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Freya felt flustered, as if her world had been turned upside down, black was white, and Jayne was the President of the Alliance.
[Maya. Post-BDM. Mal and Freya go to church, Hank doesn't go ice-skating, and maybe it's hinting at the calm before the storm. An extra long chapter to make up for the delay - enjoy!]
The morning was still comparatively young when there was an unexpected knocking on Serenity's main hatch.
Mal heaved it open to be greeted by a middle-aged man in a long black overcoat. "Captain Reynolds?"
"Possibly. Who wants to know?"
The man smiled, and his face relaxed into a lot of horizontal lines. "My name is Higson. I work for Mr Rostov – he's sent me to collect you and your wife and take you to church."
"He has, has he?"
"Yes, sir. I'm at your disposal for the entire day. And he particularly wanted me to say that I was to make sure you didn't chicken out. His words, I might add, sir."
Mal's lips twitched. "I'm fair sure they were."
"Are you ready, sir? We don't want to be late."
"You might not, but I'm happy to come in at the end."
Higson didn't respond, just clasped his hands behind his back, although his lips did twitch. "Sir."
"You wanna come in and wait?"
"No, sir. I'll keep the hover warmed over."
"Shiny. If we ain't out in ten, knock again."
Up in their bunk Freya was still only half-dressed, the contents of her somewhat sparse wardrobe spread across the bed. She was muttering under her breath, and from the odd word he caught as he descended the ladder Mal knew it was some of her more creative Chinese cursing.
"There's a man with a hover outside," he said conversationally as he reached the deck. "I think he thinks you should be ready by now."
"I don't know what to wear." She sighed.
"I got that. 'Though I kinda like what you've got on now." The black lace bra and panties had been a gift from him for her last birthday.
She glared at him for a moment, the 2000 watts one that should have seen him burst into flames. "Be serious, Mal."
"Serious? Okay." He crossed the room and picked up the tan-coloured shirt she'd discarded. "This."
"I said be serious."
"I am. What's wrong with it?"
"It's not … it's …"
"It's you."
"It's ordinary."
"No, it ain't. It's extraordinary, 'cause you wear it."
"It's not right for church."
"You mean for your Ma."
"If you know, why did you make me say it?" She went back to contemplating her clothes.
"Frey, ai ren, you're you. You could wear ermine and pearls, and you'd still be you. Hell, I've seen you when someone else's blood was an accessory, and it was still you. You think your Ma's gonna care if you wear ordinary clothes?"
"I care!" She sat down suddenly in the chair. "Oh, Mal, this is a mistake."
"It's one day. Less than a day. A few hours. And it'll make your Ma's year."
"I know, but –"
"No buts." He went down onto his heels in front of her. "'Sides, the kids'll be waiting for us to pick 'em up from Dillon's. You don't want to miss out on seeing them, do you?"
"Of course not."
"Then get dressed. If you won't be warm enough in one of these dresses, wear pants and a shirt. It don't matter overly." He ran a fingertip across the top of one breast crowning from the bra cup. "Only do it soon, else I won't be able to control myself seeing you in that underwear, and we'll be really late."
"I'm not sure this is a good idea." Hank looked at the ice doubtfully. "You sure it's thick enough?"
"I scanned it," Luke said. "You saw me."
"Yes, but –"
"And Mullins spent an hour brushing the snow off – he didn't go through."
The thin sun was struggling through the clouds, catching the snow crystals and bouncing into sharp points of light.
Demelza had turned up at Serenity shortly after Mal and Freya had been whisked away, and Simon at least had jumped at the chance to go ice skating.
Chairs had been brought from the house behind them and set up at the lake's edge, while a small table with a portable hot ring stood ready to make drinks as required. A small platform jutted into the ice, where Simon was finishing strapping on a pair of borrowed skates.
"I'll show you if you like," the doctor said, stepping awkwardly onto the ice, grace taking over as he pushed into a long, sweeping semi-circle with apparently no effort.
Hank listened for a cracking sound, but there was none.
"You don't have to," Demelza said, taking his arm. "I don't. You can sit with me and watch the others make fools of themselves."
"I suppose … wuh duh muh, he's not going to, is he?" Hank stared as Crispin, his bulk suddenly weightless, joined Simon in making perfect arcs.
"He was quite a skater in his youth," Luke said. "Or so I'm told. Before gluttony took over as his major hobby."
"Luke." Demelza swatted him on the arm.
"Diyu, it has to be thick if it holds his weight." Luke laughed.
Zoe stepped onto the ice, surprising Hank immensely by her feet not shooting out from under her.
"I didn't know you skated," he blurted out.
"I'm glad I can still surprise you, husband." She smiled. "It's been a while, but I think I still remember."
"Well, I don't." Kaylee was holding onto the platform. "I'm not sure I want to do this."
"Here. Hold onto me." Zoe drifted to the young woman. "Lean forward just a little, and let me … that's it."
Kaylee's delighted laughter rang out in the cold morning air, and Simon stopped to applaud, as did Sam and Inara as they walked slowly along the lake path towards the grotto.
"Doesn't your other half skate?" Hank asked, looking over his shoulder to where Clive stood on the verandah.
"No. He never wanted to learn." Demelza shrugged. "He's never enjoyed anything physical."
Hank shifted uncomfortably. "Demelza –"
"What about your captain and his wife?" Luke broke in. "Will they be joining us?"
Momentarily side-tracked, Hank smiled. "No. They've got another engagement. In fact, if this had been tomorrow none of 'em would be here – they've got a job taking something to Avalon."
"Oh?" Luke seemed surprised. "I thought you were all around for the duration. I mean, until the papers are signed and notarised."
"A job's a job. Nowadays it's difficult to turn down work, in case there isn't another offer."
"Damn." Luke patted his pockets. "I've lost my gloves. I'll be right back." He hurried towards the house.
"I thought I saw him with –" Hank began, but Demelza interrupted.
"Is it really that bad out there?" She led him to the chairs and made him sit.
"I think it's worse than even Mal tells us." Hank watched Zoe coax Kaylee into going backwards. "Late at night I check the Cortex sometimes, some of the black sites that're here today, gone tomorrow. I know Mal does too, I see his Cortex logs." He shook his head. "There was a guy called Mr Universe – I never met him personally, but the others knew him – he used to say the truth was in the Signal. It's pretty well hidden, but he was right. And it scares me."
"Scares you?" Demelza was about to make a joke, something about a big, strong man being afraid, but she realised he was serious. "Hank?"
"There's going to be another war, Demelza. Maybe not this year, or next, or maybe not for a decade, but it will come. It can't not." He glanced about, as if to make sure nobody else was listening. "What we know … what I've read … there's gonna come a point when good men can't let it go on."
"The Independents? Your captain was one, wasn't he?"
"Him, Frey, Zoe … But it won't matter the colour of coat you wear. This'll be because there's a difference between right and wrong, and there's too many in power who want to blur that line, and decide it for everyone else."
Demelza's naturally pale face had turned white. "You're joking, surely."
"Wish I was. Oh, I know I tend to take life with a smile and a big pinch of salt, but Mal's not wrong."
"Are we safe here?" Demelza looked around at the startling beauty, the frozen trees and the silvery blue sky showing through the grey clouds. "I mean, before it was all out on the Rim. There were some terrorist acts, but Persephone was safe."
Hank looked at her, and was ashamed of himself. Just because he was convinced, had the evidence of his own eyes of the lengths the Alliance was willing to go to maintain power, that was no reason to terrify anyone else. "It probably will be. And maybe I'm wrong. I often am. Ask Zoe."
She didn't believe him, it was clear, but allowed his words to stand. "Well, nobody's perfect."
"Except Zoe."
"Spouses are supposed to be."
"Um, Demelza, can I … about yesterday …"
She understood but shook her head firmly. "No, Hank. Nothing about yesterday."
"No, look, I –"
"No, Hank."
He reached into his pocket. "Then at least take this." He pressed the small pistol into her hand. "For emergencies. And it's loaded, so I'd be obliged if you didn't shoot me, I've had more than enough of that. Although I get the feeling you know how to use one."
She was staring at it. "My father insisted – he always said there were untrustworthy people about." Then she astonished him by tucking it into her coat. "Thank you."
"You're not going to toss it back into my face with some pithy comment?"
"No. I won't be using it, either, but … knowing it's there …"
He had to smile. "More than I anticipated."
"Found them!" Luke strode up from behind. "I'd dropped them on the steps." He pulled on his gloves. "Now, who's going to join me?"
Hidden in the trees, as much a shadow as the shades themselves, Jayne watched and waited, River looking out from his eyes.
In a way, it was a good thing Freya had decided to go with her best shirt and pants, both in a dark maroon, since she was mobbed by all the children as soon as they arrived at Dillon's. She sat down hard on the floor, but the jarring ache to her back and hip was ignored.
"Mama, Mama!" Jesse gushed, trying to burrow into her side. "Missed you!"
"I missed you too." Freya laughed. "All of you."
"Me too?" Ethan asked, piled on top of the others.
"You too."
"And me?" Bethie wanted to know.
"All of you."
"Hey, don't I get any of that?" Mal asked, and had to brace himself as his son launched his little body at him.
"Hello, Daddy."
"Hi." Mal chuckled, and mussed the little boy's hair. "You been a good boy?"
"Well, I guess that's all I can honestly ask for." He scooped his daughter up into his arms. "Hey, JJ."
"Daddy." She kissed him wetly on the cheek.
Breed poked his lover with his elbow. "Don't you want any of this?"
"I never said no." Dillon couldn't help prevaricating. "Just … not yet."
"We're neither of us getting any younger."
"Speak for yourself."
All the children were talking at once, trying to tell Freya and Mal what they'd been doing, what they'd seen, and just how much food they'd managed to get through.
"You'd think it had been weeks, not just a couple of days," Dillon said softly.
"Perhaps it was a time warp. But I suppose, when you're only five or six, a couple of days is a long time."
A small dog barking preceded the arrival of the small dog in question, and Fiddler bounced on the mound of children and Freya.
"Sorry, sir," a young woman panted as she hurried in. "I tried to catch him before he got out, but he's very quick."
"No problem," Dillon said. "I don't think Freya minds too much."
"Help!" Freya called.
"Sorry, I've gone deaf. What was that?"
"Dillon …"
Laughing, Dillon and Breed each took a hand and extricated Freya from the pile. "Better?"
"Thank you." She brushed herself down. "I'm covered in dog hair," she complained.
"Oh, I have just the thing for that." The young woman opened a cupboard door and took out a small contraption. "Can't have you going to church like that."
Mal raised his eyebrow. "Does everyone know?"
Breed shrugged. "That someone's got Freya to attend a religious ceremony without the use of a gun? Probably." He grinned again. "Hilde, give that to me, I'll do it. You catch Fiddler, or we'll be in something of a vicious circle." He started to brush Freya down.
"So you're the famous Hilde." Mal crossed his arms as best he could while still holding Jesse.
The young woman, not much more than a girl, bobbed a curtsey as she picked up the little dog. "That I am, sir."
"And you've been looking after this lot?"
"It's been a pleasure. They're all wonderful."
Bethie beamed.
"I take it they've been on their best behaviour, then."
"Of course," Ben piped up. "And we really didn't mean to break that window."
Now Bethie's look was promising retribution as soon as the adults' backs were turned.
"It was nothing," Dillon put in quickly. "Besides, I personally think it was Breed's fault for getting out that new drone of his to try. I told him to keep it until our trip to the island."
Breed nodded. "I agree – entirely my fault."
"Yes, but Bethie was the one who was –"
"Anyway," Dillon said loudly, interrupting Ben before blood was spilt, "hadn't you better be getting going? I know I'm not exactly an ardent church-goer myself, but don't they glare at you if you turn up late?"
"Probably." Mal put Jesse down. "You two, get your coats."
"Yes, Daddy." Ethan grabbed his sister's hand and they ran deeper into the house.
"Can I come?" Hope asked tentatively. "Uncle Breed showed us some pictures of the cathedral. It looks pretty." Her fingers were flicking as they often did when she was imagining drawing.
"Not today," Mal said, going down onto his heels to look her straight in her blue eyes. "But we'll see you at the Spring Lights later. And your Ma and Pa'll be there as well."
