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The present glory of Florence is mainly its past. Its buildings are works of art abounding in yet more works of art. The splendours of the city are stamped with the personalities of the men who made them. The geniuses of Florence were backed by men of towering wealth, and the city to this day gives testimony to their passions for religion, for art, for power, or for money. Among the most famous of the city's giants are Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Dante, Machiavelli, Galileo, and its most renowned rulers, the generations of the Medici family.
Scholars still marvel that this small city of moneylenders and cloth makers without much political or military power rose to a position of enormous influence in Italy, Europe, and beyond. The Florentine vernacular became the Italian language; , and the local coin, the florin, became a world monetary standard. Florentine artists formulated the laws of perspective; Florentine men of letters, painters, architects, and craftsmen began the period known as the Renaissance; and a Florentine navigator, Amerigo Vespucci, gave his name to two continents.
The city has remained an important cultural, economic, political, and artistic force into the modern era, setting trends in political administration (especially under Mayor Giorgio La Pira in the 1950s and early '60s) and even cultural innovation (as in its influential Modernist train station designed under Giovanni Michelucci, its football [soccer] stadium by Pier Luigi Nervi, and the Archizoom radical design movement active during the 1960s and '70s). The region around the city has a modern and dynamic economy based on small industrial production; the . The city itself is far more dependent on tourism, though it also has developed newer sectors such as information technology. Florence's key role as a market centre is reinforced by its location at the nexus of transport lines connecting northern and southern Italy. Area 40 square miles (104 square km). Pop. (2006 est.) 366,901.
Florence was founded to control the only practicable north-south crossing of the Arno River to and from the three passes through the Apennines: one to Faenza and two to Bologna. Two thin streams, the Mugnone and the Affrico, come down through town to meet the Arno. The Affrico, not far away from its source in the Apennines, is usually a grudging gurgle amid wide gravel beds far below the quays, but sometimes it rises and swells into a powerful stream, ravaging the city with floods. The city's water supply has also served as an asset, however, making possible the washing, fulling, and dyeing of cloth, resulting in the development of a major industry.
Florence's position as a major crossroads between Bologna and Rome made the city vulnerable to attack. Its hills offered some protection, but the citizens nonetheless felt compelled to erect imposing walls during the period 1285–1340; although the walls were largely torn down during urban expansion in the 1860s, their former presence remains clearly visible in a girdle of roads around the original city. Moreover, because the hillier south bank of the Arno has prevented urban growth, segments of the walls are preserved.
Beyond the historic centre of Florence, the city has expanded over the past century to accommodate waves of migration. Vast housing projects have been constructed, such as those at Isolotto (1954–55). These peripheral zones have actually grown to dominate the city centre, creating a kind of "open urban system"—and a vast and successful industrial district—that stretches northwest to Prato and southeast as far as Arezzo. Huge satellite towns such as Scandicci have grown to rival the centre of Florence itself.
Florence's location in a small basin encircled by hills is a determining factor for its changeable climate. Summers tend to be extremely hot and humid, and winters are cool and wet. The average monthly temperature for July and August is about 73 to 75 °F (23 to 24 °C), with an average daytime high of about 95 °F (35 °C); the average monthly temperature for January is 41 °F (5 °C). Winters tend to be short-lived, ending generally in mid-March, and bring rain rather than snow. Unpleasantly cold showers can persist into April, however, much to the discomfort of the throng of Easter tourists. The most delightful seasons in which to visit Florence are late spring and fall, when the sky becomes an azure vault and the sun warms but does not scorch.
Although most of the city of Florence was a creation of the nascent Renaissance era, the city's Roman beginnings as a typical castrum, or garrison town, can still be perceived. They are visible in the rectilinear grid whose axis is the Via Calimala, with a forum in today's Piazza della Repubblica (used as a market during most of its history). The skyline, however, is dominated by two imposing structures of later centuries. One of them is the austere tower of the Palazzo Vecchio (Old Palace), begun in 1299, in the Piazza della Signoria. It housed the legislative and executive branches of the local civic government (the priors) and even today functions as the town hall of Florence. Always a kind of nerve centre of local pride and power, the building was ornamented with major works of Florentine sculpture; foremost among these was Michelangelo's towering statue of David (today replaced by a copy). Also framing the Piazza della Signoria is the elegant Loggia dei Lanzi, built in the late 14th century; today it serves as an open-air museum for masterworks of sculpture, including Benvenuto Cellini's Perseus.
From behind the loggia and from the flank of the palazzo, the tall, colonnaded twin wings of a later building, the Uffizi, stretch down to the Arno. An elegant edifice designed by Giorgio Vasari, it was begun in 1560 to house the grand ducal offices. In 1574 Grand Duke Francesco I ordered the top story converted to display the Medici art treasures. The Uffizi's collection, one of the most precious in the world, offers examples of painting from the 13th century through the 18th and includes most of the significant names in Florentine art.
The second distinctive feature of Florence's skyline is the dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (the Duomo). The building itself, located due north of the Piazza della Signoria, was begun by the sculptor Arnolfo di Cambio in 1296. Numerous local artists continued to work on it during the following century and a half. The painter Giotto designed its sturdy bell tower (campanile) in 1334. Yet the massive octagonal cupola (1420–36) that truly dominates both the church and the city was the proud achievement of Filippo Brunelleschi, master architect and sculptor. Opposite the cathedral stands the Baptistery; the building dates from the 11th century but was believed by Florentines to be a surviving Roman monument when they commissioned for it a series of bronze doors with relief sculptures (1330; 1401–52). The third pair of these doors, by Lorenzo Ghiberti, were of such rare beauty that Michelangelo christened them the Gates of Paradise.
Around the perimeters of historical Florence lie the vast "newcomer" churches of the mendicant orders: to the west, Santa Maria Novella (begun 1279) of the Dominicans; to the east, Santa Croce (begun 1294) of the Franciscans. Each of these churches is a monument of Renaissance art in its decoration. The interior of Santa Maria Novella contains the Spanish Chapel, with frescoes by Andrea da Firenze; the Green Cloister, with frescoes by Paolo Uccello; the Strozzi Chapel, with frescoes by Filippino Lippi; and the Cappella Maggiore, with frescoes by Domenico Ghirlandaio, in addition to Masaccio's awe-inspiring fresco The Trinity, with its fully realized use of perspective. The facade of Santa Maria Novella was completed (1456–70) by the design of Leon Battista Alberti. Alongside Santa Croce, Brunelleschi appended the Pazzi Chapel, designed geometrically around the motif of a circle within a square. Inside Santa Croce one finds major fresco cycles by the most famous early Florentine painter, Giotto. Paradoxically, the patrons of this church were among the richest families of Florence, despite (or perhaps because of) the vows of poverty sworn by the Franciscan order. Santa Croce has historical significance as well, because it became a kind of pantheon containing the tombs of famous Florentine scholars, writers, artists, and patriots. Across the Arno lies the modest Carmelite church of Santa Maria del Carmine, whose Brancacci Chapel displays some of the most powerful early 15th-century frescoes by Masaccio and Masolino (c. 1425–27). The frescoes have been restored to their former glory, bringing out colours and details that had long been obscured.
Between the Piazza della Signoria and the cathedral lies a remarkable building, the Orsanmichele (oratory of St. Michael). In 1290 Arnolfo built a loggia here for the wheat market, which, however, was destroyed by fire; a larger loggia was erected in 1377 and then enclosed to form a church in 1380. Its chief fame comes from its early 15th-century decoration donated by the major guilds of Florence. Each guild was assigned one of the tabernacles on the exterior of the Orsanmichele and expected to commission a sculpture for it. The best works produced include bronzes of St. John the Baptist (patron saint of the city and of the powerful Calimala guild [bankers and international traders in cloth]) and St. Matthew (for the Cambio, or bankers) by Ghiberti and marbles of St. Mark (linen drapers) and St. George (armourers) by Donatello.
North of the cathedral lay the province of the eventual rulers of Florence, the Medici, a family of bankers. On the square behind the house of the Medici stands the Augustinian church of San Lorenzo, for which Brunelleschi made an austerely simple geometric Renaissance design based on his study of early Christian basilicas in Rome (1421). Medici patronage led to decisive artistic decorative additions. Donatello provided a bronze pulpit, and Brunelleschi added a sacristy (the Old Sacristy); about one century later Michelangelo balanced it with the New Sacristy, which contains his famous Medici Tombs. Michelangelo also designed the Laurentian Library, next to San Lorenzo, to house the great library assembled by the Medici family. Near the church sits the Medici Palace (Palazzo Medici-Riccardi), built by the architect Michelozzo beginning in 1444. Inside, a chapel contains a fresco by Benozzo Gozzoli, the Procession of the Magi (1459), in which the followers of the Magi are given features of the Medici.
The grandest palace in Florence is the Strozzi Palace, begun in 1489 for one of the city's largest and wealthiest families (which, however, had been eclipsed politically by the Medici). Its enormous scale deliberately surpassed that of the Medici Palace. Noteworthy within the Strozzi Palace is a spacious courtyard, which by its use of arches and a loggia achieves a feeling of openness and simplicity.
South of the Arno lies the Pitti Palace; this grandiose structure was created for the grand duke Cosimo I by the sculptor Bartolommeo Ammannati, who extended (1558–70) a palace belonging to the Pitti family of a century earlier. The hills behind this massive palace were transformed into magnificent gardens, the Boboli Gardens, filled with fountains, statues, and an amphitheatre; there operas and concerts for the Medici rulers betokened their courtly existence as the absolute rulers of the city. Ammannati also designed a bridge to the palace, the Santa Trinità Bridge (1567–69; restored).
Florence's greatest poet, Dante, harshly characterized his city's people as tightfisted, envious, and haughty. A touch of this severe judgment still clings to the Florentines, in whose makeup one tends to miss the exuberance and warmth associated with Italians in other towns and regions. Perhaps the Florentines, many of whom are descendants of long lines of Florentines, are reserved in self-defense against the massive stream of tourists, several million of whom crowd the historic sections of Florence.
The city's population increased significantly during the 20th century. Immigrants before the 1970s were mainly from the Tuscan region but also from the south of Italy. Many Chinese actually had arrived earlier, and since the mid-1970s the city and its region have attracted other people from outside Italy who found work in the area's tourist-linked service economy. These immigrants have begun to change the cultural composition of the city. Indeed, some of the first explosions of racial animosity in Italy took place in Florence in the early 1990s, when Italian locals organized raids on immigrant street vendors, leading to a national debate over immigration.
Thousands of Florentines work in industrial suburbs, where they are engaged in the production of furniture, rubber goods, chemicals, and food. Yet the city lives primarily from tourism and the money brought in by foreign (mainly American) students. Traditional handicrafts—glassware and ceramics, wrought iron, leatherwork, wares of precious metals, art reproductions, and the like—are still of some importance, along with some high-fashion clothing and shoe production. Key fashion companies operating in the city include Gucci and Ferragamo. Florence hosts numerous fairs throughout the year, including an international antiques fair, international fashion shows, and countless artisans' exhibits. For a long period after World War II, Florence was Italy's fashion capital, holding an annual show at the Pitti Palace. In the 1970s, however, Milan began to dominate the fashion sector.
Commercial and cultural interests blend in the city's offerings of festivals of music, opera, and the visual arts. In particular, the annual Maggio Musicale ("Musical May") festival attracts visitors from far beyond the city. Of special appeal are the traditional festivals, many of them resplendent with the trappings of medieval pageantry and procession. Among the more famous ones are the celebrations in honour of the city's patron saint, St. John the Baptist. Visitors can watch the fireworks on June 24 (St. John's Day) or attend the "football game" staged in 16th-century costumes in the Boboli Gardens during St. John's Week.
