in the park chances are the person beside you will turn out to be some crazy bass player or something like that. It happens so often it's ridiculous!"
For his current tour, however, Dawson is sticking with the crazy bassist who's been his right-hand man for several years, the droll and solid Keith Lowe. It's a pretty easy gig for that Seattle resident, however: half the set is given over to numbers from Dawson's latest release, the solo-guitar showcase Rattlesnake Cage. On first hearing, the new disc sounds like Dawson's tribute to such early influences as John Fahey, Leo Kottke, and Mississippi John Hurt, but on closer examination it turns out to be more of a conversation with those masters than an emulation of them.
"I don't have a problem with wearing my influences on my sleeve, I guess," Dawson admits. "But there's a huge difference between learning how Mississippi John Hurt played something and copying that versus letting that percolate for 15 years and then coming back to it. That distance—that time—allows things to sit, and meanwhile you're influenced by other things as well.
"When I'm composing with solo guitar, I want to utilize those influences but also come up with little hooks that are just slightly off-kilter, I guess," he adds. "I wanted to use the technology that was available in 1950, but maybe do something melodically that people wouldn't have done back then. Like, I might put some kind of tritone, open-string lick into a ragtime-style tune because I'd been listening to an Ornette Coleman record or something."
Will Dawson be able to integrate the sounds of that avant-jazz innovator with those of his new Nashville pals? That remains to be seen, but the smart money says it'll happen.


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The trouble with this pre-season that runs for weeks and weeks is that it starts to drag. For those of us with no particular interest in the rumour mill, who are just hoping that their their team starts the new season with the requisite number of players and substitutes, it starts to get a little boring. Trying to find anything that isn't a transfer story can be hard work. There are, however, some gems out there to be found. For example, hidden away in the middle of the BBC's football website this weekend was an interview with Trevor Brooking that should be made required reading for everybody in the English media. Brooking, one suspects, is reaching that point in his old age when he stops caring about being bland or playing safe, as he was often accused of doing when working for the BBC, and it is no bad thing that he is using this opportunity to tell us a few home truths.
It was almost two years ago, on these very pages, that I noted with a degree of dismay that the press was woefully under-playing the likelihood of England reaching the finals of Euro 2008. Whilst club football has become more and more polarised, with the powerbase now lying with no more than half a dozen clubs, the international scene has, by contrast become more of a level playing field than ever. In the eyes, of the fourth estate, however, this is not the case. They seem to labour under the perennial misapprehension that success at club level leads inexorably to success at international level, when the raw fact of the matter is that nothing could be further truth. We were left, at the end of last season, with the somewhat jarring contrast of two Premier League teams playing out the European Cup final coupled with no England team at the finals of the European Championships. This is a pattern that I remain convinced will become more and more likely as time goes on.
The ludicrously high expectation level is still there, but it is categorically not the fans that carry this expectation along. I stated long ago that England supporters watch each match from the gaps between the fingers over their eyes. One of the ironies of the perception of arrogance of the England football team is that they could probably do with a little more of it than they currently have. Their self-confidence seems to be so perennially brittle that it only requires someone to score against them to make them likely to lose a match. An England team that actually seemed to believe in itself could arguably be capable of doing much better than it actually does, but the bare truth of the matter is that most (if not all) of the players go into major tournaments either not caring too much about what is going to happen or not seriously believing that they can win it.
At the level of mere player selection, the England coach's job is fatally hampered by a simple lack of options. There are barely twenty-five English players that are anywhere near international standard at the moment. It only requires one or two injuries and Fabio Capello is having to hunt around the substitute benches of middle-ranking Premier League clubs for replacements. This is an inevitable result of the lack of investment in domestically developed young players, and there is no point looking to the Premier League to try and rectify it. The Premier League long ago gave up any pretence of caring about the well-being of the national game. Responsibility for bringing new, young players through therefore has to lie at the door of the FA but, as the debacle over the building of a national school of excellence ast Burton-Upon-Trent has demonstrated, they don't seem too concerned about doing much about it either.
The truth of the matter is that we are at the start of a long, downward ark for English football at international level. The younger players that are coming through look, almost universally, to not be up to the required standard, and there is nothing to suggest that this situation is going to change. All that Trevor Brooking is saying in his interview is that this is a situation that we are simply going to have to get used to, and setting a ridiculously high target of reaching the semi-finals of the next World Cup is not going to help anyone. It will only increase the pressure on everyone concerned, and help to increase the international perception of the England national team as being arrogant and out of touch with their own limitations. For the time being, it would be better for everyone if we just all crossed our fingers and hoped amongst hopes that we might just qualify for the finals of the 2010 World Cup. Even that, based on the current evidence, is far from a done deal at the moment.


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Latest News
Do you brag too much?
Are you just sharing the good news about your little darling's test scores?
Or are you bragging your head off?
Parents walk a fine line in the era of Toddlers & Tiaras and summer chess camps, when second-graders vie for spots on traveling sports teams and high school students juggle a dazzling array of academics and extracurriculars (Mandarin Chinese, anyone?), many of them with built-in ranking systems.
There's nothing inherently wrong with being proud of your kid — or sharing your pride, says Wendy Grolnick, psychology professor at Clark University in Worcester, Mass.
TELL USDo you know a Mommy McBraggy Pants? Share in the comments.
"Nature has prepared us (for parenthood) with this wonderful tendency to see our children as fantastic in every way, and that's a good thing because it takes a lot to parent a child," she says. "I always say, if you don't think your baby is the smartest, the best baby who ever lived, that's not good."
Problems arise when the good news about a child's accomplishment doesn't come from a good place, when it's too plentiful, or when you share the news with the wrong people, parents and experts say.
Joyce Slaton, a blogger for BabyCenter.com's Momformation, recently caused a stir with the post "I Hate Hearing About Your Gifted Child." Slaton says that picking your audience is key. Your husband or partner, your parents and your close friends are all excellent candidates.
Parents whose children have not been singled out for the same recognition generally are not.
"When you're talking to a mom whose kid is in the same grade, you have to realize that (there's an implied comparison), so that's automatically … socially awkward," Slaton says.
"We are (all) thrilled with our children — every mom feels that way, which is why you sort of have to put a lid on it so you don't make another mom feeling like you're saying, 'My child is better than yours.' You just don't want to say that to another mom. It's painful and hurtful."
Grolnick, author of Pressured Parents, Stressed-Out Kids: Dealing With Competition While Raising a Successful Child (Prometheus), says that it may be useful to check your intentions before you launch into the news.
"Are you reacting to another person's bragging? Are you annoyed?" Grolnick asked. "That's probably not (a good time) to get it out because you will feel bad and you'll make the other person feel bad."
If, on the other hand, you're talking to a friend or relative with whom you share your child's setbacks as well as her successes, or a relative who sees the child's victories as to some extent his or her own, feel free to coo a little.
The quality of the honor your kid is receiving should also enter into your calculations, according to sociologist Hilary Levey Friedman, author of the upcoming book Playing to Win: Raising Children in a Competitive Culture.
"One of the things that's occurred is what I call 'the carving up of honor.' We have all these awards that are given to kids these days so we (can) say, 'My child won! My child's the champion!' But in reality what they won is some very small broken-down category like, they won for roller skating for 4-year-olds who have only been roller skating for three weeks."
Broadcasting these smaller awards can make the parent look silly and put undue pressure on children, Levey Friedman says.
"If it's a real, meaningful accomplishment it's not a bad thing to share that news with other people and for the child to celebrate that with their family members, perhaps with their friends," she says.
Parents today are more anxious about the economy and their children's futures than their predecessors, says University of Pennsylvania sociology professor Annette Lareau, and that can complicate the bragging versus sharing issue.
But she also points out that talking about your child's extracurriculars is an effective networking strategy.
"It takes a lot of informal knowledge to have your kids in organized activities," she says. You need to know about sign-up dates, carpool opportunities and how competitive, challenging or welcoming an activity will be.
"Mothers are very dependent on other mothers to share information," Lareau says.


