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I think I'm giving Anthony Herrera the dad of the year title. Why? Because when he brought his kids to Sequoia National Park he told them Ewoks lived there. Of course, his kids ended up being disappointed when they didn't see any Ewoks there. But don't worry! Herrera added Ewoks to the background of his family pictures.
THEY WERE THERE THE WHOLE TIME! In his words:
Being the Star Wars geek that I am (so is she), I told her that this is where the Ewoks live. She spent a good chuck of our time hiking keeping a lookout for any Ewoks. Coming home I can't say that she wasn't disappointed that we didn't find any. I had to explain that they are extremely shy and hardly ever let anyone see them. After we got home, and after I had a little time alone with the photos, I told her I thought I saw something strange in a few pictures. We viewed them on the TV to get a larger image. You can imagine how surprised and excited she was when we discovered that we didn't see any Ewoks, but they saw us, and had certainly taken an interest in her and her little brother. Maybe I'm a little wrong for lying to her and falsifying the pictures, but I don't care. She'll never forget the time she spent in the big woods with Ewoks.
I always wondered how much I'd influence my future kids on their movie tastes. After seeing Herrera pull this off, I think I'm pretty much going to brainwash them into thinking stuff like Star Wars and Back to the Future happened in real life. Kids are gonna be awesome. Check out all of Herrera's "family pictures" here. [Anthony Herrera Designs via Wired]


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If you're a fan of the Peter Pan story or the new Tinker Bell movie series you'll find a lot to love in the third movie in the series. I've been sent a full 8-minutes of the film as a special sneak-peek for The Disney Blog viewers.
This particular clip showcases the first time Tinker Bell meets a human for the first time – an 8-year old girl named Lizzy. Lizzy discovers that her dream to meet a fairy is finally coming true. She also learns that Tinker Bell speaks in jingles and that fairies can't fly in the rain. It's a very cute piece that showcases the beginning of a very unique friendship.
You can pre-order Tinker Bell and The Great Fairy Rescue on Amazon today.

subset: commoncrawl


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Notices to Members2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997 | 1996 | Show fewer years
November 9, 2012
NFA Announces Nominations Made by the 2012 Nominating Committee
In accordance with NFA Bylaw 406, the Office of the Secretary has received from the 2012 Nominating Committee a list of its nominees for positions on NFA's Board of Directors and 2013 Nominating Committee. The list of nominees included with this notice shall serve as notification to NFA Members of the candidates proposed by the 2012 Nominating Committee.
Other nominations may be made by petition. Article VII, Section 3(b) of NFA's Articles of Incorporation provides that:
"Nominations may be made for elected FCM and LTM, IB, and CPO and CTA Director positions by:
(i) Petition signed by 50 or more NFA Members* in the category for which the nomination is made (i.e., FCM and LTM, IB, and CPO and CTA); or
(ii) Petition submitted by any organization or association recognized by NFA as fairly representing the category ... for which the nomination is made.
Petitions shall be submitted in the manner specified by the Bylaws. No petition may nominate more than one candidate for the same position."
Article X, Section 3 of NFA's Articles of Incorporation similarly permits nominations for the Nominating Committee by petition.
NFA Bylaw 406 requires that each petition identify the position to which the nomination pertains, and that all petitions must be received by the Secretary within 21 days of the date of this Notice. Therefore, if you wish to submit nominations by petition, please make sure that such petitions are received by the Secretary of NFA on or before November 30, 2012. Petitions received after that date will not be considered.
Petitions should be mailed or faxed to:
National Futures Association
Attn: Thomas W. Sexton
300 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 1800
Chicago, Illinois 60606
(Fax: 312-781-1467)
If you have any questions, please contact Thomas Sexton at (312) 781-1413.
* Section 2 of Article VI of the Articles of Incorporation provides that for purposes of signing nomination petitions, a Member will be deemed to be a Member "only in that single category to which its business activities primarily relate."
FCM -- This year, there are four open positions in the FCM category on the Board. Of the four FCM Board members whose terms do not expire in February 2013, one is affiliated with a top ten FCM, two are affiliated with non-top ten FCMs, and there is one vacancy. Therefore, of the four open FCM positions, at least one must be filled by a top ten FCM. The nominees are:
Nominees - FCM Category:
Antoine Babule
Christopher K. Hehmeyer
Maureen C. Downs
William F. McCoy
IB -- This year there is one open position in the IB category on the Board which must be filled by an Independent IB. The nominee is:
Nominee - Independent IB Category:
John A. Vassallo
CPO/CTA -- This year there are two open positions in the CPO/CTA category on the Board. The two CPO/CTA Board members whose terms do not expire next year rank in the top 20% of CPOs or CTAs with funds under management allocated to futures. Therefore, the two open CPO/CTA positions may be filled by either a CPO or CTA that ranks in the top 20% or by a CPO or CTA that does not rank in the top 20%. The nominees are:
Nominees - CPO and CTA Category:
George E. Crapple
Tom Lloyd
FCM -- There is one open position on the 2013 FCM Nominating Subcommittee. The nominee is:
Chris Damilatis
IB -- There is one open position on the 2013 IB Nominating Subcommittee. The nominee is:
John C. Jensen
CPO/CTA -- There is one open position on the 2013 CPO/CTA Nominating Subcommittee. The nominee is:
Robert J. Amedeo


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Thursday, December 22. 2011
Posted by Ulrich Dangel in general
Upcoming accessibility changes for Grml 2011.12
The upcoming Grml 2011.12 will have some changes in the accessibility features shipped with Grml. Until Grml 2011.12 it was possible to start brltty automatically via the bootoption brltty. The problem with this approach was that it was never clear when you had to enter the bootoptions as there was no sound to indicate boot menu. We also do not have the necessary hardware to test the releases with brltty. With that in mind and the integration of speakup in the kernel we decided to remove the additional accessibility boot-parameters for Grml 2011.12 as we never tested them anyway.