Craftwork is sold throughout the city, but several traditional marketplaces still exist. The vendors of straw objects—from tiny figurines to full-sized dresses—have their stalls in the Loggia of the Mercato Nuovo (New Market; built 1547–51). Goldsmiths, silversmiths, and jewelers are concentrated on the Ponte Vecchio, one of the world's most famous bridges and the symbol of Florence. They opened for business there in the 16th century, when Grand Duke Ferdinand I deemed it inelegant for butcher shops to line the bridge as they had for the previous 200 years. He ordered practitioners of the "vile arts" to give way to workers in precious metals. The new occupants eventually enlarged their shops by building outward over the water, propping their three-story additions on brackets from the bridge. The back elevations of these extensions give the bridge its picturesque air. Above the shops a covered passage was constructed in 1564–65 to connect Cosimo I's palace (the Pitti Palace) on the left bank with the newly erected government offices (the Uffizi) on the right bank.
Artisans who fashion the gold, silver, jewelry, straw, intarsia (inlaid woodwork designs), leather goods, glass, pottery, and embroidery complain of being squeezed out of existence by the pressures of modern economic life. These artisans, however, can still be seen through the open doors of their workrooms, engaged in the tasks and poised in the attitudes shown in the carvings on the 15th-century facade of the guildsmen's church, Orsanmichele.
Traditional heavy industry is still important in the area. Major employers include Nuovo Pignone (now part of the U.S.-based General Electric Company), maker of steam turbines and compressors, and Piaggio & C.s.p.a. (located in and around Pisa, 50 miles [80 km] to the west), maker of the famous Vespa scooter. The city is now part of a huge industrial district running northwest to Prato and Pistoia. This zone, with its small businesses and quality export production, was one of the centres of the prosperous "third Italy" of the 1990s, rivaling similar zones in Emilia-Romagna and Veneto in employment and profits. Hundreds of thousands of former sharecroppers from rural areas of Tuscany became small businessmen in a single generation, avoiding the trauma of "normal" rapid industrialization. However, the environment suffered, as the beautiful Tuscan countryside was slowly urbanized and motor vehicle traffic threatened to suffocate not just the city but the entire region.
In the central area of Florence a solid pair of walking shoes is the best mode of transportation, especially since the historic section has been closed to motor vehicles. Buses and taxis are also available, as are bicycles for hire. The main highway, the Autostrada del Sole, passes west and south of the city. Because Florence lies on the country's main north-south train line, rail connections are highly dependable and efficient. The Eurostar connects Florence with Milan in less than three hours and with Rome in less than two. In addition, Florence has its own airport, Amerigo Vespucci (formerly Peretola), only 3 miles (5 km) from the city centre. It is too small for intercontinental traffic, but Pisa's Galileo Galilei International Airport is an hour's train journey away.
Florence has numerous museums, mostly devoted to painting and sculpture. The National Central Library (Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale) has been the Italian library of deposit since 1870, receiving a copy of every book published in the country. It houses millions of autographs, manuscripts, letters, incunabula, and books, including many rare editions. The Riccardiana and Moreniana libraries adjoining the Medici Palace have the most complete collection, including valuable manuscripts, of works on Tuscan history. The Gabinetto Scientifico e Letterario G.B. Vieusseux is a scientific and literary library founded in 1819 by Jean-Baptiste Vieusseux, who was the central figure of a group that included the leading literary figures of Italy at that time.
After Lorenzo de' Medici transferred the University of Florence (established 1321) to Pisa in 1473, the medical school remained behind, leading the scientific movement in Italy and forming the nucleus for the university that was legally constituted only in 1923. The Academy of the Crusca was established in 1582 to prepare an Italian dictionary; crusca means "bran," the academy's symbol is a sieve, and its object remains to winnow impurities from the language. Other specialized learned institutions include an observatory; academies of fine arts, science, letters, and agrarian economics; and institutes of Etruscan and Italian studies, of the history of art, and of the history of optics. The Italian Dante Society, the Italian Botanical Society, and the Society for Geographical Studies are in Florence.
An increasing number of foreign countries and universities maintain institutes of study in Florence and its environs, attracting many historians and writers. The member states of the European Communities (later succeeded by the European Union) founded the European University Institute in 1972. The institute is located just northeast of Florence, in the hillside towns of San Domenico and Fiesole. It is housed in historic buildings made available by the Italian government, including the Villa Schifanoia, the Convento di San Domenico, and the Badia Fiesolana. The Harvard University Center for Italian Renaissance Studies is located at the exquisite Villa i Tatti, bequeathed by the art historian Bernard Berenson, in the hills at Settignano. Also represented are the Universities of Grenoble and Paris (France); Syracuse University (N.Y.), Stanford University (Palo Alto, Calif.), Smith College (Northampton, Mass.), and the state universities of California (U.S.); and the universities of The the Netherlands.
Florence has always boasted an intellectual elite rivaling that of any city in Italy. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, historians Pasquale Villari and Gaetano Salvemini taught at the University of Florence. Salvemini was later forced out of Italy altogether by fascist violence. Fascism's most important intellectual and theorist, Giovanni Gentile, was based in Florence and was killed there by communist partisans during World War II. After the war, intellectuals of the calibre of legal scholar Piero Calamandrei, literary historian Gianfranco Contini, and communist social historian Ernesto Ragionieri all worked in the city, as did novelists such as Vasco Pratolini. The cosmopolitan nature of the city has always produced a cultural milieu different from those of other, more closed Italian cities. The various research institutes and faculties attached to the University of Florence are among the most important in Italy.
The glory of many Florentines is the city's football team, Fiorentina—or "la Viola," as the team is affectionately called, alluding to the players' purple shirts. The club has won the Italian championship on only two occasions (in 1956 and 1969), but it continues to inspire fanatical support from its followers. When star Roberto Baggio was sold to archrival Juventus of Turin in 1990, Fiorentina supporters caused riots that paralyzed the city. The stadium, originally designed in the 1930s by Modernist architect Pier Luigi Nervi and named Stadio Comunale, has achieved national monument status. It was refurbished for the 1990 World Cup and renamed "Artemio Franchi," or simply Franchi Stadium.
Florentia ("The Flourishing Town") was founded in 59 BC BCE as a colony for soldiers of the armies of Rome and was laid out as a rectangular garrison town (castrum) below the hilltop Etruscan town of Faesulae. Its streets formed a pattern of rectangular blocks, with a central forum, a temple to Mars, an amphitheatre, and public baths. By the 3rd century AD CE Florence was a provincial capital of the Roman Empire and a prosperous commercial centre. During the early medieval centuries, Florence was occupied chiefly by outsiders: first by Ostrogoths in the 5th century, then by Byzantines in the 6th century, and eventually by Langobards, or Lombards. From the late 10th century onward, Florence prospered, and, under the rule of Countess Matilda of Tuscany (1069–1115), it became the leading city in Tuscany.
In 1293 Florence adopted a constitution called the Ordinances of Justice, which barred both the nobility and labourers from political power. It also provided for frequent changes of office to ensure that no group or individual could get control of the state; thus, the nine priors who constituted the Signoria (the governmental body) were each elected for a mere two months. As a result, Florentines developed a keen interest in their politics and became a community of civil servants available for public life, but the lack of continuity often provoked factional intrigues and alliances.
During the 12th and 13th centuries the economic and political power of the city grew steadily. The rise of the Florentine woolen cloth industry and of banking provided a basis of capital. Then the resolution in 1266 of a bitter strife between two internal factions oriented respectively toward papal (Guelf) and imperial (Ghibelline) protection resulted in victory for a group of Guelf merchant families in the city (as well as the exile in 1302 of Florence's greatest poet, Dante Alighieri). They took over papal banking monopolies from rivals in nearby Siena and became tax collectors for the pope throughout Europe. From such a foundation, Florentine families, led by the Bardi and the Peruzzi, came to dominate both banking and international merchant business. Locally, Florence also added neighbouring cities to its sphere of influence and obliged rival powers—Pisa, Siena, Pistoia, and Arezzo—to become its allies.
With a balance between its leading merchant families, Florence was now ruled by its guilds, divided into seven major guilds and a number of minor ones. The city's podesta, or chief magistrate and police chief, could be selected only from the major guilds. Political parties grew up along the issues of aggressive expansion and preservation of peace; the former policy was embraced by the Blacks (Neri; the rich merchants), the latter by the Whites (Bianchi; the lesser citizens).
Just before the middle of the 14th century, Florence had become a metropolis of about 90,000 people, making it one of the great cities of Europe (alongside Paris, Venice, Milan, and Naples). However, in the summer of 1348 the Black Death struck, reducing the population by half. The city's ordeal during this period has been vividly portrayed by the chronicler Matteo Villani and by the writer Giovanni Boccaccio in the preface to his stories of the Decameron. The bankruptcies of the Bardi and the Peruzzi a few years before the Black Death had already shaken the city's prosperity, and it never fully recovered from these double disasters. Famine and renewed bouts of the plague continued throughout the 14th century, sparking unrest among the politically unrepresented population. In 1378 a proletarian rebellion of the cloth workers, the Revolt of the Ciompi, was put down by an alliance of merchants, manufacturers, and artisans. The economy of the city remained depressed, and the rivalry of adjoining polities, first Milan and then Naples, only intensified the threats to Florence's prosperity in the early 15th century. One of the few successes was the conquest of Pisa in 1406, making Florence a maritime power at last. Partly in self-defense, Florence became a major territorial power alongside Venice, Milan, and Naples.
During this period of adversity, the power of the guilds and their domination of the city were on the wane; as a result, successful merchants and bankers, chiefly Cosimo de' Medici and Giovanni Rucellai in the 15th century, were able to shape civic politics and culture through a system of oligarchy and patronage. They underwrote the accomplishments that are now singled out with the term "Renaissance," and their palaces came to dominate the city as fully as the church buildings in which they established their family chapels.
Cosimo de' Medici (Cosimo the Elder; died 1464) became the leading citizen in Florence after his return in 1434 from a year of exile. He achieved this position by virtue of his great wealth (the result of the largest banking network in Europe) and an extensive network of patronage obligations. While he never accepted public office, his faction dominated the city. He lived an increasingly opulent life, as is apparent in the ostentation of the Medici Palace and the patronage of churches such as San Lorenzo and the monastery of St. Mark, with its frescoes by Fra Angelico. Investment in culture, including the patronage of artists and architects and the purchase of books and manuscripts, became a fundamental expression of the Medici's aristocratic way of life; it was continued by Cosimo's son, Piero, and his grandson, Lorenzo (died 1492; dubbed "the Magnificent"). In all but name, Florence was now ruled by a Medici prince, whose position resembled that of the tyrants in other Italian cities such as Milan, Ferrara, Mantua, and Urbino.
Stability was briefly threatened in 1478 by the brutal but abortive Pazzi conspiracy seeking to end the Medici rule. In 1494, shortly after the death of Lorenzo, French armies under King Charles VIII invaded Italy. They were backed against the Medici by the popular party in Florence, which (with French help) succeeded in exiling the Medici and declaring Florence a republic. The consequence, however, was the loss of political autonomy to the larger conflicts of Italian peninsular struggles. Republican Florence was led briefly by a fiery Dominican preacher, Girolamo Savonarola, who boldly condemned the luxury and urbane culture of his predecessors. His strict rule came to an end in 1498, but with it closed a phase of Florentine greatness.