text: I was re-re-reading some of the blog posts over at TM and a thought hit me: when we are calculating emission and pollution factors do we need to include those which come from the manufacture of the batteries? I have been trying to find out information online about the manufacturing of li-ion batteries and there isn't much to find. If we are going to include the pollution, costs, and emissions from gasoline production, oil development and drilling, and fossil fuel distribution then we should probably include those from the battery factories, right? Anyone have any thoughts?


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West Ham defender on Masuaku: 'It is not like him. He is not such a person'
PUBLISHED: 19:00 28 January 2018
Hammers centre back Angelo Ogbonna says his team-mate must take responsibility for spitting incident
West Ham defender Angelo Ogbonna insists that team-mate Arthur Masuaku acted completely out of character after he was sent off for spitting at an opponent against Wigan Athletic.
The incident, early in the second half, stalled West Ham's attempt at a comeback in to their FA Cup tie at the DW Stadium as they ended up losing 2-0.
And it certainly left Ogbonna perplexed.
"It is not like him, I think he is not such a person," said the 29-year-old centre back.
"From the pitch I didn't see anything so it is difficult for me to judge, but I am surprised that Arthur can do something like that.
"Everybody knows him and I think even the manager was surprised at what happened."
It seemed to be an innocuous incident on the touchline, but whether something was said by Wigan's Max Powell to Masuaku is largely irrelevant, spitting at someone is never an acceptable action.
"He apologised in the dressing room," said Ogbonna. "He is a good guy and it was a mistake so he has to take responsibility."
He will with a long ban, but on the day, Masuaku let down his manager, his team-mates and over 4,000 West Ham fans who had travelled north to watch this game.
Perhaps the only positive on the day was the debut of Portugal international midfielder Joao Mario who came on at half time and showed some silky touches, despite the horrendous situation he faced.
And Ogbonna thinks that West Ham have made a top signing.
"He looks good, not just to me, but for the whole team," said the Italy international. "He is a good player who keeps the ball well.
"In this game he didn't get the chance to show himself, especially when you are one man down, you cannot take the whole team on your shoulders."
Like Mario, who has arrived on loan from Inter Milan, Ogbonna also came from Serie A after signing from Juventus in the summer of 2015.
So how difficult is it to adapt from Italian league to Premier League?
"To adapt, I think everything is mental and he is already prepared for this change," said Ogbonna. "He already spoke with Jose Fonte and with me as well. There are lot of people to talk to him, including the captain; it is our job to help him.
"It is not just us though, everybody in the stadium on Tuesday, all of our supporters must get behind him to help him out.
"I think on Tuesday he is going to show himself."
With a host of injuries and now Pedro Obiang added to that list, he will need to show what he can do.
For Ogbonna it is just another game where he is looking to show the consistency that has made him one of the outstanding players this season.
"Tuesday is another big game of course," he said. "The Premier League just doesn't stop. Every game is a big game for us and it is a huge game for Crystal Palace as well."


text: East African Community Moves To Harmonise IP Rights Regulation 11/04/2014 by Hillary Muheebwa for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window)KAMPALA – As the East African Community nears full revival, a bloc market covering five countries with a population of about 145 million people has emerged. But the member countries face another challenge: they have different levels of intellectual property rights protection. The task before them is how to align existing different national laws and policies on intellectual property rights protection to cater to a new regional framework. Intellectual property laws in EAC, like most other laws, are a colonial heritage. One of the tools prominently guiding this regulatory process is the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), introduced by the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1994. The TRIPS agreement introduces global minimum standards for protecting and enforcing nearly all forms of IP rights, including those for patents. Pharmaceutical and health products and processes are protected by patents. The EAC is strategising to implement the TRIPS treaty by setting up a joint structure. The initiative started eight years ago, and the results are packaged in a regional framework titled as "The Regional Intellectual Property Policy on the Utilisation of Public Health Related WTO-Trips Flexibilities and the Approximation of National Intellectual Property Legislation." Apart from Kenya, which is a developing country, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania are ranked as least developed countries (LDCs). Uganda and Tanzania have ignored a 2016 transition window and already provided a range of intellectual property protection measures under their respective national laws. Rwanda and Burundi, meanwhile, have adopted laws that largely reflect the flexibilities availed to LDCs under the TRIPS agreement. With the TRIPS agreement, least developed countries have been exempted from the obligation to implement patent protection in the health sector. The exemptions from IP protection are under clearly defined conditions. They also permit the compulsory issuance of licences for the import, export and production of essential medicines. The extension, which runs up to January 2016 or earlier if a country develops out of LDC status, is in recognition of LDCs' special requirements, their economic, financial and administrative constraints, and the need for flexibility so that they can create a viable technological base. WTO has twice postponed the deadline for LDCs to provide the WTO TRIPS Council as much information as possible on their individual priority needs for technical and financial assistance for implementing the TRIPS agreement clauses. Further Extension Sought The extension decisions are due to the countries' continuing needs for technical and financial co-operation so that they can achieve their individual developmental and other domestic objectives within a balanced intellectual property regime. In turn, this is so that the assistance given by co-operation partners is comprehensive, coordinated and directly relevant to the domestic circumstances of each country or region concerned. "We were given 10 years, but I must say that it is not easy to implement," said Elizabeth Tamale, assistant commissioner in the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Uganda. "Most EAC states still lack the technical base, coupled with lack of awareness regarding intellectual property rights. That is why we are seeking for further extension." "We need the laws in place and for the people to understand the laws before we can make any move," Tamale said. "But we should also remember that the extension won't be forever. We need to unite as an EAC bloc." She said without the extension, EAC states will immediately need to enact and or amend their intellectual property laws to become TRIPS complaint and would be under extreme pressure to do so. According to Ambassador Nathan Irumba, executive director, Southern and Eastern Africa Trade and Information Negotiation institute (SEATINI), the EAC still lacks the capacity to implement TRIPS. "We need to strictly enforce intellectual property rights so as to address counterfeit and it is not until you have acquired enough technology that you can design this," he said. The implementation of the regional framework shall be the responsibility of the EAC partner states, with the EAC Secretariat offering guidance in the implementation in a participatory and integrated manner. "This policy framework focuses on supporting the full use of specific TRIPS flexibilities for optimizing access to health products and medical devices in the East African Community Partner states," said Ambassador Richard Sezibera, the EAC Secretary General. "The implementation of this policy in the partner states is expected to optimise the populations' access to health products and medical devices," he added. The implementation of this policy in the partner states is expected to ensure that IP-embedded products and services concerning health are available and accessible at an affordable cost to the whole EAC partner states' population. The price of essential drugs to treat diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in the EAC is still high, rendering them unaffordable for people with minimum incomes. According to the Chronic Poverty Report 2014-2015, over 20 million residents of EAC are chronically poor. "Almost 90 percent of drugs in Uganda are imports, most of which are generic versions which need protection from patent owners, who may want to stop their sale in a bid to sell their expensive brand name drugs instead; Ugandans would not be able to access cheap drugs," said Moses Mulumba, a lawyer and director at the Centre for Health Human Rights and Development, Uganda. The public policies and priorities of EAC, he said, should be to utilise the public health-related flexibilities contained in the TRIPS Agreement and its related instruments in order to help address public health problems affecting the 145 million citizens. Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window) Related Hillary Muheebwa may be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com."East African Community Moves To Harmonise IP Rights Regulation" by Intellectual Property Watch is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.