Hope grinned and jiggled in her excitement.
"Ready!" Ethan announced, bundled up in his little fur coat, Jesse beside him in hers.
"Sasquatch," Mal commented, then glared at his wife while rubbing his stomach where she'd elbowed him.
Luke accompanied them all back to Serenity, a mixture of red faces on some and full of sandwiches and hot chocolate for others.
Kaylee yawned widely, belatedly remembering to cover her mouth. "Ooh, sorry," she managed to say. "Bad as Bethie." Another yawn overtook the first. "You know, I'm gonna get some sleep. All that work last night, then my nap this morning getting interrupted … I think I'm gonna need all my energy for later." She keyed the code on the lock and then looked at Luke. "See you soon." She disappeared inside.
Simon paused. "Thanks." He held out his hand. "I enjoyed that."
"You're more than welcome." Luke smiled as they shook, then the doctor followed his wife.
"Will you come in for something warm?" Inara asked. "Since no-one else is being polite."
Luke laughed. "No, I'd best be getting back. Packing to do. You know."
"Nobody's going anywhere," Hank insisted. "I've already told you."
"I know."
"Then I think Kaylee has the right idea," Sam put in. "A nap before this evening's festivities would probably do us all good." He put his hand in the small of Inara's back.
"Will you be there?" she asked. "At the Spring Lights?"
"I … don't know. Maybe."
"Then perhaps we'll see you. Yes, yes, I'm going. There's no need to push."
"I wasn't."
"I distinctly felt it. There was a definite push involved."
"Inara …"
Their voices disappeared into Serenity.
"Don't be long," Zoe said. "I've been using muscles that have been inactive for a while – I might need a rubdown." She brushed Hank's cheek with her lips before striding inside.
"Is she leaving us alone for a reason?" Luke asked in surprise.
"Well …"
"Because if so, perhaps we could talk while you show me around. It's been a long time since I've been on a Firefly, not since my dad had one. An 02 I think."
"Oh, well, the 03 is quite different. She doesn't shake like the older ones, least not 'less the entry couplings need aligning. Her layout's a bit different too, with the crew quarters up a level …"
The door closed behind them.
Nothing could persuade Freya to sit in what appeared to be the family pew near the altar, preferring to take a seat at the back, Jesse on her lap, Ethan on Mal's.
Not that the kids were in any way fractious – they were fascinated by the building, the pomp and circumstance of it all.
She had no idea of when to stand, kneel or sing, but Mal did. She shouldn't have been surprised – he'd told her his Ma had been a regular churchgoer, and he'd gone with her as soon as he could be relied on not to run up and down the aisle chasing sunbeams. He hadn't made it to altar-boy, something to do with Dilly Fairbrass, but he had a faith that had sustained him until Serenity Valley. After that it wasn't that he didn't believe, it was just that he didn't trust anymore. Still, she saw him finger the gold cross she'd given him a couple of times, and guessed she was thinking of his mother.
In front of them she could see Alex and Ellen, with two girls at their side, presumably her nieces. Eugenia Rostov sat on the aisle, following the service in a leather-bound prayer book. It jolted Freya to realise it was one she'd given her mother one Christmas, when they were still a family together.
"You okay?" Mal asked as the minister took his place in the pulpit, a distressingly large collection of notes in his hand, ready to sermonise everyone into submission.
"I'm fine."
Honestly, Mal. I just haven't been to one of these things in a long time.
You mean a service?
Didn't you used to go to the battlefield ones? I seem to recall seeing you at one given by old Brother Ignatius that time on Burdett.
Everyone goes to them, Mal. Just in case. And I didn't join in the singing.
No, I noticed that too.
You did.
In a good, loud, clear and admirable voice.
You carry on believing that.
Ethan sighed and shook his head.
"It's good to see so many of you here today," the minister began, surveying his flock. "My sermon today is on the subject of the love of money over faith. Many a good family has been ruined by the greed and corruption that is rife among even the wealthy, exacerbated by the money lenders in the temple, and it is incumbent upon us all to show them the error of their ways, and not pass by on the other side."
"Ain't he mixing his parables?" Mal breathed.
Freya didn't answer, just held on tighter to Jesse in case the little girl started to get as bored as she herself was starting to feel.
"I think this is my favourite room." Luke ran his hands over Serenity's heart, slowly spinning to supply light and heat. "Something about the colour, maybe."
"I prefer the bridge. But then I would, seeing as I'm the pilot."
Luke cocked his head. "Is someone calling?"
Hank went to the door, looked out and listened. "Can't hear anything."
"Must be my imagination. Or memories." Luke laughed.
Hank joined in. "They'll do it to you every time."
Buttoning his coat Luke went out into the corridor. "I suppose I'd best be getting back. Although wasn't there something you wanted to say to me?"
Hank led the way down the back stairs to the common area. "It's just … Demelza …"
"What about her?"
"It's … I …" Now it came to it Hank felt like he was breaking a confidence.
Hank took a deep breath. "Just … keep an eye on her."
"I saw bruises on her neck and shoulders. Like someone had taken hold of her, real tight."
Luke's face tightened. "What did she say?"
"That it was none of my business."
The other man's hands balled into fists, and he thrust them into his pocket. "I see."
"Look, I just thought … I gave her a gun," he admitted quickly. "And I figured somebody else ought to know."
"Yes. Thanks." Luke hadn't moved. "Did she say who?"
"Not outright. But I got the impression –"
"What? No. I was thinking more Clive. Being the husband."
"Yes. Yes, of course." Luke took a deep, ragged breath. "Thanks for telling me. And about the gun, too. I'll make sure she keeps it someplace handy."
"It's only for protection," Hank insisted wondering if he was going to see news of a murder broad-waved anytime soon.
At long last the sermon was over, the final hymn sung, and each member of the flock thanked as they filed out into the cold air.
"Can you take Mother with you?" Alex asked, pressing through the crowd to Freya's side. "Lunch is all set up for you back home, and if you need anything all you have to do is ring for it."
"Aren't you staying?" Freya's face was the perfect picture of surprise.
"No." Alex patted her arm. "You'll be fine."
"Alex –"
"I'm taking Ellen and the girls to the Spring Fair. It's the last day, and I did promise."
Freya took a deep breath. "Then you have to keep it. But … I don't know her."
"Then treat her like you do me."
"That's different. I've got to know you over the past few years – one meeting in thirty isn't enough to make a relationship on."
"Yet you slept with Mal on your first date."
Her mouth dropped open, and her indignation caught on her teeth. "I … that's private! And how did … did he tell you?"
"Wait until I get him alone."
"He'll probably enjoy it." He put his hand in the small of her back and pushed. "Go on. She won't bite."
He disappeared before she could grab or hit, and Freya was left alone amongst the throng. Above the massed heads she could see Mal's brown thatch, and she went to call him. Then stopped.
"Don't be such a baby," she chided herself under her breath. "You are a wife, mother and decorated veteran of an interplanetary war. She's just your Mother, for Pete's sake." She inhaled as far as her lungs would go, holding it until her vision darkened a little at the edges.
Frey? Mal's mental voice caressed her. You okay?
She exhaled noisily. Is it that obvious?
Ethan mighta mentioned it.
Freya had to laugh, then turned it into a cough as an elderly woman with lilac-coloured hair in front of her turned to glare. "Sorry," she said quickly. "Frog in the throat."
The glare didn't diminish, but the woman turned back to her companion, muttering something about the young people of today not knowing anything about respect.
I'm okay. Just … apparently we're going to have lunch with my mother on our own.
Alex not coming?
No. Hwoon dahn.
Is that any way to speak about your bro?
I would have called him worse than that but he ran away.
Mal laughed, probably out loud too. You can do this, ai ren.
I know. It's just …
Your Ma. I know.
You do realise the first thing she's bound to do is call me by 'Elena'.
It's a nice name.
It's not me. Not anymore.
She ain't likely to change now, Frey.
No. Freya sighed deeply. Better meet us by the hover.
Will do. And I think Ethan's gonna forgive us for not using words this time.
Freya smiled slightly, then pushed her way through the thinning crowd towards where her mother was waiting. "Mother."
This time the surprise was palpable. "Not Elena?"
Eugenia Rostov let her lips curve. "I am trying, you know. It means a lot to you, so … forgive me if I forget."
"Of course." Freya felt flustered, as if her world had been turned upside down, black was white, and Jayne was the President of the Alliance. "Um, did Alex mention he was … uh …"
"Not going to join us? He did." For a moment the old Madam Rostov looked out, but she vanished like dew at dawn. "He loves his children, and I'm not going to grudge him spending some time with them. He's missed so much of their lives already, with his gallivanting around the Rim."
"He has business to take care of," Freya said carefully.
"He has people to do that."
Oh, well, in for a penny … "He saved my life."
Eugenia was brought up short. "Really?"
"More than once."
"I see."
Freya watched her mother closely. "I take it he didn't mention it."
"No. He gave the impression he was …"
"Just along for the ride?"
There was a dignified snort. "I shall be having words with that young man about keeping me in the dark."
"He probably didn't want you to worry."
"Of course I worry! You're my children!"
Freya glanced around, at the number of people who seemed to have stopped to take an interest. "We're gathering a little crowd, Mother."
"And that should concern me?" She drew herself up, her white hair vibrating. "I am a Rostov."
"Well, it concerns me. It doesn't take much for the Alliance to get involved, and that wouldn't be safe. For anyone."
Eugenia understood. "Of course. My apologies, Freya."
"Come on. I'm hungry."
"Cookies and milk?"
Freya laughed. "Oh, I hope Alex has laid on a better spread than that."
As they walked towards where the hover was parked, Eugenia asked, surprisingly diffidently for a Rostov, "And your children?"
"They're here. In fact, there they are." She pointed to where Jesse and Ethan stood by Mal.
"Oh, my." Eugenia had to fight to catch her breath. "She's the image of you."
"And Ethan looks like Mal."
"Yes, yes he does, doesn't he?"
Ethan grabbed Jesse's fingers and advanced. "Hello, Grandma."
Eugenia had to smile, then surprised everyone by going down onto her heels. "How do you do?" she asked, holding out her hand.
Jesse didn't wait, surging forward to wrap her arms around her grandmother's neck. "Grandma."
Freya went to grab her, but Mal shook his head slightly.
"Hello," Jesse said softly.
"Hello." Eugenia hugged her tightly, then pulled Ethan into her embrace.
Frey, you might wanna take a breath. Or maybe I shoulda brought one of Simon's smoothers. You look like you're gonna faint.
She looked at Mal, her eyes wide. My Mother.
Yeah. He was trying not to laugh. Seems like maybe she has changed.
[to be continued]
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text:
At the end of 2012 I put together a playlist to celebrate the New Year with. I'm a bit of a music junkie / audiophile, and I make playlists on Spotify to satisfy my moods. It's a pretty neat tool, really, because unlike Pandora and iHeartRadio, you can choose specific songs you want to listen to. So my end-of-year playlist, Underwater, became a sort of musical journal for 2012, and I had a lot of fun making it.
Now it's January, and I'd like to make this a regular thing, to introduce music I think is good. New music, themes, forgotten sounds, industry related things. For this month, here is "January Jams." With some new songs, and some that have been around, it feels a little bit like 1983. These are the sounds that are bringing me into 2013.
January Jams
Kicking it off is Mumford and Sons' The Cave from their first album. I have a few double features for some artists like Imagine Dragons and the Lumineers. Those are two bands I'm really excited about and can't wait to hear what they come up with next. Imagine Dragons has one of the most innovative and catchy sounds I've heard in a while.
Another band on the list whose first album I am anxiously awaiting is Atlas Genius, who released an EP with 4 songs last year, and have announced a full album coming in February.
I'm already working on a playlist for next month. I don't know if I will produce one every single month, but you can look forward to at least several I already have in mind for this year, starting with January Jams. If you like the songs and use Spotify yourself, you can also subscribe to the playlist and make me very happy!SHARE