The Medici returned to Florence in triumph in 1512 behind the papal and Spanish armies, reasserting power in a clear and ruthless manner. (Such an unambiguous pursuit of power by leaders at this time was given codification in 1513 by Niccolò Machiavelli in his treatise The Prince.) In addition, the younger son of Lorenzo was elected Pope Leo X; his pontificate (1513–21) was noteworthy for its cultivation of the arts, especially his employment of Raphael. Leo was shortly followed by another Medici pope, Clement VII (1523–34). However, in 1527 the riotous Spanish army of Emperor Charles V overran Rome, and, during this moment of weakness, republicans again expelled the Medici from Florence, only to be punished in 1530 when pope and emperor were reconciled. Then in 1536 the statesman and historian Francesco Guicciardini began to compose his History of Italy, with its ideal vision of the era of Lorenzo the Magnificent and its pessimism concerning more recent events. In 1537 Charles V installed Cosimo de' Medici (Cosimo I; died 1574) as official duke of Florence (grand duke of Tuscany after 1569). Cosimo and his wife, Eleonora of Toledo, patronized the arts and undertook vast building programs, such as the construction of the Uffizi, the renovation of the Palazzo Vecchio, and the reconstruction of the Pitti Palace.
With the rise of Cosimo I to titled nobility and to absolute rule in Florence, the political and cultural vitality of the city had all but ebbed, prompting a modern scholar to refer to the succeeding era as the "forgotten centuries." Florence's dukes had become minor players in the broader European balance of great powers, and they linked themselves chiefly with the noble houses of France. Marital alliances of Medici family members with members of the French nobility include those of Catherine de Médicis (died 1589), queen of Henry II and later regent of France; Grand Duke Ferdinand I (died 1609), who married Christine of Lorraine; and Marie de Médicis (died 1642), who married King Henry IV of France. The city generally declined under prolonged Medici rule, a process that was marked only by the extended reign of Cosimo III (1670–1723) and the end of the family with the death of his son, Gian Gastone (died 1737).
After the rule of the Medici, Florence was governed from outside, as Francis Stephen of Lorraine, the husband of Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, became the grand duke of Tuscany. Following a Napoleonic interlude, Leopold II of Habsburg was the last outside ruler (1824–59). He eventually abdicated in favour of the new Italian king, Victor Emmanuel. Soon after, Florence annexed itself to the new Kingdom of Italy, serving as its capital during the period 1865–70.
From the late 18th to the mid-20th century, a large Anglo-American colony was an integral part of the Florentine scene. The poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning, who is buried in Piazzale Donatello, the small English cemetery, noted that the city was "cheap, tranquil, cheerful and beautiful." The Horne Museum, near Santa Croce, and the Stibbert Museum, in the north, are examples of houses and collections left by foreigners to their adopted city.
During the decades after unification, much of Florence's past was seriously jeopardized as a huge debate surrounded the renewal of the city. Many of its finest structures were altered or defaced, its medieval walls were largely pulled down, and its ancient centre was laid waste as entire zones were cleared and replaced with squares and other public spaces. Florence's brief period as Italy's capital in 1865–70 saw a vast increase in the city's population. Growth continued chaotically into the 20th century, when order and sense were slowly restored to the renovations.
Florence was occupied by the German army in the latter stages of World War II. Antifascist resistance was very strong in the city and in the Tuscan region, and fighting was heavy. On leaving Florence, the Germans blew up all the bridges across the Arno but spared the famous Ponte Vecchio. After the war, debates again arose regarding the reconstruction of the city. The 1950s saw Florence expand into its periphery, and in 1962 a plan was developed partly to guide expansion away from the Florence-Prato conurbation. Despite certain innovative qualities, the plan failed, and the two cities are now all but one, constituting one big urban sprawl. The population of Florence reached more than 400,000 in the 1980s but soon fell slightly below that level.
In addition to human despoliation, nature has been an occasional adversary of Florentine life, mainly in the form of floods of the Arno. The city's bridges were destroyed in the 12th century and again in 1333. In 1557 the Ponte Vecchio held fast, but the others were destroyed. The most devastating occurrence was the flood of November 1966. The city's cultural heritage was grievously damaged by waters coursing through the streets and swirling into buildings, depositing debris, mud, and oil. In some places the water rose as high as 20 feet, submerging sculptures, paintings, mosaics, and manuscripts in the city's libraries. An army of international experts, financed by contributions from around the world, arrived to try to save the water- and muck-damaged treasures. Major public works took place to try to ensure that there would be no repetition of this tragic event. Despite some scares, the Arno has not burst its banks since then.
Since the mid-20th century, Florence has been governed largely by centre-left administrations that have been known for their reformist zeal, honesty, and efficiency (with some notable exceptions). The Catholic left in particular has always been able to maintain its solid roots in civil society. Through the popular mayor Giorgio La Pira, left-wing Catholics were able to run the city for a number of years in the late 1950s and early '60s. Since then the subcultures of the left have survived in Florence, despite their erosion elsewhere in Italy, and the old Italian Communist Party (now the Democrats of the Left) has managed to maintain a strong presence as well. With its large university population and radical-left traditions, Florence was one of the centres of student and worker revolts in 1968. The city even managed to produce a notable rebellion against the organized Roman Catholic Church, public masses being celebrated without official permission at suburban Isolotto.
In the 1980s and '90s the main problems of the city were environmental. The huge influx of tourists threatened to swamp the city in every sense, and the city centre began to lose its distinctive character and its artisan workshops. Pollution reached record levels, thanks to mass ownership of motor vehicles and to the peculiar geographic position of the city. Drastic measures were finally taken in the 1980s with the closure of the city centre to private cars. This policy has gone some way toward alleviating pressure on the city, but the area is still suffocated by thousands of scooters and buses, and the city still endures a constant tourist onslaught. Florence faces the danger of becoming a commercialized provincial town, full of trinket shops, overpriced bars, and crowded museums. Like Venice, it appears to be organized mainly for tourists and students and for Florentines working in the industries directly linked to them. Certainly the dynamic economic district running across to Prato is not matched by the city itself, which continues to capitalize on the past. The label of "museum-city" is thus perhaps best applied to the Florence of today, despite the highly productive region of which it is the capital.
Numerous guides to the city are published every year, most of them repeating basic information. Useful examples are Paolo De Simonis et al., Florence: A Complete Guide to the Renaissance City, the Surrounding Countryside, and the Chianti Region, trans. from Italian by Antony Shugaar (1999), in the Heritage Guide series; and Damien Simmons, Florence, 3rd ed. (2004), a Lonely Planet guide. An excellent guide to architecture in the city can be found in Architectural Guides: Florence, 2nd ed. (1998), in the Allemandi's Architectural Guides series. A more scholarly work is Guido Zucconi, Florence: An Architectural Guide (1995). The Duomo is the subject of Ross King, Brunelleschi's Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture (2000). Alta Macadam, Florence, 8th ed. (2001), in the Blue Guide series, provides a general introduction to Florence and its history as well as maps and tours of different sections of the city. Mary McCarthy, The Stones of Florence (1959, reissued 1987), offers a more evocative and literary survey. A useful Italian guide is Adriano Agnati (ed.), Firenze: le colline, il Mugello, il Valdarno, il Chianti (1994), published by Touring Club Italiano.
Not surprisingly, most histories of Florence focus on the origins and developments of the Renaissance era, particularly the 14th and 15th centuries. The early era of civic greatness is explored in George Holmes, Florence, Rome, and the Origins of the Renaissance (1986). The city received its own 16th-century history at the hands of one of its greatest political thinkers, Niccolò Machiavelli, History of Florence and of the Affairs of Italy: From the Earliest Times to the Death of Lorenzo the Magnificent (1994; originally published in Italian, 1532), available in many printings. This account is complemented by the authority of Francesco Guicciardini, The History of Florence, trans. from Italian (1970; originally published in 1859). The historiography of both chroniclers is the subject of Felix Gilbert, Machiavelli and Guicciardini: Politics and History in Sixteenth-Century Florence (1965, reprinted 1984); supplementing that is Gisela Bock, Quentin Skinner, and Maurizio Viroli (eds.), Machiavelli and Republicanism (1990). An introduction to Machiavelli is available in Quentin Skinner, Machiavelli: A Very Short Introduction, rev. ed. (2000).
An impressive analysis of social and economic conditions, as well as of the political situation, is presented in Gene Brucker, Florentine Politics and Society, 1343–1378 (1962), Renaissance Florence (1969, reprinted 1983), and The Civic World of Early Renaissance Florence (1977); Gene Brucker (ed.), The Society of Renaissance Florence: A Documentary Study (1971, reissued 1998); and Tim Parks, Medici Money: Banking, Metaphysics, and Art in Fifteenth-Century Florence (2005). Issues of daily life (and death) are discussed in C.C. Bayley, War and Society in Renaissance Florence: The De Militia of Leonardo Bruni (1961); Katharine Park, Doctors and Medicine in Early Renaissance Florence (1985); and Daniel R. Lesnick, Preaching in Medieval Florence: The Social World of Franciscan and Dominican Spirituality (1989). More on economic and social conditions is in Richard A. Goldthwaite, The Building of Renaissance Florence: An Economic and Social History (1980, reissued 1990), and The Economy of Renaissance Florence (2009); and Christiane Klapisch-Zuber, Women, Family, and Ritual in Renaissance Italy, trans. from French (1985), the latter emphasizing Florence's female population. Developments in public culture are observed in Richard C. Trexler, Public Life in Renaissance Florence (1980, reissued 1991). Neglected post-Renaissance developments are discussed in the aptly titled Eric Cochrane, Florence in the Forgotten Centuries, 1527–1800: A History of Florence and Florentines in the Age of the Grand Dukes (1973). Other aspects are explored in Jean-Claude Waquet, Corruption: Ethics and Power in Florence, 1600–1770 (1991; originally published in French, 1984).
A more recent history by Sidney Tarrow, Democracy and Disorder: Protest and Politics in Italy, 1965–1975 (1989), covers events of 1968, in particular at Isolotto. Italian books on the development of Florence in the 20th century are Laura Cerasi, Gli ateniesi d'Italia: associazioni di cultura a Firenze nel primo Novecento (2000); Carlo Cresti, Firenze, capitale mancata: architettura e città dal piano Poggi a oggi (1995); Giorgio Mori (ed.), La Toscana (1986); and Giorgio Spini and Antonio Casali, Firenze (1986).
Florentine artists are the chief heroes in the later 16th-century history of Italian art by Giorgio Vasari, Lives of the Most Eminent Painters, Sculptors, & Architects, trans. by Gaston du C. De Vere, 10 vol. (1912–15, reprinted 1976; originally published in Italian, 3 vol., 1550); and much detail on the same period emerges from an artistic autobiography by Benvenuto Cellini, The Life of Benvenuto Cellini, trans. by John Addington Symonds (1995; originally published in Italian, 1728), available in many printings. Many general histories of Italian Renaissance art devote considerable space to Florentine developments, with some giving special emphasis to the city alone. Outstanding among these is Martin Wackernagel, The World of the Florentine Renaissance Artist: Projects and Patrons, Workshop and Art Market, trans. by Alison Luchs (1938, reissued 1981; originally published in German, 1938); it can be supplemented by the more argumentative Frederick Antal, Florentine Painting and Its Social Background: The Bourgeois Republic Before Cosimo de' Medici's Advent to Power, XIV and Early XV Centuries (1948, reprinted 1986); and the more general study of the arts in Peter Burke, The Italian Renaissance: Culture and Society in Italy, 2nd ed., rev. (1999). Also useful is David Franklin (ed.), Leonarda Da Vinci, Michelangelo, and the Renaissance in Florence (2005). An excellent pictorial handbook remains Bernard Berenson, Italian Pictures of the Renaissance: A List of the Principal Artists and Their Works, with an Index of Places: Florentine School, 2 vol. (1963). Frescoes are the subject of Eve Borsook, The Mural Painters of Tuscany: From Cimabue to Andrea del Sarto, 2nd ed., rev. and enlarged (1980). Walter Paatz and Elisabeth Paatz, Die Kirchen von Florenz, 6 vol. (1952–55), is an informative work on churches. Sculpture is covered in John Pope-Hennessy, An Introduction to Italian Sculpture, 4th ed., 3 vol. (1996, reissued 2000); and Charles Seymour, Sculpture in Italy: 1400–1500 (1966). An appreciation of a high point of Florentine painting is offered in S.J. Freedberg, Painting of the High Renaissance in Rome and Florence, new rev. ed., 2 vol. (1985); and André Chastel, The Flowering of the Italian Renaissance, trans. from French (1965). Art in its intellectual or phenomenological context is discussed in Michael Baxandall, Giotto and the Orators: Humanist Observers of Painting in Italy and the Discovery of Pictorial Composition, 1350–1450 (1971, reprinted 1986), and Painting and Experience in Fifteenth-Century Italy: A Primer in the Social History of Pictorial Style, 2nd ed. (1988).


