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You are listening to ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News.
Amazon announced its entry into the smartphone market today. The phone is called Fire, and it made its entrance with the kind of hype-filled event that tech companies have become very good at producing. NPR's Martin Kaste was at the unveiling in Seattle and joins us. Hello, Martin.
MARTIN KASTE, BYLINE: Hi, Robert.
SIEGEL: So what's the hype about this time? Tell us about the Fire.
KASTE: Well, Robert, the big gimmick, I guess you might say, for this phone is the screen. There was a lot of tease marketing about this the last couple of weeks. Amazon put out some publicity sort of hinting at the fact that this would be a three-dimensional screen on the phone. And in fact, what this is is a screen - it looks like a normal smartphone until you start moving your head around. There are forward-facing cameras on the phone that track your - the movement of your eyes and your head. And it creates an illusion of movement for whatever it's displaying, so the perspective changed. It's kind of like those little 3D stickers used to get as kids that you'd move your head in the flag would wave. That kind of thing. And that's the gee whiz part of this.
But on the business side of things, what's grabbing people's attention is a function called Firefly. You press a button, and this phone will identify things in the material world around you. It'll identify a song and connect to where you can buy it. It'll identify the UPC code on your favorite peanut butter. It'll even recognize the scene of the television show you're watching, and maybe you might want to order that. So Firefly seems to be the real killer app from a marketing point of view.
SIEGEL: Sounds like it could drive you completely crazy with everything around you being identified by your Fire phone.
KASTE: (Laughing) I have to say, given that some of the demos they did in there, this is a great phone if you are really into following along the lyrics of the latest Justin Timberlake song. It'll do things like that. But I'm not sure if you want your phone identifying everything you handle in your world.
SIEGEL: Now the other big piece of the buzz here about the Fire phone from Amazon is that it makes it that much easier, I gather, to use your Amazon phone to buy stuff from Amazon.
KASTE: Yeah, that's really what I think this is all about. This is Amazon trying to figure out a way to one up Apple and its whole idea of having its closed ecosystem. Where you buy one Apple product, and you buy them all, and they all mesh together. Here, Amazon wants that, but not so much for devices. It wants that to happen for the retail world. It wants your phone to help sort of yoke together all your purchase considerations and shopping and put it all in through your phone, which has, of course, an Amazon connection. And all the sudden, everything you buy is about Amazon Prime and your subscription to Amazon services.
SIEGEL: But you mentioned Apple. Apple's been in the phone business - in the smartphone business for a while now. Apple, Samsung - this could be a very tough market for Amazon to compete in, no?
KASTE: Yeah, the landscape is littered with people who've spent billions trying to develop a smart phone and, you know, come up short. Some people still talk about the failed Facebook phone or Google's attempt to build their own phones. I think what Amazon's up to here is beyond devices. It really is about creating this ecosphere for retail, creating more devices in your life that connect you more tightly with Amazon's products and services.
SIEGEL: That's NPR's Martin Kaste speaking to us from Seattle about the introduction of Amazon's new smart phone. Martin, thank you.
KASTE: You're welcome, Robert.
Copyright © 2014 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.
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Dedicated to M4C Staff Member Chuck Petrie/Army Chief.
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The FBI added Joanne Chesimard, who was convicted in the 1973 murder of a New Jersey State Trooper, to its "Most Wanted Terrorist List." Chesimard, who fled to Cuba in 1984 after escaping from prison, is the first woman added to the list.
The FBI said in a release announcing a $2 million reward for information leading to her arrest:
"'Joanne Chesimard is a domestic terrorist who murdered a law enforcement officer execution-style,' said Aaron Ford, special agent in charge of our Newark Division. 'Today, on the anniversary of Trooper Werner Foerster's death, we want the public to know that we will not rest until this fugitive is brought to justice.'
"'This case is just as important today as it was when it happened 40 years ago,' added Mike Rinaldi, a lieutenant in the New Jersey State Police and member of our Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) in Newark. 'Bringing Joanne Chesimard back here to face justice is still a top priority,' he said."
As ABC News reports, supporters of Chesimard "believe she was a target of law enforcement's campaign against the Black Panther movement in the 1960s and 1970s."
The network adds:
"'I was convicted by—I don't even want to call it a trial, it was lynching, by an all-white jury,' Chesimard told BET in 2001. 'I had nothing but contempt for the system of justice under which I was tried.'
"The rapper Common told her story in 'A Song for Assata,' which caused a stir after Michelle Obama invited him to a White House poetry slam two years ago. The piece contains the lyrics 'Your power and pride is beautiful.'"
US News reports that the reward for Chesimard's capture has increased steadily since the original $150,000 was offered. They note that it is unclear "why the FBI is making the renewed effort to capture Chesimard."
Cuba and the United States have no extradition agreement, so Chesimard lives in Cuba freely.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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WASHINGTON – Armed men described as Russian troops took control of key airports in Crimea on Friday and Russian transport planes flew into the strategic region, Ukrainian officials said, an ominous sign of the Kremlin's iron hand in Ukraine. President Barack Obama bluntly warned Moscow "there will be costs" if it intervenes militarily.
The sudden arrival of men in military uniforms patrolling key strategic facilities prompted Ukraine to accuse Russia of a "military invasion and occupation" — a claim that brought an alarming new dimension to the crisis.
In a hastily arranged statement delivered from the White House, Obama called on Russia to respect the independence and territory of Ukraine and not try to take advantage of its neighbor, which is undergoing political upheaval.
"Any violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity would be deeply destabilizing," Obama said.
Such action by Russia would not serve the interests of the Ukrainian people, Russia or Europe, Obama said, and would represent a "profound interference" in matters he said must be decided by the Ukrainian people.
"Just days after the world came to Russia for the Olympic Games, that would invite the condemnation of nations around the world," Obama said. "The United States will stand with the international community in affirming that there will be costs for any military intervention in Ukraine."
He did not say what those costs might be.
Earlier Friday, Ukraine's fugitive president resurfaced in Russia to deliver a defiant condemnation of what he called a "bandit coup."
Appearing for the first time since fleeing Ukraine last week, Viktor Yanukovych struck a tone both of bluster and caution — vowing to "keep fighting for the future of Ukraine," while ruling out seeking Russian military help.
"Any military action in this situation is unacceptable," Yanukovych told reporters in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don, near the border with Ukraine. Then, seeking to make a firm point, he tried — and failed — to break a pen.
At the United Nations, the Ukrainian ambassador, Yuriy Sergeyev, said that 10 Russian transport aircraft and 11 attack helicopters had arrived in Crimea illegally, and that Russian troops had taken control of two airports in Crimea.
He described the gunmen posted outside the two airports as Russian armed forces as well as "unspecified" units.
"Some of them identified themselves as Russians. We know specifically some of the units," Sergeyev said. He also said the Russians had captured the main air traffic control center on Crimea.
Serhiy Astakhov, a spokesman for the Ukrainian border service, said eight Russian transport planes landed in the Crimea Peninsula with unknown cargo.
He told The Associated Press that the Il-76 planes arrived unexpectedly and were given permission to land, one after the other, at Gvardeiskoye air base, north of the regional capital, Simferopol. Astakhov said the people in the planes refused to identify themselves and waved off customs officials, saying they didn't require their services.
Russia kept silent on claims of military intervention, even as it maintained its hard-line stance on protecting ethnic Russians in Crimea, a territory that was once the crown jewel in Russian and then Soviet empires and has played a symbolic role in Russia's national identity.
Earlier Friday, AP journalists in Crimea spotted a convoy of nine Russian armored personnel carriers on a road between the port city of Sevastopol, where Russia has a naval base, and the regional capital, Simferopol. Later in the day, the airspace was closed over the peninsula, apparently due to tensions at the two airports.
Russian armored vehicles bearing the nation's tricolor rumbled across Crimea and men described as Russian troops took position at airports and a coast guard base.
Oleksandr Turchynov, who stepped in as president after Yanukovych fled Kiev last weekend, urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop "provocations" in Crimea and pull back military forces from the peninsula. Turchynov said the Ukrainian military would fulfill its duty but would not be drawn into provocations.
In Kiev, Ukraine's newly named interior minister accused Russia of military aggression.
"I can only describe this as a military invasion and occupation," Arsen Avakov wrote in a Facebook post.
In recent conversations between U.S. and Russian officials, including a lengthy telephone conversation between Obama and Putin just last week, Obama said the U.S. has made clear that Russia can be part of an international community's effort to support the stability and success of Ukraine.
But, he said Friday, "we are now deeply concerned by reports of military movements taken by the Russian Federation inside of Ukraine."
Earlier Friday, as pro-Russia gunmen patrolled Crimean streets in armored vehicles and took over airports there, Secretary of State John Kerry warned Moscow against military moves in Crimea that could further inflame tensions.
Kerry and White House spokesman Jay Carney both said any Russian military intervention would be a grave mistake and that the United States was watching closely. They did not spell out any consequences for an intervention.
U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power told reporters that the United States was proposing an urgent mediation mission to help resolve Ukraine's crisis.
The Russian armored personnel vehicles seen by AP reporters were parked on the side of the road near the town of Bakhchisarai, apparently because one of them had mechanical problems.
Russia is supposed to notify Ukraine of any troop movements outside the Black Sea Fleet naval base it maintains in Sevastopol under a lease agreement with Ukraine.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said the military vehicles were deployed to ensure the security of its base and didn't contradict the lease terms.
A duty officer at the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said it had no information about the vehicles' movements.
AP journalists approaching the Sevastopol airport found the road leading to it blocked by two military trucks and a handful of gunmen wearing camouflage uniforms and carrying assault rifles.
A car with Russian military plates was stopped at the roadblock. A man wearing a military uniform with a Russian flag on his sleeve got out of the car and was allowed to enter on foot after a brief discussion with the gunmen.
Meanwhile, Ukraine International Airlines said it had canceled flights to and from the Simferopol airport on Friday evening and Saturday because of the closure of the airspace over Crimea. The announcement did not say who had ordered the closure.
At the airport, dozens of armed men in military uniforms without markings patrolled the area. They didn't stop or search people leaving or entering the airport, and refused to talk to journalists.
One man who identified himself only as Vladimir said the men were part of the Crimean People's Brigade, which he described as a self-defense unit ensuring that no "radicals and fascists" arrive from other parts of Ukraine. There was no way to verify his account.
The airport deployments came a day after masked gunmen with rocket-propelled grenades and sniper rifles seized the parliament and government offices in Simferopol and raised the Russian flag. Ukrainian police cordoned off the area but didn't confront the gunmen. They remained in control of the buildings Friday.
In Kiev, the prosecutor-general's office said it would seek Yanukovych's extradition to Ukraine, where he is wanted on suspicion of mass murder in violent clashes last week between protesters and police that left more than 80 people dead.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's telecom provider, Ukrtelecom JSC, said unknown people seized several communications centers in the Crimea late Friday, knocking out the company's ability to connect the peninsula with the rest of the country. The statement on the company's website said there were almost no landline, Internet or mobile services operating in the Crimea.
Ukraine's population is divided in loyalties between Russia and the West, with much of western Ukraine advocating closer ties with the European Union while eastern and southern regions look to Russia for support.
Crimea, a southeastern peninsula of Ukraine that has semi-autonomous status, was seized by Russian forces in the 18th century under Catherine the Great. It became part of Ukraine in 1954 when Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev transferred jurisdiction from Russia, a move that was a mere formality until the 1991 Soviet collapse meant Crimea landed in an independent Ukraine.
That complicated history hangs over Ukraine's crisis.
"Crimea in the flashpoint everybody needs to be watching," said Steven Pifer, a former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine who is now an analyst at the Brookings Institution.
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Terra Australis by Emma Jean Jansen |
Today I am celebrating the release of an Australian collection inspired by Australian flora, fauna and landmarks by Australian designer Emma Jean Jansen on this 26th day of January ~ Australia Day. That seems appropriate.
Terra Australis - Harbour Bridge |
Terra Australis is Emma Jean first fabric collection for Ella Blue. With this collection Emma has injected color and vitality into iconic Australian images thereby creating bright and modern designs.
Terra Australis - Spinning Gum |
Terra Australis - Kangaroo |
Terra Australia by Emma Jean Jansen is available in Australia from:
and soon to arrive internationally (February 2014):
Let's celebrate Australia Day! I am giving away a Fat Eighths bundle of each of the fabrics pictured to one lucky RPQ reader.
The draw will take place at 6pm (Australia - EDT) on Monday 27 January 2014, at which time comments to this post will be closed. The winner will be announced the same day by edit to this blog post, and will also be contacted by email.
Terra Australis - Stripes and Bush Sticks |
Congratulations Emma on the release of your debut fabric collection. I look forward to seeing more of your work and designs in the near future.
Thank you for all of your entries!
The lucky winner of the Terra Australis bundle is:
Congratulations Kelly! Kelly has been contacted by email.