subset: commoncrawl


text:
President-elect Reagan has displayed little interest in the third world, but some of his more conservative followers find it the ideal arena to begin the overhaul of US foreign policy.
As on othe issues, the Republicans are split into two camps. The old internationalists are well personified by George Shultz; the new ideologues by Sen. Jesse Helms. The competition will operate on at least two levels: within the administration between the more centrist cabinet-level officials and their more ideological juniors; and between congressional Republicans, who in opposition found the third world and foreign aid convenient whips to beat the incumbent administration, and a Reagan administration which will need a variety of economic and political tools. The Reagan foreign aid transition team headed by the president of the Heritage Foundation, a New Right think tank, leans heavily on the theories of P. T. Bauer, a British economist who favors the abolition of aid.
The Republican right's foreign policy agenda in the third world has been evident in recent years: an intenal settlement in Zimbabwe with a black facade; no Panama Canal treaty; no aid to Nicaragau, which is already written off as Marxist; no Agency for International Development assistance for land reform in El Salvador; closer ties to South Africa; aid for Savimbi's guerrillas in Angola; and severe restrictions bordering on withdrawal from the World Bank. It is radically different from present policy and thoroughly confrontational.
While such positions may arguably have served the Republicans well in congressional opposition, the style and content may backfire if transplanted to the State Department. Two lines of thought pervade these positions.
First, the third world is divided into friends and enemies, who may be fairly easily identified by their public statements and their United Nations votes. The US should aid its friends and punish its enemies. Foreign aid is primarily a device for doing just that; development goals are window dressing. Shades of John Foster Dulles! Nations, of course, do not have friends, but they do have interests, which are not clarified by this division.
Second, East-West tensions permeate the world; North-South conflict is peripheral and generally instigated by the Soviet Union. In Bauer's words, "preoccupation with the North-South confrontation has served and can only serve to divert attention from the reality and persistence of the East-West conflict." From this perspective, it is to dismiss third-world concerns and demands as empty rhetoric, and likewise ignore rapidly building global economic and environmental problems which have their initial manifestations in developing countries.
The reality of interdependence is frequently unpleasant and therefore bitterly resented by many Americans who have long thought themselves beyond history's reach. While our trade, energy, and financial relationships with the third world have grown to central importance in the last decade, our political relationships have been marked by confusion and vacillation
In the aftermath of Vietnam the Carter administration attempted a new policy that was a patchwork of human rights considerations, greater tolerance for diversity, and rhetorical sympathy for some third-world positions. Publicly labeled as foundering on the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the taking of American hostages in Iran, the Carter policy was long torn between rather naive pronouncements of universally applicable standards and the necessity for special security relationships with key regional powers. This laid it wide open to charges of hypocrisy.
But significant, and largely unrecognized, progress occurred in some parts of the third world: a settlement in Zimbabwe; democratic rule restored in Ghana, Nigeria, Ecuador, and Peru; new sensitivity to human rights in many countries; and remarkably high levels of economic growth until the latest oil price hikes. President Carter's failure to articulate a coherent world view that accommodated third-world change within a strong defense of Western interests against Soviet opportunism cost him dearly. Adverse third-world events, such as the overthrow of the Shah and Somoza, were blamed on American weakness, rather than viewed primarily as nationalistic struggles fueled in part by previous American intervention.
The incoming administration has major opportunities both for new approaches and for catastrophic missteps.Global economic negotiations have stalled, but the underlying causes of economic distress remain. Will the US face squarely the issue of global powerty, even if we object to the proffered solutions? If we promote capitalist, export-oriented development models such as Taiwan and South Korea, will we accept the need to open the US market to their products?If we abolish or drastically cut aid, where do we expect the poorest third-world countries to get the capital and technical know-how to stave off disaster? US leadership must consist of more than saber rattling.


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Coach Trips to The Meadowhall Centre in Sheffield
Meadowhall is an indoor shopping centre in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. It lies 3 miles north-east of Sheffield city centre and 2 miles from Rotherham town centre. It is the largest shopping centre in Yorkshire and the eighth largest in the UK.
Meadowhall has over 280 stores, most of which are major high street stores. Fashion labels have their own stores in Meadowhall including Hugo Boss, French Connection, Bench, G-Star Raw, Super Dry, River Island, Jane Norman, Timberland, Ted Baker, Jack Wills, AllSaints, Hollister and more. The Lanes is an area next to the Oasis Dining Quarter which includes small independent shops.
The Oasis Dining Quarter is Meadowhall's food court which has food outlets and seating on both floors. The ground floor contains mostly fast food outlets including McDonald's, KFC, Pizza Hut, Shere Khan and El Mexicana but includes restaurants Nando's and Harvester. The upper floor consists mostly of restaurants including Frankie & Benny's, Coal Grill And Bar, PizzaExpress, Wagamama, Hand Made Burger Co, Zizzi and T.G.I. Fridays.
In July 2011 following the opening of T.G.I. Fridays, the food court underwent a £7 million redevelopment which saw it re-branded from 'Oasis Food Court', to 'Oasis Dining Quarter'.[9] Restaurants such as Las Iguanas, and Giraffe were added as part of the redevelopment.[10]
Vue cinema
The dining quarter includes an eleven screen Vue multiplex cinema.
Opening Times:
Monday to Friday 10am to 9pm
Saturday 9am to 8pm
Sunday 11am to 5pm


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Facing stiff opposition from within the airline industry and scrutiny from Congress, last month, the Transportation Security Administration tabled its proposed policy to allow knives back onto aircraft. But the delay was only temporary, and agency Administrator John Pistole has remained vague about any plans to revive the proposal. Industry observers say it could be quietly re-implemented as soon as Memorial Day weekend.
That could affect passengers and personnel at San Francisco International Airport, which serves 38 airlines operating about 582 flights per week out of its terminals and was the destination of two of the four flights hijacked on 9/11.
Sara Nelson, international vice president of the Association of Flight Attendants, has emerged as a vocal critic of the knife proposal, calling it "dangerous" and "overreaching." Nelson is part of a loose coalition of air marshals, pilots, passengers, law enforcement agencies, airport gate security screeners, and 9/11 victims' family members who've filed a petition and promised "legal action" if the knife policy goes through. Nine organizations representing 400,000 airline employees have chimed in. Attorney Robert S. Clayman will represent them in any lawsuits that flare up if the new rules are ratified.
But even that critical mass might be stymied by a powerful knife lobby, whose members persuaded the TSA that a 2.4-inch blade should pass muster, even if a bottle of shampoo cannot. In March, the TSA yielded to those demands, drafting a policy change that would allow passengers to carry small pocketknives into airline cabins. Pistole contended that it would save hundreds of hours that airport screeners waste daily confiscating knives from carry-on bags. It would also bring U.S. airline policy in line with that of the European Union.
Doug Ritter, founder and chairman of the Arizona-based advocacy group Knife Rights Inc., insists that a few "commonsense changes" would "free up overburdened TSA [employees] to real threats like bombs." He equated the current anti-knife movement with previous campaigns against scissors and knitting needles. Knife Rights and similar groups such as the American Tool and Knife Institute represent a far-reaching, lucrative industry, with a purported $5.9 billion impact on the U.S. economy, according to Knife Rights' own statistics.
Nelson and others worry that the industry's political clout will dwarf concerns over airline passenger safety. Transportation Security Administration spokesman Nico Melendez wouldn't offer a revised date for the policy change, but suggested, in statements to the media, that the agency hasn't reversed course.
"The [delay] will enable TSA to incorporate the Aviation Security Advisory Committee's feedback about changes to the prohibited items list," he said, adding that it would also provide ample time for workforce training.