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Britney Spears Tops Forbes' List of Highest Earning Female Musicians
Don't call it a comeback. Except do — because Britney Spears has once again reclaimed her throne as the Queen of Pop, raking in more money this year than her fellow female singers.
And you thought that downward spiral into head-shaving and shoelessness spelled her demise.
According to Forbes, Spears earned $58 million between May 2011 and May 2012 thanks in part to her platinum album 'Femme Fatale' and the accompanying tour, as well as her perfume line, 'X Factor' judging gig and various soul-selling endorsement deals.
Meanwhile, Taylor Swift was a close second with the $57 million she earned by emasculating her ex-boyfriends in song, and Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry rounded out the top five.
Madonna came in at No. 9 — but look for her at or near the top of the 2013 list since her massive (and often cringe-inducing) MDNA tour didn't start until the May cutoff date for this year's roundup.
Here's the complete list:
- Britney Spears: $58 million
- Taylor Swift: $57 million
- Rihanna: $53 million
- Lady Gaga: $52 million
- Katy Perry: $45 million
- Beyoncé: $40 million
- Adele: $35 million
- Sade: $33 million
- Madonna: $30 million
- Shakira: $20 million

subset: commoncrawl


text: Hi guys, I have been stringing a Prince Exo3 Tour 16X18 with my Prince Neos 1500 machine. I know that when I string with port holes I need to brake my machine so it pulls the string straight. At the start of the crosses the curvature of the frame doesn't allow my to brake the machine and put it into the tension head in a straight line. I end up pulling the string at an angle for the first few holes and I can tell it is putting stress on the string. Any ideas on what I might be doing wrong or anything I can do differently? Thank you!


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By Ben Golliver
NBA elder statesman Kobe Bryant showed that he could keep up with the kids on Friday morning, ending a years-long holdout by finally joining Twitter. A few hours later, the Lakers All-Star' guard proved that he can still jump like a teenager too.
With a little more than five minutes remaining in the first quarter of a 107-102 loss to the Clippers at the Staples Center, Bryant jumped the passing lane on defense, deflecting a Chris Paul pass into the open court. Bryant chased down the loose ball and attacked the hoop in transition without delay, rising up from the left side of the court to throw down a monster right-handed slam over Paul, who had given chase after his turnover. This was your textbook "hammer" slam.
That was just the beginning of a busy night for Bryant, who finished with a game-high 38 points, three assists and five steals and shot 15-for-24 from the field in 44 minutes. During the fourth quarter, he waged an extended back-and-forth battle with Paul, who finished with 30 points, 13 assists, six rebounds and two steals and scored the Clippers' final eight points to seal the win.
Bryant had a memorable moment with 1:29 remaining in the game, though, isolating against Clippers forward Matt Barnes to hit a pull-up jumper that cut the Clippers' lead to 99-97. Replays showed the NBA's scoring leader chewing on his jersey as he set up the crossover dribble move that freed him from Barnes. Take a look.
The highlight-heavy performance from Bryant wasn't enough for the Lakers, who fell to 15-17 with the loss. The Clippers improved to 26-8.Second video via YouTube user NBAus3030


text: The number of Daytona 500s that have not been run on the scheduled date because of rain. For the first time last year, persistent storms forced postponement of the race until Monday night, making for the first prime time week-night running of the Great American Race. This year, NASCAR introduced a new Air Titan track dryer that will significantly shorten drying time and increase the chances of completing a race in the event of intermittent storms.