But we added some important changes to improve the accessibility. Starting with Grml 2011.12 the bootloader will either beep once (if you use the default syslinux one) or will play 3 beeps (grub) to indicate the boot menu. Afterwards you can easily change the boot parameters if you press TAB (syslinux) or e (Grub). After the bootup Grml will play some tunes to indicate the finished boot. As per default Grml starts a text based menu you will have to press enter after the beep to enter the commandline
We think with the additional sound indicators in the boot-menu as well as the default sound to indicate the finished boot-process, Grml 2011.12 will be more accessible then ever.
I would like to thank Richard Hartmann for creating the different sound indicators for the upcoming Release
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By Tom Kovic
Effective communication between prospects and college coaches can be a critical component in the final choice in the college search for high school athletes. That being the case, prospects should try to cultivate this skill early on in an effort to demonstrate their willingness to be an equal partner in the coach-prospect relationship.
If your mission is clear, the manner in which you communicate becomes the vehicle that will move your college search plan forward in your chosen direction. On the other hand, ill-prepared communication can cause confusion and misdirection. Your ship moves, but with a weak rudder.
The manner in which you present yourself will directly reflect who you are and trust me…It will be picked up early on and regularly by college coaches and good recruiters. Realizing you have the ability and obligation to be proactive in your recruiting effort gives you the chance to register regularly and in good form, on the radar of the college coaches. It provides you the opportunity to help set the tone and the direction of what will hopefully become a productive prospect-coach relationship.
Develop and maintain a regular awareness and understanding of NCAA contact rules. For example, July 1 was the first opportunity for most college coaches to initiate phone and off-campus face to face contact with rising senior prospects, but growing an understanding that you may call or e-mail a coach at any time, with rare exceptions is critical. The important point here is to practice "persistence with respect" when communicating with coaches. This will give you a better chance in grabbing their attention.
Many prospects get the jitters even thinking about speaking with college coaches and trust me…You're not alone. College coaches are grounded, down to earth and caring men and women who want you to find the right college match. That aside, they can be brutally honest at times and deliver information you might not want to hear. "Honesty" is the recruiting mantra for a good college coach.
Remind yourself regularly that you "own the results of every action you execute in the recruiting process and practice communicating like you would practice anything else in your life that matters. You will never be perfectly prepared to meet and speak with coaches, but you want to always lean in a "prepared direction." If you falter or stumble when communicating with coaches, simply find your way back to center. Coaches aren't concerned about the hiccups; they want to see how you recover.
Remember, when college coaches evaluate, they use 3 simple factors to size up a prospect: Academic strength, athletic ability and depth of character. The character component is a grey area coaches like to navigate. Coaches are gut thinkers that want to know who you are on the inside. This will be easily revealed to them by the manner in which you communicate and present yourself.
If there is a proverbial "red flag" with communication, it would be prospects who reach out to coaches with no real agenda. Coaches are looking for information that will drive your chances to remain in the "A" recruiting file. Whether it is news about improved scores on your ACT exam, or results from a select tournament, give the coaches something that has "grip" and you will improve your chances in boosting your ranking on the recruiting chart.
I use the term "striking a balance in communication" to help develop awareness in prospects and families that effective communication with college coaches is important for two reasons. First, by offering well thought out information that is pertinent to the college search, the prospect sends a clear message to college coaches that a he is well prepared. Second, coaches value time management, and considering the hundreds of potential prospects they work with at any given time; coaches appreciate and remember the proactive effort prospects offer on their end.
The college recruiting process is not a sprint, it's a marathon. It should be an effort that is tactical, well planned and aimed at cultivating sincere relationships with the college coaches. Prospects who embrace effective communication as an important tool in their recruiting arsenal will give themselves the greatest chance in becoming an integral part of the final decision.
Tom Kovic is the current president of Victory Collegiate Consulting, where he provides individual advisement for families on college recruiting. He is the author of "Reaching for Excellence" An educational guide for college athletics recruiting. Kovic delivers college recruiting presentations nationwide and he is a regular contributor to several sports magazines. For further information visit: www.victoryrecruiting.com.
Copyright © 2014 Victory Collegiate Consulting. All Rights Reserved.


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Now what you have to bear in mind is that those pieces aren't designed to be seen; they aren't the finished product. The finished product, the work of art, is the printed graphic novel you hold in your hands, preferably mere seconds before taking it to our till. … Viewing an original page, therefore, is a fascinating insight to the creative process, like x-raying a Leonardo Da Vinci to reveal the layers of paint beneath its surface.
– Stephen in a brand-new Page 45 interview. Please see bottom of the blog, as ever.
August Moon (£10-99, Top Shelf) by Diana Thung >
Cute warning: this book has all the cute! Like, literally, all of it. It's one that adults who liked things like BONE, perhaps MOUSE GUARD, or indeed Studio Ghibli stuff will enjoy, but is also suitable for younger readers. Though some serious themes are touched upon, in particular loss of a parent, it's very gently done and I think I would have absolutely loved this at age 10 or 11.
Calico is a little town, unusual in that it is reachable only by bridge and is surrounded by thick forest. Life is fairly ordinary there, though: people work, go to school, buy food and treats from the many shops and street vendors. The kids seem to have a great time there too, racing around in a little rag-tag gang playing robots and singing songs. There are rumours and stories about the lights that you sometimes see dancing in the sky at night. Most believe they are the souls of the dead watching over the town as it sleeps but a few people, including Jayden the strange little street kid, know different. When events take a turn for the strange it's up to newcomer Fi, mysterious Jayden and the Totoro-esque wielders of those dancing lights to save the people and the soul of Calico from a dark outside influence.
Buy August Moon and read the Page 45 review here
At The End Of Your Garden (signed) (£4-00) by Lizz Lunney.
I am about to attempt six consecutive Lizz Lunney reviews in swift succession. After which I may need medical attention. And so may you.
"Things you might see at the end of your garden: Tigers…"
Need I type any further? Thank goodness Lizz Lunney didn't compile any of the I-SPY books I bought when young: I would have burst into tears. Thankfully it transpires that the next five aren't quite so challenging: moss (my entire lawn is a flawless carpet of moss), bonfires (I've lit a fair few), squirrels (not quite as angry as hers), elves (I wiped them out years ago) and remains (see 'elves'. Also: 'bonfires').