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Below are lists of grant-making organizations providing funding and/or other services to support anthropological research and other academic activities. The Foundation can provide no advice on these programs and we advise you to consult the specific websites for updated information and details about each organization and its grant programs.
The George A. and Eliza Gardner Howard Foundation was established to further the personal development of promising individuals at the crucial middle stages of their careers in the liberal and creative arts. A limited number of fellowships are awarded each year for independent projects to individuals who are early mid-career and who have achieved recognition for at least one major project. Academic fields are selected annually on a rotational basis. A main goal of Howard Fellowships is to provide time for scholars and artists to complete their work.
The Hard Tissue Research Program in Human Paleobiomics funds on a competitive basis the hard tissue dissertation research of doctoral candidates from any academic department and residing at any university in the world. Projects must emphasize a hard tissue biology approach in pursuit of knowledge and enhanced understanding of early human paleobiology and/or any element of the paleobiome in which early humans lived.
IIE manages undergraduate and graduate level scholarships at accredited academic institutions throughout the world. IIE implements many of the world's most prestigious scholarship programs and manages global scholarships through a network of domestic and international offices. A wide variety of programs are sponsored by the IIE, ranging in numerous fields of study including the social sciences, science and technology, the arts, humanities, and education. In addition, a few examples of programs supported by the IIE include the David L. Boren Scholarships and Fellowships, the Fulbright Scholar Program, and the GE Foundation Scholar-Leaders Program. Further requirements are specific to each particular program and can be found by visiting the link provided.
IREX works to bring about positive change around the globe. It has offices and representatives in over 125 cities of Europe and Eurasia and administers programs to advance education, support independent media, promote internet development, and build civil society throughout. Fellowships are available for pre-doctoral and postdoctoral research in various countries.
Through the Center for Global Partnership, the Japan Foundation promotes collaboration between Japan and the United States with the goal of fulfilling shared global responsibilities and contributing to improvements in the world's welfare. Programs held by the Japan Foundation fall under three major categories: Arts and Cultural Exchange, Japanese-Language Education Overseas, and Japanese Studies and Intellectual Exchange.
The Leakey Foundation exclusively funds research related specifically to human origins, including paleoanthropology, genetics, primate behavior, and studies of modern hunter-gatherer groups. It provides research grants to advanced doctoral students and established scientists. There are no citizenship restrictions. It also provides Franklin Mosher Baldwin Memorial Fellowships for scholars and students with citizenship in a developing country who wish to obtain an advanced degree from an institution outside the student's home country.
The Lindbergh Foundation works to foster scientific and technological ingenuity as a means of addressing humanity's environmental and productivity challenges. It provides grants for individuals whose initiative and work in a wide spectrum of disciplines further the Lindberghs' vision of a balance between the advance of technology and the preservation of the natural/human environment.
The Nacey Maggioncalda Foundation supports global research projects in the areas of primate evolution, ecology, physiology, and behavior. NMF also supports conservation efforts that establish a lasting, positive relationship between primates and their human neighbors, in order to improve the health and welfare of both. Nacey Grants and Fellowships are awarded to doctoral students working in areas of primate paleontology, evolution, ecology, behavior and/or conservation. Goldberg Grants are awarded to established scholars. Two are awarded annually, one for a research project and one for conservation work, and recipients must have a Ph.D.
The Anthony Marchionne Foundation supports research on issues of well-being and currently emphasizes aspects of life-singlehood and health, medicine, and behavior. The Foundation awards grants to organizations rather than individuals. Thus, the successful applicant must be affiliated with a research institute or four-year academic institution at which empirical research is supported. Applicants must also be affiliated with an American or Canadian organization, and must hold a Ph.D., though graduate students may be listed as co-PI.
The RSM Fellowships Program provides funding to help advance doctoral research work through a residency period of five to ten months at a host institution in a country other than the applicant's home country or country of residence. Fellows are expected to advance their research work mainly by using the facilities and resources provided by the host institution and by interacting with peers. Fellows must be a resident of a World Bank member country which is currently eligible to borrow.


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Freddie Mac has seen enough
The Washington Post reports – Freddie Mac to Clamp Down on Risky Loans
Freddie Mac, the second biggest buyer of U.S. mortgages, plans to toughen its standards and stop buying certain types of risky loans that have been linked to a high number of defaults.
This is latest indication of rising concern about problems in the subprime mortgage market, which caters to borrowers who are unable to qualify to buy a house with a conventional loan.
This is directly from Freddie Mac – FREDDIE MAC ANNOUNCES TOUGHER SUBPRIME LENDING STANDARDS TO HELP REDUCE THE RISK OF FUTURE BORROWER DEFAULT
Filed under: General
Posted on February 27th, 2007 by Bob Brinker


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Fort Meigs
It's easy to forget that prominent landmarks of American history can be found in our own backyard. Fort Meigs was constructed in present-day Perrysburg and was considered to be the largest wooden walled fortification in North America. The 10-acre fortification is also home to the battle which is believed to be the turning point in the War of 1812 for the American forces. The fort was built in February 1813 under the command of General (and future President) William Henry Harrison. The location was chosen along the Maumee River with the intention to provide soldiers, food, and other supplies to the war operations in Canada. When the British started to gain more and more land in America, the plan was adjusted to use the fort for defensive purposes. In 1813, 1,200 American's withheld two sieges by the British and their Indian allies. These victories reversed the American misfortune early in the war. Shortly after the War of 1812, the fort was burnt to the ground. The Ohio Historical Society reconstructed the fort in the 1970′s and again in 2003. Today, Fort Meigs has been restored to its original glory. It is considered the largest reconstructed, wooden-walled fort in the United States.
Photo via: The Columbus Dispatch