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Full Telescoping 2 Piece Box - 3.5" x 5" x 1"
To see all available options, please enter all shipping address details.
All this product can fit in the box!!!!!
Just some of the uses for this box:
Card Games - This will hold over 100Poker or Bridge Size Cards plus dice or counters
Gift Box - What could be better than to give a gift in a custom designed, personalized box?
Puzzle Box - Make a custom puzzle with us and put in a uniquely designed box
Game Box - Will hold book, cards, folded game maps, dice, pawns, counters and more...


text: Four companies have agreed to temporarily halt exports of heating oil from the U.S. because of low supplies, Energy Secretary Bill Richardson said. Shell Oil Co., Amerada Hess Corp., Motiva Enterprises and Equiva Trading Co., which represent less than 10% of U.S. refining capacity, voluntarily agreed to keep their heating oil in the U.S. "based on the current market situation," Richardson said. Heating oil for November delivery fell 6.12 cents, or 5.7%, to $1.0161 a gallon on the New York Mercantile Exchange, the biggest one-day drop since March.


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Significant financial and market pressures have led to mergers and acquisitions within the healthcare business as one method to grow and obtain efficiencies. The assessment helps the nurse determine the well being needs of the people and families in the neighborhood in addition to any financial and social conditions that impact the community's well being standing (Nies & McEwen, 2011, Chapter 6). In order to be effective, the community well being nurse should be capable of improvement partnerships throughout the group and be capable of identify, understand and have an appreciation of the values of the neighborhood they are working with (Abrams, 2010).
In this context, probably preventable well being care events are outlined as hospital and emergency division visits that sufferers presumably might have prevented beneath the appropriate circumstances similar to well timed entry to main care, improved medication management, greater well being and health system literacy, and higher coordination of care among clinicians, social service providers, sufferers and households.
The individuals of our community consider that the actual motive behind Continuum Health Partners' announced plans to shut LICH's Obstetrics and in-patient Pediatrics services, its Dentistry program and its faculty based clinics program is to close LICH solely to allow them to unload LICH's helpful actual estate to learn Continuum's Manhattan hospitals.
Our main drawback now could be getting the Department of Health to show down Continuum's plan to shut OB, inpatient Pediatrics, and Dentistry, bringing LICH's management again to Brooklyn beneath a Brooklyn-based mostly Board of Regents, and getting the DOH and our native elected officers to assist us get Downstate to take over the administration of LICH and its OB beds and getting help from them and HUD to make the takeover financially doable for Downstate.


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Asarum chinchengense leaves
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September 19, 2013
Demand for rental housing is growing throughout the New York metropolitan region. Young workers are marrying later and showing more interest in downtown living. At the same time, the nation's large baby boom generation is looking to move into smaller houses and apartments as they near retirement and children leave home.
Yet more than any other part of the New York region, Long Island Island is ill-prepared for growing demand for rental housing, according to a new study conducted by Regional Plan Association for the Long Island Community Foundation. Long Island has far fewer rental homes, and is building the fewest townhouses and apartments of any part of the tri-state area, the report shows. On average, the Hudson Valley, northern New Jersey and southwestern Connecticut have two-and-a-half times the number of available rental homes per household than Long Island, making it difficult for Nassau and Suffolk to attract skilled workers and young professionals. With demand high, rents have increased far more than incomes, leaving many middle-income workers unable to afford a typical two-bedroom apartment. In addition, Long Island's segregated housing pattern has resulted in severe disparities in access to opportunities for minority communities.
The shortage of rental housing already is straining Long Island's economy. Young college graduates who increasingly prefer walkable neighborhoods near transit find their housing options expensive and unappealing compared with other parts of the New York area. Many end up living with relatives or relocating, depriving the local economy of consumer purchases. Middle-income professionals and service workers increasingly struggle to afford housing on the Island. Some gravitate toward illegal apartments, which can lead to overcrowded and unsafe conditions.
Without an increase in rental homes, Long Island's economy is likely to stagnate. Businesses depend on the availability of a workforce that ranges across ages and skill levels. For Long Island to compete for tomorrow's workers, it will need to keep up with Westchester, New Jersey and Connecticut, as well as regions across the U.S., in providing affordable rental homes in vibrant downtowns. Without these options, companies that employ high-paying workers will look elsewhere. Without the tax revenue generated by these companies and new residents, everyone else's property taxes are likely to go up.
By contrast, the upside of building more rental homes means more jobs, higher incomes and more tax revenue.
In the post-World War II era, Long Island led the nation in building affordable homes to accommodate a booming surburban population. The housing built in the post-war decades suited the economy and family patterns of that period. But the needs of residents, the economy and the environment have changed. Unless Long Island adapts, it will continue to lose ground.
Read the full study, including recommendations for how Long Island can increase the availability of rental housing.
The study was prepared by RPA as part of the Long Island Affordable and Fair Housing Initiative Advisory Group convened by the Long Island Community Foundation. It was made by possible by a generous grant by the Ford Foundation.


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- Asparagus
- Pepper
- Salt
- Garlic Powder
- Olive Oil
- Preheat the Oven to 425 degrees Cut the bottom 1/4 to 1/2 inch off the bottom of the asparagus. Then place in an oven pan and coat with Olive Oil. Once coated spinkle liberally with Pepper (I prefer fresh ground) and Garlic Poweder as well as some salt. Cook in the Oven for about 7 min at 425 degrees and serve. Cook longer if you like your Asparagus soft or (if your like me) a bit less to keep it crispy.


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Arrange the bread slices on 2 heavy baking sheets. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of olive oil over the bread slices. Bake until the crostini are pale golden and crisp, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, stir the herbs, lemon zest, pepper, and salt in a medium bowl to blend. Using about 2 teaspoons of cheese for each, form the goat cheese into 2 cm diameter balls. Roll the cheese balls in the herb mixture to coat completely.
4) Arrange the cheese balls on a platter. Drizzle the extra-virgin olive oil over and around the cheese balls. Serve with the crostini. Garnish with herb sprigs.
5) The crostini and cheese balls can be prepared 1 day ahead. Store the crostini in an airtight container at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate the cheese balls.


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Both projector and camcorder
Colour trailing from projector
Treasure-trove of multimedia fun
Hybrid camcorder and LED projector
'Excellent HD Camera'
'colours are warm and well saturated – reds particularly eye popping and skin tones bright and healthy looking – with detail and sound impressively clear when viewed back on a flat panel telly.'
'remarkably smooth video'
'Affordable price.'
'slim design'
ReviewGist helps you find the best products to buy by making sense of online reviews.
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covering over 29,490 products.
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from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
- n. The quality of being functional.
- n. A useful function within a computer application or program.
- n. The capacity of a computer program or application to provide a useful function.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
- n. The ability to perform a task or function; that set of functions that something is able or equipped to perform.
- n. In United States trademark law, the tendency of a product design to serve a function other than identification of the product, preventing that design from being protected as a trademark.
- n. The presence of a functional group
from The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. The state of having or being a function.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- n. capable of serving a purpose well
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
The Garmin functionality is cool, but I didn't like the actual watch - I've gone for a Suunto T1c, and am enjoying it enough to wear as a regular watch fairly often.
Five Best Exercise Planning And Tracking Tools | Lifehacker Australia
Right now our main functionality is centered around the News Popularity Index and managing channels by reputation.
Let's now remove the label functionality, and build a separate decorator for that.
This functionality is already built into most video drivers, at least into NVIDIA's, ATI's, and Intel's. dark42 koenjicalling
EeeRotate Orients Your Laptop Screen For Easy Reading | Lifehacker Australia
From your description, this functionality is already builtin to Akismet.
My default WordPress setup: 17 must-have plugins | FactoryCity
Although I can't seem to see the RSS feeds, other functionality is there, like categorized wiki browsing and This Day in History (on the main page).
I would expect this kind of functionality from a large university library!
The fact that their home is on the web, and their data accessed through web APIs and transport layers, just ignores the fact that middle-tier consumer devices are expanding in functionality, and rather than throwing users to the web and saying "here, figure it out" or making their own proprietary locked-in service.
No matter what field you enter when you graduate, with Mathematica you will always have built-in functionality that covers a world of subjects (just take a look at the Wolfram Demonstrations Project).
The Forums stay the same, although the layout has changed the same functionality is still the same along with all the posts and PMs etc..
"Our scientists are not only looking at how they can feed Australians but also ensure there is global food security which brings stability to nations, but it's also about how we can improve the functionality of foods which will provide good health outcomes."
- Tim Mulherin, quoted in Forum focuses on international food security, abc.net.au, 10 August 2009.