Moss proves to be a major issue this issue, featuring heavily on the cover, dominating its reverse and, at the time of typing, Lizz has festooned for free Page 45's copies of this mental mini-comic with original, signed sketches of said spore-spawning greenery. And we thank her for that, I think. Hers, of course, is an anthropomorphic moss – far from bipedal, though it does get around and appears to be overwhelmingly at one with itself: content, at rest, like some colour-blind Buddhist.
Also this time: beware The Box Of Unmentionable Stress, a cautionary tale for those of you with both an over-acquisitive and over-inquisitive sensibility. There are always life lessons in Lizz Lunney comics, and I seriously suggest you take heed.
'The Girl With The Lion In Her Hair' is an ode not dissimilar to Kate Bush's gentle and tender ballad The Man With The Child In His Eyes… only decidedly less metaphorical in nature. There is, in fact, a girl with a lion in her hair. I may introduce it to the tiger at the bottom of my garden and see if we can't get some hot, hinnie-like action going on.
Most of these jaw-dropping gems barely overstay one or two panels but 'Bum Cats Go Out' is a veritable two-page epic. There are in fact five panels. It is a quest ("Yippee!") for presents ("Yippee!") as two balloon-bottomed bozos of the feline persuasion get up off their arses then sit down on them again to take tea ("Yippee!"). Which two presents do they choose, dear reader? More importantly which two would you choose?
Someone should turn that into one of those internet personality evaluations: which two trinkets you choose (note: trinkets include a gigantic solar entity emitting 384.6 yotta watts of energy per second) will determine exactly what sort of lunatic you are. I'd like to see Lizz set up this interactive service, and then take the test herself.
Buy At The End Of Your Garden (signed) and read the Page 45 review here
Unicorns + Werewolves / Tubetastic (£2-50) by Lizz Lunney.
Belay your expectations, dear readers, for they will avail you nought in this ground-breaking and surely award-winning ethological study of three species so under-investigated by even Dame David Attenborough that some still consider them mere myth. Werewolf deniers: they shouldn't be allowed.
Take the Tubes: they have it tough. Tougher than you think. Oh, they may be able to tumble up and down dell far faster than you and I, and I daresay they can straighten out an over-rolled poster with reverse physiology simply by wrapping it round their waists for half an hour. But they have only one aspect from which to view the world: from the end of their unyielding body, ever erect, so how can they see the wider world around when all they stare up at is the ceiling? I would ask students the same question.
As to unicorns and werewolves, I for one was profoundly moved by Lizz Lunney's detailed documentary of the problems faced in their day-to-day cohabitation, albeit from opposite sides of the wood. It's like Westside Story but without the high heels, flamboyance and tunes. All segregation – self-imposed or otherwise – makes me delinquent with wrath, but when it results in a love so forbidden on either side that, however requited, it may never be consummated or indeed celebrated by so-called friends and relatives… well, my stony heart breaks.
Admirable neo-classical art which put me in mind of sculptor Bernini, only flatter.
Buy Unicorns + Werewolves / Tubetastic and read the Page 45 review here
At The Planetarium (signed) (£4-00) by Lizz Lunney.
Arch neo-classicist Lizz Lunney does it again.
I am in awe of this woman's perspective-perfect, photo-realistic, detail-driven art. The textures put me in mind of Guy Davis, Sean Phillips and perhaps even Jean Giraud AKA Moebius on a sensory sabbatical. I wonder if perhaps even Bryan Hitch shouldn't take note from the curves and compositions on offer here. Unlike Lizz Lunney, he certainly doesn't sign and sketch in his comics that come through our doors. And that's slack.
'Holiday Dinosaurs' offers a radical but, to me, compelling new explanation for their mass extinction many moons ago: bone-headed stupidity. No sense of preparation, either. Dinosaurs would make rubbish Boy Scouts.
I was, however, far from convinced by the 'Nut Wars'. I don't recall them ever happening at all, and that's a bit rich when you're purporting to be the UK's leading light in investigative comicbook journalism. I studied history to college level (oh wait — collage level, aged 5) and this simply doesn't ring true. The border disputes and petty jealousies, yes, for it has long been established that these shortcomings aren't restricted to human beings: cats and dogs aren't immune, either. But I didn't find it remotely credible that even a pre-shelled peanut could or even would crack under the stress and embark on a campaign of violence that makes my private collection of snuff porn look like Peter and Jane on a parentally supervised picnic.
Delightfully, however, AT THE PLANETARIUM climaxes at the planetarium itself in a crossover which puts Marvel and DC's summer superhero events to shame. Guest-stars galore! Even Depressed Cat appears waiting despondently in line for the show.
Now… where are the commercially expedient (but morally bankrupt) five-dozen tie-in issues?
Buy At The Planetarium (signed) and read the Page 45 review here
Leopards In Leotards / Dust (£2-50) by Lizz Lunney.
This time the woman gone too far. I was outraged when I read the final dust page inside the dust jacket which does not exist at all.
Against all external advice and at the risk of several friendships, I have respected Lizz Lunney's somewhat quirky world views which – once analysed with a clear head and an electron microscope, albeit unplugged and made out of potato – often turn out to make far more sense than your average Darwinian nonsense. Empirical evidence be damned!
But when Science Officer Lunney points out here that it may be a good idea to "buy some surface cleaner and a duster and go and clean your house before it takes over the world!" I was agog. Such sensationalist tripe!!!
I once saw a duster at Page 45 and it did me no favours at all. I see no sense whatsoever in letting that same kind of unnatural behaviour into my home, and I only discovered I owned a vacuum cleaner by breaking my own toe on it.
As to the rest of this epic (please set aside three hours to read it and a life-time to comprehend its complex, quasi-existentialist contents), I can only say "Yay!" and "Yippee!" Leopards in leotards could easily change their spots – which is handy when pin-stripe's in fashion.
Buy Leopards In Leotards / Dust and read the Page 45 review here
Living The Dream Tote Bag (Pink Artwork) (£6-00) by Lizz Lunney.