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Systemic Change
An "Enabling Context" is a key factor in the formula for success. Enabling Contexts purposefully support the use of effective implementation methods to assure the use of effective innovations in practice. In the Active Implementation Frameworks, the context refers to the system in which organizations provide services to people. For example, schools provide teaching and learning services to students in the context of district, state, and federal education systems. The goal is to assure that the structures, roles, and functions within a system are more enabling than hindering in their impact on the services provided and the degree to which socially significant outcomes can be achieved.
It is a truism that all organizations and systems are perfectly designed to achieve exactly the results they obtain ("If you do what you've always done …."). This statement does not impute intention to the design of human service systems (Barber & Fullan, 2005; Greenhalgh et al., 2009; Ulrich, 2002). Quite the contrary. Human service systems are legacy systems that are the product of "[d]ecades of quick fixes, functional enhancements, technology upgrades, and other maintenance activities [that] obscure application functionality to the point where no one can understand how a system functions" (Ulrich, 2002; p 41-42). Legacy systems represent a layered history of well-intentioned but fragmented changes.
The cumulative nature of current (legacy) systems means that no one can objectively analyze "how they work." Instead of trying to identify existing problems within a system, the strategy for establishing an Enabling Context is to develop a new system that reliably produces the desired outcomes. Kurt Lewin described system change as unfreezing the existing system, changing it, and refreezing it in its new and more effective configuration. Buckminster Fuller noted that meaningful change occurs when a new model is developed that makes the old model obsolete. The leaders of Silicon Valley say if you want a better future, you have to create it. As these leaders point out, tinkering with an existing legacy system (Tyack & Cuban, 1995) likely will not produce the Enabling Context needed to ensure socially significant outcomes. Enabling Contexts don't just happen, they are developed in a thoughtful and purposeful way.
As noted in the formula for success, Enabling Contexts are needed to achieve and sustain socially significant outcomes. As shown in Figure 1, when effective innovations and effective implementation are introduced into a system, they disturb the status quo and disrupt existing ways of work. In the absence of an Enabling Context, legacy systems sustain the status quo and adapt key features of innovations to fit the usual ways of work in the system. "Adapted innovations" that are missing functions essential to their success likely will not produce intended outcomes for systems (Westphal, Gulati, & Shortell, 1997). Effective innovations that are not used as intended in practice have no chance to produce the intended outcomes.
As shown in Figure 1, if new (and improved) results are to be realized the current context needs to change to facilitate the work of innovation practitioners and implementation teams. The task is to align changes so they support one another in coherent and purposeful ways that produce improved system performance and improved outcomes year after year. Thus, Enabling Contexts are the product of purposefully making changes in systems so that innovations are used as intended and their effectiveness is sustained over time.
Figure 1. The status quo is powerful and the existing system typically changes (adapts) key features of effective innovations to fit the existing system. Enabling Contexts are created when the existing system is changed to support high fidelity and sustained use of effective innovations.
Systemic Change to Create Enabling Contexts: Systemic Change in the Active Implementation Frameworks is based on best practices and the best available evidence. Examples of data and documented experience related to systemic change are provided by Fixsen, Blase, Metz, and Van Dyke (2013); Glennan Jr., Bodilly, Galegher, and Kerr (2004); Khatri and Frieden (2002); Klein (2004); Kotter (1996); Morgan and Ramirez (1983); Nord and Tucker (1987); Prochaska, Prochaska, and Levesque (2001); Schofield (2004); and Vernez, Karam, Mariano, and DeMartini (2006).
The approach to Systemic Change is illustrated in Figure 2. Executive Management Teams (federal, state, regional) establish policies and regulations intended to improve practices and improve outcomes for recipients of human services. The task of accomplishing change is delegated to an Implementation Team that has the expertise to make full and effective use of the Active Implementation Frameworks to support practitioners learning, using, and sustaining an innovation with fidelity that results in good outcomes for recipients.
Figure 2. The approach to Systemic Change.
The development of expert Implementation Teams and the full and effective use of the Active Implementation Frameworks and innovations in practice disturb the status quo. When engaged in Systemic Change, reactions from individuals and groups who are impacted by the change process are to be expected. To cope with these reactions, the Implementation Team has frequent communication with the Executive Management Team so the leaders can constructively intervene, clear barriers, and strengthen facilitators. In this way, legacy systems are changed in functional ways and innovations are not crushed by the already established routines that sustain the status quo (Nord & Tucker, 1987).
Marzano, Waters, and McNulty (2005) noted that systemic change is "emergent, unbounded, complex, nonlinear, [and] a disturbance of every element of a system." Disturbing the status quo creates a chaotic context (Snowden & Boone, 2007) that demands rapid responses to issues as they arise. The Executive Management Team must be prepared for frequent (weekly, monthly) communication from the front line and be prepared to engage in constructive problem solving with constituents within and outside the system. As roles, functions, and structures are strengthened and barriers are eliminated, coherence is created as system components and resources are aligned with achieved system goals and intended outcomes. The Practice-Policy Communication Cycle is the timely communication from the practice level to the policy level to inform policymakers of the intended and unintended consequences of policies and guidelines. The "cycle" is completed as the policy makers create and improve polices that enable the full and effective use of innovations. The cycle continues as those changes are further evaluated for impact and improvement, or are deemed functional enough to be embedded in policies and guidelines.
An intended outcome of disturbing the system is to provide leaders with opportunities to design new system roles, functions, and structures – in essence, develop a new system on purpose. A system developed on purpose can be changed on purpose in the future. Using the Systemic Change processes, the resulting roles and functions of units are known and the relationships among units are known. With the Practice-Policy Communication feedback loop in place and Implementation Teams functioning as sensors of alignment and misalignment at the practice level, the Executive Management Team has the ability to continually "monitor and question the context in which it is operating and to question the rules that underlie its own operation" (Morgan & Ramirez, 1983, p. 15).
The purpose of the "External" System Change Support shown in Figure 2 is to facilitate the use of the Systemic Change proccesses. "External" is in quotes because there are ways to have individuals already within an organization perform the external facilitation role (Klein, 2004). External facilitation has been recognized as an essential feature of system change for many decades (Berta et al., 2015; Blase, Fixsen, & Phillips, 1984; Fairweather, Sanders, & Tornatzky, 1974; Klingner, Boardman, & McMaster, 2013; Nord & Tucker, 1987; Stetler et al., 2006). As Ashby (1956) cautions, "[t]he fault cannot be in the part responsible for the repair," so the external facilitation role is essential for establishing an Enabling Context.
Brown and Flynn (2002) state that interpersonal facilitation strategies are dramatically more effective than other strategies in achieving the individual and organizational behavior change needed to produce systemic change. External facilitation of system change is an interactive and time consuming process that requires expertise to help insiders view their own system differently. For more information see OSEP SISEP Evaluation Report: 2013-2015.
Transformation Zone
In human service systems, services cannot be shut down, reconfigured, re-skilled, and restarted in some new and hopefully more effective mode. The requirement to develop an Enabling Context in the midst of an operating legacy system adds yet another degree of complexity to attempts to purposefully change systems.
To prevent change leaders and external facilitators from being overwhelmed by systemic issues that need to be resolved, systems change is initiated in a Transformation Zone (Fixsen, Blase, & Van Dyke, 2012). A Transformation Zone is a vertical slice of the entire system from the practice level to the policy level and includes all major levels within the system. The slice is big enough to encounter nearly all the issues that likely will arise in system change, and small enough to keep issues at a manageable level until the beginnings of the "new system" are established and functioning well.
A Transformation Zone is the place to develop the features of a "high reliability system" (Weick, 1987). According to Weick, high reliability systems start with a centralized structure where a set of core values, decision premises, and assumptions are developed and operationalized so that people can understand, buy into, and engage in new ways of work. Doing system change work in a Transformation Zone has the advantages noted for "continuous delivery" (Humble & Farley, 2011) where enabling system components are developed and tested in real time allowing effective functions, roles, and structures to be established and errors to be quickly detected and corrected in daily practice.
As work progresses in the Transformation Zone, a coherent system is established as the improvement cycles are used to develop supports for effective implementation of effective innovations. A coherent system reduces reliance on managerial authority, formal rules and procedures, and narrow divisions of work. A purposefully designed system, once established, creates a coherent and aligned set of working assumptions and decision premises that produce high levels of fidelity that rely on practical and reliable data systems to generate data for improvement and sustainability. By developing teams that assure the availability of effective implementation supports in a system, Executive Management Teams can delegate responsibility and accountability far down the hierarchy in a task-driven, process-sensitive, outcome-oriented organization (Beer, Eisenstat, & Spector, 1990). Implementation Teams help fulfill the promise made by Elmore (2002): "For every increment of performance I demand from you, I have an equal responsibility to provide you with the capacity to meet that expectation" (p 5).
Aspects of an Enabling Context
An Enabling Context specifically includes implementation science and best practices in its day to day operations. The system itself consists of new ways of work that produce good outcomes and engages in regular communications with constituents to improve those outcomes each year.
To begin to establish an Enabling Context in a regional, state, or federal system, leaders can assure that:
- Funding is allocated for initiatives and for implementation supports. Requests for Proposals (RFPs) specifically require implementation supports and set aside 20% of the funding for those supports from competent Implementation Teams.
- Review Committees for RFPs and compliance reviews have at least 50% of the members who are implementation experts who can provide implementation-informed reviews of proposals and practices.
- Regular reporting of progress by recipients of funds includes data regarding the fidelity of the use of the interventions and fidelity of the use of implementation best practices (e.g. the Active Implementation Frameworks). Fidelity data are linked with outcome data and are reviewed by relevant management teams at least two times each year.
- Quarterly meetings are held among key participants from the funding agency, the Implementation Teams, and those using funded interventions. The meeting agendas prompt reviews of expectations, facilitators and barriers, and innovation and implementation data. At each meeting the participants agree on improvements each of them will attempt to make and evaluate during the next quarter.
- The results of the quarterly meetings produce action plans that lead to functional changes in funding, regulations, system functions, and so on. Data are collected to monitor the results of making these changes (e.g. fidelity improves, desired outcomes improve, efficiency improves, errors decline).
- A federal or state agency that creates an Enabling Context for achieving ever improving outcomes has the opportunity to learn from each of the many initiatives funded each year. By using implementation-informed RFP and review methods and engaging in frequent communication with key participants, agencies can become learning organizations (Drucker, 2004; Sheaff & Pilgrim, 2006) and continually create more effective supports for those providing human services (Metz & Bartley, in press).
Case Example: U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs
In 2006 the U.S. Department of Education Officeof Special Education Programs (OSEP) was the first federal agency to recognize the potential benefits of implementation science for improving student outcomes. In 2012 OSEP announced its approach to Results Driven Accountability that intends to change the relationship between a federal agency and state education systems. The new relationship being initiated by OSEP is to turn compliance into support.
Case Example: Northern European Public Sector
Northern European states, regarded as world leaders in social welfare, have for a long time viewed implementation as enactment of legislation that is communicated top-down to the public and stakeholders. This study reports on interviews with 30 public sector executives in Northern Europe about how to achieve successful implementation. They confirm the necessity of the "Making it Happen" strategy that corresponds with implementation science.
Read More: Case Example: New Approaches to Policy Implementation (EU)