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A Watch Ad Featuring Miami Heat Star Dwyane Wade Ran Next to LeBron James' Essay About Leaving Miami for Cleveland
Marketers often strive for the perfect content adjacency for their ads. This one might actually sting.
In an essay for Sports Illustrated on Friday, basketball star LeBron James made the big announcement that he will return to the Cleveland Cavaliers after spending the past four years with the Miami Heat. Like most sports fans, the staff of CMO Today took a break to read Mr. James' "I'm coming home" manifesto.
But check out the ad we saw… for a Dwyane Wade-sponsored watch. Mr. Wade, until today, was Mr. James' teammate on the Miami Heat.
That's right. Mr. James' now ex-teammate Dwyane Wade is a brand ambassador for Hublot watches. To be sure, there's no way to know exactly how many people saw this particular ad (we saw different ads when we refreshed the page). But it's a little awkward.
This will undoubtedly be a huge traffic day for SI. Perhaps they lost an opportunity to have a brand sponsor the whole shebang. Or maybe the journalistic "separation of church and state" between business and editorial was respected.
Here's the ad:


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MAYPORT, Fla. - After much speculation and the threat of budget cuts derailing a deal, Naval Station Mayport has received confirmation that more ships are definitely coming.
Congressman Ander Crenshaw confirmed the first of three ships in the Amphibious Ready Group is moving its homeport from Norfolk, Va., to Mayport.
USS New York will make the move by Dec. 1.
Just that ship alone will bring 31 officers and more than 320 sailors and their families to the area.
"That means it's a great deal for me because we are right outside the military base, so it's a definitely a plus and it's well-needed," said Cedric Malone, who owns a barber shop.
Naval Station Mayport tells says "we are prepared and ready for the ARG's arrival. We expect USS New York to arrive here at Naval Station Mayport in the last quarter of calendar year 2013, and it will bring more than 2,000 Sailors and their families to Mayport area."
Business owners along Mayport Road are looking forward to the new faces they'll see around town.
"Two thousand more people would generate a lot of business across the board," Malone said.
"If the ship is coming, 2,000 people, this is helpful for everybody, business, the area in Mayport, and I am so happy," restaurant owner Vladmir Yzeiri said.
USS Iwo Jima and USS Fort McHenry will follow USS New York's lead. The two remaining ships in the Amphibious Ready Group are expected to reach reach Mayport by 2015.
Business owners say this could mean a huge boost for the local economy.
"That looks great for me, for not only me as a business, but the community as a whole," Malone said.
The governor's office says northeast Florida is 17 percent economically dependent upon the military and defense industry. When ships leave or when they are decommissioned, businesses feel it in their bottom line.
"We have lunch almost 40, 50 percent sometimes," Yzeiri said. "The ship is here, we have good business sometimes. The ship is not here and the base is empty and we lose business."
The arrival is not only good for the economy, but also strategic interests.
In a statement from Crenshaw, he says, "As Congress deals with very difficult budget decisions, this is promising news for national security and the First Coast. This first phase of the ARG move to Mayport underscores the Navy's commitment to a strategic dispersal of assets -- a strategy I have long advocated on Capitol Hill."
The three ships that are scheduled to relocate eventually would add about $75 million to the economy each year in maintenance and repairs.
Copyright 2013 by News4Jax.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Zambrano exits with lower back stiffness
Righty feels OK after treatment, expects to make next start
By Tom Green / MLB.com
Zambrano said he felt some tightness when he got to Marlins Park before the game, and the stiffness progressively got worse as he pitched. Despite leaving the game, Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen doesn't expect Zambrano to miss his next start.
"No, no," Guillen said when asked if Zambrano will be out for an extended period of time. "He's just stiff. He woke up this morning and said he went through it all day. I don't expect him to miss a start."
The righty cruised through the first inning on seven pitches, but labored through the second, when the Rays sent nine men to the plate and scored five runs on four hits. The Rays then plated two more off Zambrano in the third before he was taken out of the game with the Marlins trailing 7-0.
Zambrano struggled with his command during his short outing, walking three batters, and the injury may have been part of the cause of his struggles. Of his 57 pitches, 30 were balls.
In the third, Guillen, pitching coach Randy St. Claire and a trainer came out to the mound to check on Zambrano after he gave up a one-out walk to Carlos Pena and then fell behind 2-0 to Ben Zobrist. They decided to leave Zambrano in the game, and two pitches later, he gave up a two-run homer to Zobrist before leaving the field with one of the team's trainers.
"Carlos told me he was OK twice -- in Spanish and in English, in case my English is bad," Guillen said. "I know Carlos, he's a competitor and he doesn't want to wait another five days to compete, but I told him I don't want to lose him for weeks."
The righty received treatment after exiting the game, and expects to be fine for his next scheduled start.
"I feel much better now that I got treatment today, now I have to continue tomorrow," Zambrano said.
Tom Green is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Barnes may not possess the raw athleticism that Ross has, but you don't need raw athleticism to be a valuable player. Other than that, they're both good shooters, and Barnes already has an NBA-ready build.
Barnes may not possess the raw athleticism that Ross has, but you don't need raw athleticism to be a valuable player. Other than that, they're both good shooters, and Barnes already has an NBA-ready build.
Chisholm nailed it in his article on him. It's not a bad signing per se but its definitely a move of desperation.
Barnes is logging heavy minutes last night he was one of seven and he never drives despite having a great body. only scoring 8-10 points a game no ast no rebounding he is just jacking up shots and he cant dribble, Ross plays rather limited and has scored more efficently than Barnes even with his rookie mistakes and his defense is much much better. Just let Ross grow a bit he will be a great player for us sometime.
As for Pietrus welcome aboard Air France knock down some treys for us.
Awesome, we are developing Pietrus at the SF position. What great wisdom.
Can someone take Bryan for a walk in the woods and put him out of his misery.
Where is the perspective? It's not like they said here is the answer to the SF position. Their starting SF (wise investment or not...likely not) is injured as is his backup. You don't trade a valuable asset (not saying that we have any) to cover a short term injury. Anyone have a better solution than McPietrus? This is about fixing the problem we have now, not solving the problem we've had for a decade.
We brought the Frenchman for one reason only:
Holy 2012 end of the World, the Mayans were right, doom and gloom. Some of you really make me laugh.
Let's just put this in perspective: Dom was forced into a role he should never have been in, with the starting and backup SF's injured. BC acted accordingly and got someone who could at least hit 3's. MP (even if not totally healthy) will be a step up from Dom, albeit a small one. I don't even think BC feels this is going to solve all the Raptors' woes. But it's an improvement at least.
I know BC SHOULD have fired Casey, traded Bargs for Lebron James, and then amnestied himself but I guess we'll have to live with Air France for now.
Whatever happens though, let's make sure that we all make judgement on the game he plays tonight while he's all jet lagged and never had a practice yet.
Eh follow my TWITTER!
hes gunna give casey the best 5 minutes of his life tonight lol
Sweet baby Jeeeezus.Eric Koreen @ekoreen
DC said Pietrus's arrival will impact Ross's minutes, and might impact the 2-pg lineups. I think will and might should be switched, ideally.
Are you kidding me?
Ross is the only guy to show up and - congrats rook! - to the bench with you because a guy who is a shell of his former self and won't be on the team in 10 months was just signed.
I am so happy I don't have firearms. I might shoot up my screen.
The negative is Ross' minutes, but he has been getting some good extended run recently. I'm still expecting 10-15 minutes. Unless, that's all he's been getting.
Twitter: @ReubenJRD NBA, Raptors writer for Daily Hive Vancouver, Toronto.
three days and a six page thread with nary a projected all euro lineup?
...and ESPN loses their friggin minds!
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CLARENCE, NY -- Innovative Concepts in Entertainment has advanced and expanded the production schedule for its new Harpoon Lagoon game, a four-player video redemption piece with small footprint that made its domestic debut late last fall.
Launched domestically at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions' 2012 exposition in Orlando, FL, and internationally at the European Amusement and Gaming expo in London this January, Harpoon Lagoon preorder activity has been stronger than anticipated, according to ICE sales vice-president Joe Coppola.
"We knew we had a great earner with the early test results that we received," Coppola reported. "We tested at five different family entertainment centers, and at every location, it was placing within the top eight. We didn't expect the game to catch fire so quickly."
Harpoon Lagoon is on track to be one of the top redemption games of 2013, the ICE executive predicted. "It just has tremendous player appeal, and the fact that it's four-player centerpiece game makes it very attractive for any redemption location."
Harpoon Lagoon occupies very little floor space and attracts players of all ages because of its intuitive game play. Players -- any number from one to four, taking position on opposite sides of the cabinet -- aim and shoot harpoons at various fish on screen, and remain alert for the lurking jellyfish to emerge from the treasure chest to offer a chance to win the super bonus.
The game's 47" horizontal LCD delivers stunning graphics, and LEDs at each corner of the cabinet produce a glowing, "floating" effect that beckons players. The game features operator-friendly double ticket bins and precision controls and, according to ICE, it's easy to set up.
Coppola reported that the first units have just left ICE's Clarence, NY, factory and operators who want one or several for the upcoming season should place their orders quickly with their authorized ICE distributor, or with the manufacturer by calling (716) 759-0370.
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He was born Aug. 27, 1946, at Hope to Kenneth and Pauline Hatcher Brice. Bob was a captain in the U.S. Army and enjoyed the outdoors. He was a professional diver, fisherman and underwater photographer. Most of all he was a wonderful husband, father and grandpa. He was preceded in death by his parents.
Survivors include his wife, Caroline Brice; two sons, Jon Brice of Guam, Josh Brice of Russellville; two daughters, Amanda Brice and Kelli Childers, both of Russellville; two brothers, Mike Brice of West Virginia, David Brice of California; four grandchildren; and other family and friends.
All arrangements are private and under the direction of Broussard Funeral Home of Russellville. The online obituary and guestbook are available at www.broussardfuneral.com.


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This isn't even a question. My favorite character is and will always be EDWARD ANTHONY MASEN CULLEN! Gah. Hes such a gentleman. He's someone every guy on the planet should model themselves after, as far as behavior goes.
Emmett does come in a very close second, though. He's so great.


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With SF-Balkman out that makes Rookie Chandler the best Athletic SF on this Knick team that could add something successful on both ends of the court.
Chandler is Hungry!
If President/Coach Isiah Thomas has not witness in the last two preseason games that both Curry & Zach add a BIG weakness to this team on the defensive end of the court, and that it will take a long time before both should be put on the court together, plus both should be sitting on the bench together alot at the start of the first 25 regular season games or at least untill Renaldo Balkman is healthy to play alongside of them with Lee or Chandler.
If Isiah dont recognize this now then he has to be one of the dummest coaches in the NBA.
New Team same results:
Four Preseason games played, the first two games you could see the problems inwhich this Knick-Team had to adjust to before the regular season (The slow players in the starting lineup that has problems adjusting to differ oponents).
The last two Preseason games which included Center Eddy Curry in the lineup and rotation it showed "New Team with same poor result".
It is bad enough this Knick Team showed a slow start at the start of every game with Marbury & Crawford with PF-Kurt Thomas. Now they have PF-Zach Randoph same results as K-Thomas.
But when adding Curry to the rotation the entire 48 minutes is way to slow to compete on both ends of the court.
These four players are Halfcourt Offensive players that have a high career of turnover in a halfcourt-offense, and absolutely the worst of players on any kind of DEFENSE, especially when you include "Poor Excuse" Q.Richardson (The Head Coach gets all the BLAME for this and any lost. It is the Head Coach job to provide peremeter defense.)...