Oh, he really is living the dream, settled comfortably on his settee.
And doing so in fuchsia. Fuchsia on a cream cloth measuring 15" x 16".
I make no calls as to whether this will appeal more to men or women than its blue counterpart. I am categorically averse to the gender-specific marketing of commodity products which can scar our children for life.
I believe that children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way. Show them all the beauty they possess inside…! Give them a… sense… of pride… Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be.
Sorry? Tote bag. It carries stuff.
Buy Living The Dream Tote Bag (Pink Artwork) and read the Page 45 review here
Living The Dream Tote Bag (Blue Artwork) (£6-00) by Lizz Lunney.
"Well, hellooooowwwrrrr… And how are youwwwrrr?"
This dude is totally like a black panther on your ass, albeit proud and purring, not popping one into your skinny white butt.
He is sleek, he is sexy, he is also demure!
Although I believe "demure" refers to women only. I don't care. Let us not be hung up on colour, gender, sex and sexuality when we hang out with our fellow felines. I had a couple of cats called Max and Felix: they were both brothers and gay so, err, incestuous. You should have seen their mutual grooming!
Choose this or its equivalent in fuchsia. It's a difficult decision, I know.
Tote bag in a creamy, dreamy cloth measuring 15" x 16" designed to carry your stuff. The stuff being comics, naturally; Lizz Lunney comics, obviously.
Buy Living The Dream Tote Bag (Blue Artwork) and read the Page 45 review here
Rachel Rising vol 2: Fear No Malus (£12-99, Abstract Studios) by Terry Moore.
"Ah, I'm sorry to bother you. I'm Detective Corpell, Manson P.D.. Is this a bad time?"
"Yes. But, that's not your fault."
Beautiful, haunting and irresistibly alluring, this will confound your expectations time after time. Along with FATALE and SAGA it's one of my favourite series in many full moons, and I would honestly submit that if you are currently captivated by any one of those three, then you desperately need the others.
Rachel has risen from her grave. She was buried under a dried-up river bed not far from her home in the sleepy town of Manson. Since then she's been pushed off a roof so high above the pavement that she caved in the car top below her. She died. Again. So did the woman who knocked her off, but they're both back on their feet and none the worse for wear. Meanwhile another blonde woman has been circling the town purposefully and a ten-year-old called Zoe has turned into a serial killer. Towards the end of RACHEL RISING VOL 1: THE SHADOW OF DEATH Rachel, her best friend Jet and the pragmatic Aunt Johnny picked Zoe up. They probably shouldn't have done that.
"What's wrong?"
"When we left the house on Sunday, we were in an accident."
"Oh dear."
"Jet was killed. Johnny's in the hospital."
"Oh no!"
"The thing is, Jet woke up this morning at the mortuary."
"She's alive?"
"No. She's asking for you."
This script is faultless, with beat-perfect timing. Terry Moore can wring comedy from the most unlikely scenarios as fans of his Strangers In Paradise know well. In the mortuary, for example, after Dr. Siemen and technician Earl have stitched and bolted together Jet's virtually bisected body, Rachel holds the indignant Jet upright, cradling her broken neck both in front and behind like a ventriloquist and her doll while Dr. Siemens gives his divine diagnosis.
"You're not zombies at all. Zombies are sad, empty shells. You girls are most certainly dead – but you're also most certainly alive. Don't you see? You're angels!"
">snort< Like I haven't heard that line in every bar I played."
"Dr. Siemen, your whole angel thing is just so… I mean… It's like what you wish was happening but, it doesn't fit. I'm not an angel, and Jet is the farthest thing from an angel I can imagine."
"Screw you."
Jet in particular is a goldmine of deadpan, pithy rejoinders. She and Rachel make for the perfect tag team of intimate friendship born of frank understanding, which makes what follows all the more horrifying.
There is a reason, you see, why Manson's dead won't stay buried. It goes back three-hundred years to the last time that river ever saw water course over its muddy bed, and this innocent generation of individuals who care about one another is about to pay the price for another which didn't. Worse still, there is a reason why ten-year-old Zoe is compelled to take lives, and that goes back further, to an age-old animosity between two parties whose ambitions are far, far broader than one culpable town in the middle of nowhere.
Rachel and Jet are about to find out the hard way exactly what that entails.
And the ground gives up its dead…
Buy Rachel Rising vol 2: Fear No Malus and read the Page 45 review here
Buy Terry Moore prints and other merchandise direct here
Terry Moore's How To Draw (£12-99, Abstract Studios) by Terry Moore.
From the creator of RACHEL RISING, Strangers In Paradise and ECHO, three of the most tenderly, dramatically and beautifully drawn series in comics, if I was going to take a comics art class from anyone, it would be Terry Moore.
The love – the heart and humanity – with which Terry Moore infuses his work shines through on every page, in every subtle piece of interactive body language and every single expression. That, above all, is what he has to teach you here. How to compose this, how to balance that and with which tools followed by how, practically, to get your comic printed, yes; but more than anything else, how to give your drawings soul.
Moreover he does so conversationally, entertainingly. Whenever we have a new Work Experience pupil join us for a week at Page 45 we spend the first day wandering round the shop and about town, discussing marketing, merchandising, customer service, the specific circumstances of the comicbook industry and Page 45's personal approach to it all. That way each young lady or man understands why they are about they are going to be putting into practise all the key skills we will teach then, and have enormous fun doing it. "Why" is so important, and that is precisely what Terry does here, and then shows you how.
Take the power of universally comprehended – not culturally determined – expressions:
"Your character can touch the hearts and minds of anybody on the planet with her expressions alone. If her heart is joyous or broken, we will see it – and get it – before she's even said a word. Expressions are that important.
"The girl of your dreams can look you right in the eyes and tell you what you want to hear, but if you don't see it in her face you won't believe a word she says."
So it is with the human body and particularly female anatomy for which the man is renowned. And I don't mean horrifically proportioned catwalk stick insects or over-endowed superheroines in ludicrous, low-cut bodices. I mean real women with real bodies, soft and sexy and curvaceous as anything with a little bit of give here and there.