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Wisdom Teeth
What are wisdom teeth?
Third molars are commonly referred to as wisdom teeth. They are usually the last teeth to develop and are located in the back of your mouth, behind your second molars. Their development is usually completed between the middle teenage years and early twenties, a time traditionally associated with the onset of maturity and the attainment of wisdom.
Call Implant Surgical Care Phone Number 416-519-7888 to schedule your wisdom teeth consultation.
To read more about wisdom teeth view our informative pages below.


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Google Cloud Platform Big Data and Machine Learning Fundamentals
About the Course
This 2-week accelerated on-demand course introduces participants to the Big Data and Machine Learning capabilities of Google Cloud Platform (GCP). It provides a quick overview of the Google Cloud Platform and a deeper dive of the data processing capabilities.
At the end of this course, participants will be able to:
• Identify the purpose and value of the key Big Data and Machine Learning products in the Google Cloud Platform
• Use CloudSQL and Cloud Dataproc to migrate existing MySQL and Hadoop/Pig/Spark/Hive workloads to Google Cloud Platform
• Employ BigQuery and Cloud Datalab to carry out interactive data analysis
• Choose between Cloud SQL, BigTable and Datastore
• Train and use a neural network using TensorFlow
• Choose between different data processing products on the Google Cloud Platform Before enrolling in this course, participants should have roughly one (1) year of experience with one or more of the following:
• A common query language such as SQL
• Extract, transform, load activities
• Data modeling
• Machine learning and/or statistics
Programming in Python Google Account Notes:
• Google services are currently unavailable in China.


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Michael (Filimon) of Australia and New Zealand
His Grace Michael (Filimon), also Mihail (Filimon), vicar of the Archdiocese of Bucharest, is the ruling hierarch of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of Australia and New Zealand. Bp. Michael is the first bishop of the episcopate that was formed in 2008.
Maricel Michael Filimon was born on January 25, 1964 into the Orthodox family of John and Ileana Filimon in the County of Galati in Eastern Romania. After completing his basic education through high school, Maricel Michael entered the monastery of Cemica of the Archdiocese of Bucharest in October 1984. On January 7, 1986, Maricel Michael was tonsured and given the name Michael. During the summer of 1986, he transferred to the Monastery of Curtea de Arges. While at the monastery, Michael was ordained a deacon on April 18,1987 and the priest on September 11, 1988.
In 1987, Fr. Michael was accepted by the graduate theological institute in Sibiu, Transylvania, graduating in 1991. On November 8, 1991, Fr. Michael was elevated to protosyngelos. Also in the autumn 1991, Fr. Michael began doctoral studies under the guidance of Fr. Professor Ioan Ica. During this period, Fr. Michael also was appointed Professor of Old and New Testaments at the theological seminary in Pitesti. In February 1993, he was accepted for postgraduate studies at the Faculty of Philology of the Aristotle University of Thessalonica. Then, on June 9, 1993, he was accepted by the Faculty of Theology where he developed his thesis on "Orthodox Catholic Church's Catechetical Ministry in Romania in the Twentieth Century".
Fr. Michael was elevated to the dignity of archimandrite on January 22, 1995. On October 1, 1999, Fr. Michael was appointed lecturer at the Faculty of Theology of the University of Pitesti. Then, on April 23, 2003, Archimandrite Michael joined the monastic community of the Holy Ascension Monastery in Detroit, Michigan in the United States of America.
On July 8, 2003, Fr. Michael was elected as the new abbot of the monastery. His election was confirmed and blessed by Abp. Nathaniel (Popp) of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America on July 24, 2003. It was during the leadership of Abbot Michael that the monastery acquired property from the St. Andrew Center for Christian Studies in 2005 for the monastery brotherhood.
On January 1, 2008, Archim. Michael was called by Patriarch Daniel of Romania to return to Bucharest to be an Administrative Assistant to the Archdiocese of Bucharest. This was at the time the Romanian Orthodox Patriarchate established for the Romanian community of Australia an eparchy of the territory of Australia and New Zealand. The Eparchy of Australia and New Zealand was formally founded with the election on March 5, 2008 of Archimandrite Michael (Filimon) as the first ruling bishop.
Fr. Michael (Filimon) was consecrated during the Holy Liturgy celebrated by Abp. Niphon of Targoviste, Patriarchal exarch, with other hierarchs of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church, in the Patriarchal Cathedral of Bucharest on April 20, 2008. He was enthroned in Melbourne, Australia on June 29, 2008 during the Holy Liturgy in an enthronement ceremony celebrated by Bp. Laurentiu Streza, Metropolitan of Transylvania, the representative of Patriarch Daniel, assisted by Bp. Ambrozie of Giurgiu and other clergy of the Orthodox Churches of Australia and New Zealand.
Michael (Filimon) of Australia and New Zealand | ||
Preceded by: — |
Bishop of Australia and New Zealand (Romanian) 2008-Present |
Succeeded by: — |
- The Bishop of the Romanian Episcopate of Australia and New Zealand Has Been Enthroned in Melbourne
- Web cite of the Holy AscensionRomanian Orthodox Monastery
- Romanians create Eparchy
- Web cite of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of Australia and New Zealand In Romanian


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Strawberry, Cherry and Raspberry Jell-O with milk filling
I know Utah and many LDS members have a close relationship with Jell-O...highest per capita consumption in SLC and official snack food of Utah! However, I haven't picked up a box of the sugar/gelatin mixture in years. I think Jello was the first thing I remember "baking"! (Whew, I have an answer for the TWD Q&A when my turns comes round).
I made a 5-Layer Valentine's Jello using the three "red" jellos I could find: Strawberry, Cherry and Raspberry. Except I couldn't find my heart shaped cookie cutter! Oh well, you get the idea! :)
This recipe is for a 7-Layer Finger Jello and you can adjust accordingly.
7 Layer Finger Jello
4 pkg. 3 oz Jello (lemon, orange, lime, strawberry)
4 pkg. Knox unflavored gelatin
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1. Mix 1 pkg flavored jello with 1/2 pkg of unflavored gelatin. Add 1 cup boiling water. Stir to dissolve. Cool to room temp and pour into 9 x 13 glass pan. Refrigerate for 15 minutes (and make sure your refrig is level!)
2. Mix 1 can sweetened condensed milk with 1 cup boiling water. In a small bowl, sprinkle 2 pkg unflavored gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water. Let stand a few minutes and then add 1/2 c boiling water to dissolve gelatin; add to milk mixture and stir to combine. Cool to room temp and pour 1 cup of milk mixture over first layer of jello. Refrig for 15 minutes.
3. Repeat for next three flavors. Let jello set. Cut and serve!