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No Hidden Fees - No Credit Card Surcharges - Low Shipping Rates
Images shown may not be an exact representation of the actual product.You may contact us if you have questions about the exact specifications of this item.
Nano 9mm Caliber 3.07" Barrel, 3 Dot Low Profile Sights, Pronox Slide Finish, 6 Round Mag
The Beretta Nano is the ultimate evolution of the micro compact carry pistol.
Utilizing a removable, serialized sub-chassis the Nano pistol can be easily modified with replaceable grip frames and is simple to disassemble and maintain.Ease of use and concealment were key drivers in the development of the Nano.The Nano's extremely low profile, snag free design makes it easy to carry and draw from concealment.To accommodate right or left-handed use, the Nano's magazine release button can be easily reversed.The light, durable, frame employs modern thermoplastic technology through the use of fiberglass reinforced technopolymer.The Nano's sights are user adjustable with a 1.5mm hexwrench and your fingers. This allows anyone to adjust their sights without the assistance of a gunsmith.Modular structure, ergonomics and ease of use make the Beretta Nano the ideal firearm for concealed carry.Made in The U.S.A.
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RadioShack's (NYSE:RSH) tumultuous year hit another hurdle Wednesday when CEO James Gooch announced he would be stepping down immediately.
The company said it is seeking out an executive search firm to find its next chief executive officer; in the interim, Chief Financial Officer Dorvin Lively will take the helm.
RSH shares have lost nearly three-quarters of their value this year as it struggles with the same issue plaguing other brick-and-mortar retailers like Best Buy (NYSE:BBY) and Staples (NASDAQ:SPLS) — namely, the increasing reach of Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) and other online etailers.
RadioShack was slammed earlier in the year on a fourth-quarter earnings warning, then suffered another setback this summer when it reported a surprise loss in its second quarter and suspended its dividend.
— Kyle Woodley, InvestorPlace Assistant Editor


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Established in 1982; based in NI, we provide concert and sporting tickets to events across Ireland & the UK. We specialise in trips to Old Trafford and Anfield
Return coach & ferry and match tickets to see Man Utd v Seville
Please note:
That due to TV scheduling and other competitions, fixtures are ALL subject to change.
Your booking is for the game and not the date advertised, booking will be valid for whenever the game takes place. The majority of games are confirmed 6 weeks before game. Any change in date of fixture will not result in return of deposit or monies paid.
Package Includes:
Return coach travel between Ireland and Manchester
Seated Match ticket in the lower two tiers of the Sir Alex Ferguson North Stand or Strettford End (Request for specific seating cannot always be guaranteed)
Match tickets are held in our office and given out by the courier on the coach
When booking you agree to the terms and conditions of Skelton Travel.
Please be advised all games are subject to change. Your booking is valid for whatever day/date the game takes place (your booking is for the game not the date). Advanced purchase necessary - Rate are valid until 28 days before game. - A supplement may apply for bookings made less than 28 days before departure. A non-refundable deposit of £50 is required at the time of booking for all packages. Hotels are subject to change and will be confirmed 14 days before your departure. Triple rooms are classed as double bed & sofa bed. Maximum 3 adults per room. (Not applicable in all hotels.) Single supplement applies for all games and is £65 per night. Ticket & Hotel packages are based on the Holiday Inn Express, Salford Quays. Hotel upgrades available upon request. Coach tours based on Village Urban Resort, Ashton under Lyne / Hyde. For coach trips pick up points are Belfast, Lisburn, Lurgan, Banbridge, Newry, Dundalk, Drogeda & Dublin Port. Please ensure all tickets/cards are returned after game. A security deposit will be held against your booking. Failure or late return of the tickets/ cards will result in a loss of your security deposit which is £100 per card. At Skelton Travel we will try our utmost to seat all our clients together, however due to ticket allocations normally being in even numbers (2 and 4) we are unable to guarantee parties of 3, 5, 7 will be seated together. Credit card payments are subject to a 3.5% credit card charge. No extra charge for debit cards. . Balances are due 28 days before departure. Any balance not received 28 days before departure will result in cancellation and loss of deposit. All tours are subject to sufficient bookings - Skelton Travel reserves the right to cancel tour up to 10 days before departure. Child reductions on overnight stay only available when sharing with two paying adults. If a tour has already departed and a match is cancelled, the tour will proceed as a leisure break and a refund of the entrance fee will be issued by our office on your return. Late alterations may be made to the itinerary in the event of ferry cancellations or delays. This also applies to other circumstances, which are beyond the control of Skelton Travel Ltd, such as delays in the ferry.
Below is a list of pick-up points available on this tour.
Below is a list of pick-up points available on this tour.
|Contact Details
| The Coach Inn
| Grand Opera House
| Drogheda North Roundabout Junction 10
| Northwall Irish Ferries Terminal
| Dundalk South Roundabout Junction 16
| Saintfield Roundabout J6
| Skelton Travel
| McCanns Corner Fiveways Roundabout


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10 Dogs Disguised as Lions
Lions aren't usually one of those animals we go "aww!" over. They're actually sort of scary — that is, unless they come in dog form. No, seriously! Remember when we introduced you to that poor lion pup who got the cops called on him? Well, it turns out there's a whole bunch of fellow lion fakers of the canine variety out there, and they couldn't get any cuter.
These dogs have the whole mane thing going on, but with the dogs' adorable faces, there's zero scary factor involved. It's a win-win, y'all! Check 'em out below.


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Dell DIM4400
Windows XP Home SP3
Intel Pentium 4, 1.60 GHz
1024 MB system RAM (maxed)
NVIDIA GeForce2 MX/MX 400
Browsers: Firefox 3.5.6 / IE6
ISP: Comcast Cable
Hey guys, need your help.
While I'm very happy with the Port blocking capability of my ZoneAlarm Free Version 8.0.298.000 with recent Port testing results such as this:
I'm interested in furthering my online security by investigating anonymous proxy sites where someone would not be able to trace me back to my UserAgent, Host Name or, in some cases I've found when running an ~~ SNIP ~~ (go ahead - take the test yourself), my telephone Area Code (that's getting just a little too close to home to suit me).
I'd like my information to be secreted by the use of an Anonymous Proxy and, since this is all new to me, would like to hear some recommendations on how to best hide my Electronic Identity...what's the best(safest) site to use and step-by-step instructions on how to set it up to use it on my computer.


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Hi, Hope you doing Well !!!
Here is our Implementing partner Requirement, Please go through the below requirement and send us suitable consultant with their updated resume, rates and Contact details .. *URGENT REQUIREMENT!! IMMEDIATE INTERVIEW!!* *Job Title: Java Lead* *Location: Bothell, WA* *Duration: Long Term* *Interview:- Phone/Skype* *Job Details: -* *Must have work experience with T-Mobile.* The services involve development for Platform team for T-Mobile – US Project. The resource needs to work in Requirement Gathering, Analysis, Estimation, and Design. Should have experience in Agile based implementation with Rally Tool, Devops. Should have sound knowledge of Java, AEM, JSP, Servlets, JQuery, App: iOS, Android. Must Haves – Skills: Java, J2EE, HTML, CSS, Angular JS, JQuery, AEM *Education/Certifications (Required):** B.Tech* *Thanks & Regards, * *Manisha Budhwar * Technical Recruiter Nityo InfoTech . Desk No-609-853-0818 Ext-2160 Gtalk ID:- manishanityo16 E Mail:- manish...@nityo.com -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "US_IT.Groups" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to us_itgroups+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to email@example.com. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/us_itgroups. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.


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By Del Stover
The economy is in the doldrums, unemployment is high, and people are worried if they'll still have a job tomorrow. So it should come as no surprise that voters are wary when school officials ask them to approve a bond issue and the taxes to fund it.
This summer, for example, California's Jurupa Unified School District asked for a $125 million bond -- and saw its request go down in defeat. At least eight other districts in the state also saw their bond measures fail.
But to the surprise of many, these defeats were in the minority. An impressive three out of four bond proposals in the Golden State -- 25 out of 34 -- have won approval so far in 2012. The state economy may be weak, and California may be the birthplace of Proposition 13 and the modern anti-tax movement, but state voters are showing surprising support for school bond issues.
That support, however is provisional, say school finance experts. Officials cannot overreach in the funding they request, and they have to make a powerful argument for the taxpayer's sacrifice. In today's tough economic times, voters need not only to be wooed but won over -- and that's no easy task.
"Voters have been surprisingly supportive of bonds," says Judy Marks, director of the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities. "But school officials also are making the case for why they have to do it ... and school districts have to go out and sell their bond issues."
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Sessoms acknowledged that funding for such an extension remains problematic, despite indications of support from Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe. Any extension might need to be done in stages, with the ultimate goal of reaching the city's (Atlantic) Oceanfront neighborhood, an important city economic driver.
The most likely route for the extension would be via ex-Norfolk Southern right-of-way, which Virginia Beach moved to acquire in 2010.
"We've got to find a responsible way to pay for it," Sessoms told local media Wednesday, March 19, 2014. "I imagine we will be limited to the distance and it might be just to Town Center and it will be limited because of the funding, without the federal money we will need more help from the state and from the local government as well."
Hampton Roads Transit, operator of The Tide, is also exploring an LRT extension within Norfolk itself, designed to reach Naval Station Norfolk.
Service on the Tide began Aug. 19, 2011.