"Sitting bottoms are not round. Most of the body weight is compressing the soft, fatty area."
True fact! Yet how often so I see characters perched on chairs drawn as if their asses were made out of unyielding pottery or plastic.
There's also an extensive class on comedy, and anyone who's read Terry's ECHO will expect an examination and artistic application of the ubiquitous Phi. What is Phi? It's a letter of the Greek alphabet and an extraordinary constant in nature. It is a ratio. It is a revelation.
Also a revelation, "Tools, tip and specs". Now, I haven't been a professional artist in two and a half decades, I wasn't much cop then, and I certainly never tried comics. Yet I found this chapter riveting and, Lord, will it save you so much time and frustration. We're talking brushes which do and don't hold ink, which papers bleed more than others, how to physically hold a brush for maximum control, printing proportions, the secrets of scanning and bitmaps and Greyscale, and why you should only use the top of your sheets for initial measurements: pads of paper aren't cut at exact right angles shock! Here's another surprise:
"That Q-tip is no accident. Q-tips are perfect for covering large areas with ink. I've seen Jim Lee use a tampon to draw Batman. I kid you not. And, it was one of the best Batman drawings I've even seen."
Buy Terry Moore's How To Draw and read the Page 45 review here
Tune vol 1: Vanishing Point (£12-99, FirstSecond ) by Derek Kirk Kim…
I'm starting to think that Derek Kirk Kim is either a hopeless romantic or just a very frustrated nerd. Following on from the re-release of his sweet and sensitive tale, SAME DIFFERENCE, which features an extremely slow-burning romance between two American Korean friends, we have this work which features an American Korean college dropout, Andy Go, who had been studying Illustration and who has, to his mind, a huge unrequited crush on his classmate. Except he hasn't, as she's thinking pretty much the same thing.
So far, quite literally, SAME DIFFERENCE then. Except, when given a week by his slightly stentorian father to find a job or vacate the family home, he's forced to accept a very unusual employment offer indeed… to be an exhibit in a zoo in a parallel dimension… The pay is amazing, the holidays generous, and there's even medical and dental cover! There is, of course, bound to be a catch, but Andy's parents have left him in no doubt whatsoever that he'll be out on the streets if he doesn't find gainful employment, so he decides to sign on the dotted line.
Ha! This is great fun, swinging as it does back and forth between light-hearted romantic comedy and surreal sci-fi shenanigans. Story-wise it put me in mind of a few different things like Scott McCloud's epic ZOT, Gene Luen Yang's PRIME BABY (whom Derek collaborated on THE ETERNAL SMILE with) and also Jason Shiga's EMPIRE STATE. The lovely, curvy, fine-line black and white artwork adds to the fun and warmth of this tale. Derek also writes and directs an online show called Mythomania which is loosely based on TUNE, so I can't see him running out of plot any time soon, which is just as well as I get the impression he is intending this to be a somewhat soap-operatic multiple-volume manga-esque tale. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that when it's done as well as this!
Buy Tune vol 1: Vanishing Point and read the Page 45 review here
Start With A Happy Ending Vol 1 (£9-99, DMP) by Risa Motoyama >
This book collects a series of short stories along the same theme: you die and are met by the Cat God who tells you that you are being granted 7 more days on earth. This might be because of some act of kindness you performed towards a cat in your lifetime, or it could be at the request of your childhood kitty who wants to pay you back for all your love and attention. You can spend these 7 days any way you like: visiting loved ones, tying up loose ends, taking a trip you always longed to take, whatever. Oh, also you have to do it as a cat. Off you go! Wait, what…?!
And so we get a series of simple tales with simple, human meanings at their heart. The high school girl who felt she had no friends gets to listen in on her classmates mourning her passing. The busy office worker who had no time for anyone else gets to see what a great bunch of people she actually worked with. Some people are happy to just be a cat, being petted and loved by the people they left behind while others find ways to carry on with their lives and work, fixing the things they think need fixing and often realising where they went wrong during their human lifetime.
In each story we are told what the person's earthly problems were and then watch as they seek a solution in cat form. After their 7 days are up we then get to see them make a choice; to be reincarnated in cat or human form. Some of the outcomes come off as a bit trite but others are actually quite surprising and touching. Each chapter is short and follows the same formula so there is no real subtlety in the structure and, as each story has a similar path, it can feel quite repetitive if you read the entire book through in one go. However, if you dip in a chapter or two at a time, maybe on the bus or on a coffee break, you may well find yourself drifting off into the kitty world and wondering what you would do with your 7 days. There is also a lot of manga-kitteh cuteness which is never a bad thing.
Buy Start With A Happy Ending Vol 1 and read the Page 45 review here
0-7 Ghost Vol 1 (£6-99, VIZ) by Yuki Amemiya & Yukino Ichihara >
We start off in an elite academy full of teenage boys who are all very, very good at fighting. They are doing something martial-arty but with added psycho-kinetic power bonus power added in – sort of like a Jean Grey Hadouken manoeuvre – very cool. A big final test is looming, with some of the best pupils being groomed to work directly under the top brass as their prodigies and eventually, one presumes, their successors. The guy we are following is Teito Klein, a very talented boy by all accounts but also something of a mystery. He has no memory of his past, no parents and bears the mark of a slave on his back. He evidently comes from the Raggs kingdom, a faction now defeated and consigned to the fringes of history. Nevertheless he is being lined up for a top role… until he overhears a secret which unlocks his memory and allows him to place the face of the guy he's supposed to be working for. Yes, that would be the bastard who killed his father.
And so cue rage, fight scenes, arrest and eventual escape to the world below the academy; a world which at first bewilders and shocks our hero. However, it's not long before his memory starts to return and the bigger picture starts to emerge. Guess what? The mysterious slave boy has a destiny…
Expect this series to offer lots of fast action, fight scenes, evil cackling baddies and silly side dialogue with the occasional inappropriate Bishop / Nun interaction. PewPew!