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MikroTik is happy to announce MikroTik User Meeting in Zurich, Switzerland, July 24, 2015
MikroTik Router operating system and software offer a new and exciting alternative to traditional brand name router solutions. This will be a meeting that will present strategies for deploying new and innovative MikroTik RouterOS and RouterBoard hardware applications.
Note: Each participant must arrive at the event personally to claim the items included in the ticket price.
MUM conference will take place on July 24, 2015
Official language German
Information on where MUM takes place is in the Venue section
There is wireless Internet access available, it's free of charge.
See agenda please
Please, note that organizers cannot provide any type of insurance for participants. Participants of the Symposium are recommended to arrange individual insurance.
Symposium participants are kindly suggested to contact the appropriate embassy in their countries to check whether an entry visa is required
If other kind of Visa is required, please contact a local travel agent to organize the trip. Mikrotik will not provide any assistance or invitations for obtaining a visa
Admission to meeting sessions and other events will be permitted only to those wearing the official meeting badge (name tag) that will be generated at online registration. Print the badge before your travel, and bring it with you when arriving at Check-In
We reserve the right to refuse registration and admission to any person without assigning any reason
Only people who actually attend the MUM presentations are qualified for Free licenses and T-shirts, if offered. Availability is limited, first come/first serve.
You are able to reserve an exhibitor table space to present your MikroTik related products at the MUM. You will be provided with a table, with two chairs and one power strip. If you don't want to use the table, you can build your stand not bigger than the area occupied by the table and chairs. Contact sales[at]mikrotik.com for more info
Focus of the user meeting is a comprehensive range of talks about using MikroTik products in various environments and applications. Furthermore, space will be provided for resellers and consultants to put up their own stand or host a discussion table.
MikroTik is the organizer of these events, providing the users with an opportunity to get together and learn more from each other.
Following the success of prior MUMs, we cordially invite proposals of presentations to the MUM. Presentations are welcome from users of MikroTik software and hardware who wish to share their knowledge and experience of using MikroTik products for various networking needs.
We are looking for contributions about the following topics.
Registration and submission of contributions is via e-mail to support[at]mikrotik.com. For participating in the Call for Papers, you will have to submit a short abstract, as well as a detailed description. To have the presentation at the MUM and qualify for the bonus from MikroTik, you will also need to submit slides for your talk to be put on the wiki page.
The abstract should summarize the planned content of the talk in a precise and succinct way. We do not place a limit on its length. Please include full name(s) and a short description about the presenter(s).
The talks should take no more than 60 minutes, in order to allow some time for questions and for preparing the stage for the following speaker. Shorter presentations are possible, please let us know approximate time you would require, you can specify this when registering for the MUM
We can accept longer contributions in special cases; we ask for a justification for the longer extent in this case.
We will publish presentation slides only in PDF format and therefore ask you to refrain from using animations.
Contributions are selected based on their content by a program committee. Please understand that we cannot accept all contributions, depending on the number and quality of the submissions.
Your presentations, technology demos, reseller booths, and other proposals are as always welcome (contact firstname.lastname@example.com)
In case you have paid to MikroTik for your participation at the MUM and you need to cancel it, a written notice should be sent in by e-mail to email@example.com at least one month prior the MUM. Refund for MUM participation fee can be made in the form of credit for RouterOS license purchases. There is no refund for MUM participation fee paid if cancellation is received less than one month before the MUM.


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Other Press Tour Interviews
Several other sites had the opportunity to ask a few things that we didn't have time to ask. Thanks to WoWInsider, Blizzplanet, AusGamers, Wowhead, Gameplanet and Buffed.
- Humans and Orcs are next on the list after dwarves for character model updates.
- The Pandaren may also have a dragon turtle mount that will look different from the one obtained through fishing.
- The DotA style battleground that got cut is still something that they would like to do, but it needs some new tech that isn't developed yet.
- Tri-spec is off the table for the foreseeable future.
- There are now eight core buffs, so the UI will show you the number out of eight that you have (6/8).
- A new character customization screen is in the works, with a visual list of what the different customizations look like. The screen also has a small video of what the class looks like in action, similar to Diablo III.
- Pet battles with World of Warcraft Remote are something that is on the list of things that would be nice to do someday.
- The giant statue in Jade Forest will be destroyed when the Alliance and Horde battle, bringing consequences for the entire continent.
- The Molten Front daily quests were tuned to take too long.
- If titles become account wide, you will be able to use it at the level you could have earned it at.
- Mounts are on the list of things to be made account wide, either at launch or a patch soon after.
- It still isn't clear if the final version of MoP will raise the guild level cap or not. However, the guild experience caps will be removed.
- Green level difficulty and harder quests may give a flat amount of guild experience in order to allow lower level players to contribute to guild leveling.
- World PvP may be encouraged by rewards such as raising the Conquest Points cap when .
- Before Wrath of the Lich King came out, less than one percent of the playerbase actually experienced Sunwell.
Dungeons and Raids
- There is a possibility of another troll dungeon, as some trolls live on an island off the coast of Pandaria.
- Blizzard would have liked to do a 15 man raid size if they were starting from scratch today. However, for now they are sticking with both 10 and 25 man.
- Raid tiers should last roughly four months, with content updates also coming between the larger raid updates. This could mean we would see a patch every two months or so.
- Anger is the Sha world boss in Kun-Lai Summit, appearing every few hours or so.
- Fear is a Sha boss in the Dread Wastes, possessing the Mantid Queen and causing havoc.
- Each world boss will have a unique mount in their loot table.
- Blizzard will be revisiting the shared 10 and 25 man lockout to make sure it is still the right thing.
- If you win a roll in LFR and the boss has no item for you, you will get gold instead.
- The new LFR loot system will grant a bonus roll when you have an item purchased from one of the Pandaren factions. These tokens can also be used to purchase the normal epic gear that is usually associated with factions. This extra roll works in all three difficulty levels.
- Monks will have autoattack, as gameplay just didn't feel right without it.
- Visible librams and quivers may not make it in time for Mists of Pandaria.
- Shaman Level 90 talents were in game! One improves Unleash Elements to provide a better bonus for each imbue type. The second removes the cooldown on your Fire and Earth Elemental Totems and allows you to control them. The third is a blast of elemental energy in a cone on a 15 sec cooldown.
- Warlock
- Minor glyph that gives Eye of Kilrogg the ability to place your Demonic Circle at the cost of stealth.
- Minor glyph that gives felguard with a random two-handed sword, two-handed axe, or polearm when you summon him.
- Druid
- A new minor glyph that allow druids to have a random coloring in cat and bear form has been added.
- A new minor glyph that allow druids to stay in tree form has been added.
- A new minor glyph that changes a druid's aquatic form into a Orca has been added.
- A new minor glyph that changes a druid's travel form into a white stag has been added. Other players can ride you while in this form.
- A new minor glyph that changes a druid's moonkin form into a moonkin spirit has been added.
- Lorewalkers might be worked in to Archaeology somehow, perhaps granting skill ups in some way.
- There are now multiple different cooking specializations; steaming, frying, broiling. Each is related to one of the primary stats, like Agility. When you level one of the specializations to 600, you are able to make all of the feasts.
- Inscription may get something new, like a staff that you upgrade as you level inscription. This will combat the fatigue that comes from creating hundreds of glyphs to level.
- Archaeology may get random creature spawns from digging that will drop more fragments when killed. It also may get a rare drop that will transport you to the next dig site.
Lore Figures
- Vol'jin will make an appearance at some point during the expansion.
- Blizzard has talked about turning Jaina's hair all white because of the shock, and her becoming this very violent and dangerous mage.
- Garrosh has become corrupted and has been doing some really nasty things beneath Orgrimmar.
- There may be a Labours of Hercules style quest chain that you do for Varian to show you more of the story and let you get to know him better.
A Night in Mists of Pandaria
Blue Posts
Originally Posted by Blizzard Entertainment
Mists of Pandaria Website Updated
Benvenuti su Azeroth: Italian Community Site Launches!
Mists of Pandaria Screenshots of the Day
The Screenshots of the Day section of the official site has been updated with new Mists of Pandaria screenshots.


