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2 Chainz's Bodyguard Talks About Rapper's Robbery Incident
Now that we know that 2 Chainz was, in fact, robbed at gunpoint, the rapper's bodyguard has spoken out about the incident.
In an interview with Columbus, Ohio radio station Power 107.5, Chainz's personal bodyguard, Hammer Strength, gave a detailed description of what happened Sunday (April 9) in San Francisco.
"We went downtown to San Francisco -- it's broad daylight, like 4:30 in the afternoon," he says. "People were walking around and everything -- all of a sudden three dudes just jumped out with huge guns, .357 Magnums. They pointed the guns at us and we was like 'Whoa!' We thought it was a joke for a minute."
"Then all we heard was, '2 Chainz give it up.' So we like stood there and didn't do anything, and we kinda like froze, 'cause we wanted to see if this was real," he continues. "All of a sudden, the next thing you know, 2 Chainz kinda like backed up a little bit. And then [the robber] said, 'Give it up. Give it up.' And then all of a sudden [2 Chainz] took off. He took off running first. When he took off running, we took off running. Then all of a sudden these dudes, they just start shooting. I don't know where they shot at."
Mr. Strength said that the gunman only took 2 Chainz's wallet and cell phone and didn't steal any of his gold jewelry or bracelets that he was wearing.
"The bottom line is, man, it was a setup. We know it was a setup so, that's why he told the police we will handle it," he said.
We are happy that 2 Chainz and his entourage are safe and didn't get injured during the incident.
Although, we have to say, with a name like Hammer Strength you would think he could have used his "hammer strength" against the assailants, but we digress.
In the meantime, 2 Chainz is set to embark on the America's Most Wanted Musical Festival tour in July.


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She is a celebrator of modern society, in particular the contemporary woman: confident, stylish and in control. This ethos has evolved in her brand, Stella McCartney, in particular the Stella McCartney perfume including POP and STELLA.
Stella McCartney
All undeniably fierce and feminine, the Stella McCartney scents can be distinguished through their strong infusion of flavours, which are cloned not only in the Eau de Parfums but also the POP shower gel and Body Lotion.

subset: commoncrawl


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Luxury Without Compromise
ABOUT Viking
At American Coach, these are more than just words. They're the principles upon which we build every luxury motorcoach, every day.
We believe that every luxury motorcoach owner deserves an extraordinary journey, which is why the American Coach story begins long before you step inside or get behind the wheel. It begins with innovative engineering, cutting-edge construction techniques and a meticulous attention to detail. But a beautiful, distinctive design is only the beginning. Through our expert service team and dedicated nationwide dealer network, we've earned an unmatched level of customer loyalty.
We're with you at every turn, every time, year after year. Your dreams are limitless, and so is our commitment to every American Coach owner. We're more than a motorcoach manufacturer. We're a partner in the pursuit of your passion.


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Your privacy is important to us.
Mitchell Auto Group takes your privacy seriously and does not rent or sell your personal information to third parties without your consent. Read our privacy policy.
384 Hopmeadow Street
Directions Simsbury, CT 06070
Actual rating will vary with options, driving conditions, habits and vehicle condition.
The standard features of the Ford Mustang EcoBoost include EcoBoost 2.3L I-4 310hp intercooled turbo engine, 6-speed manual transmission with overdrive, 4-wheel anti-lock brakes (ABS), side seat mounted airbags, driver and passenger side airbag head extension, driver and passenger knee airbag, airbag occupancy sensor, air conditioning, 17" aluminum wheels, cruise control, ABS and driveline traction control, AdvanceTrac electronic stability.
Starting at: $31,180
|City/Hwy mpg
|EcoBoost Search New
|310-hp 2.3L 4-cyl
|6-spd man.
|20 / 28
|EcoBoost Premium Search New
|310-hp 2.3L 4-cyl
|6-spd man.
|20 / 28
|GT Premium Search New
|460-hp 5.0L 8-cyl
|6-spd man.
|14 / 23
The Mustang with the new 10-speed automatic and 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine deliver strong power and torque in a four-cylinder. For sportiness and driving fun, a Mustang GT with the V8 and six-speed manual is a killer car for the money.
Sam Moses contributed to this report, with driving impressions by The Car Connection staff.
The Mustang was redesigned for 2015, and the change was not universally accepted by Mustang fans. So for 2018 Ford has cleaned things up in the front and rear.
Headlamps, taillamps and bumpers have been tweaked, but more than that, the nose has been lowered, bringing out the shark. Only 20 millimeters, less than one inch, but it makes a striking difference; the car has a presence it didn't have before. However we're not sure what this will mean when parking with the nose against curbs. You might want to watch that.
The headlamps are more shapely and more deeply set, which accentuates the nose. New marker lights sit against vertical vents.
New taillamps are subtly angled and arced, making the back look slimmer. Unfortunately the optional spoiler looks like a low-cost aftermarket job, just slapped on. But fortunately, it only comes with the Performance Package, and buyers can tell Ford to keep it. Ford doesn't even charge extra, for declining this inferior product.
It's safe to say that most Mustangs are owned by single people or couples, and for them the seating is great. All three types of bucket front seats work well: the base fabric upholstery, leather and upgraded leather, or Recaro sport seats. They are comfortable around town and supportive in the corners. They're a bit snug, announcing the car's preparedness if not intention, but the side bolsters are soft enough to give. And there's a wide range of adjustment, so even tall drivers have enough headroom and legroom in front.
Don't expect much from the rear seating. The Mustang is a 2+2, not a four-seat sedan. So the legroom is seriously limited back there. With just 29 inches, it's less than the Camaro. But at least the two slim seats are supportive, as occupants sink in.
Climbing in and out is a challenge without hitting your head on the roofline, although it's easier than the Camaro which has even less headroom.
The most fun rear passengers will have is in the convertible, with the top down. It's a breeze to squeeze in and out standing up, and with infinite headroom, they'll forget about their cramped knees. So, if rear passengers are part of your lifestyle, consider going topless.
The trunk size is slim, too; so a road trip will fill the trunk and the rear jump seats. But compared to the Camaro, the Mustang's trunk is massive: 13.5 cubic feet vs 9.1 cu ft. Comparing convertibles, it's Mustang 11.4 v Camaro 7.2. However when you bring in the Dodge Challenger hardtop, its 16.2 cubic feet blows the Mustang away.
The Mustang came back in 2005 as retro, but Ford went too far retro with the cabin. Primitive ugly instrumentation and hard plastics. It got better with the 2015 refresh, but for 2018 disappointments remain. Despite handsome fabric or leather inserts, the upper doors feel cheap and hollow. The center console has premium elements around the shifter, but still is the same story as the doors.
The centerstack has a nice design, and the Premium model features sweet toggle switches. The plastic background looks perfectly like machined aluminum. Carbon-fiber is available that replaces the plastic with carbon-fiber galore, on the instrument panel, doors, spreading onto the gearshift knob. Curiously, it's not available with the digital dash panel or available Recaro seats.
The cabin improvements are all on the options list. The Equipment Package makes it classier. Upgraded leather comes in basic black, red, or cool black with blue piping. It also adds heated and cooled front seats, Sync 3 infotainment system with an 8.0-inch touchscreen, and dual-zone automatic climate control.
The optional digital instrument panel comes only with the Premium trim. It's on the driver's side and is focused on driving information. With programmable gauges, it gives an upscale air to the cabin, over the basic analog gauges.
The performance of the 2018 Mustang is more complete and compelling than it's ever been. Not only for the new power and available active magnetic suspension, but also for its stout brakes and steering rack that's weighted just right.
They used to call the V6 Mustang a chick's car, with its lower power output, and it was a favorite of young women. Now with the V6 gone, will the EcoBoost twin-turbo continue to be a chick's car? They won't have to say it's only a V6, they can boast that it's a twin-turbo. No question twin turbo sounds hotter than V6.
The base 2.3-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine gets more torque, making it easier to drive because torque means grunt, responsiveness. Ford engineers learned a lot from the Focus RS with its same-sized engine. The horsepower remains the same, at an awesome 310; but the torque blasts up from 320 to 350 foot-pounds. Picture secretaries doing burnouts.
The new 10-speed automatic transmission is the result of a joint project between Ford and General Motors. The 10-speed has worked in the Ford F-150, Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, and GM's full-size SUVs.
With the 2.3-liter engine, the upshifts and downshifts are crisp and predictable, and not just when the car is set in a sporty or performance driving mode, but even when it's in the normal driving mode.
But the 10-speed transmission doesn't work with the 5.0-liter twin-cam V8 engine, which revs quickly and has so much power. Or at least the programming in the GT model we drove during our test drive in Southern California wasn't right. It felt like there's just too much engine for the 10-speed to handle. During our seat time, the transmission seemed to get confused, and was sometimes slow to respond.
We drove a Mustang with both the Performance Package and Magnetic Ride Control, features that theoretically make it the most agile and composed Mustang ever built. In Sport mode, the dampers stiffen to produce handling that's sharp and steady even on rough roads, forgiving in terms of balance, predictable, composed. It's much advanced over the old solid rear axle.
When the dampers are set to their softest mode, and the exhaust system to its quietest tuning, the Mustang feels like a grand touring car.
The staggering Shelby GT350 uses a 5.2-liter V8 and the magnetic-damper suspension. It's a bit brittle on the street; it belongs on the track. See Motor Authority's first drive of the Ford Shelby GT350.
The GT with its V8 can accelerate from zero to sixty in less than four seconds, a stunning performance at its low price point. The active exhaust system makes it downright charming. You can tune the exhaust as easy as you turn up the volume on your TV. From almost silent, to the deep base of a V8 rumble, to a menacing bellow.
And last but not least you can do flawless burnouts at the push of a button and press of a pedal, thanks to Ford's hilarious electronic line lock, standard equipment.
2018 Mustang comes as Fastback EcoBoost ($25,585), Fastback EcoBoost Premium ($30,600), Fastback GT ($35,095) and Fastback GT Premium ($39,095). (Prices are MSRP and do not include destination charge.)
The Mustang Convertible doesn't come with GT trim. The six-speed manual gearbox is standard with all models; the 10-speed automatic is ($1595) extra.
Not to be forgotten is the Shelby GT350 ($55,845).
Standard equipment includes automatic LED headlamps, active noise cancellation, keyless ignition, leather-wrapped steering wheel, six-speaker sound system, and rearview camera.
Premium models add heated and cooled front seats, leather seats, Sync 3 infotainment with 8.0-inch touchscreen, and dual-zone automatic climate control. The new digital instrument cluster is available only with Premium. It's bundled with navigation, upgraded leather with accent stitching, colored door trim, heated steering wheel, WiFi hotspot, and remote start.
For 2018 there's also a new Performance Package for both the EcoBoost ($2495) and GT ($3995), adding bigger wheels with grippier tires, firmer suspension, beefier rear differential, enhanced cooling, and Brembo six-piston front brakes. The performance packages don't include the active suspension with magnetic dampers, which are extra ($1695).
Your privacy is important to us.
Mitchell Auto Group takes your privacy seriously and does not rent or sell your personal information to third parties without your consent. Read our privacy policy.