Buy 0-7 Ghost Vol 1 and read the Page 45 review here
Trigun Maximum Omnibus vol 1 (£14-99, DMP ) by Yasuhiro Nightow ~
Of the original TRIGUN series, our Tom rather brilliantly wrote:
Vash the Stampede. That's what they call him. He'll come through your town wipe it off the map. Fear his name. Err, why? Vash, the poor sucker, has been held responsible for the total destruction of Third City. The result? A sixty-billion double-dollar dead-or-alive bounty on his head. Every man, woman and child on the planet is after his blood. Just one snag, he's a pacifist.
And as he dodges bullets in a way that makes Agent Smith look like J.F.Kennedy, you realise it's the chaos brought about by his attempted capture that give Vash his namesake. Until two women appear on the scene. The good news? They're taking the bounty off his head. And bad news? He has been deemed a natural disaster. The two mystery ladies are insurance investigators. With guns. Is there a more frightening concept than that?
Now: "Vash the Stampede, the galaxy's deadliest gunslinger, emerges after two years in hiding to help his beleaguered desert homeworld, Gunsmoke. But the Stampede's many enemies have kept their motors, and they're back on his trail and determined to bring Vash to ground-hard! And a new crowd of bounty hunters, badasses, and brain-cases are also looking to cash in the astronomical price on his head! Trigun Maximum Omnibus presents Nightow's Trigun series in value-priced editions of well over 500 story pages! Contain Trigun Maximum volumes 1-3."
Buy Trigun Maximum Omnibus vol 1 and read the Page 45 review here
Stitched vol 1 (£14-99, Avatar) by Garth Ennis, Mike Wolfer & Mike Wolfer…
"They don't say anything, there's no chanting or praying or horror movie bollocks.
"They don't light fucking candles.
"It's that shit they pour into him, fuck alone knows where they get it or what they've done to it.
"Then they seal it in."
"Bodily orifices. All nine.
"It's a nightmare. It's truly fucking horrible. But…
"There's still nothing impossible about it. It's a load of maniacs torturing some poor prick, but it isn't anything more than that.
"And then… then it gets impossible."
The conversation in question is taking place between three American soldiers, the survivors of a helicopter crash in remotest Afghanistan and a small squad of S.A.S. who've been operating deep behind enemy lines. The British special forces are recounting what little they've managed to learn about the near-unstoppable, wraith-like figures that have been marauding around the local villages killing indiscriminately. The S.A.S. have christened them the Stitched due to their horrific mutilated appearance, which it's fair to say isn't the tidiest bit of needle point you're likely to see. Unless you're one of the poor unfortunates who has had the procedure performed on them, then you're not likely to see a great deal. Or hear, or smell, or taste, or… well… you get the picture.
There is of course nothing indiscriminate about what the Stitched are doing which is where we pick up our tale, as the military allies find themselves dragged deeper and deeper into a nightmare there's certainly going to be no easy escape from. You may or may not be aware that this work is based on a short film Ennis wrote and which was released in 2011. That film roughly tallies up with the events of issue #1. Issues #2-#6 then pan out along the lines of what Ennis wrote as the full length screenplay, though that at present hasn't been put into production. It is intended this will be an ongoing series though, and certainly this first arc poses considerably more questions than it reveals answers to about the Stitched, their origins, their motivations and who precisely are the evil bastards behind their creation. Fans of Ennis, particularly CROSSED, will certainly get their pound of flesh, but there is a fair bit more going on here than just out-and-out carnage. Appropriately disturbing art from Mike Wolfer, who may be familiar to people from his horror / magic collaboration GRAVEL with Warren Ellis. Surprised he's not had his turn illustrating CROSSED actually, no doubt he will at some point.
Buy Stitched vol 1 and read the Page 45 review here
Indestructible Hulk #1 (£2-99, Marvel) by Mark Waid & Leinil Yu.
KINGDOM COME by Mark Waid and Alex Ross was stunning. It's one of those OMG moments which you never saw coming but which will last blasted into your superhero psyche forever.
Mark Waid is an ever-reliable veteran of superhero comics who can carry the corporate torch without sweat but who, like Busiek on ASTRO CITY, really comes into his own when the books are creator-owned. We're talking IRREDEEMABLE. Go look at the latter: I compared the two.
Yet this is by far the most unexpectedly intelligent that the HULK title has been since Peter David twenty years ago and – I'll wager – is destined to surpass even that. Waid has thought outside the box. Or rather, the man has gone rummaging in the box of past history and potential and found much that has been left to go mouldy there.
Don't get me wrong: with Leinil Yu of SUPERIOR, SUPERCROOKS and ULTIMATE WOLVERINE VERSUS HULK fame, you are in for some wide-angled carnage on a teeth-grittingly, visceral level that will make your eyes pop out and your fingers pull out of each page mere moments before turning them over, lest anything vital be lost to the sheer weight of the collateral damage doled out here. But listen, Bruce Banner is a phenomenally intelligent scientist, yet all the plaudits have gone to Reed Richards, Tony Stark and even Hank 'Smack-My-Bitch-Up' 'Who-Even-Am-I-Today?' Pym.
"Meanwhile, I – I who, forgive me, have just as much to contribute – will be lucky if my tombstone doesn't simply say, "Hulk Smash!""
Ever since his first catastrophic self-sacrifice transmuting him into the uncontrollable, cyclonic force of nature that is the easily antagonised Hulk, Bruce Banner has been hounded so incessantly that he has only had time to react to each and every onslaught. The perpetual victim, he has never been afforded the opportunity to take stock. Even during brief respites he has his own system perpetually pumping against him as a ticking time bomb which could go off during even the most minor, mundane malfeasance. Like a bump in the queue for spaghetti.
So it is today that Maria Hill, head of SHIELD and on covert surveillance in a common-or-garden diner for another mission she should be attending to more rigorously, is obsessively on the man's case yet again and against all professional advice.
"It's not as if he's going to find us," she texts.
Well that had me won. But there's more, far more, for Bruce has a plan both pragmatic and proactive.
"First, resolved: being the Hulk is a chronic condition, like diabetes or cancer or M.S. The secret to living with it isn't obsessing over a cure. It's in managing what exists. Being vigilant. Like, say, making contact lenses that monitor my vital warning statistics as an early warning system.