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President Obama and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki met at the White House on Monday and pledged to maintain strong ties after the U.S. withdraws the last of its troops, but nagging concerns remain about Iraq's security and neighboring Iran.
In 2007, at the height of U.S. involvement, there were some 170,000 American troops fighting in Iraq. As part of his presidential campaign, Obama pledged to bring every last soldier home. It took a bit longer than he promised, but as he stood next to Maliki after their meeting Monday, the president was upbeat and optimistic about Iraq's future.
"We're here to mark the end of this war, to honor the sacrifices of all those who made this day possible, and to turn the page, begin a new chapter in the history between our two countries — a normal relationship between sovereign nations, an equal partnership based on mutual interests and mutual respect," Obama said.
Need For U.S. Help And The Iran Issue
In the past, the president referred to the conflict in Iraq as a "dumb war." On Monday, he sidestepped the question whether he still felt that way, saying history will judge the original decision to invade the country. Obama said the U.S. wants to build a more comprehensive relationship with Iraq, expanding trade and energy ties, among many other things.
Speaking through a translator, Maliki said Iraq will continue to need help from the U.S.
"[Iraq] remains in need of cooperation with the United States of America in the security issues and information and combating terrorism and in the area of training. And we want to complete the process of equipping the Iraqi army in order to protect our sovereignty," the prime minister said.
The U.S. will close all of its military bases in Iraq this month, but leave an enormous diplomatic presence of more than 15,000 people, which includes about 5,000 contractors, mostly for security.
Washington had tried to leave several thousand soldiers behind but decided to pull them all out after Maliki's government refused to grant them legal immunity. NATO announced Monday that it was withdrawing its troops by the end of the year, for the same reason.
Maliki says Iraq's security forces can handle internal threats. But it is regional security that is causing the most concern. More specifically, neighboring Iran may try to assert greater influence on Iraq in the wake of the American withdrawal.
President Obama said Monday that Maliki has shown that he will put Iraq's interests ahead of anything else.
"[Maliki] has shown himself to be willing to make very tough decisions in the interest of Iraqi nationalism, even if they cause problems with his neighbor," the president said.
Shaping A New Relationship
Still, as the clock ticks down on the U.S. withdrawal, talks are ongoing about how the two countries can continue security cooperation, without appearing to upset Iraq's sovereignty.
Michael O'Hanlon, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, says it's not clear how that new security relationship will look.
"We're going to have to figure out what kind of ongoing training presence they might want, because we might not be yet be able to provide them as much as they need; we're going to have to figure out with them if they want us to provide any over-the-horizon air power cover and what that might imply in terms of liaison officers on the ground," O'Hanlon says.
There has been talk of training Iraqi soldiers outside the country.
Obama said the U.S. would train Iraqi pilots to fly F-16 fighter jets that Baghdad purchased earlier this year, and he said there may be occasion for joint exercises and counterterrorism operations. And that, the president said, is no different from Washington's relationship with many other countries.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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It's 4.02 a.m. and there's still another two hours of blissful sleep before the Monday morning routine begins. You begin to drift back to sleep, only to be jolted awake, yet again, by the sound of fire trucks heading to a false alarm.
You just moved into your fantastic, new condo and love your newly chosen lifestyle. The urban location provides excitement and stimulation and energizes you as you now actually walk everywhere. But, at 4:02 a.m., your stress level is off the charts. You are wondering why you didn't do your homework before choosing your dream condo.
Given that most condos are located in urban settings, buyers should not be surprised if there is no down time from noise pollution. Actually, it's sound pollution — the noise part is quite subjective on the part of the listener. But no matter, a condo located in the urban core, for example, will be bombarded by sound 24 hours a day. And given that many new condo dwellers have relocated from single-family homes on large lots in relatively quiet suburbs, they are more likely to view this as noise than are longtime core dwellers. At least until they get used to it.
These new urban dwellers are expecting a quality building that offers "quiet enjoyment", a term we hear a lot when the noise pollution is off the charts. Noise issues are the No. 1 complaint of Canadian condo owners. If sound is bombarding your condo around the clock, you have to rely on your building's location, design and construction to protect you from noise.
Location still key
Regardless of where you are positioned in a building — low, high, front or back — there will always be many factors to consider before signing on the dotted line. The first is still location.
With so many fantastic new developments to choose from, the best way to start is to walk through the neighbourhood both during the day and at night to get a sense of the decibel quotient of the area. Remember, you will have to live with the noise with only your building (and maybe a set of earplugs) to protect you. See if the street traffic changes from day to night. It's a good sign if it's quieter at night since that is when you will likely want to sleep. Does the commercial ambience change at night? Some areas get extremely noisy during the late hours as patrons spill from restaurants and music blares from late-night clubs; others are quiet. Late-night crowds, early morning deliveries or garbage collection and sirens from emergency vehicles all interfere with "quiet enjoyment".
Once you have decided that the area sounds are acceptable, you need to think ahead. This is especially true if the development is the first of possibly many in a hot new area of town. If that's the case, you can anticipate several years of construction noise, added traffic and personal aggravation from the inconvenience.
Inside out
The next consideration is the location of your condo in the building. While it's the job of the building to protect you from ambient noise, the building also generates its own noise. Elevators, trash chutes, party rooms, spas and fitness rooms, swimming pools, parking areas and outdoor common areas such as tennis courts, parkland and terraced gardens are all sources of noise. The location of your unit in the complex goes a long way toward minimizing the extent to which they will affect you.
Try to stay away from elevators and trash chutes. Although gardens are beautiful and tranquil, will this be where people congregate late or early and would that noise cramp your lifestyle? Lighted tennis courts are a bad sign, suggesting late-night games. Try to find units that face away from such areas. If you are buying a condo from building plans, remember that those plans may be subject to last-minute design changes. Consider including a condition in your contract that your condo will not be located adjacent to such potential sources of noise or you may find yourself in an acoustical bind.
Making waves
Sound waves travel outward in all directions in straight lines. They continue until they are deflected or blocked by something. Ideally, that something is your building, not your eardrums. Internal noises are also created by day-to-day living activities within the condo units. These noises tend to escape through entry doors, entering the corridors. Doors facing each other across a hall invite noise transmission; staggered interior door placement attenuates this kind of problem.
John Bassi, president of Bassi Construction, a luxury home and condo builder, says noise is always a concern.
"A sound attenuation engineer is hired to manage sound transmission," Bassi says. "He ensures that the proper materials are used to minimize noise such as underpads for flooring, wall and ceiling coverings, door construction, window quality and many other considerations." According to Bassi, when this has all been taken into consideration, noise is truly not an issue.
But while most developers are cognizant of noise pollution, don't assume that your specific needs are going to be met in every building. An educated buyer will do his or her best to ensure that the condo being considered has been constructed with due care and consideration. When choosing the finishes for your new condo, you may want to enlist the services of an interior designer who has experience with condos. Floor coverings, window treatments, plant placement and furniture style can all be useful in fine tuning your noise attenuation.
Penthouse please
The floor on which your unit is located will also affect the noise equation. In general, higher units are quieter. But there are exceptions. The location of party rooms, traffic humming across an adjacent bridge and aircraft flight patterns may all have the opposite effect. Wind noise also tends to be greater on higher levels. If outdoor living is important to you, assess the noise on the terrace. You may be able to reduce these sources of noise with internal water features, glass windbreaks and carefully placed large plants.
Finally, you will want to determine the "noise reputation" of the building. Who lives there? What pets are allowed? Are there lots of children in the building? Are many units investor-owned with a high turnover of unpredictable tenants? This works two ways: You don't want to be out of sync — the resident noise polluter in an extremely quiet building, nor do you want to be the noise complainer in a more dynamic development.
Whatever condo developments you are considering, put your condo sense to work and you will be poised for noise.
Marilyn Wilson has been selling real estate for more than 23 years and owns Marilyn Wilson Dream Properties Inc. Brokerage, an Exclusive Affiliate of Christie's International Real Estate. She can be reached through dreamproperties.com.
© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen