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I decided I'd post this cause I was kind of just having a freefloat moment in my head (so pardon me if it's a little unorganized), and I figured out part of the reason I've been able to start improving my art:
Core Basics
That's what separates a regular artist from the rest. I've seen a lot of people who I wouldn't say are "incredible artists", but they have a nice flavor/eye catcher about their art. These are the people that scare me (as a competitive artist) because that's something I haven't quite found for myself yet. But I believe I, and others, have a certain advantage if we were to go commercial with our art because of one simple fact: we mastered our core skills.
These are perspective, anatomy, and light and shadow (< still working a bit on this one). Honestly, you can stylize and colorize all you want, but unless you get these core skills down, your artwork will always leave something to be desired. Also, clean lineart will help as well.
Sorry If that came across as rough. I know this is a casual forum section but I saw a couple posts about people who want to be better at artwork, so figured I'd throw this out there.
Anyways, your free to share your opinions on this as you feel is appropriate.
ではまた, じゃまた
Fight the Never, Chase the Dream...
I feel the same. I love drawing, but compared to the work of some other artists, my art really doesn't hold much of a candle. Instead of beating myself up, I usually use my envy as a form of motivation to try to improve my skill. You shouldn't let other people's works get you down. Use their examples as inspiration for working harder. Also, don't work for other people's approval, work for YOUR OWN approval... if that makes sense. Be proud of your art, after all you made it.
I saw somewhere that in order to draw well, and to draw from your mind, you need to master the basics, like you said, and practice drawing everything. Draw everything you see, such as trees, houses, people, anatomy, cups, fruit, baskets, etc.
You first learn the basics "perspective, anatomy, and light and shadow" and shapes and what not. Then you find things to draw and apply these techniques in order to try to replicate what you see as best you can, until you can draw it exactly as you see it. If you repetitively draw landscapes over and over, you learn how to draw grass, and trees, and water, and all that, so later, when you are imagining your own landscape to draw you just insert what you've drawn before and make it look like you want it to.
Another tip is that some people seem to think that professional artists can draw anything they want, whenever they want, from their mind. No matter how good you they are, they still will pull up pictures on the internet, or go take reference photos of things to see what it looks like.
Also, some people that like drawing, and want to be manga artists, but their art isn't the best, sometimes ignore other types of art, like life drawing and perspectives, and ignore the basics and think they can get better by just practicing drawing manga characters and stuff. To draw manga well, you have to be able to do all those things, especially to draw the characters really well, and make their actions look like they are moving and realistic, you have to study anatomy and do lots of life drawing.
Don't brush aside style as much in your way of thinking. Professional artists will all have a firm understanding of the "Core Skills" you speak of...and employers will come to expect this in every prospective artist for a job. What sets us apart is our style...or our individual approaches at addressing "situations" in our pieces. I tend to call these, "acts of believability". Technical skills, such as perspective and anatomy, can carry one so far, but it won't set the artist above the rest. Believe it or not, being highly technical with a piece, can come off as being too safe, elementary and bland. This in-turn can become a hindrance to a piece if not handle carefully.
Also...to build on Rena-Ryuuguu's point about life drawing...to advance beyond the ordinary, an artist must come to understand the movement of parts on a whole. Not only the actions, but the consequential reactions of non-focal point parts. "Parts" meaning not only body parts, but clothing, jewellery and such. Remember...It's as much about the things you can't see as it is about the things you can. Use this concept when drawing and your works will become more believable.
i definitely agree that having a good understanding of those "core skills" is important! once you have those under your belt you can do whatever you want, and even if you choose not to adhere to all the anatomical & lighting rules & such your artwork will be waaaay more developed and--in my opinion--unique because of this knowledge. if you put a figure drawing done by someone who has no idea how anatomy works next to one done by someone who has it down pat but chooses to ignore everything they know about anatomy, it's super obvious which drawing belongs to who.
therefore even if you're all about anime-style stuff and have no interest whatsoever in drawing from real life, you should still make an effort to learn because that skill will trickle down to your anime and your cartoons and even your surrealism and you'll be a much better artist because of it c:
ADDITIONALLY, in most art classes (every one i've been in, anyway) anime is generally discouraged, which would suck for you if that's all you ever drew! art teachers/professors look for a wide range of art styles and media, and often tell kids who draw anime to leave it out of their class assignments. when you submit portfolios for college applications, they usually specify that they want a certain number of observational (still-lifes, figure drawings, etc) pieces included, and also expect to see an applicant branch out in their work. basically, anime and academics don't really go together.
so really, even if you want to be a mangaka and draw anime all the time, you need to get those "core skills" down because your artwork will improve and others will see that you have the capacity to draw other things well too!
u can't c me
For the most part style isn't something you can ask someone to help you with. Style develop as you progress on the fundamentals. Any deviation from realism, any preference of color and contrast, any favoritism with shapes can and probably will eventually contribute to a style.
A fluid drawing will stand out immediately, it will seem to have depth even if it's 2D. A lot of people draw well but the image lacks movement or cohesion with the rest of the piece. It's hard to achieve, and I can't say I've quite got it myself. Almost any style can look "good" so long as it has these qualities. A truly good drawing will look like time was stopped at the moment the image depicts, you should be able to imagine the prior movement and predict the next.
Even things like portraits and still life can have this quality. For one, if they look like they belong in their environment it will create a fluid cohesion and feeling that there is more outside the canvas and second it should not be devoid of movement. Think back to school when you learned about potential energy except apply it to art. If a painting shows a ray of sun shining into a still room, a cat sleeping on a chair. You should be able to easily imagine the possibility of the cat twitching its ears or tail, the dust floating in the air made visible by the light, a breeze blowing the curtains. In a portrait, a turn of a head or scratch of the nose should always be easy to imagine happening.
Sketching is, in my opinion, the best way to learn this. Sketch often and don't worry about things looking perfect.
krusty krab pizza is the pizza for you and me
Everyone, please check out my manga kickstarter project - Tomagan
There exist a combat medical school on the big island of Hawaii that young aspiring doctors dream of attending.
I ask you to join the team, and become part of the next evolution of comics and manga by creating the crowd-funded, action English language weekly manga - Tomagan
Full Synopsis:
There exist a combat medical school on the big island of Hawaii that young aspiring doctors dream of attending. For Fourteen year old Kun Tomagan, this dream may become reality, but first he has to pass the Medical Academy's highly selective entrance exam. As Kun gets a first hand experience on the inner workings of the school, he finds out this exam is truly life or death.
The Goals of This Kickstarter:
The main goal of why you should back, and the primary goals of Tomagan as a comic is I strive to publish Tomagan as an action based manga that is an original four volume action thrill ride with a defined beginning and ending.
As a professional English work, we will create an enjoyable, exciting experience for our young, primarily (Shonen) male readers, following the key principals of:
Hard work
Wow, I thought this thread had died out and I come back to see several replies? Awesome!
A lot of good advice here!
I actually just recently got a treasure chest in the mail by the name of "Pen and Ink: The Manga Start Up Guide". It's not a "how to draw" book, nor is it just a picture book. The core elements it contains is:
- Overview of how artists Oh!Great, Yasuhiro Nightow, and Satoshi Shiki go from rough sketch to a full piece (and if you know who these guys are, you know that they are among some of the best of the best, bringing out classics like Tenjo Tenge, Trigun, and Kami-Kaze respectfully.)
- A 4 week training course for improving skill with dip pens, starting with simple drills like drawing straight lines and loopty loops, then diving into texturing a 3 dimensional block by using different patterns to convey glass,wood, even a rice ball (and lot's of other excellent drills)
- Interviews with the three aforementioned manga artist, detailing their approach to their artwork and the thought process they undergo while working.
- In depth rankings of popular tools of the trade among 75 established Japanese artists, with brands ranging from Zebra to Tachikawa, and it also includes a list of the specific tools each of these 75 artists uses, including those mentioned above.
- SUPER awesome FAQ in which a lot of common questions regarding two page spreads, white out, pen maintenance, and more are answered very clearly and concisely.
-Translated to English from the original Japanese Publication. One of the only true manga instruction books from the Japanese Market that has been translated into English.
Sorry if that sounded like I was doing a sales pitch, but this book is so cram packed with information that I haven't even been drawing as much because I've had my nose dug in this book. Haha.
Anyways, I highly recommend it, especially for those seeking to pursue a manga-esque art style. Honestly the core basics are always important, but there is no better reference on the face of the earth for drawing manga than manga (after you've learned your core basics).
I had something else I was going to say but I'm tired and my mind is shutting down quickly. haha
Fight the Never, Chase the Dream...
Don't be attached to the details:
Ugh, I had so much trouble turning my artwork for the past three years. I was so caught up with the details that I soon became overly-obsessed with it. I never got anything done because of my obsession of detail. That being said, learn how to accept simplicity and abstract. It'll get your work done 100x faster than if you're caught up with so much detail.
Don't be afraid to try something new:
Whether it be a new style or discovering a new medium, there will be something that will suit you. Don't try to imitate other style; but you can certainly adapt or alter a style that fits you. It's very hard to explain, but everyone has their own style for painting, drawing or in ceramic work. Everyone is unique!
Look for different mediums. As for me, I hated charcoal. Something about the messy-ness of the medium just pissed me off. But this year, I decided to give charcoal a second chance and I love it!
I honestly have a serious problem with not putting in enough details. I get so focused on getting the perspective or the proportions exactly right and then I get nervous trying to add extra detail. A perfect example is at this very moment I'm trying to draw backgrounds based off of backstreets in Japan... and it's intimidating how much little detail there is. haha. Suppose I need to quit being afraid of messing something up and just go for it.
Fight the Never, Chase the Dream...
The key with things that make you uncomfortable is to do them A LOT!
Don't be afraid to start over. If you draw something and you sort of like it, but there's something small you'd change... let yourself try again. Forcing yourself to finish a work when you see a serious problem won't make you much better, or do much to improve your art. Draw. Draw often. Draw everything. Draw works you never finish just to study anatomy or perspective - have a sketchbook full of silly and awful ideas. Just draw!
You only really get better through practice. I went to college for animation. We studied everything and they taught us the tricks - most of which amounted to drawing a lot and asking people with more experience to point out mistakes we might have noticed. If you don't have a mentor, just drawing a lot will get you to the same place. There's no secret.
I agree to all of the opinions above. : )
I have some guidelines to practice and improve the drawing skill.
1. Study art fundamental (doesn't matter what style you are approaching realism,manga,etc.)
- light and shadow, composition , anatomy, colours and tone, etc
2. Gaining a lots of inspiration (it can be from anything you like; anime, games, films)
3. Learn and copy from artwork or photo reference to improve your understanding of techniques ( in traditional or digital depending on you. From my opinion, it's the best to build both )
4. Do a lots of life drawing from real life, still life, portrait and figure, landscape.
5. Develop creativity by creating your own designs,concept. This will be the most difficult part because you have to have strong exercise from art basics and knowledge of techniques well enough to depict your concept.
^^ I'm sure if you follow this methods correctly and practice constantly, you will see the improvement.
I can't add anything because everyone said it all already. o-o
Aspiring artists, take heed and follow.
Also, if a professional tells you to do something, or work with a medium you don't like, do it. They know what they're talking about, and it'll improve you, even if you don't see it at first. Nothing could have helped me more with my digital painting skills than being forced to sit down and draw still lives with a box of pastels. And a deadline.
An alumni said at some event at the beginning of the year that he was a sound designer. He didn't need to take a 3D class. He didn't need to learn how to draw, and draft, and budget no sculpture. Three years later, he did. He built a musical installation, and everything he thought was stupid in that class he was forced to take as a freshman became invaluable skills that made his idea possible.
And I'm not sure if anyone has said this before, since this thread seems to focus heavily on drawing - don't just draw. Dabble in all the arts. Act a little, venture into music, into fashion, into designing objects, experiment with photography and multimedia. Some of the best artists are great, because they have a little knowledge from everything, and they can incorporate that into their main work.
Anatomy! I'm in the process of learning the anime/manga style and I'm amazed at how much having the fundamentals helps.
Once I learned the "rules" though, it really affected my ability to break out of the box. When I didn't know the fundamentals I felt my work was lacking, but there was a freedom to my expression. It sounds strange but I felt really constrained once I had a firm grasp of things.
I'm still learning, always will be, but things are starting to make sense