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Newly broken up - ouch
So yesterday my gf broke up with me.
I decided to take the advice off this site (read it somewhere) and break contact for a little over a month. I sort of explained it to her and said it was the only way for me to get over her with any hope of becoming friends at the end. That friendship is very important for many reasons. Besides the fact i really enjoyed the friendship aspect of our relationship she also is a tenant at my second property. She's also become good friends with my wife.
XGF actually seems pissed at me for it. She thought that we would just break up but remain all friendly, lovey but no sex. Sort of boyfriend without benefits, who she can talk to about all her other boy problems and chases.
So i've asked my wife to handle all tenant problems, collecting rent etc and asked my wife not to talk about her with me. My wife has been very empathetic and i can't ask for better support.
I'm really just trying to defuse the ticking timebomb of frustration inside me so i don't go half off and ruin a good friendship by saying something i can't take back.
Any thoughts?
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Connect Deluxe
Game info
32 plays
Date added: 2013-07-04
Description: Classic Mahjong Connect game. Connect 2 of the same tiles with a line with no more then 2 turns.
Instructions: You can connect a flower tile to any other tile, the same applies to the season tiles.
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RE: Why Parenting Time Motions Fail and Child Support Motions Succeed.
After a Friend of the Court Citizen Advisory Committee meeting an
attorney indicated that it seemed that their parenting time motions seem to
fail more frequently than child support motions succeed. This was a
brilliant observation and I wanted to take a quick moment and tell you
For every three dollars ($3.00) that your local court spends on Child
Support Enforcement the court receives two dollars ($2.00) by way of
federal block grant money. Additionally to make up the difference of the
remaining one dollar balance the local courts have been able to use what
is known as federal incentive grants from the federal government, which
has made it possible to "profit" from operating a "successful" child
support enforcement program. An immense gain by the state is to be had
by operating a "successful" child support enforcement program which
means that a child cannot have substantially equal time with both parents.
In order to maximize federal money the states create the appearance of
an absentee parent for purposes of the Child Support Enforcement
welfare program. Successful also means maximizing the number of participants
the state has in its Child Support Enforcement welfare program by
including the middle-class at the sole expense of the U.S. Tax Payer.
See 42 USC 655; "Payment to States";
See 42 USC 658a; "Incentive payments to States";
In a parenting time conflict, there is disincentive to allow children
to have substantially equal time with their parents because then the
parents do not fit wholly into the above welfare program model as being
absent. The more parenting time provided, typically, child support is
reduced or abated. A reduction in participants is a reduction in the
justification of federal monies to the state. Normally the reduction of
expenditures is encouraged by government but in this case the opposite
holds true because there is a profit derived from the excess influx of
funds. Because of lack of eligibility requirements there is immense waste
in the new Child Support Enforcement Beuracracy. In 2006 alone, 4.2
BILLION of our Social Security Fund, nationally, is being invested into
this program which is a huge disincentive for the states to allow
substantially equal parenting time with both parents.
The huge mass of money out of your social security also is the reason
that the State is so eager to incorporate all the middle-class into
their Child Support Enforcement welfare programs; that means higher support
awards and an appearance of more need for federal money now that there
is widespread expanded group participation.
The new welfare abuser is not the people, but the states who have
shaped their participant numbers to create the appearance of need for a
program that lacks eligibility requirements. The reality is that there are
many fit, willing, and competent parents that are trapped in a welfare
system against their will and they are being prevented from parenting
their children because the state wants to maximize their federal funding
and make them look absent.
Very Truly Yours,
/s/ /s/
Lary Holland
5180 Cedar Lake Rd.
Oscoda, MI 48750
(989) 747-0079 (v)
(989) 764-5920 (f)