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Sunrise Calendar launched in the App Store this week to mixed buzz. It looks interesting but it only works with Google Calendar and requires -- requires -- you to login with Facebook before it will let you start using the app. That's an absolute show stopper for me. I don't need or want to login to a calendar app, and if I did, while Facebook would be a welcome option among many, I won't use any third-party app, not ever, where it's the only option. But that's not all...
I also use more than Google Calendar. My work stuff is on there, but my personal calendars are all on iCloud. Unless/until Apple's calendar is supported on Apple's platform, I lose a unified calendar, which is another deal-breaker for me. Same likely holds true for Exchange users.
I'm also confused as to why Sunrise Calendar is free. Yes, I do look gift-horses in the mouth, especially when there's a chance they'll bite me. Free sounds great, but nothing is ever really free. If I'm not paying, someone else is paying. And if I'm not being sold a product, odds are I'm either being sold as a product, or the product I'm being given for free won't long survive, at least not in the form it's being given me. I've had too many "free" services I've grown to like and depend on shut down, or get sold to Google or someone similar and effectively shut down. Not again.
Also, my calendars contains not just my personal information, but that of my friends, family, co-workers, and other associates. That's extremely valuable, and I'm extremely careful about how and with what I access it. "Free" is never enough to buy that access. Only "trust".
So this is where my Sunrise Calendar "review" ends for now. Get rid of the forced Facebook login, expand beyond Google Calendar, explain a business model I can trust with my data and trust will be around for a while, and I'll happily give it a full on trial, and who knows, maybe I'll like it and switch to it?
For now, I can't even use it.
If you don't mind Facebook logins, Google-only calendars, or free-as-in-??? apps, check out the video below, and if you like what you see, check out Sunrise Calendar and let me know how it works for you.
- Free - Download now
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.


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Many buildings in the historic district date from Leesburg's 18th-century development. One type, a one-story, side-gable cottage constructed in either brick or stone or occasionally wood can be found on Loudoun, Wirt and Liberty Streets. There are also log structures such as the Stephen Donaldson Silversmithy, which is now part of the Loudoun Museum. Federal buildings, often two-story brick structures, reflect more delicate detailing and proportions characteristic of the Adam style. General George Marshall retired to Leesburg, to one of the town's Federal brick country houses. Interspersed among the Georgian and Federal structures in the historic district are many buildings from the second half of the 19th century, including the Italian Villa residence built in 1857 at 306 West Market Street and the three-story Italianate style home at 205 North King Street, built in 1848. Also noteworthy are the late19th-century commercial structures along King and Market Streets.
The Leesburg Historic District is located in the original area of town, at the intersection of Rte. 7 and Rte. 15. Leesburg. The Visitor Center is located in the Jewell Building at 222 Catoctin Circle, SE Suite 100, Leesburg. The Visitor Center is open Monday-Sunday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, and can be reached at 703-771-2170 and 800-752-6118.


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Saline Reporter building on Michigan Avenue listed for sale
Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com
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Keep your finger on the pulse of the Ann Arbor business community by signing up for the Business Review newsletter sent out early every Thursday morning. You can also sign up for the daily 3@3 email to see our best local stories every day.
The sale follows bankruptcy filings by the parent Journal Register Company in September 2012. It was the second time the Journal Register filed for bankruptcy in three years. The Journal Register Company is owned by Digital First Media, a New York-based firm that also owns the Detroit News.
The 4,637-square-foot building is listed for $275,000. The building also is listed for lease at $45,896 per-year. According to county records, the building was assessed at a taxable value of $96,187 in 2012 meaning its approximate assessed market value is slightly under $200,000.
Ben Freed covers business for AnnArbor.com. You can sign up here to receive Business Review updates every week. Reach out to Ben at 734-623-2528 or email him at email@example.com. Follow him on twitter @BFreedinA2
Dog Guy
Tue, Jan 22, 2013 : 9:31 p.m.
The hero rides slowly into the sunset.


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Allah informs true believers about genuine faith as follows:
[Adhere to the correct religion], turning in repentance to Him. Heed Him and establish prayer. Do not be among the idolaters. (Surat ar-Rum: 31)
Allah calls attention in another verse that the right way to follow is the way followed by prophets and morally upright people.
... but follow the Way of him who turns to Me. Then you will return to Me and I will inform you about the things you did. (Surah Luqman: 15)
Turning to Allah with heartfelt devotion means loving Him so much that one cannot refrain from faith, devotion and fidelity under any circumstances, and fears Him with awe. It is to have faith in Him with such reverence that one anxiously fears Him and ardently avoids losing His consent. Anyone believing in Allah in such a manner is sure to attain self-purification. One who believes and is so devoted to Allah performs prayers and other deeds to earn His consent sincerely. In reward for this, which is the basis of self-purification, true believers are "those who have faith and do right actions and humble themselves before their Lord." (Surah Hud: 23)
Allah instructed true believers to fulfill the orders and acts of worship prescribed in the Qur'an with total submission, sincerity and hearts purified for His sake. In a verse, it is related how Allah reminded Maryam (as) to submit to Him with heartfelt devotion: "O Maryam, worship your Lord devoutly: Prostrate yourself, and bow down (in prayer) with those who bow down." (Surah Al 'Imran: 43)
This is also stated by the Prophet (saas), who said:
"Goodness and comfort are for him who worships his Lord in a perfect manner and serves his Master sincerely."( Sahih Bukhari Hadith)
Allah also revealed the good news that those obeying Him with heartfelt devotion and fulfilling His orders with submission will be rewarded doubly:
But those of you who are obedient to Allah and His Messenger and act rightly will be given their reward twice over; and We have prepared generous provision for them. (Surat al-Ahzab: 31)
The characteristics of true believers, as mentioned in the verse below, are best exemplified in the prophets sent by Allah to warn people: "The steadfast, the truthful, the obedient, the givers, and those who seek forgiveness before dawn." (Surah Al 'Imran: 17)
The Qur'an contains many verses that emphasize the fact that prophets are men who turned to Allah with sincere devotion, His purified servants. Some examples are as follows:
Ibrahim was a community in himself, exemplary, obedient to Allah, a man of pure natural belief. He was not one of the idolaters. (Surat an-Nahl: 120)2009-10-15 23:39:58
And remember Our servants Ibrahim, Ishaq and Ya'qub, men of true strength and inner sight. We purified their sincerity through sincere remembrance of the Abode. (Surah Sad: 45-46)
Ibrahim was forbearing, compassionate, penitent. (Surah Hud: 75)
Mention Musa in the Book. He was truly sincere and was a Messenger and a Prophet. (Surah Maryam: 51)
And Maryam, the daughter of 'Imran, who guarded her chastity-We breathed Our Spirit into her and she confirmed the Words of her Lord and His Book and was one of the obedient. (Surat at-Tahrim: 12)


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For a quick, light oven cleaning.
Power clean gives your oven a heavy-duty clean with 25% more cleaning power.
With our extra-large 12" element, you have more flexibility to fit larger pots and pans.Watch Video
Flexible elements expand to meet your cooking needs - big or small.
Oven racks are designed with space for you to easily pull out the racks, even when wearing an oven mitt.Watch Video
Set the oven to begin cleaning on your schedule.
Our large oven window makes it easier to check on the status of your dish without having to open the oven door.
A variety of broil options to meet your needs.