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Can you really be afraid of a storm with the same name as a cartoon fish with a bum fin?
Variations of that joke are all over social media, even as the storm called Nemo is dumping rain and snow throughout the Northeastern U.S. Albert Brooks, the voice of one clownfish in the movie Finding Nemo, quipped on Twitter: "They have named this new Nor'easter Nemo. I am not looking for it."
The Weather Channel has taken to naming winter storms, echoing the National Hurricane Center's longstanding tradition of naming hurricanes. So far, they've used names such as Draco and Gandolf, with Rocky and Yogi in the queue.
The names are catching on and "working well," Bryan Norcross, a Weather Channel meteorologist, told The New York Times. "We expected that some people would pick it up because there's a commonsense aspect to this."
Not everyone likes the new practice. Some meteorologists complain it's just a marketing gimmick that The Weather Channel is using to promote its coverage -- akin to the way some other cable channels repeatedly banner incremental stories as "breaking news."
"It's just media hype," says Wendy Ryan, a research associate with the climate center at Colorado State University. "To name every big snowstorm or rain storm would probably in the end become distracting."
And it's not just about trying to christen individual storms. One contemporary weather pattern holds that just about every big storm seems to generates its own made-up terminology - "Frankenstorm," say, or "thundersnow" and "snowpocalypse."
"There's no real meteorological term called 'superstorm,' " says Alan Blumberg, who directs the Center for Maritime Systems at the Stevens Institute of Technology, after last November's coverage of the Sandy system. "It's a media invention."
There's no question that the media love a good shorthand. It's much simpler to refer to the "fiscal cliff" than trying to describe a package of automatic spending cuts and tax increases, to use a widespread recent, non-meteorological example.
Or as the National Hurricane Center notes in an explanation for why it gives names to hurricanes: "Experience shows that the use of short, distinctive names in written as well as spoken communications is quicker and less subject to error than the older, more cumbersome latitude-longitude identification methods."
Ryan, the Colorado scientist, says it's easier to remember names such as Nemo or Irene than referring back to "the blizzard of '93."
It's not just mainstream media anointing the weather. Social media also plays a big role, says meteorologist Michael Armstrong of KWTV, the CBS affiliate in Oklahoma City. "If one name like Frankenstorm gets tweeted, all of a sudden it takes on a life of its own," he says.
It's human nature to try to identify a storm in a way that differentiates it from other storms, according to Jeff Evans, warning coordinating meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Tallahassee, Fla.
The danger comes in overdoing it. If too many storms rise to the level of naming and increased media attention, people might tune out when some really dangerous weather is on the horizon.
"We are sensitive to the cry wolf syndrome," Evans says. "You want people to know what to plan for, if it's the worst-case scenario, but if you push too much of that information out, you lose your message."
The whole point of media weather forecasting, however, is to let people know what's going to happen -- or, rather, could happen -- so that they can plan accordingly.
If they prepare for the worst and the worst doesn't happen, they can count their blessings and move on, Evans says. Even though people do tend to become irate if it runs out that schools and roads are shut down needlessly.
"It's a marketing thing they're trying to do," Henry Reges, national coordinator of the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow network, says of The Weather Channel's granting itself storm naming rights.
"But I guess if we can save a couple of lives by naming a storm and bringing it to people's attention, maybe that's a good thing," he says.
Copyright 2013 NPR. To see more, visit www.npr.org.


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As published in Kosher Today, the leading kosher focused newsletter, Promar International, a marketing consulting agency, reports that the kosher category is predicted to be among the top "largest value/volume growth" categories in this decade. Many consumers consider kosher products as healthier as and safer than their non-kosher counterparts."
Who is the kosher buyer?
This group includes vegetarians, Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, lactose intolerant persons and more. It has been reported that the kosher buyer is getting younger and hipper, and the market broader. For many it is "cool" and trendy to buy kosher products. Kosher eaters prepare more meals at home than the general consumer population.
What is the kosher consumer seeking?
Kosher eaters are similar in their needs to most American consumers. The kosher consumer is seeking gourmet, delicious and healthy products that "happen" to be kosher certified. The "Kosher is better" buyers, those consumers who have become concerned with ingredient awareness, purchase kosher products because they perceive an extra step of cleanliness, purity and ingredient transparency. Kosher food enables them to raise their "eating consciousness".
Many consider the kosher mark to be an extra assurance of clarity in labeling. For example, it is well known that kosher meat undergoes extra inspection and is, in fact, rushed to market. Kosher greens are checked carefully for insect infestation. Also, products marked non-dairy that are kosher certified are carefully scrutinized
Kosher Growth and expansion in retail
Due to the growing trends in kosher, many supermarkets and warehouse clubs are actively seeking kosher certified products and expanding their kosher offerings. See www.koshertoday.com November 16, 2009 report. Some retailers, such as Trader Joe's, have published in-store kosher directories. Products in almost ALL food categories are now available with kosher certification. Several cruise ship lines have chosen to provide kosher options – as have several leading hotel chains, airlines and sports arenas.
"Look for the kosher label"
The conclusion: When making product selection and allotting shelf space, supermarkets, food warehouse stores and food distributors are becoming more aware of the added value of selecting the kosher certified product, due to the type of shopper that it helps attract. Along with price, quality, and promotional considerations, kosher certification is becoming an important consideration when choosing like products for shelf space. When two products are basically equal, the wise-buy choice for the buyer is the product with the kosher certification symbol. This symbol insures the add-on sale; although the symbol is barely visible, it is a magnet to the kosher shopper.
Supermarkets, discounters, markets and food warehouses are realizing that by attracting the kosher shopper – they are attracting a shopper who spends more on food, shops more often and is often more affluent. The kosher shopper, although still price conscious, is similar to the "specialty" food shopper, often willing to spend a little extra on an item. This shopper is seeking a one-stop shop – stocked with a wide array of kosher certified product, and gourmet items. This shopper joins warehouses and discounters sensitive to their needs; and supports specialty, organic and healthy grocers that offer hard to find items and gourmet ingredients.
Our Consulting Rabbinical Advisor
KosherEye is grateful to our consulting rabbinical advisor, Rabbi Reuvein Stein, for his continuing advice and guidance. Rabbi Stein is Director of Supervision of the Atlanta Kashruth Commission (AKC), widely known as the "peach k' kosher certification symbol. For more information: www.kosheratlanta.org.
©11/09 KosherEye
Printable list of some widely accepted kosher symbols
Some helpful links to kosher lists and agencies


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By Erika Schlager
CSCE Counsel on International Law
On September 23, 2004, the United States Helsinki Commission held a briefing on "The Roma in Russia." Panelists included Dimitrina Petrova, Executive Director, European Roma Rights Center; Alexander Torokhov, Director, Roma Ural; and Leonid Raihman, a consultant for the Open Society Institute specializing in minority issues in the former Soviet Union.
Elizabeth Pryor, Senior Advisor to the Helsinki Commission, moderated the briefing. She noted the Commission's long engagement regarding the human rights problems faced by Roma as well as the overall human rights situation in Russia. Highlighting the need to examine the particular situation of Roma in Russia, she observed that since Roma "constitute a relatively small part of the Russian population, their plight is often overlooked."
Dr. Petrova noted that, for the 2002 Russian census, approximately 182,000 individuals identified themselves as Romani. Unofficial estimates, however, suggest that the number of Roma in Russia is much higher; a figure often cited is 1.2 million. She argued that the fate of Roma in Russia is emblematic of the racism, xenophobia, and discrimination faced by other ethnic minorities in Russia, particularly Jews and people from the Caucasus region.
In a comprehensive statement, Dr. Petrova outlined nine key areas of concern: historical and social discrimination against Roma; the legal and institutional context of anti-discrimination legislation; the current political and ideological climate in Russia; the abuse of Roma rights by state actors (primarily the police); the abuse of Roma rights by non-state actors; discrimination in the criminal justice system; the portrayal of Roma in the Russian media; the lack of personal documents; and access to housing and education.
The main focus of Dr. Petrova's statement concerned abuse by both state and non-state actors. The main impetus of anti-Roma abuse in Russia is related directly to the ideological "war on drugs." People of Roma descent are targeted through racial profiling and various media outlets as illegal drug dealers and are subject to frequent police raids. The "war on drugs" has also become an excuse for police brutality and racial targeting in which police plant drugs on the Roma or in their homes and then arrest them for the possession of illegal substances.
Dr. Petrova ended her statement with a call for the United States Government "to play a leadership role and use its economic and political weight to help improve the position of Roma in Russia and address the human rights problems of Roma in Russia as a matter of urgency and as a primary concern in combating racial discrimination." She asked human rights monitoring agencies both in the United States and in Europe to prioritize Roma rights in Russia and to draw the Russian Government's attention to Roma issues that are currently not being addressed.
Dr. Torkohov, representing the Ekaterinburg-based Roma Ural, presented his organization's efforts to monitor media coverage of Roma, examine factors contributing to lower levels of education among Roma, and assist Romani Holocaust survivors obtain compensation through existing programs.
Torkohov offered a number of recommendations to improve the current situation. With respect to education, he suggested creating preschool programs for Roma children to improve literacy, working with both children and parents to understand the value of education, and facilitating cooperation between parents and schools. Given the pronounced bigotry against Roma that characterizes portrayals of Roma in the broadcast and print media, he also suggested training journalists to improve their professional skills.
Leonid Raihman focused on ill treatment of Roma by the police, access to justice, and problems associated with the lack of personal documents, including passports. Endemic corruption among the poorly paid and poorly trained police in Russia has fostered an environment in which Roma are the routine victims of extortion by the police. This extortion, in turn, contributes to the economic marginalization of Roma.
Raihman also described the serious and complex problem of personal documents for the Roma. He said the absence of personal documents, as well as the rigid nature of the personal documents system in Russia, represents an aspect of the problem. However, he felt that ethnicity was the primary reason for problems in obtaining a passport. "Administration officials," he stated, "especially in housing and immigration departments abuse the discretionary decision-making power accorded to them by the passport system to discriminate against Roma and members of the vulnerable groups."
Mr. Raihman urged the U.S. Government to use its power "to persuade the Russian Government to place the human rights problems which the Roma face high on their agenda." He stated that it is time for the Russian Government, as well as the rest of the world, to acknowledge and deal with the problems faced by the Roma in Russia.
The United States Helsinki Commission, an independent federal agency, by law monitors and encourages progress in implementing provisions of the Helsinki Accords. The Commission, created in 1976, is composed of nine Senators, nine Representatives and one official each from the Departments of State, Defense, and Commerce.
United States Helsinki Commission Intern Judy Abel contributed to this article.