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Seahawks Insider Blog
A few minutes with Brandon Browner
[HTML1]The CFL experience
Brandon Browner spent the past four years in the Canadian Football League playing cornerback for the Calgary Stampeders. And Browner has been impressive, earning All-CFL honors the past three years.
"It was great for me," Browner said. "It was a chance to play ball and do what I love. I've been trying to get back here for the last four years, and I'm finally here. I'm happy to be here with a great team and a great group of guys around me. I'm having fun right now, and living out my dream, you know what I mean?"
The one that got away
A Southern California native, Browner, 27, got away from Pete Carroll and the Trojans, winding up at Oregon State. Browner earned PAC-10 Freshman of the year honors for the Beavers, and also was selected to the All-PAC-10 second team that season.
"I'm a California guy, too, so he recruited me out of high school," Browner said. "I got away from him, and I'm happy to be back. He's one of those coaches that you want to play for."Down and out in Denver
After an impressive college career, Browner was picked up as an undrafted rookie free agent b Denver in 2005. He had an impressive training camp cut short two weeks into preseason play, when he suffered a fractured left forearm and was placed on the injured reserve, missing the rest of the season.
Denver released Browner a year later, and he landed in the CFL.
"I was a young guy when I got released by the Broncos," he said. "Up there I learned to appreciate the game. In the CFL obviously the money is a lot different. I went up there and did what I love to do. Money wasn't the issue."
A big corner
At 6-4, 220 pounds, Browner is the biggest cornerback on Seattle's roster. He fits the type of player Carroll is looking for at the position – a big, physical corner who can own the line of scrimmage and run.
The Seahawks have a young group, so Browner said he and the other players are leaning on veterans Marcus Trufant and Kelly Jennings, Seattle's starting cornerback tandem from last year. "Trufant is a heck of a athlete," he said. "He's going into his ninth year, and he's got a lot of football knowledge, and we're trying to soak up as much as we can.
"I'm still learning. I'm still new here, and they're throwing things at us fast during training camp, so I'm still taking my time trying to get used to it."


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A collection targeted to sensitive and irritation-prone scalps and dandruff sufferers; these hair care products fight numerous issues such as harsh hair products, pollution, hard water or even stress that can weaken the scalp's natural protection barrier, making it more fragile and prone to irritation and itching. The hair care collection works in synergy to soothe irritated scalps and help rebuild the scalp's natural defense. Soothing shampoos and conditioner can be used daily. Anti-Dandruff Shampoo is recommended as a treatment once or twice per week to help remove dandruff and prevent new dandruff from forming.
Discover Our Latest News, Exclusive Offers and Beauty Tips


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It's not often an incident of this nature occurs but Darian King was disqualified from his latest tennis match after completely losing his temper and frightening a lineswoman with his reaction.
The tennis player from Barbados was disqualified in the first round of the Charlottesville Men's Pro Challenger after after losing a rally and subsequently throwing his racket and hitting a lineswoman.
Great Britain's Edward Corrie was the opposition for King and he is through to the second round after the bizarre incident ended the match prematurely.
Cleared of serious injury
The 22-year-old will have to curb his frustration in the future after his absurd reaction to losing a point almost seriously injured the line judge and cost him the match entirely.
The two players were currently battling through a tie break as the scoreboard read 6-4 6-6 (4-2) in Corrie's favour.
Related Articles
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After losing the point, King angrily threw his racket against the padded wall at the back of the court, instantly the commentator realised the problem and the lineswoman at the back, evidently frightened by the incident, began to shrink down to the floor.
The piece of equipment had rebounded off the wall and cannoned onto her back, she was assisted with immediate medical attention and fortunately no serious injury was caused.
The match was called on the spot, the bemused player was disqualified for a code violation.


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CanRoots is planning an event in Toronto in February, 2017. More details coming soon, but in the meantime, join our mailing list to hear exciting developments and be the first to register.
CanRoots convenes organizers from across issues to learn, celebrate, and grow together. Attendees share best practices, hard-learned lessons, new ideas and inspire each other. This is a great gathering of progressive organizers working on some of the most important issues of our times. Come and join us for organizing training, keynotes, workshops, and social events.
Here are some photos from Canroots East 2014 in Toronto to get you pumped up and excited for Canroots East 2.0
CanRoots 2016's first conference was run in Vancouver in April by Organize BC. Go to canroots.organizebc.ca to see what happened!


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Okay so I have been crazy busy BUT I haven't forgotten about my blog. Here is a two for one post! (to make up for the days I've been slacking)
First here is the recipe for the scrumptious peanut butter truffles...
yield: 16 truffles
1/4 C. peanut butter
2 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 C. powdered sugar
1/2 C. milk chocolate chips
This recipe is soooooo easy! All you have to do is put the butter and peanut butter in a bowl and microwave for 30 seconds or so until the butter melts. Stir it well to combine and add powdered sugar to make a thick dough like consistency (adjust amount of sugar if needed). Let this cool (put it in the fridge if you're impatient). Then roll the peanut butter filling into 1" balls. Melt chocolate chips (I did it in the microwave again this time for a minute) and using a spoon dip the truffles in chocolate. Put on a sheet of waxed paper to cool. I made a swooping motion with the spoon as a I placed them on the waxed paper to make them look pretty.
Now you're thinking I want to give these away as gifts--how can I package them so they are pretty? Well you're in luck--her is the how-to for little 3" treat boxes.
What you need:
-one 8 1/2 inch square of paper
-one 8 1/4 inch square of paper
-bone folder
-waxed paper
-gift tags
-mini cupcake wrappers
1. Start with one of the squares fold in all the points to the center like so:
2. Now fold all four points across making the point line up with the fold like so:
3. Fold points in again to meet the latest round of folds:
4. Make a little fold that comes out from each corner of the central square:
5. You'll have a piece of paper that has folds like so:
6. Now all you have to do is fold it up! Fold in two points at a time like this:
7. Cut a 2 3/4 inch wide strip of waxed paper and lay it inside. Then put truffles in mini cupcake wrappers and put in the bottom half of the box. Fold the ends of the waxed paper in and use a sticker to keep it secure.
8. Put the top of the box on and tie with twine and a gift tag! Voila!


text:
We travel for many reasons: for work, for pleasure, and for life, but when we have anxiety over travel it can ruin the trip.
As often as I travel, it is hard for people to believe that I actually have travel anxiety, I probably have it worse than anyone in my household. My kids know that Mom's got it covered, so they have no worries – leaving me to hold it all on my shoulders.
The moment I know that I am going on a trip the anxiety kicks in, I worry about everything from finances to remembering to turn off the stove – truly it can ruin a trip.
I once got two and half hours away from home and could not remember if I shut my garage door. I was such a nervous wreck that I ended up calling my neighbor and having them drive by to check – all was well, it was just anxiety.
Over the past few years I have learned a few things that help me stay calm and lessen the anxiety while I travel.
1. Make a list.
Everyone tells you to make a list before you travel, but make a list of those things that you normally freak out about. My list includes: check the stove, unplug computer, lock back door, and check kitchen water faucet. These are things that I have never forgotten, but have often worried about, I simply write them down and as I walk out the door I check off my list.
2. Do not wait until last minute to plan, pack, or make arrangements.
Sometimes you cannot help it, but often you can. Be prompt with your plans; that way you have plenty of time to get your arrangements made. It can be so stressful not know if your pet is being cared for, or if you yard is getting mowed while you are away.
3. Save money, but do not drive yourself crazy about finding the lowest price.
I have found myself going crazy trying to save a few extra dollars, is it worth it? NO, in fact now I would rather spend ten more dollars, than worry about my travel. Give the discounts sites a look, but do not continuously fret and worry rather you are getting ripped off – in the end there is nothing you can do about it.
4. Remind yourself that everything will be okay.
Does it really matter if I remembered to unplug the computer, or take out the trash? Yes, the house may stink when I get home, but it will most likely still be standing.
5. Give yourself plenty of travel time.
One of the things I worry about is what if I miss my flight or lose my boarding pass. Well being organized, calm, and having plenty of time can help prevent all those catastrophes, or at least give you time to deal with them if they do happen. I always worry that I am going to lose my parking ticket, but if I am organized and remember where I always put it, then I will have one less thing to worry about – it is often the little things.
Travel is suppose to be fun, or at least it is suppose to feel different than being at home, so if you are like me and struggle with travel anxiety then try these steps. I have found the more I stick to these ideas the better my trip is.