"Second: use Banner Time more productively. Invent things. Fix things. Improve things. The Hulk has caused immeasurable damage and heartache over the years. It's past time that I started balancing the scales by doing as much good as possible."
He presents to her a single canister.
"This? This is a purification unit that, if put into mass production, can eliminate all waterborne disease in the next five years, saving millions of lives."
"That's… Wow. Do you have a name for it?"
"Yes. Tuesday."
Buy Indestructible Hulk by bellowing down 0115 9508045 or smashing the keys email@example.com. Alternatively sit down beside me at Ben's Alley Café when I'm least expecting it.
Essential Wolverine vol 6 (£14-99, Marvel) by Larry Hama, Warren Ellis, Chris Claremont & Leinil Yu, various.
We do actually sell these black and white phone books of Marvel reprints – and do a roaring trade online – just not on the shop floor: they took up way too much room. So do ask whenever you're in and we'll grab stock from upstairs.
This collects WOLVERINE (1988) #111-128, #-1 and ANNUAL '97, including 'Not Dead Yet' the storyline from a much younger Warren Ellis and Leinil Yu. It's a fifteen-year-old take I'd totally forgotten, and the first thing to note is that Leinil's art is far cleaner here, like a nascent Jim Lee, though not half as expressive as his work on SUPERIOR, SUPERCROOKS or ULTIMATE WOLVERINE VERSUS HULK, all three of them recommended in the highest possible terms. That will disappoint some yet please others. It also contrasts sharply with the latter because it came out before Marvel become comfortable with decapitation and bloodbaths. Takes a certain skill to show Wolverine dicing some sucker up without actually showing him dicing some sucker up.
Ellis is similarly restrained in this relatively straight-forward story, half of which takes place in Hong Kong ten years prior to the main event, at a time when Logan was dating the daughter of a film director and drinking into the early hours of the morning with a Scottish assassin called McLeish, known to the locals as 'Gweilo' or White Ghost. McLeish likes talking about himself, and Logan's happy to let him, but it's the little that Logan says which proves his undoing.
Flash forward to the present and Manhattan's East Village, where Wolverine – during a period in which he'd been temporarily relieved of his unbreakable adamantium skeleton – finds himself on the receiving end of bombs laced with that same metal's shards and bullets forged from it. Everything points to McLeish, but McLeish is dead. Or is he? Or isn't he? Or is he?
A well written comic for those days at Marvel, but with none of the distinctive Ellis flourishes (okay, swearing) that you've come to enjoy.
Buy Essential Wolverine vol 6 and read the Page 45 review here
Captain America vol 1 s/c (£12-99, Marvel) by Ed Brubaker & Steve McNiven.
"They're the worst kind of enemy… They think they've been betrayed… And maybe they have…"
A shiny new start for Steve Rogers as Captain America with the ever-attractive, clean-cut, lotsa-light Steve McNiven (CIVIL WAR, NEMESIS, WOLVERINE: OLD MAN LOGAN) only interrupted for a few brief pages by Giuseppe Camuncoli. Don't worry; you'll barely register it, like a one-second power cut. New readers will find no prior subplots carried over, so there's nothing to confound.
Steve Rogers is once more feeling his age. A soldier during World War II, he should by all rights be an old man by now, but his time in suspended animation and the anti-agapic effects of the supersoldier serum – the world's ultimate moisturiser – have kept him relatively young, physically at least. Former fellow combatants have not been so lucky and today, in Paris, Nick Fury, "Dum Dum" Dugan, Steve Rogers and Sharon Carter have gathered together to bury Peggy Carter, Sharon's aunt and Steve's former girlfriend. Her work in the French Resistance was legendary but not all of their missions together were made public and some were more successful than others. When a sniper almost succeeds in targeting Duggan, Captain America gives chase only to recognise the would-be assassin as Codename: Bravo, missing in action since WWII.
Codename: Bravo was part of a covert attempt to thwart an allegiance between Baron Zemo and a new SS off-shoot called Hydra. To enter the Hydra base they were to use Jimmy Jancovicz, a bright young lad who had access to Slipstream Space, a dimension between layers of reality which he could enter, manipulate, and exit at will bringing whatever he wanted with him. For nearly seventy years now Jimmy's been in a coma, but Bravo's return can mean only one thing: Jimmy has just woken up.
Why is that exactly? What went wrong with the mission? And what does Bravo want now?
It's a clever little number relevant to our times and perfectly accessible to newcomers. But for readers of Ed Brubaker's early books (differentiated from this series with their subtitles) and veterans older still there'll be some familiar faces and a blast from the past in the form of a 'giant' surprise. Refreshingly, some of the motives are far from obvious and the same could said of the objectives: they're sowing the seeds of self-doubt. And doing so quite effectively.
Buy Captain America vol 1 s/c and read the Page 45 review here
Arrived, Online & Ready To Buy
Reviews already online if they're new formats of previous books. Otherwise the most interesting will come under the microscope next week, while the rest will remain with their Diamond previews acting in lieu of reviews.