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Van Gogh's Floral Paintings will Be Exhibited For The Very First Time
SHAFAQNA- Almost 125 years ago, after bouts of self-mutilation and hospitalization, Vincent van Gogh announced to his brother Theo his plans to embark on a series of floral paintings. The iconic Post-Impressionist painter completed almost 130 of these works in this last phase of life. But following his death, the depictions of wildly spinning flora, left behind at the Saint-Rémy asylum where van Gogh was living, were eventually split up.
This May, the Metropolitan Museum of Art will exhibit four of the riveting depictions, side by side, for the very first time. The show, titled "Van Gogh: Irises and Roses," will feature just what it states. The Met's "Irises" will be matched with its long-lost counterpart at Amsterdam's Van Gogh Museum, while the Met's "Roses" will reunite with the "Roses" from the National Gallery of Art in D.C.
"How well he has understood the exquisite nature of flowers!" French art critic Octave Mirbeau, and the first owner of one of Van Gogh's "Irises," raved of the works. Mirbeau's words continue to ring true today. "Still life" is hardly the right way to describe Van Gogh's vibrant depictions, swirling with color and pulsing with natural life.
Due to his use of light-sensitive pigments, the original colors and effects found in van Gogh's flower homages have changed over time. As the Met explains, "The chrome yellows have darkened slightly, and the highly fugitive red lakes have faded almost completely. In turn, the violet irises are nearly blue, the pink background and pink roses almost white. The carefully plotted color relationships (within and between the works), the integrity of various details, and the intensity of overall expression have been lost in the balance."
Still, the works remain captivating as ever, transporting viewers to van Gogh's view of the overgrown garden at Saint-Rémy, a view which, thanks to the artist, will remain immortalized.
Source: Huffington post


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Welcome to the world's leading forum on Multiple Sclerosis research, support, and knowledge. For over 10 years, This is MS has provided an unbiased community dedicated to Multiple Sclerosis patients, caregivers, and affected loved ones.
dignan wrote:GWA, I think your suggestion about control makes sense. I saw something on the Bionomics website (company coming out with their own kv1.3 inhibitor, so take this with a grain or two of salt) that could possibly make some big pharma less interested:
ShK-L5 advantages: High Selectivity to KV1.3
ShK-L5 disadvantages: Polypeptide (Large Molecule), Not orally available, Expensive
Also, this report does make for an interesting read if you want to know where things stood with Kv1.3 research 2 years ago (and who doesn't?!)...
http://www.bionomics.com.au/siteFiles/f ... Report.pdf
Users browsing this forum: No registered users


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The days of cheap gasoline for drivers in this oil-rich kingdom may soon be coming to an end. Rumors of price hikes at gas pumps are circulating widely from the offices of government bureaucrats, bankers, and oilmen, to the ultra-modern gas stations that dot the Saudi capital.
``Many Saudis tell me the price is going up,'' says Liyakaphali Abdul-Hadi, manager of Petrol Al-Salem, where computer-controlled hoses drop from an overhanging canopy to cars below.
``The customers are asking a lot of questions about this. They ask when the price will go up,'' says Danny Golah who pumps gas at Halla, a sprawling Riyadh gas station with 18 pumps.
The reports suggest a significant increase in government controlled gasoline prices is imminent. It is seen as one of several possible revenue raising measures aimed at helping reduce an anticipated budget deficit in 1989. Saudi income from crude oil sales dropped from more than $100 billion in 1981 to an estimated $14 billion in 1987.
The trouble is, only a handful of people in the Kingdom know if such reports are accurate. And they aren't saying.
The most prominent is the Saudi monarch himself, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Fahd bin Abdul Aziz, who by the end of this month is expected either to give a thumbs up or thumbs down to a proposal to raise gasoline prices 30 to 80 percent. Premium gasoline currently sells at the equivalent of 66 cents per gallon, probably the cheapest widely marketed gasoline in the world.
Prices were last increased by 50 percent in 1987.
The low prices have helped maintain Saudi Arabia's status as the last bastion not only of cheap gasoline but also of huge American-made gas-guzzler cars. Compared to more economically-minded drivers in the US and Europe, Riyadh's modern eight and 10-lane highways at times resemble a high-speed museum of 8-cylinder automotive antiquity. Cadillacs, Buicks, and wide-bodied Chevrolets jockey, zoom, and weave faster and faster while getting three to seven miles per gallon.
In sharp contrast to the reaction of American drivers to the oil shock of the 1970s - which sent gasoline prices in the United States rocketing over $1 a gallon - many Saudis view gasoline price hikes as inevitable and appear prepared to take the higher cost of driving in stride. Some even see it as a national duty.
``Twenty riyals, 40 riyals? No problem,'' says Khaled Ibrahim, calculating the potential new cost in Saudi currency of filling up his white Nissan pickup truck. ``No problem,'' he repeats, paying a gas station attendant. ``It will help the government.''
Many Saudis interviewed offered the same explanation when asked whether they would object to an increase in gasoline prices.
``They paid for my education, they paid for my housing, for health care, and many other things. And now when they need me I will back them. I will do what I can to help,'' says Badr, from behind the wheel of his sparkling 1984 Chevrolet Caprice.
``We are in a role of everyone feeling a responsibility for the government and the nation,'' he says. ``Now we are paying the government back. It is our duty to do that.''
Others are concerned that lower-income or unemployed Saudis may find it hard to adjust to higher gasoline prices. Government officials are worried that the higher prices might spark an unwanted political backlash, forcing the government to rethink the new revenue plan.
``The people who have a high life, they don't mind it [the price increase], but the people who live in the middle, it will hurt much,'' says Abdullah Sallamah, sitting in the front seat of a tiny Isuzu pickup truck.
``I have a car and if they increase the price [of gasoline] too much I am going to sell it and buy a bicycle,'' he says with a grin.


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- mrsquigley8-17-13
- 5 years ago
- Wedding: August 2013
Hello, bees. This is my first post on here… my engagement ring is a half carat high quality round diamond with yogo sapphires on the side. I think the round cut is very timeless, and I'd just like to see some more 🙂 so let's see 'em!


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Featured hotels in Santiago
With a stay at Hotel España, you'll be centrally located in Santiago, steps from Former National Congress and Museum of Chilean Precolombian Art.
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With a stay at Nogales Hotel & Convention Center in Santiago (Providencia), you'll be convenient to Mall Panoramico and San Cristobal Hill.
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With a stay at Los Andes Suites in Santiago (Providencia), you'll be minutes from Mall Panoramico and close to San Cristobal Hill.
read more
A stay at Vita Apart Hotel places you in the heart of Santiago, convenient to Los Leones Golf Club and San Cristobal Hill.
read more
With a stay at Windsor Palace, you'll be centrally located in Santiago, minutes from Plaza de la Constitucion and Palacio de la Moneda.
read more
With a stay at Hotel Alcalá Del Río in Santiago (Providencia), you'll be minutes from Sernatur and close to San Cristobal Hill.
read more
Santiago hotels - where to stay
In ancient times the construction of the city started with forts, palaces, and small settlements. Santiago is a unique city in this respect - the first building constructed here was a powder depot. Perhaps that is why the locals are known for their explosive temper, festivals - for hot fun, and the kitchen is famous for hot spices.
What to do and what to see
Tourists who came to Santiago for the first time are always surprised by the diversity of entertainments. The city is worth visiting – you can do here all the things for which other travelers have to travel around several countries. We advise you to climb the mountain of San Cristobal what can be done by means of cable railway and then you will promise never to get into this car shaking over the abyss. You should visit a wine restaurant - Chileans are proud of the local wines all varieties of which are difficult to enumerate. Going to markets and souvenir shops do not hesitate to bargain and sellers will offer you a discount.
Where to stay
The selection of hotels in Santiago is quite large so you can choose accommodation fit every taste. If you plan to go skiing while staying in Santiago then look for the hotels in the mountains – Santiago Hillside will be a good choice. Those who are interested in hotels in the center of Santiago can choose Lastarria Boutique Hotel. It is a quiet and cozy hotel located near the central square, restaurants and souvenir shops. Lovers of luxury holiday will find suitable accommodation as well –The Ritz-Carlton Santiago will give you unforgettable moments.
The combination of elegant interiors, excellent service and amazing gloss is, of course, worthy of its name.
How to choose the best hotel
There are more than 400 hotels in Santiago. It is impossible to search the website of every hotel to choose the appropriate one. However, there is a service that will save your time and release you from the dull work. ClickToTrip allows you to compare hotel rates in a few minutes and decide which hotel is suitable for you. The only thing you should do is to choose what to take with you - swimsuit or goggles. Or maybe they both will be useful to you.