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SNOW HILL — A preliminary budget for fiscal year 2014 from the Worcester County Board of Education will be about 1 percent, or roughly $1 million, higher than last year and include funding for the county's popular afterschool programs, several of which lost grant support over the summer.
Costs are on the rise across the board, according to Chief Financial Officer Vince Tolbert, which is the main reason the budget has ballooned slightly.
"At this time, we are anticipating increases next year in insurances, technology and school construction," he wrote in a report to the board.
Though reductions to the budget of $153,895 have been factored into the FY14 estimates, Tolbert explained that technology increases, like utilizing broadband internet and rising health care costs, overshadow any reductions. There is also a $100,000 request included this year for a feasibility study for Showell Elementary School (SES) renovations.
"Based on current expenditure estimates, additional FY14 revenues of approximately $1,150,315 will be required to maintain existing staff, student programs and services," he wrote. "This includes $300,000 for our after-school programs which were partially funded in FY13 by one-time county supplemental funding."
It is worth noting that the board's budget last year was $92,167,401 with $73,136,477 or 79.3 percent coming from the County Commissioners.
Tolbert also touched on some potential additional costs that might have to be added to the budget during the evaluation period this winter.
"As you are aware, [faculty] salary negotiations are ongoing and the proposed budget does not currently include any funding for salary increases," he said.
Conversely, the board could see some unknown savings from retiring staff this year. Tolbert anticipated that those numbers will be available in early February.
The budget presented to the board is only a first draft. A public budget work session is currently scheduled for Feb. 5 where parents, faculty, or other interested members of the community will be able to offer suggestions and priorities for the coming year's budget. Once all of that input has been received, the board is set to officially adopt a Proposed Operating Budget on Feb. 19. However, the County Commissioners will still have the final vote on what happens with the lion's share of the funding.


text: Some of my Gigatribe friends don't show up as available in Gigatribe even though I know that they are online. Have the latest version of Zass running. If I turn off Zass they show up but if I turn Zass back on those users dissappear suddenly. I have Gigatribe set up as a super user & I don't use a router. Gigatribe is using it's default port of 3278. How can I fix this problem?


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HOUSTON - Houston is the fourth fastest-growing region for new HIV infections. Approximately 27,000 people in Houston are infected and 20 percent of them don't know it!
That's why AIDS activists are pushing education as the key to overcoming this disease. Kelly Young is the CEO of AIDS Foundation Houston and on this week's Houston Newsmakers with Khambrel Marshall talks about why the fight against AIDS has seemed to shrink, while the challenge continues to grow.
Nike Blue is the Vice President for Preventive Services for AIDS Foundation Houston. She joins the panel and as co-chair of the African American State of Emergency Task Force, talks about the challenges within the African American Community that see 1 in 40 African American Houstonians living with HIV.
Cathy Wiley, a City of Houston Training Administrator in the health department weighs in with the support the city is giving to various non profits working to get the word out.
Lovell Jones is back. He is the Director of the MD Anderson Center for Health Equity & Evaluation Research. He has an update on the status of our health care in Southeast Texas. The Affordable Care Act will be implemented across the country but there is still resistance from several governors who will refuse to create state health-insurance exchanges which are key components of the Affordable Care Act implementation. Texas Governor Rick Perry is one of those saying our state will not take part. Dr. Jones provides his insight into what that will mean for the quality of health care in Southeast Texas.
Also this week, what does the "Fiscal Cliff" really mean?
Dr. Ron Johnson, Dean of the Texas Southern Jesse H. Jones School of Business and Dr. Steven Craig, Economics Professor at the University of Houston provide a unique perspective about the talks going on in Washington. They'll also give insightful viewpoints on our economy: why failed policies have been allowed to continue for so long, and the prospect for those policies to continue even if a "fiscal cliff" agreement is reached in Washington, D.C.
It is a fast-moving and informative half hour! Watch Houston Newsmakers with Khambrel Marshall Sunday at 10 a.m., right after Meet the Press with David Gregory.
More Information:
- Kelly Young, CEO AIDS Foundation Houston, 713-623-6796, www.aidshelp.org
- Nike Blue, VP Preventive Services, AIDS Foundation Houston, 713-623-6796, www.aidshelp.org
- Cathy Wiley, Training Administrator, City of Houston, 713-970-7000, www.houstontx.gov/health/
- Lovell A. Jones, PhD, Dir.MD Anderson Center for Health Equity & Evaluation Research, 713-792-2121, www.mdanderson.org
- Steven Craig, PhD,Economics Professor, University of Houston, 713-743-3800, www.uh.edu
- Ron Johnson, PhD,Dean, TSU Jesse H. Jones School of Businessonomics Professor, University of Houston , 713-313-7215, www.tsu.edu
Copyright 2012 by Click2Houston.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Subscribe to Ithaca College Theatre! Special Rates for the IC Community!
With subscriptions available for as little as $30, Ithaca College Theatre will kick off a new season of theatre.
The season opens in October with Man from Nebraska from Tracy Letts, author of August: Osage County. Letts brings us the story of Ken Carpenter, a middle-aged man from the middle of America who discovers he's lost his faith. Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, Man from Nebraska follows Ken on a journey away from home where he examines his faith and how people choose what they believe.
The season will continue with the fall musical, Legally Blonde. Sorority sister Elle gets dumped by her boyfriend who thinks she's not "serious." She follows him to Harvard to show him just how serious she can be and ends up learning that there's more to life than just being pretty in pink.
The next drama, by Irish playwright Brian Friel, is Translations set in a small Irish village in the days leading up to widespread starvation. British soldiers arrive whose task is to draw a new map of Ireland, replacing all Irish place names with names in English, a language the villagers neither speak nor understand. In the face of this extinction of their cultural heritage and identity, the citizens are forced to choose whether to follow or fight.
The new year starts with IC Theatre and School of Music's collaboration to bring two of Puccini's imaginative one-acts to the stage, the tale of religious redemption, Suor Angelica, and the farce Gianni Schicchi. Gianni Schicchi contains the unforgettable aria "O mio babbino caro".
The spring musical, Spring Awakening, swept the Tony's in 2008 and now this hard-hitting rock musical sweeps into Ithaca to take on the darkest recesses of teen sexuality. The schoolmates turn toward one another and away from a repressive adult society only to be tragically and irrevocably changed by their relationships.
Wrapping up the season is An Enemy of the People, the story of a whistle-blower in a small, coastal Norwegian town. Dr. Thomas Stockmann risks the welfare of his family, his livelihood, and his very life to defend his conviction that the economic engine of his town, the mineral springs, is a source of pollution and disease. Arthur Miller, widely considered a leading playwright of conscience in American theatre, adapted Ibsen's drama.
Ithaca College Theatre offers great deals and savings through a variety of season subscription packages available for as little as $30. Subscribers have the added benefits of a discounted ticket package for each of the six main-stage shows as well as the ability to pick their desired dates, along with the opportunity for complimentary ticket exchanges throughout the season if necessary.
Student subscriptions start at $30 for Tuesday and Sunday performances of each of the six shows this season. Regular admission packages start at $42, and discount packages for senior citizens, alumni, Ithaca College faculty and staff, and Friends of Ithaca College start at $36.
Visit our website or call the box office at (607) 274-3224 for more information regarding subscriptions.


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Teton Range > Mount St. John > Climber's Log
Mount St. John Climber's Log
[ Sign the Climber's Log ]
|My Introduction to Teton Mountaineering
Date Climbed: May 31, 2016
|Be careful/have fun this time of year. There was lots of steep snow but it was soft enough that no technical equipment was used. Solid sledding made the descent a blast!
Felt like we weren't going to make it until we were actually on the top. Hard but worth it.
|Posted Jan 21, 2017 4:14 am
|South Couloir
|Had a wonderful time climbing this peak. Hanging Canyon is amazing, and the climbing was actually fairly straightforward from here to the summit. I like the steep trail and element of routefinding, added a little fun to the adventure. Didn't see another person past Lake of the Crags. Will be back here for sure!
|Posted Jul 14, 2015 9:24 pm
|A fine, fine day
|Everything about climbing this peak is enjoyable. Hanging Canyon is a truly unique place, with a nice hikers trail for access. If you are lucky, you may even choose the correct couloir to the summit!
|Posted Apr 27, 2015 6:47 pm
|St. John
Date Climbed: Jul 19, 2012
|Easy hike to a lovely valley and scramble to summit day after climbing The Grand
|Posted May 1, 2014 1:40 pm
|S Couloir
Date Climbed: Jul 3, 2013
|S Couloir, most of the route was a slog, I thought, but the scramble near the top is great. Views also great.
|Posted Jul 31, 2013 3:52 pm
|The Howling Wolf
|Summer 2008
One of my all time favorite summits. I have this thing with wolves, and the view of Saint John from Jenny employee cabins always looked like a howling werewolf to me. i kinda had to. I summited via the basin housing Lake of the Crags with Cat. The summit ridge was knife-like and very rocky. Amazing view into three states!
|Posted Jan 6, 2013 10:19 pm
|St John
Date Climbed: Jul 19, 2012
|Great climb to follow the Grand earlier in week. Rangers at Jenny Lake suggest this one dayer... beautiful approach, no ropes needed, good views.
|Posted Jul 28, 2012 1:12 am
|From Rockchuck
Date Climbed: Jun 12, 2012
|The ridge goes more-or-less at the 4/5.1 rating in the guidebook, but route-finding is very tricky, and the 5.1 is down, not up. A bit over 2 hours from Rockchuck to St. John. Trip report.
|Posted Jun 12, 2012 6:52 pm
|Nice spot....
|I've heard that folks have a hard time finding the summit sometimes (which makes sense, as it's a long ridge). My best advice: start from where the lake's the narrowest, head north and angle west. the couloir should slant to just below the summit. there's a benchmark - and a black marmot.
|Posted Aug 16, 2010 10:06 pm
|South Couloir
Date Climbed: Aug 17, 2008
|Went up the South Couloir from Hanging Canyon. This is one of my favorite places in the Tetons. I've been in this canyon many times. Had nice sunny weather during the entire trip.
|Posted Aug 18, 2008 4:01 pm
|South Couloir
|Hanging canyon must be one of my favorite places on Earth!!!
|Posted Aug 10, 2008 7:08 pm
|Direct Jensen Symmetry Spire
Date Climbed: Jul 22, 2008
|Ten pitches of sustained 5.6-7 on good rock makes this a nice feature to climb on Mt. St. John. Hail from hell on the way down. Fortunately we were near tree line when the skies rained hail the size of quarters. Nice to have a helmet when you need it.
|Posted Jul 27, 2008 5:31 pm
|South Coulior
Date Climbed: Jul 15, 2008
|Hanging Canyon is awesome and the hike up to the saddle from the bite in the lake yields great view of the area. A sweet peak for sure.
|Posted Jul 20, 2008 4:46 pm
|I love Hanging Canyon
|Mt St John has always been a favorite of mine. I have been to the summit 10 or 11 times. One of the best parts is the hike up Hanging Canyon to get there. Early season is great when it is all snow to the peak. Lake of the Crags is wild when the ice is just breaking up. One time I hiked up Minga Spire, the peak to the west. To traverse to the peak to the east is an interesting scramble from the main summit. There are some great flat rocks to sit on and relax on the St John peak. It is a fast hike down, a real knee knocker all the way to the trail at Jenny Lake. A great way to spend the day, Hanging Canyon is always a magical place. I love exploring some of the far off parts of the canyon, way off of the beaten path. I once saw a wolverine across Lake of the Crags. No photos, but my friend also saw it through binoculars.
|Posted Jun 12, 2008 11:16 pm
|chugach mtn boy
|S Couloir
Date Climbed: Aug 10, 1979
|A nice afternoon scramble
|Posted Dec 2, 2007 5:27 pm
|Thomas Beasley
|South Coulior
|Made for a nice morning hike before work.
|Posted Aug 14, 2006 6:13 am
|Route Climbed: South Coulior Date Climbed: Aug. 16, 2005.
|Spent a day on the mountain and in Hanging Canyon. Highly Recommended! I'm not sure that I reached the right summit, though. I had to hurry a bit because bad weather was coming in.
|Posted Aug 28, 2005 4:44 pm