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Courtesy of All About Circuits
Want to make your regular old thermostat a smart one? Good news, you can upgrade that mechanical thermostat with an Arduino and a servo motor. This is a great project for somebody who doesn't want to fork out the money for a Nest or some other programmable thermostat. It can also offer some relief for ever-vigilant parents who constantly have to tell their kids "Don't touch the thermostat!" It may not have the prettiest design, in fact, it looks like something Doc Brown or MacGyver would make, but it's cheap and it works!
How Does it Work?
The servo sits next to the thermostat and the servo's router is connected to the little arm on the thermostat that adjusts the temperature is connected to the servo with a paper clip. The Arduino can then use the servo to adjust the temperature setting on the thermostat at different time periods of the day.
Bill of Materials
The Code
Constructing this project is relatively simple, but the code can be tricky. Currently, there is only a Fahrenheit version of this code. Fahrenheit is easier to work with than Celsius because it has more degrees of variation… plus the thermostat used in the project was Fahrenheit. The first thing you'll need to do is set a default temperature for your house (in degrees Fahrenheit) in the variable "defaultTemperature." This is the temperature that your house sits at most of the time. Throughout the week, the temperature will be adjusted up or down from this baseline.
Next, you'll need to set hourly temperature adjustments. These are stored in a two-dimensional array called "dayTimeArray 724." The array is divided into days of the week and the individual hours in each day, hence the 7/24. Each hour in the week is initially set to 0. This means that at this hour the temperature setting is equal to the default temperature. To adjust this, you can enter a value for that hour (positive or negative) representing the number of degrees up or down that you would like to change the temperature relative to the default temperature. For example, if the default temperature is 68 degrees and you want the temperature to be 66 degrees at a certain time, then you would enter a value of "-2" for that position in the array. You can enter the temperature adjustments for each hour of the week. Filling out values for 168 hours in a week can be tedious, so copy/paste is your friend!
The next order of business for the code is entering a numerical value for the current day of the week (0 through 6), the hour of the day (0 through 23) and minute (0 through 59). Each of these values are stored in their own variables.
Below that, you'll find a variable named "servoTemperatureConversion." This represents the number of degrees of the servo's rotation corresponding to a degree change on the thermostat. You can adjust this to calibrate the system for your specific servo. You'll want to wait until you can attach the servo rotor to your thermostat's adjustment arm. You can download this code on All About Circuits.
Once you've made all the necessary changes to the code, upload it to your Arduino!
Hooking up the Hardware
Connect your Arduino, servo, and thermostat according to the schematic below. You can also find step by step instructions below the schematic.
Connecting the Switches and Servo
Two switches are connected to the Arduino that allow you to manually adjust the temperature without having to reprogram the entire system. To do this you'll need two momentary switches. One side of each switch is connected to 5V. The other side of the switches are connected to digital pins 10 and 11. Those pins are also connected to GND with 100 kOhm resistors. These resistors work as pull-down resistors to keep the digital pins in a LOW state until the buttons are pressed. This also prevents false triggering from electrical noise. To avoid switch bouncing (the system interpreting one button press as multiple button presses), the code is set up to only accept one input from the switch per second.
The servo used in this project has three wires. One wire (usually red) connects to 5V. Another wire (usually brown or black) connects to GND. The third wire (this one was orange) is the signal wire and connects to digital pin 9. Different manufacturers may use different color codes, so you'll want to find the appropriate colors for your servo.
Attaching the Servo to the Thermostat
The next thing you'll need to do is stick the servo to the side of your thermostat. The easiest way to do this is a large drop of hot glue. Make sure that the mounting hole on the rotor is lined up horizontally with the head of the thermostat's adjustment arm.
Connecting the Servo's Rotor to the Thermostat's Temperature Setting Arm
The easiest way to connect these with a piece of steel wire. Next, set the servo to the default position (by turning on the Arduino) and set the thermostat the default temperature. A paper clip was used for this project. First, the wire was straightened, then it was bent into a shape that would connect the two pieces. Last, you'll want to make loops at the ends to hold them in place.
Using the Thermostat
Your programmable thermostat should work now. It will automatically adjust the temperature for you throughout the week. You can press the up or down buttons and all the temperature settings will be shifted up or down by one degree if you need to manually adjust the temperature settings.
Keep in mind that if your Arduino ever powers down, it will restart the program, so if the power goes out, you'll need to reset the day and time.


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Punk rock icons Green Day have released a new teaser video to the web, which has fans frantically trying to find a message about the group's next album.
The group has just released a brief, 30-second clip that features candid footage from inside the studio.
After showcasing a handful of new tunes on the road recently, the group is believed to be at work on their follow-up to 2009's 21st Century Breakdown, although few details have officially been divulged.
Green Day has been avoiding answering too many questions on their forthcoming effort as of late, instead relying on a series of videos to hint at fans in waiting.
Last month singer Bille Joe Armstong revealed in one of the clips, "we're literally dealing with a new sound and it's f*****g with my head."


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Download Offline Installer For Softwares
Avast Software May 3, 2013
Avira GmbH July 23, 2013
SUPERAntiSpyware May 16, 2013
McAfee Labs July 19, 2013
Kaspersky August 10, 2011
Alfredo Anibal Dos Santos Da Silva October 19, 2015
Spyware Terminator April 8, 2013
RogueKiller is an anti-malware application that has been written in C++. The application is able to detect and then remove generic malware and also some advanced threats like rootkits and worms. RogueKiller can find malware by using a number of different techniques such as heuristics and signature finding.
Key Features Include:
RogueKiller is available in the following languages: French, English, Czech, Portuguese and Polish.


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Cod8Bot review by Mr.M.
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23rd September 2011
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Wednesday August 21, 2019; 04:30 pm EDT
It's easy to like green in this light-hearted tale
Brothers Walter and Gary (Jason Segel: Bad Teacher) are extremely different. Gary is tall, Walter is short. Gary has a girlfriend, Walter is single. Gary is human, Walter is a Muppet. Just typical family stuff.
In spite of these differences, the brothers are close and spend their nights watching reruns of their favorite show, The Muppets. Since Walter doesn't have much of a life beyond hanging out with Gary, The Muppets become his obsession.
Being a kind brother, Gary includes Walter on his big anniversary trip to Los Angeles — home of Muppet Studios — much to the chagrin of girlfriend Mary (Amy Adams: The Fighter). After 10 years of dating, Mary has yet to have a moment alone with Gary, let alone a proposal, and it's starting to grate.
Should be a fun bus ride.
Alas, the studios, in a shocking state of disrepair, are about to be bought by evil oil tycoon Tex Richman (Chris Cooper: The Tempest), who has plans to raze and drill.
Anniversary plans go on hold so Walter, Gary and Mary can track down Kermit the Frog (himself) to save the studio. Kermit agrees to track down his friends and stage the Greatest Muppet Telethon Ever, in hopes of raising the $10 million they need to buy back the studio.
This is harder than it may seem, with a road trip required to reunite the former stars. Ms Piggy is the plus-size editor of Parisian Vogue. Gonzo is a plumbing magnate. Animal is in anger management. Poor Fozzy is reduced to performing in a Muppets knock-off show, The Moopets, in grimy Reno.
Most of the former friends join happily, but Ms Piggy, still miffed that Kermit won't commit, is the holdout. She and Mary should get together for some girl talk.
Will the telethon raise enough money? Will Kermit and Piggy ever unite? In what universe would any mayor allow oil drilling in the middle of downtown Los Angeles?
Look, it's a kids' movie, so don't worry too much about the fate of the loveable menagerie.
The Muppets excels in introducing children to the basic Muppets while playing on the nostalgia of the older audience.
But there is one flaw in the otherwise charming movie: the humans.
The only human essential to the story line is Cooper, who has a marvelous time as the baddie, especially in an out-of-left-field rap sequence. Segel and Adams have a few good musical moments and bring some laughs, but their romance cuts into the screen time of the real stars, the Muppets. I wish Gonzo could have more than five lines.
I wasn't much interested in the new Muppet, Walter, though he gets a few cute scenes. Great characters such as Sam Eagle and Sweetums are reduced to background action. Fozzie gets only a few wocka-wockas before we're dragged back to the less interesting story of Walter the Muppet finding his place in the world.
The film is also a bit too self aware, taking too many winks at the audience. And while meta-humor is good for some superficial laughs, the Muppets are better off with their typical mix of surrealism and whacky humor.
In all, The Muppets gets far more right than wrong. Even this stone-cold reviewer felt a nostalgic pull when the crew got together to sing Rainbow Connection. I suppose the moviegoers who sang along were lovers, dreamers and me.