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Operational playground inspections are necessary for play areas , to ensure the safety and stability of the equipment. This involves a detailed view of the apparatus which can take place every one to three months, to check for any parts which could be a potential harm to the children. When carrying out the inspection, the specialist will look for; cleanliness, sharp edges, missing parts and much more, to protect the kids from danger. If there is a time when the facility ever appears to be faulty, you should always have an inspector take a look at the problem to guarantee that everything is in a safe condition.
As experts we perform this process to a high standard and have years of experience dealing with different play area equipment, so you will be sure to be in safe hands working with us. Fill out the enquiry form provided and a member of our team will get back in touch shortly with further information and detail regarding the operational playground inspection.
Register of Play Inspector International (RPII) is an individual who is fully qualified and experienced to carry out the inspection process for a playground . The assessor will have taken both a written and practical examination to ensure that they have all the necessary skills to perform the playground inspection correctly. It is important that an experienced individual completes the test as others may not understand how the playground equipment should be performing and the right actions to take.
It is always crucial that you have a RPII carry out the operational inspection for you, as this will determine how safe the facility closest to you is for kids playing. You do not want the children to face serious harm at any time when playing on the equipment, which is why you need to look at every aspect of the surrounding areas. If the apparatus is not clean, has missing parts or sharp edges, the kids can face a risk of injury. To reduce these chances an experts will take an operational playground inspection every 1 to 3 months. Just let us know if you are interested in what we have to offer and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
It is important that you always look at the experience and case studies of a nearby playground inspection business. This is to see whether they are a trusted, recognised company that will get the best results for your play area. Many companies closest to you claim to be professionals, but will not always pick up on all the aspects that need to be looked at. This could lead to your time and money being wasted as well as potential risk for the kids. As a fully qualified, accomplished local team, we only perform the highest quality testing to find the results that you will be happy with. If you would like to find out more about what we have done for playgrounds and how we carry out the process, speak to us today. We are happy to show you our case studies for play area inspections and talk you through the details that are involved. Simply fill in the contact form provided and an expert will be in touch shortly.
Register of play inspectors international (RPII) have a very important job of protecting the safety and wellbeing for each individual using the play area equipment. There are many ways in which the inspectors carry out their role including; annual, operational and routine inspections that can be done outdoor as well as indoor. Each role has a different importance for the quality of the inspections and are used to look at different aspects of the facility near me. The operational inspection looks at the play area in the most detail and complete a quality control check which is done by the site manager. If you would like to find out more detail regarding the register of play inspectors international, we are able to provide you with the information you require.
If you are interested in having an operational playground inspection take place you can speak to us today. As a team of fully qualified experts, we understand the best ways to perform the job to get suitable outcomes for the situation. Simply fill in the enquiry form provided to ask any questions you have or to receive more information and details. Our team will be back in touch shortly to talk you through the process.


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The posterior cruciate ligament is located in the back of the knee. It is one of several ligaments that connect the femur (thighbone) to the tibia (shinbone). The posterior cruciate ligament keeps the tibia from moving backwards too far.
An injury to the posterior cruciate ligament requires a powerful force. A common cause of injury is a bent knee hitting a dashboard in a car accident or a football player falling on a knee that is bent.
Two bones meet to form your knee joint: your thighbone (femur) and shinbone (tibia). Your kneecap sits in front of the joint to provide some protection.
Bones are connected to other bones by ligaments. There are four primary ligaments in your knee. They act like strong ropes to hold the bones together and keep your knee stable.
Collateral ligaments. These are found on the sides of your knee. The medial collateral ligament is on the inside and the lateral collateral ligament is on the outside. They control the sideways motion of your knee and brace it against unusual movement.
Cruciate ligaments. These are found inside your knee joint. They cross each other to form an "X" with the anterior cruciate ligament in front and the posterior cruciate ligament in back. The cruciate ligaments control the back and forth motion of your knee.
The posterior cruciate ligament keeps the shinbone from moving backwards too far. It is stronger than the anterior cruciate ligament and is injured less often. The posterior cruciate ligament has two parts that blend into one structure that is about the size of a person's little finger.
Injuries to the posterior cruciate ligament are not as common as other knee ligament injuries. In fact, they are often subtle and more difficult to evaluate than other ligament injuries in the knee.
Many times a posterior cruciate ligament injury occurs along with injuries to other structures in the knee such as cartilage, other ligaments, and bone.
Injured ligaments are considered "sprains" and are graded on a severity scale.
Grade 1 Sprains. The ligament is mildly damaged in a Grade 1 Sprain. It has been slightly stretched, but is still able to help keep the knee joint stable.
Grade 2 Sprains. A Grade 2 Sprain stretches the ligament to the point where it becomes loose. This is often referred to as a partial tear of the ligament.
Grade 3 Sprains. This type of sprain is most commonly referred to as a complete tear of the ligament. The ligament has been split into two pieces, and the knee joint is unstable.
Posterior cruciate ligament tears tend to be partial tears with the potential to heal on their own. People who have injured just their posterior cruciate ligaments are usually able to return to sports without knee stability problems.
An injury to the posterior cruciate ligament can happen many ways. It typically requires a powerful force.
The typical symptoms of a posterior cruciate ligament injury are:
During your first visit, your doctor will talk to you about your symptoms and medical history.
During the physical examination, your doctor will check all the structures of your injured knee, and compare them to your non-injured knee. Your injured knee may appear to sag backwards when bent. It might slide backwards too far, particularly when it is bent beyond a 90° angle. Other tests which may help your doctor confirm your diagnosis include X-rays and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). It is possible, however, for these pictures to appear normal, especially if the injury occurred more than 3 months before the tests.
X-rays. Although they will not show any injury to your posterior cruciate ligament, X-rays can show whether the ligament tore off a piece of bone when it was injured. This is called an avulsion fracture.
MRI. This study creates better images of soft tissues like the posterior cruciate ligament.
Nonsurgical Treatment
If you have injured just your posterior cruciate ligament, your injury may heal quite well without surgery Your doctor may recommend simple, nonsurgical options.
RICE. When you are first injured, the RICE method - rest, ice, gentle compression and elevation - can help speed your recovery.
Immobilization. Your doctor may recommend a brace to prevent your knee from moving. To further protect your knee, you may be given crutches to keep you from putting weight on your leg.
Physical therapy. As the swelling goes down, a careful rehabilitation program is started. Specific exercises will restore function to your knee and strengthen the leg muscles that support it. Strengthening the muscles in the front of your thigh (quadriceps) has been shown to be a key factor in a successful recovery.
Surgical Treatment
Your doctor may recommend surgery if you have combined injuries. For example, if you have dislocated your knee and torn multiple ligaments including the posterior cruciate ligament, surgery is almost always necessary.
Rebuilding the ligament. Because sewing the ligament ends back together does not usually heal, a torn posterior cruciate ligament must be rebuilt. Your doctor will replace your torn ligament with a tissue graft. This graft is taken from another part of your body, or from another human donor (cadaver). It can take several months for the graft to heal into your bone.
Procedure. Surgery to rebuild a posterior cruciate ligament is done with an arthroscope using small incisions. Arthroscopic surgery is less invasive. The benefits of less invasive techniques include less pain from surgery, less time spent in the hospital, and quicker recovery times.
Surgical procedures to repair posterior cruciate ligaments continue to improve. More advanced techniques help patients resume a wider range of activities after rehabilitation.
Whether your treatment involves surgery or not, rehabilitation plays a vital role in getting you back to your daily activities. A physical therapy program will help you regain knee strength and motion. If you had surgery, physical therapy will begin 1 to 4 weeks after your procedure.
How long it takes you to recover from a posterior cruciate ligament injury will depend on the severity of your injury. Combined injuries often have a slow recovery, but most patients do well over time.
If your injury requires surgery, it may be several weeks before you return to a desk job - perhaps months if your job requires a lot of activity. Full recovery typically requires 6 to 12 months.
Although it is a slow process, your commitment to therapy is the most important factor in returning to all the activities you enjoy.