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Minecraft Adventures: Learn About Bat Knight!
On last week's Minecraft Adventures, Lizzie, aka, LDShadowLady showed us all about the mini-game Spleefing, and this week, she's dropping even more Minecraft knowledge. For the latest episode, she's doing a fun tutorial on Bat Knight.
This game mode is available HERE, but if you want to learn a little more before you get started, let Lizzie break it down for you. Basically, you can play as a number of characters using this, but most of them are villains. The whole point of the game is to collect as many diamonds as you can before the Bat Knight and the Bird Boy kill you. Pretty intense!
For even more on how to master this game from Lizzie, watch the video above, and stay tuned for a brand new episode of Minecraft Adventures next Saturday at 4 PM ET!


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Recently, I met my husband after work at Lincoln Ristorante, overlooking New York City's newly renovated cultural mecca, Lincoln Center. The restaurant is high design in both its interior and its food, and wine director Aaron Von Rock has created a cocktail experience to match. Aiming to make what he calls a "multidimensional Bellini," he pairs Prosecco with a rotating cast of seasonal fruit purees and liqueurs. Below are a few of his most popular combinations. -- Lucinda Scala Quinn
Lincoln Prosecco Cocktails
To make these cocktails at home, just puree some fruit and strain it. Add 1 ounce puree to a 6-ounce flute, pour in 1/2 ounce liqueur, and fill the rest of the glass with Prosecco (I like Nino Franco Rustico, $12 per bottle). Don't be afraid to improvise with your favorite fruits and liqueurs. Says Von Rock, "There are natural affinities and happy accidents."
Peach Puree + Fragoli Liqueur
This blend features stone fruit and a strawberry liqueur that contains tiny strawberries.
Green Apple Puree + Cocchi Americano
Cocchi has a refreshing citrus flavor. Another pairing to try: green apple with Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur.
Black Currant + St-Germain
The classic mix of black currant (blackberries would work, too) and bubbly gets a modern twist from elderflower.


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New Economy
"This is Not Democracy" — Wisconsin's Anti-Union Bill Passes
by Brooke JarvisMar 10, 2011
- In a controversial move, Republicans maneuvered the passage of Wisconsin's assault on collective bargaining after three weeks of protests. How'd they do it, and what happens next?
An Oasis in a Food Desert
Mar 09, 2011
- Video: In West Oakland, a community cooperative is providing an alternative to fast food and packaged snacks.
Mahlon Mitchell: The Middle Class Needs to Stick Together
by Robby MellingerMar 08, 2011
- Firefighters weren't directly included in the anti-union bill that sparked the protests in Madison. Lieutenant Mahlon Mitchell on why they're taking to the streets, anyway.
Benefit Corps, a New Kind of Company
by Walaika HaskinsMar 08, 2011
- Corporations committed to both profits and people could change the mindset of the business world.
Fair-Labor Logos Find Factory Home
by Rachel TaberMar 08, 2011
- A new wave of campus clothing that's made with a livable wage.
Signs of Life: Spring 2011
Mar 08, 2011
- Small stories about big change.
Domestic Workers Win Bill of Rights
by Caitlin BattersbyMar 08, 2011
- A long-excluded workforce finally gets the protections it deserves.
On the Origin of Corporations
by David KortenMar 07, 2011
- How today's Wall Street profiteers follow in the footsteps of the buccaneers and privateers of yesteryear.
How Wisconsin Could Turn Austerity into Prosperity: Own a Bank
by Ellen BrownMar 05, 2011
- An answer to state budget woes that doesn't need to involve sacrificing workers' rights.
Why Every American Should Care About Wisconsin
by Amy B. DeanMar 04, 2011
- The debate in Wisconsin doesn't just apply to union members and public workers—it applies to every American who cares about our fundamental rights as citizens.
US Uncut: Standing Up to Corporate Tax Dodgers
Mar 03, 2011
- Photo essay: "Austerity for us, prosperity for them"—and more signs from US Uncut's 50-city protests of corporate tax avoidance.
7 Steps for Action Toward a New Economy
by David KortenMar 02, 2011
- Rather than turning again to increased global competition to mend our failing economy, we must instead steer our focus toward cooperation and equality.
Police Defy Order to Clear Protesters from Wisconsin Capitol
by Lindsay BeyersteinMar 01, 2011
- The latest from the ongoing protests in the Badger State.
War Against the Middle Class
by David KortenMar 01, 2011
- How Wall Street undermined an American ideal and won the class war.
Book Review: Food Justice
by Laura KaliebeMar 01, 2011
- What's wrong with our food system—and how can we fix it?


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Apple Computer Inc. launched its concerted attack on the office market by taking out double-spread full-page ads in newspapers across the land proclaiming its AppleTalk network for linking discrete computers into a total system.
AppleTalk, the company crowed, ``is as simple to hook up as an extension cord. And almost as cheap. Less than $50 a desk versus up to $1,200 for the usual network solution.``
``There you go again`` could soon become IBM`s punchline. Stressing simplicity and low cost as it did with the Macintosh, Apple did not mention the comparative slowness of its local area network, or LAN. AppleTalk transmits information at one-tenth the speed of IBM`s LAN, the rate of flowing molasses in a New Hampshire January. Further, the quoted $50-per-machine connector does not ensure a functioning network when all of the pieces are put together.
According to David Ferris, chairman of the Ferrin Corp. of San Francisco, a service company for business users of personal computers, the hidden costs of configuration, testing, debugging, documentation and actually training workers to use AppleTalk are much larger than the product`s advertisement hints. The actual cost of installing ``a four-node network which apparently costs $200 is really a matter of some $10,000 to $30,000,`` Ferris said.
Despite the apparent problem with its network, Apple has a Trojan horse to get it into offices:
The LaserWriter, the size of a desktop copier, offers a resolution of 300 dots per inch and promises an almost unlimited choice of type fonts in various sizes as well as remarkable graphics capabilities. It is something every corporate art department is apt to want. That, of course, will also mean purchasing at least one 512K Macintosh.
Whether the rest of a corporation`s departments will follow suit remains to be seen. But at least the nimble computer company has its foot in the corporate door.


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I recently got together with director Marc Webb in New York City for a video chat about The Amazing Spider-Man, the helmer's follow-up to his (500) Days of Summer and his first foray into the realm of superhero filmmaking. During our discussion, we covered topics ranging from Webb's first memories of Spidey to designing the film's point-of-view shots to giving the mechanical web-shooters back to old Webhead -- and much more.
The video is a bit spoilery, so stand warned if you haven't seen the film yet. But if you're ready to watch, then see below the timecoded topics we discussed and then dive right in!
- 0:00: His first exposure to Spider-Man when he was a kid.
- 1:10: The pervasiveness of Spidey in pop culture.
- 2:10: The aspects of the character from the comic that appealed to him, and the points that he wanted to hit with the film.
- 4:20: Working with the actors and going off-script with improvisation.
- 5:45: The decision to put Andrew Garfield in the Spidey costume as often as possible.
- 6:50: Going with mechanical web-shooters rather than organic.
- 7:50: How much potential sequels were discussed on the set.
- 9:25: Flash Thompson's relationship with Peter and bringing more depth to the "bully" character.
- 10:40: Peter's innate heroism even when he has no powers.
- 11:20: Designing the Spidey point-of-view shots and 3D.
- 12:40: Shooting the web-swinging effects as practical shots versus effects shots.
- 13:35: The relationship between Peter and Dr. Curt "The Lizard" Connors.
Talk to Movies Editor Scott Collura on Twitter at @ScottIGN, on IGN, and on Facebook.


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Real estate has always been considered one of the most vital sectors in every country's economy and its growing importance has also made it a strategic investment option not only because of its ability in generating ongoing income sources but also how its value can rise overtime.
Since the decision of investing in particular real-estate projects depends on unpredictable factors such as the state of economy and government stability of a nation, a growing number of developers and investors have looked into building and investing in the most flexible, multi-use real estate projects recently – bringing their ambitions to the relatively calm and stable economies of several developing countries around the world.
Forest City, Malaysia (estimated cost: US$100 billion)
Country Garden Pacific View (CGPW)'s new project, the Forest City in the Iskandar Region of the country is something that investors should look forward to. In fact, the company's CEO Baiyuan Su expects great things from this smart city, calling it Southeast Asia's first and the largest multi-use green development project, covering an area of 6-million square meters.
The firm has also partnered with PCCW Global for a world-class, energy-efficient digital infrastructure by building data center solutions that will enable a future-proof digital framework for the green city.
Also included in the developer's vision are digitized transport and utility management services and integrated communications solutions for its residents and businesses.
Eko Atlantic City, Nigeria (estimated cost: $6 Billion)
Started in 2009, the Eko trans-Atlantic city project was a practical and ambitious response to the region's demand not only for commercial and residential accommodations but also for its growing tourism and business sector.
Developers have promised state-of-the-art technology, modern water systems and advanced transportation services, and an independent energy source. Eko Atlantic City is already in its advanced stage of development and is considered the best, prime real estate in West Africa.
The project was made possible through the combined efforts of the Lagos state government and several private sectors including South Energyx Nigeria Limited.


text: Well folks it's time to replace my goodyears. Not really because they are worn out, just because I have 22,000 miles and I'm bored of them and think an all-season tire is idiotic in florida. I have no need for the snow traction they offer and am not willing to tolerate the compromises in other conditions that snow traction requires. A search on tire rack yielded some interesting results. There are only SIX low-rolling resistance tires they sell in the 245/45-19 size I need: Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season Plus Michelin Pilot Sport 3 Bridgestone Turanza Serenity Plus Michelin Primacy MXM4 Continental ContiProContact Michelin Energy MXV4 S8 I want low rolling resistance because I don't want to lose range and the only performance tire of the bunch is the Michelin Pilot Sport 3. I did some research and it seems to have vastly superior traction in the rain than the PS2 does. I'm looking forward to trying it out. Will let everyone know how it works out.