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What's in Your Developer Evangelist Travel Kit?SendGrid Team
Evangelists arrive at airport gates with just enough time to board. They have stockpiles of frequent flyer miles and memberships in a variety of hotel loyalty programs. They know exactly how to pack their bag depending on where they're heading and for how long. I asked a few fellow road warriors what ends up in their travel kits when they prepare to head out.
The most common items are a supplemental battery pack like a Mophie Juice Pack or Zagg Sparq for those moments when your phone is at 5% and you're trying to map your way back to the hotel, a variety of display adapters for plugging in to monitors and projectors, a mobile hotspot, a notebook, and some kind of portable speaker for jams.
Porter Haney, Wedgies
My kit operates on a few premises – preparation, conversation starters, and more preparation.
- Trucker Hat, because they're god damn functional. They keep the sun out, they let the head breath, and when you stick wedgies.com on them people start to ask you questions. I wouldn't have it any other way.
- Dermatone, there's a reason the USA Ski Team and the Army use this stuff. It's built for the tough job of keeping your ugly mug looking good through hours of wear and tear in the outdoors. It also doubles as paint for black light parties.
- Camera, or the training brick as we affectionately call it when you carry it around in your backpack day all. This thing is heavy, but it's worth every ounce. Some of the best pictures in life come when you least expect them. Having a camera on you at all times means you get to make the most of those moments.
- Beads, or other party accessory. You never know when a party is just going to break out around you. You don't want to be the guy sitting in the corner practicing how fast he can text imaginary people. You want to be slinging party favors with the best of 'em. Put some of these bad boys in your pocket and you'll never again be left out of the fun.
- My Mophie Juice Pack and my iPhone go together like PBJ. This battery helps the iPhone achieve what it was meant to, live in your pocket all day, under heavy use, and not go dead at 7 PM.
- Moleskin Notebook, some people like to take notes in their phone, and then promptly forget they took notes in their phone. Writing notes down the old fashioned way insures that you've got a record that only fire can abscond with.
- A pocket knife is critical to all kits. It'll save hide more times than you'll be able to count. Just stick it in your pocket and it'll be there when you need it.
- My trusty Liz Kuz wallet. Liz is an artist, and when she has leftover paintings, she cuts them up and sews them into billfolds. It's a great way to start a conversation with a bar tender or barista. Plus, this thing is part of my personality. I mean, would you just look at those mountains?
Swift, SendGrid
My evangelist toolkit has:
- Android Charger
- iPhone 4 & 5 charger
- Mifi
- Power adapter for travel in foreign countries
- Ethernet cable
- AA Batteries
- Portable speakers
- Bluetooth mouse
- headphone
- Surge protector
- Mophie
- USB thumb drive
- Disposable tooth brushes
- Contact solution
- Granola bars
I also carry these things for work stuff:
- Envelopes (receipts, biz cards, etc)
- Pen
- Notepad / Moleskin
- Stickers
- Lanyard with my name on it
- SendGrid sweatband (for when I'm coding so hard, I get my sweat on)
Neil Mansilla, Mashery
- Zagg Sparq 2.0 — battery, iPhone and iPad juice
- Jawbone Jambox (small) — music is essential, be it for the hotel room, small gathering or a hackathon
- PJs — hospital scrub pants.
- Advil — nothing sucks like a headache.
- Travel charger with USB ports
- Adapters and more adapters — VGA, DVI and Ethernet
- Knife — no native Detroiter would be caught dead without his favorite shank
Andrew Mager, Spotify
It's crazy because I travel so light. For SxSW all I had was a book bag.
Inside was:
- Half the amount of tee shirts I need
- Toiletries
- Phone and computer charger
- A few socks
I never rock the Mophie 🙂
Martyn Davies, SendGrid
For me, and particularly after being in the US, I went shopping and added some bits:
- SwissGear Backpack
- iPhone
- Nexus 4 (for use abroad)
- Macbook Air
- Mac power adapter now with multiple country adapters
- Multiple country power adapter
- Battery pack with dual USB
- 3G MiFi for UK
- Headphones: Over ear Sennheiser HD25 MK2
- 32GB USB stick with various backup software on, editors, DMGs for an emergency reinstall etc
- SIM Card Wallet with various Euro/UK pay as you go SIM cards
- Evernote moleskine notepad
- Drugs
- Neurofen — for my dome
- Paracetamol — for my soul
- Multivitamins — for my vitality and healthy coat
- Imodium — for when the hack day food ain't so great
- Soluble Vitamin C (Emergen-C or whatever) – for my immune system
- A sharpie
- A pen
- Spare USB chargers and various USB of different sizes
Paul Osman, SoundCloud
My essential travel kit includes:
- Macbook Air
- Power Adapter
- iPhone cable
- DVI & VGA to Mini Displayport adapter
- Ethernet to mini displayport adapter (you'd be surprised!)
- One technical book and one non-technical book
The non-technical book reminds me to take time out while on the road and just kick back with a mug of tea and read something not related to my work.
Amit Jowani, Mashery
- Battery pack – Mophie or similar (I am currently using Zagg)
- MiFi Hotspot device
- Stickers & similar pocket schwag
- Cables, Chargers & display adapters
- Ethernet to USB adapter
- iPad Mini – primarily my reading device – reading on the plane.
- Business Cards
- Jambox
International Travel
- Travel Power Converter
- I have created ziploc bags by countries containing currency, local transit cards etc.
- External Hard Drive – backup etc.
- Pen/Notepad
- Protein bars
Misc Gear
- Umbrella/Rain poncho
- Gloves/hat
Brandon West, SendGrid
Like Andrew Mager, I try to travel as lightly as I can. If I travel with more than a backpack, it's because I'll be gone for more than four days or because I'll be bringing some delicious local craft beer with me back to Colorado for the beer cellar.
I usually don't bring adapters with me. I've never ended up at an event where there was not an adapter available or one that I can borrow.
The things I can't travel without:
- External battery pack. I held out on this one for a long time but it's now a crucial part of my kit. I get lost without my phone.
- Aspirin. Easy on the liver and good for headaches.
- Kindle. It's lightweight and you can add new content as needed. Books are burritos for your brain.
- Earplugs. You never know when you'll end up sitting next to the engine on a turboprop plane or staying at a hotel right by the train tracks.
- Stainless steel ring that I bought in South Africa. It reminds me of where I've been and where I'm going, but more importantly I can open beers with it.
As you can tell, there are a lot of options when you're loading up your kit for a trip. I'd like to thank all of the awesome contributors for taking the time to write up what they tend to pack.
What can't you live without when you're out on the road? Let us know in the comments!