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CIA Director-designate John Brennan's vigorous defense of drone strikes to kill terror suspects — even American citizens — overseas is causing key lawmakers to consider lifting secrecy from what has become an important weapon in the fight against al-Qaida.
Brennan, President Barack Obama's top counterterror adviser, was grilled for more than three hours Thursday before the Senate Intelligence Committee on the drone program he leads, as well as on the CIA's harsh interrogation techniques during the Bush administration, which he denounced, and on leaks of classified information to the media, which Brennan vehemently denied being a part of.
Despite Brennan's wide-ranging testimony and the White House's release of a top secret memo explaining its legal rationale for the strikes just hours before the confirmation hearing began, some senators afterward said it was time to bring the drone program into the open.
In a hearing that was interrupted by anti-drone protests that brought it to a brief halt at the outset, Brennan told the committee that missile strikes by the unmanned drones are used only against targets planning to carry out attacks against the United States, never as retribution for an earlier one.
"Nothing could be further from the truth," he declared.
Referring to one American citizen killed by a drone in Yemen in 2011, he said Anwar al-Awlaki had ties to at least three attacks planned or carried out on U.S. soil. They included the Fort Hood, Texas, shooting that claimed 13 lives in 2009, a failed attempt to down a Detroit-bound airliner the same year and a thwarted plot to bomb cargo planes in 2010.
"He was intimately involved in activities to kill innocent men women and children, mostly Americans," Brennan said.
The committee's chairwoman, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., told reporters after the hearing that she wanted to open more of the program to the public so U.S. officials can acknowledge the strikes and correct what she said were exaggerated reports of civilian casualties.
Feinstein said she and other senators were considering legislation to set up a special court system to regulate drone strikes, similar to the one that signs off on government surveillance in espionage and terrorism cases.
Speaking with uncharacteristic openness about the classified program, Feinstein said that the CIA had allowed her staff to make more than 30 visits to the agency's northern Virginia headquarters to monitor strikes but that such transparency needed to be increased. Her comments came after the White House, under pressure from the committee, gave senators on the panel a Justice Department memo outlining the legal justification for drone strikes. But senators complained that their staff wasn't allowed to see it.
"I think the process set up internally is a solid process," Feinstein said of the methods used to decide when to launch drones and against whom, but added: "I think there's an absence of knowing exactly who is responsible for what decision. So I think we need to look at this whole process and figure a way to make it transparent and identifiable."
Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., a member of the House Intelligence Committee, said his panel also had been looking at establishing a "court-like entity" to review the strikes.
"I think the House and Senate ought to put their heads together and come up with some way to require either initially or after the fact, a review of an operation when it takes the life of an American citizen," Schiff said.
In a long afternoon in the witness chair, Brennan was questioned on other issues, such as the use of waterboarding and other interrogation techniques in the George W. Bush administration. He declined to say whether he believes waterboarding, which simulates drowning, amounted to torture, but he said firmly it was "something that is reprehensible and should never be done again."
Brennan, 57, is a veteran of more than three decades in intelligence work. He withdrew his name from nomination to head the CIA four years ago amid questions about the role he played at the CIA when the Bush administration approved waterboarding and other forms of "enhanced interrogation" of suspected terrorists.
On the question of waterboarding, Brennan said that while serving as a deputy manager at the CIA during the Bush administration, he was told such interrogation methods produced "valuable information." Now, after reading a 300-page summary of a 6,000-page report on CIA interrogation and detention policies, he said he does "not know what the truth is."
Brennan bristled once during the day, when he was questioned about leaks to the media about an al-Qaida plot to detonate a new type of underwear bomb on a Western airline.
Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, accused him of having leaked classified information in a telephone call with former government officials who were preparing to make television appearances to explain the plot.
"I disagree with that vehemently," the nominee shot back.
On May 7 of last year, The Associated Press reported that the CIA thwarted an ambitious plot by al-Qaida's affiliate in Yemen to destroy a U.S.-bound airliner, using a bomb with a sophisticated new design. The bombing would have taken place near the anniversary of the killing by U.S. Navy SEALs of Osama bin Laden. The next day, The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times reported that the would-be bomber was cooperating with U.S. authorities.
Risch and Sen. Dan Coats of Indiana were among those who contended Brennan inadvertently had revealed that the U.S. had a spy inside Yemen's al-Qaida branch when, hours after the first AP report appeared, he told a group of media consultants that "there was no active threat during the bin Laden anniversary because … we had inside control of the plot."
Brennan won praise from several members of the committee as the day's proceedings drew to a close.
"I think you're the guy for the job, and the only guy for the job," said Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va.
The panel will meet in closed session next week to discuss classified material.
Associated Press writers Julie Pace, Lara Jakes, Donna Cassata and David Espo contributed to this report.
Follow Kimberly Dozier on Twitter: https://twitter.com/KimberlyDozier
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press
Copyright 2013 Capitol Hill Blue


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Snowflake Border 'Christmas Cocktails' Invitation
Qty | Digital Price |
10 | £35.00 |
25 | £60.00 |
50 | £70.00 |
75 | £85.00 |
100 | £95.00 |
125 | £100.00 |
150 | £110.00 |
175 | £115.00 |
200 | £120.00 |
225 | £125.00 |
250 | £135.00 |
Availability: In stock
Your guests will be thrilled when their Snowflakes Border 'Christmas Cocktails' Invitation pops through the letter box.
Measuring 148mm by 148mm our invitations can be personalised with one of 12 stunning ink colours and up to eight lines of text and are printed using 350gsm paper stock.
Supplied with matching envelopes and available in quantities from 10 to 250 our Snowflake Border 'Christmas Cocktails' Invitations are the perfect accompaniment to your seasonal soiree.
- Available in sets of 10 to 250
- Printed using digital printing
- Printed with a quality 350gsm
- Measure 148mm x 148mm
- Supplied with matching envelopes
- Designed and printed in England
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Orders are shipped by Royal Mail, first class recorded delivery. Larger items are shipped by DPD 24-hour delivery.
Goods Value Delivery Charge within the UK Mainland:
Order Value | Delivery Charge |
Up to £50.00 | £5.00 |
£50.01 to £75.00 | £7.95 |
£75.01 and above | £11.50 |
For overseas orders please email for a quote.
Do you offer delivery outside the continental US? Chelsea Fine Stationery will post orders within Europe and overseas. Please email us or ring +44 20 7610 9292 for a quote.
How long will it take to receive my personalised stationery? Your order will be ready 7 to 10 working days after your order has been placed.
If I haven't received my shipment, who do I contact? In the unlikely event of non-delivery please wait 20 working days from the date of artwork approval and then ring or email our offices and we will track the order for you.
Do you ship to P.O. Boxes? UK orders are posted by Royal Mail recorded delivery or by courier and require a signature on delivery, for this reason, it is not possible to deliver to a PO Box address.
Will you ship to a different address than the one that appears on my credit card? Yes. Customers may register a separate shipping address on the website or contact us via phone or email with the new details.
Do prices include VAT?
Yes, all prices are inclusive of VAT where applicable.
Is it safe to use my credit card online?
Chelsea Fine Stationery uses industry standard 128 bit SSL encryption to protect your sensitive data. Chelsea Fine Stationery does not store your credit card information on our servers, providing an additional layer of security.
Which credit cards or payment types are accepted?
Chelsea Fine Stationery welcomes all major credit cards including Visa, MasterCard, Maestro and American Express.
When will my credit card be charged?
Your credit card will be charged upon placing your order.
What happens after I place an order?
Once you have submitted your order, a Chelsea Fine Stationery team member reviews your order for completeness. If everything is correct, we will email you a black and white PDF proof of your artwork for your approval usually within 2 working days of receiving your order. Once approved your stationery will be printed. We aim to dispatch personalised stationery orders within 7 to 10 days from approval of proof.
How do I place an order online?
Placing an online order is very easy. Follow these steps: 1. Choose the stationery product 2. Select the quantities required. You will then be presented with a series of steps to pick the quantity you would like to order, the print style, the card colour and ink colour etc. 3. Provide your personalisation details along with any special requirements. 4. Proceed to the checkout where you will enter your personal and payment information, review your order, and then submit your order.
Do you offer a discount for large quantity orders?
Our pricing for most printed items is scaled so that large quantity orders receive a discount. If you require a quantity greater than 500, please contact us for a quote.
Will I see a proof of my order before printing?
Yes, every order includes one complimentary black and white paper PDF proof for you to review the layout and design. You will be sent your proof via email
Can I see a printed proof before completing the order?
No. You will receive a black and white paper PDF proof in order to review the artwork. Once approved your stationery will go to print.
Who do I contact if my order is wrong or there are missing items?
Please contact us if there are issues with your order, we will do our best to rectify the situation.
Who do I contact if my order is damaged?
Please contact us if there are issues with your order, we will do our best to rectify the situation.
What is your return policy?
If for any reason the product does not meet your expectations, please return it with proof of purchase within 30 days from receipt and we will arrange for an immediate exchange or refund. We regret that we are unable to offer refunds on items that have been personalised, because of this, we take great care to ensure the accuracy of each order before printing. Of course, if an error is made by Chelsea Fine Stationery or our supplier, we will promptly correct or replace the items at no cost to you, or you may choose to keep the order as is and receive a refund or credit note for a portion of the original price paid.
How to I update or change my order?
If you need to make any changes to your order after it has been submitted, please contact us.
Can I order by phone?
Yes! Please ring us on 020 7610 9292 Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm.
Can I cancel my order?
If for any reason, you need to cancel please let us know as soon as possible. If work on a personalised item has not been started then we will be able to offer a refund. If work has begun on your personalised order then you will be you will be responsible for the costs of all work completed up until the point of cancellation, with the minimum charge being £25. Once a proof has been approved for printing, we will not be able to refund any portion of your payment.
Are all prices listed in pounds sterling?
Yes, all prices are listed and charged in pounds sterling.
Registering an Account
Do I have to register with Chelsea Fine Stationery to order online?
We do ask you to provide registration details at time of ordering as these are used to confirm orders and proofs and provide shipping and billing addresses. While you do not need to register as an ongoing user of Chelsea Fine Stationery, if you do register a user name and password, your details are securely kept with us to enable faster orders with subsequent purchases. Please note we do not keep credit card details from our online registration and purchase process.
How do I register?
Our registration page is presented once you have selected one or more products and are proceeding to the checkout pages.
I forgot my password. What do I do?
Please go to the login page and click on "forgot password." You will receive an email with a password reset link. If you need further assistance, don't hesitate to contact us.
How do I update my mailing address or email?
Please click on my account.
What is the difference between my shipping and billing addresses?
The billing address is the registered address that your credit card company sends your monthly statements to. The shipping address is the actual location our products are shipped to.
Customer Service
When can I reach someone regarding my order?
You can ring us on +44 (0)20 7610 9292 Monday-Friday 9am-5pm GMT. After hours you can leave a message on the answering machine.
What is Chelse Fine Stationery's email address?
Have a question? Please email us at firstname.lastname@example.com. Any feedback on our products or website is also welcome.
What is Chelsea Fine Stationery's mailing address?
CHELSEA FINE STATIONERY, WEST LONDON SHOWROOM, STUDIO 4, 305 GOLDHAWK ROAD LONDON W12 8EU United Kingdom.
Can you help me with a bespoke order?
Yes! We have a team of designers who are happy to work with your ideas to create the perfect invitation or announcement.
How do I find the products I want?
To browse our selection of products from the Home Page, click on any featured item to take you directly to that product's detail page. This is where you can view the product more. Any related products may also be shown. From this page, you can select and personalise the product. You can also search by name, colour, type or keyword.
How do I provide feedback on my shopping experience?
Please email us at email@example.com. You can also leave feedback on our Facebook or Twitter pages
What is your "Bespoke Design Service?
Our design team will work with you to create a unique invitation or announcement and provide advice on paper, ink color, printing method, embellishments, and personal touches such as a specially themed design. Ring us on 020 7610 9292 to set up a complimentary private design appointment.
We offer a variety of printing techniques, from traditional to modern. Our printers are some of the finest in the country with years of experience.
Lithography Also known as flat or offset printing. Ink is rolled onto a rubber cylinder and then transferred to the paper. The result is sharp, clean, and a bit more casual. It is less expensive than thermography and most often used on correspondence cards, informal party invitations and announcements.
Letterpress A centuries-old technique in which a printing plate presses the ink down into the paper, leaving a crisp debossed impression that is enhanced by the tactile qualities of the paper on which it is printed.
Engraving The most traditional method of printing. A printing plate is pressed up from the back of the paper. This leaves slightly raised letters on the front, slightly indented on the back. Perfect for formal invitations and smart stationery when a distinquished and smart result is required.
Thermography Created to imitate the look of engraved printing at a more economical price. Sometimes called raised printing, thermography is achieved when a powdered resin is applied to wet ink and heated to create a raised surface. Ideal for headed writing paper, wedding and classic invitations.
Foil stamping A form of dry printing. A plastic film of coloured pigments (metallic or matt) is heated and pressed into the paper. Ideal for coloured card invitations.
Digital Printing This flat printing method that works on the same principle as photocopying. A series of coloured dots (known as CMYK) are applied to the paper in one go. Digital Printing is a less expensive option for multiple-color printing and for photographs cards. The quality may vary and thick card cannot be used.