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The restaurant's interior design with the warm colors, large windows, makes it one of the classiest restaurants. Its exquisite cuisine and discreet staff offer guests a wonderful time here.
Nositi Restaurant is an ideal setting for lunches, dinners, business meetings, family reunions or other events.Nositi is located in the center of Peja, making you part of the great city rush and yet giving you space to enjoy your meals. It's next to the park, offering you beautiful views.
Nositi's cuisine is well known. What's special about Nositi is its Italian cuisine: their pizzas, pastas, risotto, various meat dishes, and salads are highly required and very delicious. Nositi also offers traditional food.


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Newsroom Archive
Sunitha Krishnan, Marian Wright Edelman and Thomas J. Dart -- Recognized for their Exemplary Dedication to Justice
Harry Belafonte, Tina Brown and Len Cariou Will Serve as Presenters at the Award Ceremony
Wednesday, March 31, 2011 – John Jay College of Criminal Justice will present the John Jay Medal for Justice to Sunitha Krishnan, founder and president of Prajwala; Marian Wright Edelman, founder and president of Children's Defense Fund;, and Thomas J. Dart, Sheriff of Cook County, IL. on April 5, 2011. The ceremony will be held in the Harold M. Proshansky Auditorium at the CUNY Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Avenue.
Sunitha Krishnan will receive the global leader for justice award for her work with sex-trafficking victims and other forms of sexual violence through her organization Prajwala. Tina Brown, renowned journalist and editor-in-chief of The Daily Beast and Newsweek, will present this award.
The national leader for justice award will be given to Marian Wright Edelman and theChildren's Defense Fun for their commitment to improving the lives of all children. As founder and president of the CDF, Ms. Wright Edelman has been an advocate for disadvantaged Americans for over 35 years. Harry Belafonte, legendary singer, actor, producer and humanitarian, will serve as presenter for this award.
Thomas J. Dart, Sheriff of Cook County, IL, will receive the Community Leader Award for his humane approach to enforcement of the law during difficult economic times. Len Cariou, acclaimed stage, film and television actor and current cast member of the CBS series Blue Bloods, will present this award.
The John Jay Medal for Justice was created in 2008 to honor individuals and organizations that exemplify dedication to the cause of justice. The Honorable Judith Kaye was the first recipient. The 2009 recipients were Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland, BJ Bernstein, a prominent Atlanta attorney and the NYU Brennan Center for Justice. The 2010 recipients were Leymah Gbowee in recognition of her commitment to mobilizing women to stop the war in Liberia; The Innocence Project in acknowledgement of the Project's commitment to freeing wrongfully convicted people through DNA testing and reforming the criminal justice system; Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project in recognition of their commitment to legally representing indigent individuals detained in Arizona for immigration removal proceedings.
"Each year through the John Jay Medal for Justice Awards program we recognize one outstanding global leader, one national leader and one community leader for their extraordinary contributions to justice," said John Jay President Jeremy Travis. "They affirm the commitment of John Jay the man and John Jay College to strengthen society's social fabric through justice and civic engagement."
The college would like to offer special thanks to Richard J. Tarlow, a member of the John Jay College Foundation Board, for graciously underwriting the Justice Award Ceremony. The selection of the John Jay Justice Award Recipients was determined by a Committee of the John Jay College Foundation Board.
Global Leader Award: Sunitha Krishnan, founder and president of Prajwala.
For her work with sex-trafficking victims and other forms of sexual violence
Sunitha Krishnan works inside the bleak netherworld of human sex slavery in Indian slums. The organization she founded, Prajwala, runs shelters for sex-trafficking victims in the Indian city of Hyderabad.
Sex trafficking and forced prostitution are massive industries in India. Precise numbers are hard to come by, but the Indian government estimates that the country has almost 3 million sex workers, more than a third of whom started as children. The southern state of Andhra Pradesh, where Hyderabad is located, is one of the country's largest suppliers of women and girls, due partly to its overwhelming poverty and lower-than-average literacy rate.
Krishnan co-founded Prajwala, which means "eternal flame," in 1996 with Brother Jose Vetticatil, a Catholic missionary who died in 2005. They started by creating a school for the children of sex workers in a former Hyderabad brothel. Initially, they had five students. Today, they're working with 5,000. Over 4,000 women and children have passed through Prajwala after being rescued from trafficking, and Krishnan estimates that 3,800 have been rehabilitated, meaning they've been restored to some semblance of a normal life.
In collaboration with UN agencies and other NGOs, she established printing and furniture shops that have rehabilitated some 300 survivors. Krishnan works closely with the government to define anti-trafficking policy, and her recommendations for rehabilitating sex victims have been passed into state legislation.
National Leader Award: Children's Defense Fund and founder/president Marian Wright Edelman
For her commitment to improving the lives of all children
The Children's Defense Fund (CDF) is a non-profit child advocacy organization that has worked relentlessly for 35 years to ensure a level playing field for all children. They champion policies and programs that lift children out of poverty; protect them from abuse and neglect; and ensure their access to health care, quality education and a moral and spiritual foundation. The CDF advocates nationwide on behalf of children to ensure children are always a priority. The CDF pays particular attention to the needs of poor and minority children, and those with disabilities.
Marian Wright Edelman, founder and president of the CDF, has been an advocate for disadvantaged Americans for her entire professional life. Under her leadership, CDF has become the nation's strongest voice for children and families. The Children's Defense Fund's Leave No Child Behind® mission is to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities.
In particular, we are honoring the CDF and Ms. Edelman for their work highlighting what they have branded as the "Cradle to Prison Pipeline," namely the ways that our schools, juvenile and criminal justice system have become overly punitive and are tracking a high percentage of minority youth into the nation's high rates of incarceration. The Fund has focused on school discipline policies, overly punitive juvenile detention systems and police-youth relations. Ms. Edelman has become a passionate national advocate for juvenile justice reform.
Community Leader Award: Tom Dart, Sheriff, Cook County, IL.
For his humane and innovative approach to enforcement of the law during difficult economic times
In just two years as Cook County Sheriff, Tom Dart has brought an aggressive yet innovative approach to law enforcement. Dart received national attention in 2008 when, at the height of the mortgage foreclosure crisis, he announced his deputies would no longer conduct evictions until greater safeguards could be put in place to protect tenants. That stand resulted in new rules that banks must follow before deputies will carry out an eviction order. Those new rules include requirements that banks sign a sworn affidavit affirming all tenants of a home have received proper notification of – and been given time to appeal – an eviction. Sheriff Dart has also assigned a staff attorney to investigate potential cases of mortgage fraud, while also assigning a social worker to begin going out with eviction teams, in hopes of linking those families with social service agencies.
This unique approach drew international attention and earned Dart an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the foreclosure crisis via forums such as CNN, MSNB C, Fox News and the BBC. Dart also testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, providing details to senators about how the foreclosure crisis is impacting Cook County neighborhoods. Those bold steps led Time magazine to designate Dart as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2009. Although the recession has officially ended, the mortgage crisis is far from over and continues to affect millions of Americans. Sheriff Dart 's efforts underscore the importance of taking a humane approach to the enforcement of the law.
Dart again made worldwide headlines in March 2009 when he filed a federal lawsuit against the popular website Craigslist, accusing its owners of creating a public nuisance through its "erotic services" section. Dart cited the number of human trafficking and juvenile prostitution arrests his vice-officers have made in calling for the change. Just two months later, amid growing national pressure, Craigslist's administrators relented and made the very changes Dart demanded. Continuing that fight, Dart established a first-of-its-kind prostitution intervention team, which has drawn nationwide interest.
About John Jay College of Criminal Justice: An international leader in educating for justice, John Jay College of Criminal Justice of The City University of New York offers a rich liberal arts and professional studies curriculum to upwards of 15,000 undergraduate and graduate students from more than 135 nations. In teaching, scholarship and research, the College approaches justice as an applied art and science in service to society and as an ongoing conversation about fundamental human desires for fairness, equality and the rule of law. For more information, visit www.jjay.cuny.edu.


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Intertrade, a Rockwell Collins company, offers you competitively priced, recertified engine and airframe parts for purchase, exchange or lease. Our extensive inventory covers multiple military and commercial equipment manufacturers, aircraft platforms and Air Transport Association chapters. All delivered with the world-class customer service and the trust you expect from Rockwell Collins.
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The water provides an ideal environment for exercise and healing. The unique properties of buoyancy, hydrostatic pressure and viscosity combine to allow individuals who may not tolerate land based activities to be able to exercise gaining the physical and mental benefits, improving quality of life.
As a physical therapist I see the positive effects a regular aquatic exercise program can have on individuals will variety of injuries and functional limitations. The following are some of the scientifically proven benefits to aquatic therapy and exercise.
- Immersion in warm water alone increases blood flow to the muscles up to 240%
- Buoyancy provides unweighting of the joints, leading to decreased compressive forces and pain allowing greater movement with reduced compensatory patterns.
- The force of buoyancy can assist, support or resist movements allowing weaker muscles to go through full range to gain strength and provides progression as individuals gain strength and endurance.
- The viscosity of the water (drag) provides resistance in all directions of movement strengthening the muscles equally about the joints.
- Gait (walking) and balance can be safely challenged and improved with the support of the water and reduced fear from falling.
- Hydrostatic pressure helps build the muscles of inspiration and aids in reducing edema (swelling) in the limbs.
- Emotional benefits range from reduced anxiety and depression to a sense of being "normal" in the ability to exercise.
Further resources and organizations involved in aquatic therapy and exercise:
Beth Scalone, PT, DPT, OCS, ATRIC
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Orthopedic Certified Specialist
Aquatic Therapy and Rehabilitation Institute Certified
North County Water and Sports Therapy Center
15373 Innovation Drive, Suite 175
San Diego, CA 92128