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Special Report: Evaluate Effective ERP
The chemical processing industry has a unique set of requirements that makes shopping for Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, and business systems in general, a challenging experience. Although the more advanced business systems continue to add features applicable to functions throughout the enterprise, including operations management, supply chain, finance, and so on, only a few vendors offer systems that meet the particular needs of chemical processors.
This Chemical Processing Special Report takes a look at how chemicals manufacturers are meeting these challenges head on. Download this Chemical Processing Special Report and learn more about ERP Systems including:
- Consider Integrated Technology: An ERP system should be easy to implement, use and upgrade as business evolves. Learn more about: Vertical Integration, Horizontal Integration; Asset-vx.-Labor-Intensive; Continuous v. Discrete Manufacturing; Risk Management; Integrated Deployment
- Get the Most from Your Data: Research shows how effective ERP systems significantly impact business outcomes. Data results include: Do companies with more user-friendly and accessible enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems enjoy more positive business outcomes? Are they more profitable? Do highly effective ERP systems help create a sharper upswing of revenue growth? How much difference does effective data really make to business success?
Download your copy of this Chemical Processing ERP Systems Special Report.12/22/2015
eHandbook: Effectively Manage Energy
Higher energy efficiency ranks as a top priority in many chemical makers' efforts to enhance sustainability and competitiveness. Are you challenged by energy efficiencies? Are you perplexed by planning the scope of your audit and investigation? Do you want to better understand how to develop an implementation plan to act on your findings?
This Chemical Processing eHandbook takes a look at how chemicals manufacturers are meeting the energy efficiency challenge head on. Download this Chemical Processing eHandbook for insights and strategies including:
- Plants Strike Down Energy Efficiencies: Large chemical manufacturers achieve improvements on many fronts
- Break Energy Audits into Phases, Part I: A four-phase approach that cyclically repeats can yield improved energy savings
- Break Energy Audits into Phases, Part II: After approval of projects, implementation can begin
- More!
Download your copy of this Chemical Processing Energy eHandbook now.11/18/2015
Special Report: Effectively Deal With Waste Gas
Waste gas incinerators react oxygen with waste hydrocarbons at high temperature to produce a clean flue gas. A perfect incinerator would have a destruction and removal efficiency (DRE) of 100%, zero fuel usage and zero emission of carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides. A small amount of the original hydrocarbons always remains, though. If 1% is left, the DRE is 99%. Some CO and NOx always are produced, too. However, NOx emissions are lower for a regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO) than for almost any other type of thermal oxidizer. With the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and local air boards requiring DRE values from 95% upward, effectively dealing with waste gas means ensuring compliance with the added benefit of reduced energy costs. In this Special Report we take a look at how an RTO often can offer an effective and fuel-efficient options for cutting the cost of waste gas incineration, how technologies transform greenhouse gas into a feedstock for chemicals, how the right emission control system can help meet compliance and reduce energy costs and several steps that play a crucial role for setting up an effective greenhouse gas monitoring plan. Download now.11/12/2015
Power of data visualization and analytics to make better and faster decisions to optimize production
We're all familiar with the phrase "taken out of context." In analysis, it occurs when we do not include all of the structured and unstructured data that illuminates the real situation. As industry moves to rapidly embrace new analytical approaches like predictive analytics, it is more important than ever to capture all relevant data and information to create a rich context for analysis. In this white paper you will discover how you can use the power of data visualization and analytics to make better and faster decisions to optimize production and remain competitive. Download now.11/12/2015
Powder eHandbook: Get a Better Handle on Your Solids Process
Getting a better handle on Solids Process is an on-going challenge for chemical processors. Are you struggling with multiphase sampling? Do you want to conquer pilot plant challenges? Do you want to learn more about how automatic sampling can help control process safely?
This Chemical Processing eHandbook takes a look at how chemicals manufacturers are meeting these challenges head on. Download this Chemical Processing eHandbook for insights and strategies including:
- Don't Be Fazed By Multiphase Sampling: An isokinetic system can provide accurate samples;
- Conquer Pilot Plant Challenges: Use design of experiments to minimize the number of runs and ensure meaningful data;
- Case Study: Sampler Helps Control Process Safely: Automatic samplers can be key to ensuring process samples are repeatable and reliable;
- More!
Download your copy of this Chemical Processing Powder eHandbook now.11/10/2015
Flow eHandbook: Achieve Better Flow
Achieving better flow is a constant challenge for chemical processors. What happens when a liquid flashes? How do you consider the impact of inlet losses? How can you become more innovative using speed pipe installation?
This Chemical Processing eHandbook takes a look at how chemicals manufacturers are meeting these challenges head on. Download this Chemical Processing eHandbook for insights and strategies including:
• Watch Out for Two-Phase Flow where process performance can suffer dramatically when a liquid flashes;
• Nix Nozzle Nuisances and avoid flow problems by considering the impact of inlet losses;
• Case Study: Speed Pipe Installation - VIP PLUMBING of Cleveland, Ohio, used press fittings to make water- and air-tight connections when installing a stainless system at Royal Chemical's Macedonia, Ohio plant;
• More!
Download your copy of this Chemical Processing Flow eHandbook now.10/27/2015
Keep Your Pressure Instruments Safe from Corrosion
Failure of a pressure instrument due to corrosion can lead to the expulsion of volatile liquids and gases into the surrounding environment. Understanding the causes of corrosion and preventative measures is crucial to operators. To help counter this threat, valuable information is available from dedicated organizations. Learn about these resources and gain the insight you'll need to protect your people, processes and profits. Download now.10/13/2015
eHandbook: Put the Spotlight on Process Safety
How do we make safety in our processes second nature? The concept of inherent safety goes beyond simply not having materials that potentially could damage the pipes, vessels and equipment that make up manufacturing facilities. We need to understand all the ways those materials can be involved in incidents that harm people, the environment and our facilities.
Without a thorough understanding of those scenarios and how they can occur, we can't properly evaluate the risks posed by different technological approaches and effectively apply inherently safer technologies.
In this Chemical Processing Process Safety eHandbook, we delve in to what it means to embrace the concept of inherent safety and provide tips for safer processing including:
- A variety of strategies that can eliminate hazards from operations
- Improving alarm management – how adopting a pragmatic approach can achieve significant benefits
- A rational approach to combustible dust explosion protection
Download your copy of this Chemical Processing Process Safety eHandbook now.10/07/2015
Training Your Staff About Energy Efficiency -- A Chemical Processing Special Report
From process engineers to plant managers, it is critical that everyone plays a role in implementing and adhering to energy efficient practices and exploring ways to improve energy efficiency. This special report takes an in-depth look at how organizations can increase profitability by educating and training their staff to understand the importance of energy. Topics covered include:
- Energy Saver- Educate Your Peers
- Train Your Operators on Energy Efficiency
- Train Your Project Manager on Energy Efficiency
- Train Your Plant Manager on Energy Efficiency
- Some training courses are worth the price
- Energy Saver: Do Your Own Stream Survey
- Direct Stream Injection Hot Water Systems for Jacketed Heating
- Innovation in Direct Stream Injection Heaters Since 1945
Wastewater eHandbook: Avoid the Whirlpool
Today's global challenges — climate change, water scarcity, food provision, declining ecosystem services, human development, and the overall transition to a sustainable society and planet — require solutions of unprecedented scale. Public policy and behavior change will play a significant role in addressing these challenges. So, too, will business and technology. In the decades ahead, these challenges offer tremendous opportunity for organizations that can contribute to tackling them.
This Chemical Processing eHandbook takes a look at how chemicals manufacturers are meeting these challenges head on. Download this Chemical Processing eHandbook for insights and strategies including:
- How organizations such as Dow, Solvay, Dupont and BP are adapting strategies for their water conservation efforts;
- How a new purification process that's carbon-negative and energy-positive can save energy;
- Why sustainability metrics spur product development efforts to improve conservation efforts
- More!
Mixing eHandbook: Avoid Mixing Mix-Ups
For chemical processors, ensuring a long-lasting, high-quality mix is a huge challenge regardless of the physical properties of the mixing component – liquid, gas, solid. In this Chemical Processing Mixing eHandbook, we take a look at mixing technologies including "open" batch operation, static mixers, hydrogenation and inline mixing. Understanding how each of these technologies works, the benefits and challenges can help you to avoid common mixing mix-ups. Download your copy and learn about:
- A number of technologies that can handle pipeline mixing
- How hydrogenation reactions can achieve greater conversion rates and thus better space/time yields
- Continuous powder wetting
- Inline mixing systems
- Modern in-line mixers
Avoid common mixing mix-ups. Download your copy of this Chemical Processing Mixing eHandbook now.08/26/2015
Special Report: Focus On Better Equipment Care For Increased Productivity
Being armed with the knowledge on how to best care for your equipment can produce a myriad of desirable results –improved reliability of that equipment, improved quality of your production and safety for your workforce to name a few. For chemical processors and all manufacturers the benefits for proactively caring for your equipment can translate in to gains in financial performance as a result of decreasing unexpected breakdowns, downtime and maintenance costs. In this Chemical Processing Special Report we take an in-depth look at how to successfully implement an operator care program focused on caring for your plant's equipment. We also delve deeply into rotary impingement technology and the benefits it brings to manufacturers tasked with tank cleaning to ensure reliable, uncontaminated, quality batches during production.
Download the special report now.08/25/2015
eHandbook: Leverage These Level Best Practices
Level measurement, which is the detection of the phase split between vapor/liquid, liquid/liquid, vapor/solid and even liquid/solid, is a key parameter in the operation and control of modern industrial processes. A reliable outcome depends on the phase conditions being relatively consistent under all process conditions. Unfortunately, the importance of level control isn't always understood. In this Chemical Processing Level Instrumentation eHandbook, we discuss best practices for level management including:
- Interpret Level Readings Right – how the type of instrument can make a big difference in deciphering measurements
- Choose the Correct Level Sensor – key considerations and questions for identifying the most appropriate choice
- Customize Your Level Detection – a myriad of options help you achieve optimal level indicator performance
Download your copy of this Chemical Processing Level Instrumentation eHandbook now.08/12/2015
Flow eHandbook: Better Manage Flow
It's not uncommon for chemical processors to have hundreds of piping and flow instruments to monitor, maintain and repair. When do you slope a process line? What happens when a precision instrument drifts out of calibration? In this Chemical Processing Flow eHandbook, we look at what it takes for chemical processors to master flow challenges in several areas including:
- Piping geometry – how draining, venting, fouling and other considerations affect piping geometry
- Various methods for avoiding thermal flow meter validation pitfalls
- Piping symmetry – why designers should consider the impact of unequal flows in branches
Learn more how to avoid common piping pitfalls. Download your copy of this Chemical Processing Flow eHandbook now.07/29/2015
Steam eHandbook: Take the Heat Off Your Steam System
According to a U.S. Department of Energy survey, steam accounts for one-third of all the energy used in process plants. Monitoring and optimizing the cost of your steam system can yield big rewards. Ignoring inefficient operation easily could drain profits.
Operating and maintaining a reliable steam system is vital to chemical processing plants and can have significant cost impact on a plant's annual budget. Typical profit drainers in operating and maintaining a steam system include excessive fuel cost, inefficient steam generation, less-than-optimal steam utlilization and poor condensate recovery. This Chemical Processing Steam eHandbook presents strategies for reducing cost associated with using and generating steam, a 4 step approach for improving efficiency and insight on heat exchanger selection criteria. Specifically:
- Control Steam System Energy Costs - Steam system losses can silently drain profits
- Optimize Your Steam System - A simple four-step approach can improve steam efficiency
- Head Off Exchanger Errors - Selecting the most-appropriate heads for a shell-and-tube unit is crucial
Learn how to generate savings through steam use and generation. Download your copy of this Chemical Processing Steam eHandbook now.06/29/2015
Unlock The Power Of Your Digital Asset - find out how, download a new AVEVA business paper
AVEVA's Digital Asset approach. Defining a new era of collaboration in capital projects and asset operations.
Discover how AVEVA's approach to creating, sharing, maintaining and exploiting digital information across all stages of the asset life cycle delivers significant financial benefits for all involved in capital projects and asset operations.
Learn how the enhanced collaboration and transparency delivered by a unified Digital Asset:
- Brings improved schedule assurance and capital stewardship in the project phase
- Enhances safety and reliability in operations
- Is simple to adopt and does not disrupt existing business processes or contractual relationships
AVEVA's Digital Asset approach benefits all OOs, EPCs, PMCs, sub-contractors and companies across the supply chain. Download now.06/24/2015
7 Ways to Improve Process and Productivity with Pressure Instrumentation
Optimize your operation in four critical areas – production, quality, energy efficiency and safety – with pressure instrumentation. This paper reviews pressure, flow and level solutions that work across all points of the operation to minimize process variability, gain process insight, reduce maintenance and downtime, and meet regulatory demands. Learn more.06/23/2015
Process Filtration Scale-Up from Lab to Commercial Operation
This article discusses process filtration approach developed for each technology stage starting from batch filtration in the lab to continuous filtration for the full-scale commercial operation. Process engineers must not "jump to conclusions", a reference from Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson who prove time and again is that there is no benefit to jumping to conclusions. Therefore, laboratory / bench top filtration testing is covered for problem analysis, technology selection and pilot and demonstration scale-up. The paper continues with the filtration testing and then scale-up to the commercial size. Finally, the paper concludes with a general review of the problem-solving skills of Holmes and Watson and how these skills can be utilized by process engineers as a framework for "idea-generation" when analyzing a new process scale-up.06/02/2015
Powder eHandbook: Tame Your Pesky Powders
A material's characteristics – adhesiveness, cohesiveness, aeratibility, pressure-sensitivity – often change during processing and can cause both flow and hidden hazard challenges. And while poor flow is one of the most common problems encountered in handling or storing solids, dust control issues also need to be identified and addressed. This includes combustible dust as the repercussions can result in costly downtown and in some instances, explosions, serious injury and possibly even death. In this Chemical Processing Powder eHandbook, we take a look at strategies and solutions for taming pesky powder processing challenges including:
- Defuse Dust Dangers - Carefully consider and then counter risks of fire and explosion
- Clamp Down On Clumping - First understand what's really causing the problem
- What You Don't Know About Powder Flow - Shear cells can quickly reveal information about flow behavior
- Know Your Vacuum Pumps - Understand the differences between liquid ring and rotary screw dry pumps for distillation
Learn how to tame your pesky powder challenges. Download your copy of this Chemical Processing Powder eHandbook now.05/27/2015
Semi-Automated Systems Take Water Jetting to a New Level
High-pressure water jetting is powerful and versatile, helping contractors and industrial companies do hundreds of challenging jobs.
While many jobs are still done manually, new semi-automated systems can maximize three elements crucial to any company's success: productivity, safety and environmental responsibility.05/12/2015