text:
Film &
|Anti-Flag in 2009
|Background information
|Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
|Years active
|Associated acts
|Justin Sane
Chris No. 2
Chris Head
Pat Thetic
|Past members
|Andy Flag
Lucy Fester
Jamie Cock
Anti-Flag are an American punk band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The band is well known for political activism, focusing on anti-war activism, anti-imperialism, class struggle, human rights, and various sociopolitical sentiments. The line-up includes singer/guitarist Justin Sane and drummer Pat Thetic, who founded the band; later members are guitarist Chris Head, and singer/bassist Chris Barker (#2) who replaced Jamie "Cock" Towns, who had replaced original bassist Andy Flag in 1997 following his departure one year prior. Anti-Flag is known also for their advocacy of progressive political action groups such as Greenpeace and Amnesty International. Most recently, the band has declared solidarity with the global Occupy Together movement.
Anti-Flag was formed in 1988 by singer/guitarist Justin Sane and drummer Pat Thetic. During the band's early years, various guitarists and bassists moved in and out of the band, including Justin's sister, Lucy Fester formerly of Chicago band Toothpaste. The band failed to solidify, and it fell apart after playing just one show.[2] In 1992, Justin and Pat reformed the band, now with Andy Flag on bass. A 17-song demo album called 17 Songs was released the same year.
In 1996, the band released their first album, Die For the Government, on New Red Archives. Andy Flag left the band in the summer of 1996 because of personal disputes between himself and Justin. For a brief time after Andy's departure in 1996, Sean Whelan of Pittsburgh band the Bad Genes filled in on bass. It was during this time that Sean was also playing in another band (57 Defective) with guitarist Chris Head, whom he introduced to the band.
In early 1997, Pittsburgh guitarist Chris Head began filling in on bass. In late 1997, Jamie Cock took over as the new bassist, moving Chris Head over to second guitar, which he preferred. The current line-up finalized in 1999 when Chris Barker, also known as Chris No. 2, replaced Jamie Cock on bass.
In 1998, the band released their second full-length release, Their System Doesn't Work For You. The album contained all nine Anti-Flag songs from the 1996 Anti-Flag/d.b.s. split album North America Sucks, as well as 10 new unreleased songs. The band decided to release the album independently, and Their System Doesn't Work For You became the debut release for the band's own A-F Records.
In 1999, Anti-Flag released the album A New Kind of Army on Go-Kart Records/A-F Records. The album addressed topics such as abortion, political corruption, racism, fascism, troubled youth, police brutality, and unity within the American youth. The cover art page unfolded into a poster featuring the phrase "Too smart to fight. Too smart to kill. Join now. A new kind of army." In addition to this, the band had a disclaimer at the bottom of its album cover saying,"Anti-Flag does not mean Anti-American. Anti-Flag means anti-war. Anti-Flag means unity."
In 2000, Anti-Flag was invited to participate in Vans Warped Tour. During this time, the members of Anti-Flag met NOFX's Fat Mike, owner of the Fat Wreck Chords record label. This meeting spawned a friendship that would lead to Anti-Flag's release of two albums on the label.
In 2001, Anti-Flag teamed with punk music producer Mass Giorgini to record the album Underground Network, released on Fat Wreck Chords. The release of the album is arguably the band's breakout from the hardcore underground to a more mainstream spotlight. The album continued to address the issues of fascism (specifically neo-Nazis infiltrating the "hardcore scene") and the United States' foreign policy. The album was the first to contain the now-commonplace booklet filled with essays from historians and political commentators, most notably Professor Howard Zinn. In February 2002, Anti-Flag released the album Mobilize on A-F Records. The album featured eight new studio tracks as well as eight live tracks of songs from other albums. In the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks on the United States, Anti-Flag spoke out against the push for war with the album's title track "911 for peace". During this time, many music stores pulled Anti-Flag's records from shelves, as their music was labelled as "anti-American."[3] In 2003, Anti-Flag released the album The Terror State on Fat Wreck Chords. The album primarily focused on criticizing the Bush Administration's handling of the War on Terrorism. Again, the album contained a booklet full of essays from the band as well as other political commentators. The album contains a song whose lyrics were originally written by Woody Guthrie entitled "Post-War Breakout." The track's music was arranged by the members of Anti-Flag, as Guthrie had never committed the arrangements to paper.
On October 8, 2004, U.S. Representative Jim McDermott gave a speech in the House of Representatives, praising Anti-Flag for their work in encouraging young people to register and vote.[4]
In 2005, Anti-Flag signed a two-album record contract with major label RCA. In an interview with British newspaper The Guardian, Justin Sane explained the band's move to a major label:
We've been approached by the major labels over the past seven or eight years but we thought we were having an impact where we were. They were never willing to give us complete control. This time they were willing to give us complete control over what we record, the artwork, who we tour with. We won't be censored. If there was ever a time to take a chance to be heard on a mass scale then this is the time. I feel like we've been a voice in the wilderness for too long.[5]
The first of these two albums, For Blood and Empire, was released on March 21, 2006. The album's main focus is the band's criticism of the mishandling of the War on Terrorism by the United States Government. The song 'This Is The End (For You My Friend)' from the album For Blood and Empire is featured in the video game Madden NFL 07[6] and on NHL 07, and strays from the theme of war and back towards troubled youth. They finished their huge "War Sucks, Let's Party" United States headlining tour in April and work on some side projects like African Well Fund and Start to Finish MS now.
Throughout Anti-Flag's career, many other bands have been added to the roster of the band's own label, A-F Records. These bands include The Code, Pipedown, Much the Same, The Vacancy, The Unseen, Modey Lemon, Thought Riot, Tabula Rasa, and more.
On November 25, Anti-Flag revealed on their homepage that their newest album was titled The Bright Lights of America. Produced by Tony Visconti (of David Bowie, T. Rex (band) and Morrissey fame), it was released on April 1, 2008. The single "The Bright Lights Of America" was released exclusively on iTunes on February 12, 2008. A video of the song was released some weeks later.
In 2008, on tour with Canadian band Billy Talent in Europe, Justin Sane and Chris#2 joined Billy Talent singer Ben Kowalewicz and guitarist Ian D'Sa, singing their new song "Turn Your Back" from their upcoming unreleased album. The two also play on the single version of the song.
In March 2009, Anti-Flag were forced to cancel a series of tour dates after Justin Sane broke his collar bone landing awkwardly whilst jumping off the stage at the UEA LCR in Norwich to stop a fan of another act throwing objects at the band.[7]
Beginning on September 30, 2008, Chris#2 began to post on his blog, at nowarwithoutwarriors.blogspot.com [3], that the band had begun to work on their seventh studio album. On December 2, Anti-Flag began to record their record, starting with "The Economy is Suffering... Let It Die".