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The Fourth District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission is now accepting applications to fill a vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Fred Hazouri.
Applicants must have been members of The Florida Bar for the preceding 10 years, registered voters, and must reside in the territorial jurisdiction of the court at the time of assuming office.
Applications should be downloaded from The Florida Bar's website at www.floridabar.org.
The original completed application plus nine copies and all attachments must be delivered to Louis M. Silber, JNC Chair, Silber & Davis, 1806 Old Okeechobee Road, West Palm Beach 33409 no later than 5 p.m., November 19. In addition to the original and nine copies, applicants are requested to provide one additional redacted version of the application which complies with Chapter 119 and Florida's public records law. The submission of a photograph is encouraged.
[Revised: 11-25-2017]


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The only full length release by this New York group. Heavy, brooding music with a lot of emotion. Exposing the myth of the 'round' earth.
1. Engine
2. What If?
3. Anything It Takes
4. Vendor
5. Lock Out
6. Detectives
7. The Painted Sky
8. How Do You Feel
9. Grabbing Hold
10. Understanding
11. Shame


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The daughter of Frank and Adeline Lewis, she was born June 26, 1917, in Sarnia Ontario, Canada. She enjoyed sewing, reading and raising her boys. She was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Edward Bennett; her parents; and her second husband, Parker A. Smith.
Left to cherish her memory are two sons, Tim Bennett of Plainview and Mike Bennett of Russellville; one grandson, Donald Bennett of Katy, Texas; one granddaughter, Susan Jones of Gravely; two great-grandsons; one great-granddaughter; and one great-great-granddaughter.
Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Humphrey Funeral Service. Internet obituary and online guest book are available at www.humphreyfuneral.com.


text: CL&T: I'm not even going to bother replying to that ignorance BS you conjured up simply because of the fact that I proved you wrong. Jrs.Landscaping: Hey, as far as I know its legal down here but I'll double check for ya. Will: I am paying them AFTER the entire campaign. So far we have 25 people ready for the job and they will be given all the possible outcomes for this and will understand. There is a high chance they will get more sales in the 2nd or 3rd drops to the same houses since its a multi step campaign. Down here door hangers aren't popular whatsoever. Direct mail and flyers are basically the only forms of direct marketing. Door hangers create maximum exposure and will be read no matter what since they stand out in this area. Direct mail and flyers just get thrown out right away when its seen as an advertisement and at the same time it will cost way more start up money then my budget to distribute and create then door hangers. This is mass direct marketing for this demographic all at the fraction of the price. Like I said I will let you all know how it goes down. My door hangers are already being shipped as we speak.


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In February, Georgia Administrative Judge Michael Malihi deliberately ignored fact, the language of the Constitution, and Supreme Court precedent in manufacturing the logically and legally impossible decision that Barack Hussein Obama was indeed a "natural born citizen" of the United States and therefore eligible to be on the Georgia state ballot. This stunningly improper ruling–the sort to which the shameful disregard for common sense and legal ethics must always lead–made the judge a nationwide object of contempt and derision.
Although many court watchers were discouraged by Malihi's willful corruption of American justice, he did manage to provide one important service for the American public before being bought off by Obama's forces. By permitting 3 separate eligibility suits to go forward and be decided, however improperly, on their merits, Malihi had become the first judge to forgo the evasion tactic employed by so many of his corrupt colleagues on the bench. That is, he did not throw out legal challenges to Obama's eligibility due to the plaintiff's "lack of standing," the irresponsible and cowardly procedural path taken by other judges who wished to avoid trying the case.
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But if anyone believed Malihi's choice to hear a case dangerous to the Obama Regime would begin a trend of judicial integrity, they have been sorely disappointed by the performance of Arizona Federal Judge Susan Bolton.
In December, Van Irion, lead attorney of the Liberty Legal Foundation, filed suit against the National Democrat Party and its chairwoman, Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Irion asked the court for an injunction to prevent the Party naming Barack Hussein Obama its candidate for President in 2012 by ruling he is not a "natural born citizen," as required by the Constitution of the United States.
TRENDING: LiAngelo Ball Tells Truth About The Day He Said 'Thank You' To President
Although both defendants were served with the action, neither bothered to respond or show up in court, something of a standard practice by Obama and his colleagues. When Irion asked the court for a default judgment against the Democrat Party and Schultz, Judge Bolton denied the motion, claiming the Democrat Party had not been properly served according to HER particular interpretation of federal law for the legal service of defendants. As Irion puts it, "Bolton acted more like a defense attorney than a judge," as she "…denied [a] motion for default judgment by interpreting a procedural rule in a way that it has apparently never been interpreted before."
Although Irion explained the law to Bolton and provided the proof-of-delivery receipt from the USPS, Judge Bolton still refused to accept the written delivery certification of the Post Office! Irion explains, "What's disturbing about [this] ruling is the fact that most courts routinely grant default judgments when defendants don't show up. If a defendant later show up and proves they were not properly served the court can easily vacate the judgment…"
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In short, Judge Bolton not only ignored usual court procedure, she became counsel for the interests of the Democrat Party, "…[asserting] defenses that the absent defendant didn't offer on its own behalf."
As Diogenes spent a lifetime looking for an honest man, the American people have spent 3 years in search of an honest judge! Surely, one must exist somewhere.
The views expressed in this opinion article are solely those of their author and are not necessarily either shared or endorsed by the owners of this website.
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Get answers to frequently asked questions about home health care and the broad range of professional healthcare and support services provided in the home.
Review Date: Monday, June 01, 2015
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Would you like to send those special in your life a Valentine Love Message with some extra flair this year? Then The Signal's new offering may be of interest to you.
On Valentines' Day, Friday, Feb 14, you can have a photo and special 30-word message to those you love printed in the paper on a special "Be My Valentine" page for only $19.
But there's more to this.
Valentine photos and messages printed in the paper will also be featured in a special "Be My Valentine" Top Media Photo Slide Show on SignalSCV.com beginning early Valentine's Day morning. If you don't have a photo to use, the Signal Creative Team can help you out choosing some art or you can have your message all in type.
"We'll even send your Valentine an e-mail notice to look in the Signal or online at signalscv.com on Valentine's Day for a surprise," Advertising Director Andrew Loughlin said. "It's a new and trendy way to have some fun and show your special love."
Messages and photos can be brought in person to The Signal's offices or mailed with payment to The Signal, 24000 Creekside Road, Valencia 91355. Full-size, horizontal photos (jpg.), along with message and e-mail address for optional E-Notices to your loved one can be emailed to email@example.com.
To pay by credit card or for more information, contact Jennifer at 661-287-5564. Deadline for submitting your Signal Photo Valentine Love Message is Monday, February 10.
"This idea is really much better than just sending or handing your Valentine a card you bought at the gift shop," Loughlin said. "These are personalized photo Valentines in the paper as well as online. That should make them feel even more special by letting others know you care too. And they can share the web link with friends and relatives for fun. These Photo Valentines also can be clipped out of the paper for the refrigerator door or your family scrapbook," he added.


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Nasscom Needs a Makeover
As Nasscom's leadership holds its annual meeting this week, many executives and industry experts agree it is time for a change.
The I.T. lobbying group badly needs an overhaul. "Whatever was the role Nasscom was supposed to play 20 years ago, that has changed today," says Sudin Apte, head of advisory and research firm Offshore Insights.
As Nasscom's scope has expanded in recent years, it is struggling to address the interests of its many players. It represents sectors that range from software outsourcing, to engineering design, to animation and gaming.
When Nasscom was first set up, in 1988, the technology industry was in its nascent stages. As India's economy liberalized in the early 1990s, the group played a key role in building the country's software industry. It focused on cutting through bureaucratic red tape, and on attracting global investors.
The association started with just 36 members, many of which are today among the software industry's leading companies. They included Tata Consultancy Services, then a consulting arm of Tata Sons, and Infosys, which at the time had fewer than 200 employees.
Back then, the industry's growth was led purely by services, so everybody's interests were well-aligned, says senior Infosys executive V. Balakrishnan
Today, Nasscom is a gigantic umbrella organization. It represents most companies of India's technology sector, which clocks in nearly $100 billion in annual revenue, and employs nearly three million people.
"There is a need for Nasscom to reinvent itself," says Mr. Balakrishnan.
Within Nasscom, priorities differ. For instance, while large service companies are mostly looking for easier access to new markets and geographies, smaller companies are pushing for tax benefits that will help them grow.
"The challenge for Nasscom is to address all these issues without each of the groups feeling alienated," Mr. Balakrishnan says.
For Thomas Reuner, analyst with research firm Ovum, Nasscom is facing an "identity crisis."
Big companies want to move up the value chain and be more like their multinational counterparts like IBM and Accenture Mr. Reuner notes.
Some companies are now setting up groups to lobby for their narrower interests. They include product firms, some of which are members of Nasscom, which recently established a separate think tank to push the products industry's agenda, the Indian Software Product Industry Round Table.
Kumar Parakala, a consultant for KPMG in India, says Nasscom needs to form special interest groups within it to meet the aspirations of diverse players.
Nasscom is open to changes. A panel headed by N.R. Narayana Murthy, the founder of Infosys, has already submitted a report setting a new agenda for the association for the next decade, focusing on what the group can do for new technologies.
Follow India Real Time on Twitter @indiarealtime.