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SI Selects Bazemore To Their Top 16 Defensive List
By ODU Athletics
Oct. 14, 2010
NORFOLK, VA - Sports Illustrated.com has selected ODU junior guard Kent Bazemore (Kelford, NC.) as one of the nation's top 16 defenders two days after ESPN.com gave him a similar honor. The complete list is on this link: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/?eref=sinav
Bazemore tied for first in the CAA with a 1.9 steals per game average and a total of 67 for the entire season. Bazemore had a season high of six steals in a game against Georgia State and four in a game against Towson, Drexel, Delaware and Northeastern.
Last year, Bazemore was named to the CAA's All-Defensive squad, CollegeInsiders.com All-American Defensive team and the CAA All-Tournament squad.
Bazemore averaged 8.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game in 36 games played. He helped lead the Monarchs to a 27-9 record, the CAA regular season and tournament championship as well as the second round of the NCAA tournament.
The Monarchs will preview the 2010-11 season on Oct. 23rd with the annual Blue-White scrimmage at 12 noon.
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED TOP 16 DEFENDERS 1. Chris Singleton, Florida State 2. Kenneth Faried, Morehead St. 3. Venoy Overton, Washington 4. Ronald Nored, Butler 5. Iman Shumpert, Ga. Tech 6. Damian Saunders, Duquesne 7. Jefffrey Taylor, Vanderbilt 8. E'Twaun Moore, Purdue 9. David Foster, Utah 10. Jackson Emery, BYU 11. David Lighty, Ohio State 12. Gilbert Brown, Pittsburgh 13. Kent Bazemore, ODU 14. JuJuan Johnson, Purdue 15. Jeff Allen - Va. Tech 16. Jay Threatt- Delaware State
ESPN.COM NATION'S TOP 20 DEFENDERS Lavoy Allen, Temple Kent Bazemore, ODU Will Coleman, Memphis Kenneth Faried, Morehead St. David Foster, Utah Jorge Cutierrrez, California Rick Jackson, Syracuse Jajuan Johnson, Purdue Kawhi Leonard, San Diego State David Lighty, Ohio State Vernon Macklin, Florida Zeke Marshall, Akron Gary McGhee, Pittsburgh Ronald Nored, Butler Shelvin Mack, Butler Venoy Overton, Washington Jacob Pullen, Kansas State Damian Saunders, Duquesne Chris Singleton, Fla. State Jeffrey Taylor, Vanderbilt Kemba Walker, UCONN


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Photograph by Samuel Stuart
"Surely there is something to be said for drawing a circle around our attention and remaining within that circle," Zadie Smith writes in her short story "The Embassy of Cambodia." "But how large should that circle be?" A reading and discussion with Smith this fall, hosted by the Barnard International Artists Series, would draw that circle very broadly. The program invites filmmakers, dancers, and other artists from around the world to introduce their work to the College community.
English professor Hisham Matar, a prizewinning novelist from Libya, founded and directs the series. "One way to think of the Barnard International Artists Series is as a modest attempt to learn about the world through its artists," he said in his introduction to Smith's talk. "Artists have demonstrated throughout the ages a profound ability to express the tenor of their times."
For Smith, the "tenor of the times" has required negotiating multiple identities. Matar described her as a "writer of distances," straddling the spaces between the United States and Britain, black and white, the lofty university town of Cambridge and the middle-class precincts of London's Willesden Green neighborhood. Smith traced that quality partly to her background at a "big, rowdy" school where she made friends with different types of people. Visiting friends at their homes, she went to government housing as well as to mansions. "If you were only going to big houses in Hampstead you'd have to be only one way," she says; her diverse friend group helped make her—and her fiction—fluid.
Since the 2000 publication of her debut novel, White Teeth, Smith has become an internationally acclaimed novelist, essayist, and short-story writer. She has won several prizes, including the Whitbread First Novel Award, the Commonwealth Writers Book Prize, and the Orange Prize for Fiction, and has been shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize. In White Teeth, as well as in her other novels The Autograph Man, On Beauty, and the latest, NW, she explores issues of race and identity, often against the backdrop of Willesden Green.
At the packed Diana Center Event Oval talk, Smith read from "The Embassy of Cambodia" and then participated in a discussion with Matar. The conversation ranged from Smith's literary practices to her views on culture and gender. As for how, exactly, she gets into the heads of people of various cultures, Smith emphasized emotional identification, comparing herself to an actor who seeks a piece of his character in his own experience: "You have to check it inside yourself," she said.
Correspondingly, Smith warned against identifying too strongly with people of one's own background. A student asked whether she feels that, as a black woman, she is writing within a tradition marked by the essence of black womanhood. Smith replied that she does not believe in an "eternal essence in any group of people. It's tempting to think as a black woman that I'm connected to all other black women, but it's not true." In her view, such essentialism can lead to prejudice.
Smith told the audience how she herself has faced prejudice as a woman: a piece in La Repubblica, an Italian daily, claimed she was too beautiful to be a good writer. "It reveals the thought that if a woman is beautiful she needn't do anything else," Smith said. "Why would she bother? She could be part of the sexual exchange, which is where her real worth is."
At another point in the discussion, Smith delved into her feelings about nonfiction as well as fiction. "I feel what everybody feels," Smith said, "but I have the small gift of being able to express it clearly. With essays, I'm trying to find us a way to express things together."
At Smith's talk, Matar credited his students for inspiring the Barnard International Artists Series, which functions as a response to their "curiosity, their enthusiasm to learn about what people in faraway countries are thinking about, caring about, worried about—it's a sincere and passionate curiosity I want to build on and encourage. Although the students are the inspiration behind this forum, the series is open to any member of the public."


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Maria Damanaki
European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries
Our turn to protect dolphins
Workshop "Protecting Cetaceans in the EU" at the European Parliament
Brussels, 21 September 2011
Members of the European Parliament, ladies and gentlemen,
The association between humans and cetaceans dates back to Ancient Greece: dolphins appear in a number of Greek myths, invariably as helpers of mankind. Now it is our turn to be helping dolphins and cetaceans. It is our duty to protect them from many human activities - and that includes fishing.
I'm glad we have the opportunity to discuss this pressing conservation issue today. I thank you for organising this event.
In my address I'd like to inform you about the steps we have taken to protect cetaceans in Union waters so far - and to also tell you how these should be developed even further, in my view, under a reformed CFP.
Let's start with the situation as it is today.
Seven years ago the EU adopted a Regulation to monitor and reduce incidental catches of cetaceans in fisheries. In 2009 the Commission reviewed this Regulation and held a workshop on its implementation. At the time, we noted a number of issues and made recommendations in a Communication to the Council and the European Parliament.
This afternoon I present to you a second Communication, just adopted by the Commission, that re-assesses the situation.
What does the Communication say?
Well, in summary, there is good news and bad news. I'll give you the good news first.
It is clear that, since our first assessment, things have improved. According to ICES the Regulation – and I quote - has "succeeded in providing a much more comprehensive picture of cetacean by-catch in European fisheries".
Both the annual reports from Member States and the scientific advice from ICES show that by-catch of cetaceans is low or non-existent in many of the fisheries observed. This suggests that the problem is not as widespread as first thought when adopting the Regulation.
But let me give you a word of caution there: scaling up the available data to the entire fleet is always a risky exercise. This is not an exact science, unfortunately.
Many Member States have made considerable efforts to monitor by-catches as required by the Regulation. They have become more knowledgeable about the impacts that their fisheries have on cetaceans and other marine species. This will enable them to streamline their research and monitoring activities.
Despite these improvements, however, the Regulation hasn't managed to prevent cetacean by-catch across the board. And here come the bad news.
Incidental catches of dolphins are still evident in several fisheries, for example in the pelagic trawl fishery for bass and tuna in the English Channel and in the Bay of Biscay.
According to scientific advice, several sub-populations of harbour porpoise and common dolphin which are known to interact with fisheries in the North Atlantic, the North Sea and the Baltic Sea are under threat and require protection.
For the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, current population estimates are inadequate and it is impossible to assess the extent of by-catches with any accuracy. But we do have evidence that too many cetaceans are being caught while fishing in those sea basins.
For the Mediterranean, we are working with Member States and the Fisheries Commission to improve monitoring and mitigation measures.
In the Black Sea we are planning to fund a research project to look at the adverse impacts of fisheries on cetacean populations there. These initiatives should improve our knowledge of the extent of the problem in these areas.
Moreover, the Regulation seems to have some inherent weaknesses that we want to correct. Allow me to highlight some of them.
First of all, according to our analysis, some of the monitoring targets are too broad and extensive. But in some areas incidental catches are sporadic or rare, whereas they recur systematically in others. That is where we should focus our efforts, rather than trying to cover too much.
When resources are scarce, we should think strategically.
For instance, sampling seems to have been insufficient in relation to small-scale fisheries, where we know that interactions with cetaceans are more frequent.
Another thing we should do is align the monitoring under the Regulation with the monitoring required under the Habitats Directive for cetacean species listed under the Directive.
Again, at a time when public finances are stretched to the limit, we need to be thrifty with the data collected and maximise their use.
Another weak point is that the Regulation relies on the acoustic deterrent devices called "pingers" as a mitigation measure. Now, as it turns out, fishermen are often reluctant to use them because of both practical and economic reasons.
Some of the practical issues have been improved by studies carried out by Member States, but we need more research in this area - and cooperation from the industry - to both improve the existing devices and develop alternative mitigation measures.
So how can we tackle these issues and provide better protection for cetaceans in the future?
The reform of the CFP will be crucial. Our proposals clearly express the intent to adopt an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management.
For cetaceans, we have considered two alternatives.
We could of course amend the current Regulation and correct the weaknesses identified so far. But we ruled out this option, because a) it would take too long and b) it would mean going on with the same old 'fragmented' approach.
Instead, we need a more integrated, systemic approach. We must manage in a coherent way all the components of the ecosystem that fisheries impact on, not just the fish. And not just cetaceans.
We want an ecosystem approach with adaptive management: this means an approach that takes into account the need to protect of cetaceans, and that does so in a way that is adapted to local conditions.
First of all, we want to incorporate the monitoring of cetacean bycatch into the Data Collection Framework, as a move towards a wider ecosystem approach to fisheries monitoring which includes non-target species such as cetaceans, seabirds, turtles and benthic organisms.
Secondly, we must continue to ensure linkage with monitoring requirements under other environmental legislation - such as the Habitats Directive or the Marine Framework Directive - to avoid duplication and reduce the burden on industry and national administrations.
Thirdly, we want better mitigation measures to be incorporated under the new fisheries technical measures framework that we are working on as part of the reform process.
This framework would set out the scope, objectives and targets to be met in relation to cetacean bycatch. But, in line with the decentralization principle of our reform, it would be up to Member States to choose the best mitigation measures for each specific area and fishery.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Cetaceans are some of the most visible and iconic indicators of ocean health. It is clear we must give them proper protection. This will not be achieved without support from you, the Members of the European Parliament, and also from Member States, NGOs, the industry and the general public.
I count on your constructive support to make this possible. I ask you to bear this in mind when we discuss the reform of the CFP, in which we strongly advocate a move to a wider approach, encompassing all elements of the ecosystem - including cetaceans.
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Remember when feeling "Green" meant you weren't feeling so well? Somehow, the color green has been taken from us and marketed back to us as the cure for everything that's wrong with the planet. But Jubbling is different. Jubbling is about using clotheslines instead of buying a new eco-friendly clothes dryer and Jubbling is about finding a drinking fountain instead of buying a reusable water bottle that tracks how many times you've refilled it.
Ultimately, Jubbling is about making consuming less, less consuming.
© 2019 Jubbling.com - Consume less. Reuse more.