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Most Haitians speak Haitian Creole. And yet, the country's traditional language of education is French — which less than 10 percent of Haitians speak fluently. According to FoxNews:
Teenagers in blue-and-white uniforms pour out of classrooms of this boarding school at the edge of Haiti's capital, chattering in their native language of Creole about the science test they have just taken.
"Eske ou te byen konpoze?" asks one boy in the campus courtyard. In English, it translates as "How do you think you did?" "I'm not so sure," a girl answers back in Creole with a shrug of her shoulders. "The exam was really difficult."
The students don't speak much French at the school, although it remains the primary language of instruction in most Haitian classrooms. In fact, less than 10 percent of the country's 10 million people speak French fluently, and in most schools, even the teachers don't understand it very well although they're asked to teach in it. The private Louverture Cleary School has already broken from that linguistic tradition and is instead emphasizing the Haitian Creole children speak at home. The school is also introducing students to Spanish from other parts of the Caribbean and the English they will likely need in the future.
"It is a practical issue," said Deacon Patrick Moynihan about the Creole language-based curriculum at the boarding school. "It really is about being part of this region."
Elsewhere, students struggle using French text books and coping with what largely remains a foreign language in a country once colonized by France, but more and more under the sway of the powerful economies of the United States and Latin America. In many schools, children copy French lessons by rote from the chalkboard, understanding little.
"I really have to work hard, because I don't speak French at home. My parents don't speak French at home," said 14-year-old Alexandra Julien, who attends another school, as she walked to class one recent morning. "They speak Creole."
Three years after a devastating earthquake killed more than 200,000 people here, Haiti's abysmal educational system remains an obstacle to building the expertise and skills needed to help this impoverished country recover. Haiti's 1805 Constitution declared that tuition would be free and attendance compulsory for primary students. But the quality of education lagged through the years, and plunged during the 29-year-long dynasty of Francois "Papa Doc" Duvalier and his son Jean-Claude, or "Baby Doc," which ended in 1986. Haiti's professionals fled into exile to escape political repression, spawning a major brain drain the country has never bounced back from. About 30 percent of the country's youth are now illiterate, according to the U.N.'s children agency, UNICEF, and only half of all children can afford to attend primary school. Less than a quarter attend secondary school.
In a 2011 report published in the journal "The Fletcher Forum of World Affairs," author Brendan McNulty wrote that 80 percent of Haiti's 16,500 or so primary schools are private, and they adhere to no academic standards. The article focused on rebuilding Haiti's education system after the quake. Like the Louverture Cleary School, more organizations inside and outside the country are saying Haiti's educational crisis can be eased by educating the nation's children primarily in Creole, which all students and teachers truly understand, and bid adieu to French as Haiti's primary teaching language.
"We have lost, we have wasted, so many Einsteins because of the language barrier," said Michel DeGraff, a leading Creole scholar and Haiti-born linguistics professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. DeGraff led a four-day workshop in January to help Haitian teachers incorporate Creole into math and science curricula, challenging the notion that the language is not sophisticated enough for the hard sciences.
In a sign of growing interest in Creole's educational potential, the U.S. Agency for International Development last fall awarded a $12.9 million contract to the North Carolina nonprofit group, RTI International, to create a basic reading curriculum that includes the language. The humanitarian group Concern Worldwide is also developing Creole course materials and training teachers in the language. Duke University recently held a Creole linguistics workshop for U.S. and Haitian scholars in Durham, North Carolina, that treats Haiti's native tongue as a subject worth serious academic study.
Haitian Creole, which grew out of a mix of 18th-century French and West African languages, is the nation's lingua franca, but it wasn't until 1961 that it joined French as one of the country's two official tongues. President Michel Martelly and other government officials switch between Creole and French in public settings, depending on whether the audience is Haitian or foreign, and many speak English and Spanish fluently from years of living abroad. More English than French can be heard on the streets of the capital as Haitian teens increasingly listen to artists popular in the U.S. such as Rihanna, Justin Bieber and Lil Wayne. But French remains the language of affluence and privilege, employed in polite society and government communiques and openly spoken in the upscale supermarkets selling brie and baguettes in the mountains high above the capital's shanties. Although used by Haitians of all social strata, Creole is seen by some as the language of the impoverished masses.
As a result, Haitian parents are often all too willing to let their children stumble in their coursework to "learn" a language that even their teachers barely speak. Children whose parents can afford tuition typically spend the first three years of primary school being taught in Creole, then move to French for the remaining years. Students often learn little, and few pass their national exams. President Michel Martelly campaigned on promises to improve Haiti's school system, and the government says it has paid tuition at private and public schools for more than a million students though some believe the number may be lower. Some education officials, however, are reluctant to let go of French-centered instruction. The government has run workshops helping teachers better understand French, with some officials saying French instruction is necessary because few Creole textbooks exist.
"French remains a language that is very symbolic for Haitians," said Pierre Michel Laguerre, an Education Ministry consultant who oversees the school system's curriculum. "There is a history with that language. We have many of our authors who have won prestigious literary prizes in the Francophone world. We cannot leave French behind."
Creole advocates say that there's no shortage of Creole-language books and point to publishing houses such as Educa Vision, Inc. in Florida, which produce such materials. But they acknowledge that shipping the materials to Haiti is expensive and goods are often held up in customs. The Louverture Cleary school, which was founded by St. Joseph Parish in Providence, Rhode Island, has a history of success in the classroom. It serves smart children from families with modest means and says it has notched a 98 percent rate of students passing the national high school exam, compared to the countrywide average of 30 percent. A challenge painted on a wall at the school appears not in the customary French but in Creole: "Nou pare poun rebate ayiti, e ou?" — "We're ready to rebuild Haiti, are you?"
Jeff Thomas says he is. The 18-year-old sees his new linguistic skills as more than a path to a career as a computer programmer.
"If we meet a foreigner … in order to help him we should speak English to understand what he's saying," Thomas said in English, with a heavy accent.
Moynihan emphasizes that Louverture Cleary is only one possible model for the rest of Haiti's schools and that it follows Ministry of Education guidelines. Unlike most secondary schools, the children have already mastered written and spoken Creole, some of them in the school's morning day care program.
"What is beautiful about language at Louverture Cleary is that we know it's a bridge," Moynihan said. "It's a bridge for communicating." – READ MORE HERE