On March 31, 2009, Anti-Flag announced that their next CD, The People or the Gun, would be released on SideOneDummy on June 9, 2009. The band recorded the album in a home studio they built themselves. On Anti-Flag.com, the first track of the album "Sodom, Gomorrah, and Washington DC (Sheep in Shepherd's Clothing)" can be listened to. On May 1, 2009, the band performed a full set of The Clash covers at Hoodwink in East Rutherford, New Jersey.[8]
In September 2009, Anti-Flag was slated to play a show during a G-20 protest that was taking place in their home town of Pittsburgh, but the promoter canceled the show due to severe parking restrictions and police presence in the immediate vicinity of the venue. However the band continued to personally take part in the protests.
In November 2009, Anti-Flag showed their support to the protesting students in Vienna. They gave a speech at the main building of the Vienna University that the students had taken over and also had one of the student representatives speak at their two shows in Vienna.
In January 2010, Anti-Flag completed a full US tour supported by Aiden and Cancer Bats with various bands filling another supporting slot and local bands opening as many of the shows as possible. The tour was sponsored by Amnesty International, Peta 2, Greenpeace and Innes Clothing (who supported a clothing drive for local homeless and youth shelters). The band followed the US tour, with an Australian tour, playing the Soundwave Festival dates in February 2010, with bands such as AFI, Paramore, Escape the Fate, A Day to Remember, HIM and more, as well as playing two headlining dates supported by Alexisonfire and Comeback Kid.
Throughout the summer of 2010, the band playing various festivals such as Ruisrock and Woodstock en Beauce, as well as playing the few last dates of the Vans Warped Tour in August. September 2010 saw the band headlining a Canadian tour with support from the Menzingers, which was followed by the European Vans Off the Wall Music Tour in October, with supporting acts The Swellers and Pulled Apart by Horses.
The band made their live comeback in March 2011, while headlining a South American tour with This Is a Standoff, and then supporting My Chemical Romance on two dates in the US in April. In May–June 2011, the band returned to Europe to play the Slam Dunk Festival dates, as well as supporting System of a Down on June 2 in Milan, Italy.
On June 21, 2011, frontman Justin Sane announced that Anti-Flag is working on material for a new album, which they hoped would be to released that fall, with working title of Magnum. Sane has also announced plans to record a new solo album in the coming future, as he's been working on some folk oriented solo material as well.[9]
The band released the album, The General Strike on March 20, 2012. The General Strike was recorded and Produced by Anti-Flag at their home studio. The band will be going on The General Strike Record Release Tour with The Flatliners and the Have Nots. They have released a lyric video for the song "1915" which is about Joe Hill.[10]
In June 2014 it was announced that Anti-Flag were to release a new album titled A Document Of Dissent: 1993-2013.[11] The album, a compilation of their releases from 1993-2013, would be released on Fat Wreck Chords, the band's first release with the label since The Terror State in 2003. The album was released on July 21, 2014.
On January 16, 2015, the band announced they would release their ninth studio album titled American Spring, via Spinefarm Records. The album was released on May 26, 2015.[12] Later in 2015 Anti-Flag released a compilation album called Cease Fires which contains two previously unreleased songs from their American Spring recording sessions and twelve songs taken from their 20 Years of Hell EP series. It was released on December 18, 2015.[13]
Anti-Flag explained their name on the artwork for their 1999 release, A New Kind of Army, saying "Anti-Flag does not mean Anti-American. Anti-Flag means anti-war. Anti-Flag means the common people of the world are better off living in unity and peace. Anti-Flag means to stand against corporate greed that hurts millions while benefiting a handful of extremely rich. Anti-Flag means to fight against mindless nationalism. Anti-Flag means unity."[14]
Anti-Flag's anti-capitalism stance drew criticism towards them when they signed to major label RCA Records. Due to their signing to RCA Records, Anti-Flag were called "sell-outs" and people claimed the band would lose their passion and voice. Anti-Flag defended themselves from the criticism by saying that signing to the record label was for bringing their message to more people. Anti-Flag didn't tone down any of their messages with their major label debut "For Blood and Empire".[14]
Chris No. 2 and Chris Head are in a band called White Wives. They have released the Situationists EP on February 15, 2011 and released Happeners on June 28, 2011. The band and name was based off the Provo (movement) and The White Plans.[15]
Wharf Rats, the new musical partnership between Chris No. 2 of Anti-Flag, Gallows frontman Wade MacNeil, The A.K.A.'s Chachi Darin and Minneapolis rapper P.O.S, was conceived on Warped Tour and recorded in the festival's traveling recording studio. Two songs emerged from those sessions -- "Oh No!" and "Capital Gains,". Both were pressed on a limited edition 7-inch single and released on May 31 via No Sleep Records.[16]
ANTIFest is Anti-Flag's own hosted festival. It took place on May 3, 2012 at The Forum at the University of Hertfordshire. The festival was the first self-established festival hosted by the band, who seek to maintain it as an annual event. On top of headlining the festival, the band personally chose all of the bands who appeared, some of which included other punk bands such as The Bouncing Souls, The Menzingers, Red City Radio, The Computers, and The Skints. The event also had volunteers from organizations including Amnesty International, PETA, and Emmaus providing information and a forum for debate and discussion.[17]
ANTIFest 2013 took place at Backstage Werk in Munich on July 14 with support from ZSK, Strike Anywhere, The Computers and Apologies, I Have None.[18]
Anti-Flag have been involved with activism throughout their musical career. This has included starting the activism groups The Underground Action Alliance,[19] Military Free Zone (a group to protest a clause in the No Child Left Behind Act, which gave military recruiters automatic access to students' personal details) and The Bright Lights.
They have been involved in performing at multiple protests, including two in support of Rage Against The Machine.
They performed outside the Republican National Convention in 2008.[20] They were supposed to be the last band to play, but when officials found out that Rage Against The Machine were going to perform after them, they shut down the stage's power and Rage Against The Machine performed two songs using megaphones.
Most recently, the band played an acoustic set at the Occupy Wall Street demonstration in New York City on October 8, 2011.[21]
They also regularly support political organizations which include:
The band also showed their disapproval of fracking in October 2013, supporting the Clean Water Mob.
The band's song "Die for Your Government" was sung by anti-war protesters who briefly blocked a road to prevent U.S. troops from deploying to Iraq in August 2010.[22][23][24][25] They have appeared in the 2010 music documentary Sounds Like A Revolution, about new protest music in America.
The "Gun Star" is the symbol for the band Anti-Flag, designed by Anti-Flag guitarist Chris Head. It was first used on the cover of the album Mobilize. It was later used on merchandise. It is made up of a number of broken M16 rifles in the form of a star shape. Also, they used the O & X superposed symbols on Die for the Government LP frequently.
Current members
Former members
Touring members
Anti-Flag has 4 upcoming shows:
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