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Keystone Prairie Dogs conservation project launches final series eBook
Keystone Prairie Dogs launches its final eBook to emphasis preservation of prairie dogs in the wild. It is entitled, "Keystone Prairie Dogs, They're a lot Like People, But They Won't go to Mars."
Valentine's Day seemed an appropriate day to launch the final installment in a three-eBook entertainment and educational series for preserving a loveable, yet misunderstood Great Plains species: the prairie dog.
The final eBook is entitled, Keystone Prairie Dogs, They're a Lot Like People, But They Won't go to Mars.
The Keystone Prairie Dogs project was launched in August 2012 for the purpose of increasing awareness of the prairie dog's dismal plight through a series of eBooks containing a dual message. First, the series sought to broaden the conversation beyond the scientific and environmental community to a more general audience by the use of prairie dog pictures that spoof social and political commentary. Second, the series was designed to include important scientific contributions on the declining numbers of prairie dogs over decades of time with contributed content by wildlife experts, along with a resource guide and other useful information.
Biologists recognize that prairie dogs are a vital keystone species in the ecosystems they inhabit across the eleven states of their historic range. There are over one hundred other species that survive because they are linked in some fashion to the lynchpin existence of prairie dogs. They include carnivores, reptiles, raptors, insects and native vegetation.
According to the Keystone Prairie Dogs website, prairie dogs have had 98 percent of their original populations decimated across the Great Northern plains from the days of the Lewis and Clark expedition. It began in the mid-1800s, when the US Agriculture Department gave prairie dogs the unfortunate designation of "pests." From that point on they were poisoned, shot, had their colonies bulldozed for residential development and generally mismanaged by federal wildlife agencies.
Prairie dogs have long been a political hot-button, often pitting special interest groups against wildlife conservationists. But, as awareness has increased on how important prairie dogs are to the plain's grasslands and wilderness landscape, more effort is being made to protect them and relocate colonies that have encroached onto private land or exist where development is planned.
TV mogul and activist Ted Turner owns the world's best example of a private wildlife preserve that has almost 600,000 acres dedicated to imperiled species, including black-tailed and Gunnison's prairie dogs. It is thanks to people like Ted and the decades of work by wildlife conservation groups that over a century of misinformation about prairie dogs is finally being overturned. Ted's ranch, Vermejo Park, offers amazing wildlife tours where social and playful prairie dogs can be observed in their natural habitat.
The organizations connected to the Keystone Prairie Dogs project are groups that have been very instrumental in preserving them. They include the Prairie Dog Coalition, Prairie Dog Pals, WildEarth Guardians, Defenders of Wildlife, National Federation of Wildlife, World Wildlife Fund and Southern Plains Land Trust.
For more information about the Keystone Prairie Dogs project and the three-series of eBooks click on link below:
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Singer Chris Brown expressed outrage Monday as a judge revoked his probation in his 2009 conviction for beating then-girlfriend Rihanna after prosecutors said he violated the terms by committing an alleged hit-and-run while driving without a valid license.
Brown wrote on Twitter that he's done nothing wrong and that it was wrong to punish him.
"I did everything I was suppose to do during the so called hit n run," Brown wrote on Twitter Monday morning. "I provided the correct info. There were no injuries or damages. C'mon!!"
DOCUMENT: Chris Brown accident report
The Grammy winner was allowed to remain free, pending a hearing next month.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge James R. Brandlin revoked Brown's probation and set a court date of Aug.16 to resolve the issue or set a hearing on the violation and to determine what punishment, if any, is warranted. Brown could face up to four years in jail on the probation violation. Such probation revocations require only a preponderance of the evidence compared to beyond a reasonable doubt for new criminal charges and are a far easier method to incarcerate a probationer.
The judge ordered Brown be released without bail after Deputy Dist. Atty. Mary Murray did not request that the singer be taken into custody. Prosecutors alleged that incident involving two new misdemeanor charges of hit-and-run and driving without a license violate the terms of Brown's five-year probation in the felony assault case that requires he obeys all laws.
In August 2009, Brown was ordered to serve 1,400 hours of community service, complete domestic violence classes and serve five years probation. He was convicted of felony domestic violence for striking Rihanna as they drove in a rented Lamborghini through Los Angeles.
On Monday. Brown was dressed in a slim cut black suit and shirt and sat quietly as his lawyer, the prosecutor and judge spent 20 minutes in closed chambers before a brief court discussion.
Earlier this year, Brown was accused by prosecutors of having significant discrepancies in his 1,400 hours of community service in his native Virginia and judge has yet to decide if they are valid.
In the latest incident, Brown is accused of rear-ending a woman's Mercedes with a Range Rover on May 21 on Barham Boulevard. According to a district attorney's investigators report, the woman and Brown — who did not identify himself — pulled over to the side of the road after the crash at a red light about 12:30 p.m. The Mercedes driver asked Brown for his driver's license and insurance as required by California law, but he produced neither of them, according to the report.
Instead, Brown's passenger. Karrueche Tientrese Tran, handed over her driver's license, and after some searching produced an expired insurance card for a Lamborghini. Prosecutors attached a letter that the woman sent to the LAPD investigator saying Brown and his passenger went "ballistic" when they realized she was taking photos. The woman said Brown then tried to grab the camera from her and allegedly called her profane names suggesting she thought less of him because he was a black man and used a racial epithet for himself.
A district attorney's investigator reviewing the information determined that Brown had failed to produce documents required by state law. Defense attorney Mark Geragos has filed papers to dismiss the misdemeanors related to the hit-and run citing a civil settlement Brown made with the other driver, Olga Kovalenko. But the court has yet to approve that and delayed a decision to July 23. The Los Angeles city attorney, which prosecutes misdemeanors, said he would object that any payoff to the victim did not deal with Brown's lack of a California driver's license.
Snow leopard at Sacramento zoo euthanized after back injury
Asiana Airlines to sue Bay Area TV station over fake pilot names
San Diego Mayor Bob Filner accused of forcibly kissing, groping women
Twitter: @lacrimes


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When I came to Texas in the summer of 1969, my mother was living in an apartment on the second floor of my Aunt Rene's house. It had a living room, bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen and was accessed by stairs on the outside of the house. I slept on the sofa in the living room; I remember watching the moon landing from that sofa. A bird family had built a nest in the bedroom window and I enjoyed checking on their progress.
We had very little of our own in the way of household furniture or appliances. Almost everything had to be acquired anew when we moved a couple of months later into an apartment in the Housing Complex. This was the utilitarian name of the public assistance housing; there was only one such complex in Seymour. Our address was Apartment 44, Housing Complex. It sounded bare-bones, but the apartment served our needs very well. Like all the other units in the complex, it was part of a duplex.
The setting was not so bad, either. Our back door opened out onto a grassy common area that had a few pecan trees; we would later spend hours on winter nights cracking the pecans we collected from the ground around these trees. Perhaps the presence of so many pecan trees is why novelty nutcrackers are such popular Christmas presents in that part of Texas – sort of the official Northeast Texas tchotchke. Beyond the grassy common area and across the road from the housing project was the city park, which was filled with scrubby trees and diseased and mistletoe-afflicted trees so common in that part of Texas. Still, it was a pleasant place to walk in.
Only one thing about the setting bothered me a little bit, and that was all the burrs and "stickers" in the grass. For some reason, I really missed being able to walk barefoot on the grass. It wasn't as though I had walked around barefoot outside all the time in California. For one thing, having dogs put a definite limit on that kind of activity, at least in our back yard. Still, I remembered the freedom of being able to dash out into our front yard and feel the soft, cool grass under my feet. I guess you never know what you are going to miss until you have to do without it.
Other foods that we always had plenty of, in addition to pecans, were butter and cheese; that was because everyone who was on public assistance received these subsidized foods. Not great foods if you wanted to lose weight, but we learned to make varied use of them, especially in casseroles.
My mother got a job as a waitress. She worked from 3:00 to 11:00, so it was always late when she got home. She would bring home her tips and leftover slices of the cream pies served by the restaurant. It became our late-night ritual to count up her tips while eating a piece of pie.
Life was slower in Seymour, which was a bit hotter than San Bernardino and quite a bit plainer and more barren in look and feel. Despite the differences, my adjustment to my new surroundings was not too traumatic; perhaps my homesickness for California might have been keener had I not expected to move back there before too much time had passed. After all, I had moved so many times in the last three years; surely this was just temporary, too.
I soon found the library; like almost everything in town, it was not too far a walk from anything else in town. I had not yet met many people other than my relatives, and I still carried many ingrained biases regarding the South and Southerners, despite the fact that my parents were from Texas. The only thing I can say in my defense is that it would only take a few months to strip that nonsense from me.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Memory Monday: Welcome to Texas
2 comments:
Another great post of memories. So have you decided to write a book yet-I hope so-cause I want to read it!!ReplyDelete
Thank you so much for your encouragement, Tipper, but I don't know that I'd have the skill to weave this all into a book. I think we're both lucky because we come from interesting areas. BTW, I read about that corn experiment with interest. I have to think of something like that to do in my garden. My girls and I used to love to do things like that.ReplyDelete
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SANTA CLARA — In a matchup between two of the area's top public school girls basketball teams Friday night, Wilcox defeated visiting Lynbrook 55-44 to remain unbeaten in league play.
Utah-bound center Joeseta Fatuesi scored 18 points to lead Wilcox. D'Airrien Jackson, coming off a 40-point performance against Milpitas in the Chargers' previous game, added 11.
Wilcox (15-2, 5-0) led its Santa Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division rival by two at halftime but held the Vikings to three points in the third quarter to take a 10-point lead to the fourth.
Lynbrook (11-6, 3-2) could not draw closer than seven in the final eight minutes as it fell two games behind Wilcox in the league standings. The teams tied for the championship last season.
"It probably wasn't the sharpest basketball game in the world for either team," said Wilcox coach Kevin White, whose team is No. 5 in the Mercury News rankings. "But I thought both teams played really hard, and that might be one of the reasons it wasn't a really sharp basketball game."
Fatuesi and Jackson scored 24 of Wilcox's 30 first-half points. But seventh-ranked Lynbrook managed to stay in the game in the first two quarters despite its starting center, Sara Dyslin, sitting out much of it in foul trouble.
Renee Huang's back-to-back jumpers pulled the Vikings to within 30-28 at halftime.
But that was as close as Lynbrook would get.
"In the third quarter, we had a little bit of a slump; we didn't move the ball as well as we did" in the first half, Lynbrook coach Cynthia Ting said. "I thought our defense was great, based on the fact we had everyone work really hard.
"Sometimes the shots aren't going to fall. But I loved the effort out there. Our girls are playing together. It's not really about how we start the season. It's more about how we finish. "
In the first half, Jackson and Fatuesi were difficult to stop. In the second half, the Chargers got 20 of their 25 points from their other three starters: Caitlin Brown, Jessica King and Shania Ratliff.
"We knew it was going to be a tough game going in," Jackson said. "We decided that we needed to box out and work together as one team."
Fatuesi said the coaches told the team at halftime to just stay calm.
"Lynbrook is a really good team," she said. "It wasn't a walk in the park, this game. It just so happened that we played really good D tonight."
Annie Cheng led Lynbrook with 13 points. Paige Song had 12.
Boys basketball
Serra 73, Sacred Heart Cathedral 66, OT: Danny Mahoney scored 23 points to lead the Padres (13-4, 6-1) to an overtime win at home over the Irish in a West Catholic Athletic League game.
Serra led 49-39 in the fourth quarter before SHC went on a 17-4 run to take a 56-53 lead with 1:44 left. But Serra came back to send the game into OT when Cory Cravalho hit two free throws with 10.9 seconds on the clock.
Mahoney made a long 3-pointer early in OT and Serra never looked back.
Archbishop Mitty 64, Valley Christian 37: JP Rindfleisch had 14 points and Connor Peterson added 11 as the top-ranked Monarchs (14-3, 6-1) rolled to victory in WCAL play.
Valley Christian (6-11, 1-6) led 14-13 after one quarter before Mitty pulled away.
Sacred Heart Prep 53, Eastside Prep 37: Corbin Koch scored 20 points to help Sacred Heart Prep (11-4, 6-0) stay undefeated in West Bay Athletic League play. SHP stretched a four-point halftime lead to 11 after three quarters.
Wilcox 76, Lynbrook 54: The Chargers (14-3, 5-0) scored the first 13 points, led by 18 at halftime and rolled to the SCVAL El Camino Division win.
Bay Area News Group's Glenn Reeves contributed to this report.


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PS3 demand booms in Japan
Sales surpass Wii's monthly tally
Sony sold more PlayStation 3s in the last four weeks in its home territory of Japan than rival Nintendo sold Wiis, local games publisher Enterbrain said today. But another market watcher revealed Wii won out in the week to 25 November.
According to Enterbrain, some 183,217 PS3s crossed counters in the four weeks to 25 November, compared to 159,193 Wiis. Alas, Reuters, relaying Enterbrain's numbers, didn't include sales of the Xbox 360 during that period.
Japanese Next-gen Console Sales
Filled points are estimates
Source: Enterbrain, Register Hardware
However, from fellow market watcher Media Create's weekly sales figures for the 360, we estimate sales of around 26,000 units for that four-week period.
Speaking of Media Create, it's most recent weekly sales total had the Wii on 54,362 units and the PS3 on 50,564 units, a reversal of the previous few week's numbers, which had the Sony machine ahead.
Once again, the DS Lite topped Media Create's chart, notching up weekly sales of 116,694 units to the 75,027 PSPs Sony sold in the same period. PS2 fans will be pleased to learn some 14,875 of the consoles were acquired last week in Japan - more than twice as many as the 7,117 Xbox 360s purchased.


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Discover more about how the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé came to be.
Discover the fascinating design features of the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé.
You need the Adobe Flash Player in order to use some of the features of the BMW UK website. Please make sure that Flash is installed and activated. If you have not yet installed Flash, you can download it free of charge from the Adobe website.
Experience the first-ever BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé in the interactive 360° view, from all perspectives and in all paint finishes.


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World Literature Minor
The minor is a part of Department of English and the Department of Foreign Languages, Literature and Cultures.
The undergraduate minor in world literature provides students with a chance to study literature from the following areas: Africa, Australasia, Latin America, Middle East, Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, and a special interest area (Native America, African America, Caribbean, and sections of Europe traditionally not covered in an average student's classroom experience). By offering a broad yet substantial introduction to literatures produced beyond their traditional Western experience, the minor provides students with a bridge to new cultures and languages. Through a careful examination of literary traditions produced by others, students will be encouraged to develop a clear understanding of the relationship between culture and literature as well as the capacity to think outside the parameters of their own cultural background.
Courses that contribute to this minor address both the cultural contexts from which given works emerge and to which they respond, as well as the actual formal literary qualities of the works. By exploring various literary traditions, students will better understand how literature both reflects and interrogates culture. Students interested in the shape of tomorrow's world will benefit from this exposure to a global perspective on human cultures. This is also good foundation for students aiming to study, especially comparative literature, at the graduate level.
The minimum requirement for a minor in world literature is 21 credits with a least nine credit hours drawn from each department.


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Nineteen films have been submitted for the Oscars' best animated feature race, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Tuesday, a number which suggests that the category could have five nominees despite a relatively weak year for feature animation.
The list contains big studio films, such as the likely front-runner, Disney Animation's "Frozen," as well as DreamWorks Animation's "The Croods," Universal's "Despicable Me 2" and Sony Pictures Animation's "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2."
There are also several small and foreign entries, such as Japanese animator's Hayao Miyazaki's final film, "The Wind Rises," which is being distributed domestically by Disney, and niche distributor GKIDS' French-Belgian production "Ernest and Celestine" and its Japanese movie "A Letter to Momo."
Finally there are the head-scratchers that arise every year in Oscar's peculiar animation race: movies that catch even the medium's watchers by surprise. This year's entries include "The Fake," a South Korean film that premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September but does not yet have a distributor, and "Rio 2096: A Story of Love and Fury," a Brazilian movie from a first-time director.
The number of movies nominated in the animated feature category is dependent on how many films qualify for Oscar consideration: If at least 16 films qualify, the category will have five films; if fewer than 16 qualify, the number of nominees drops to 3.
Not every submitted film will necessarily qualify. Each needs to have a theatrical run and to satisfy the academy's other rules. "Smurfs 2," for instance, includes a mixture of live action and animation. Filmmakers must prove it is at least 75% animated to qualify.
Here is the full list of the submitted films:
"Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2"
"The Croods"
"Despicable Me 2"
"Ernest and Celestine"
"The Fake"
"Free Birds"
"The Legend of Sarila"
"A Letter to Momo"
"Monsters University"
"O Apóstolo"
"Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie – Rebellion"
"Rio: 2096 A Story of Love and Fury"
"The Smurfs 2"
"The Wind Rises"
The 86th Academy Awards nominations will be announced on Jan. 16 at 5:30 a.m. PST from the academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater.


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Items filtered by date: December 2016
Monday, 19 December 2016 13:48
Joyce's Prayer Request, Dec. 19th, 2016
Prayer Request received
Please please pray for my daughter,the doctors do not know what's wrong,she is paralyzed and lost her ability to communicate,all of a sudden.
Her name is Sarah,Jacob knows us we are Melvin and Joyce Depasquale from Malta,he calls us the Maltese falcon.
please pray.
thank you
God bless joyce
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