Soppy (£4-99, My Cardboard Life) by Philippa Rice
Recyclost h/c (£9-99, My Cardboard Life) by Philippa Rice
Diosamante h/c (£18-99, Humanoids) by Alexandro Jodorowsky & Jean-Claude Gal
Spectrum vol 19 s/c (£25-99, Underwood Books) by various
Charley's War vol 9: Death From Above (£14-99, Titan) by Pat Mills & Joe Colquhoun
Owly & Wormy: Bright Lights And Starry Nights! (£11-99, Atheneum) by Andy Runton
Adventure Time vol 1 (£10-99, kaboom!) by Ryan North & Shelli Paroline, Braden Lamb
A Flight Of Angels s/c (£13-50, Vertigo) by Holly Black, Louise Hawes, Bill Willingham, Alisa Kwitney, Todd Mitchell & Rebecca Guay
The Batman Judge Dredd Collection h/c (£25-00, DC & Rebellion) by John Wagner, Alan Grant & Simon Bisley, Glenn Fabry, Val Semeiks, Cam Kennedy, more
The Boys vol 12: The Bloody Doors Off (£14-99, Dynamite) by Garth Ennis & Russ Braun, Darick Robertson
The Mighty Thor vol 2 s/c (£14-99, Marvel) by Matt Fraction & Pasqual Ferry, Pepe Larraz
X-23 vol 3 s/c (£11-99, Marvel) by Marjorie Liu & Saka Takeda, Phil Noto
Uncanny X-Men vol 4 h/c (£18-99, Marvel) by Kieron Gillen & Daniel Acuna, Ron Garney, Dale Eaglesham, Carlos Pacheco
Winter Solider vol 2: Broken Arrow s/c (£11-99, Marvel) by Ed Brubaker & Michael Lark
Punisher Max: Untold Tales s/c (£12-99, Marvel) by various
FF vol 4 h/c (£18-99, Marvel) by Jonathan Hickman & Nick Dragotta, Gabriel Hernandez Walta, Andre Araujo
One Piece vol 65 (£6-99, Viz) by Eiichiro Oda
Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service vol 13 (£9-99, Dark Horse) by Eiji Otsuka & Housui Yamazaki
GTO: 14 Days In Shonan vol 6 (£8-50, Vertical) by Toru Fujisawa
Vampire Knight vol 15 (£6-99, Viz) by Matsuri Hino
Tegami Bachi – Letter Bee vol 11 (£6-99, Viz) by Hiroyuki Asada
Limit vol 2 (£8-50, Vertical) by Keiko Suenobu
D. Gray-Man vol 23 (£6-99, Viz) by Katsura Hoshino
Neon Genesis Evangelion Omnibus vols 1-3 (£12-99, Viz) by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto
X 3-in-1 Ed vol 4 (£12-99, Viz) by Clamp
UK publishers reflect on British graphic novels in light of the Costa Book Awards nominations for Mary and Bryan Talbot's DOTTER OF HER FATHER'S EYES and Joff Winterhart's DAYS OF THE BAGNOLD SUMMER.
Le Supergrudge between Alan Moore and Grant Morrison is resurrected post-SUPERGODS, and I warn you now, it can be a dispiriting read and you always risk losing your wide-eyed sense of wonder when you peer behind any such industry curtain. On the other hand Morrison makes a fair few very fine points, not least being that Alan Moore is hardly comics' finest ambassador in the media these days. In fact, I'd hazard a guess he doesn't read any and hasn't for years.
Lastly, there's a brand-new, somewhat different and thoroughly uplifting Page 45 interview on the British Comics Awards and the craft of comics in which I am well and truly grilled by a devil's advocate par excellence for a public new to the medium. I rather enjoyed that one. Hope it shows!


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Why is the federal government so obsessed with grabbing more land? After all, the federal government already owns more than 40 percent of the land in 9 different U.S. states. Why are federal bureaucrats so determined to grab even more? Well, the truth is that this all becomes much clearer once you understand that there is a very twisted philosophy behind what they are doing. It is commonly known as "Agenda 21", although many names and labels are used for this particular philosophy. Basically, those that hold to this form of radical environmentalism believe that humanity is utterly destroying the planet, and therefore the goal should be to create a world where literally everything that we do is tightly monitored and controlled by control freak bureaucrats in the name of "sustainable development". In their vision of the future, the human population will be greatly reduced and human activity will be limited to strictly regulated urban areas and travel corridors. The rest of the planet will be left to nature. To achieve this goal, a massive transfer of land from private landowners to the federal government will be necessary.
So the conflict between Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy and the BLM is really just the tip of the iceberg. The reality is that the BLM has their eyes on much bigger prizes.
For example, Breitbart is reporting that the BLM is looking at grabbing 90,000 privately-held acres along the Texas/Oklahoma border…
After the recent Bundy Ranch episode by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Texans are becoming more concerned about the BLM's focus on 90,000 acres along a 116 mile stretch of the Texas/Oklahoma boundary. The BLM is reviewing the possible federal takeover and ownership of privately-held lands which have been deeded property for generations of Texas landowners.
Sid Miller, former Texas State Representative and Republican candidate for Texas Agriculture Commissioner, has since made the matter a campaign issue to Breitbart Texas.
"In Texas," Miller says, "the BLM is attempting a repeat of an action taken over 30 years ago along the Red River when Tommy Henderson lost a federal lawsuit. The Bureau of Land Management took 140 acres of his property and didn't pay him one cent."
Needless to say, officials down in Texas are not pleased about this. In fact, just check out what the attorney general of Texas is saying…
Gen. Abbott sent a strongly-worded letter to BLM Director Neil Kornze, asking for answers to a series of questions related to the potential land grab.
"I am deeply concerned about the notion that the Bureau of Land Management believes the federal government has the authority to swoop in and take land that has been owned and cultivated by Texas landowners for generations," General Abbott wrote. "The BLM's newly asserted claims to land along the Red River threaten to upset long-settled private property rights and undermine fundamental principles—including the rule of law—that form the foundation of our democracy. Yet, the BLM has failed to disclose either its full intentions or the legal justification for its proposed actions. Decisions of this magnitude must not be made inside a bureaucratic black box."
In an exclusive interview with Breitbart Texas, General Abbott said, "This is the latest line of attack by the Obama Administration where it seems like they have a complete disregard for the rule of law in this country …And now they've crossed the line quite literally by coming into the State of Texas and trying to claim Texas land as federal land. And, as the Attorney General of Texas I am not going to allow this."
Does the federal government actually need more land?
As I mentioned above, the feds already own more than 40 percent of the land in 9 different U.S. states…
Nevada: 84.5 percent
Alaska: 69.1 percent
Utah: 57.4 percent
Oregon: 53.1 percent
Idaho: 50.2 percent
Arizona: 48.1 percent
California: 45.3 percent
Wyoming: 42.4 percent
New Mexico: 41.8 percent
The federal government does not need more land. But there is an obsession to grab more so that the dictates of Agenda 21 can be implemented.
The map that I have posted below is a simulation of what the endgame of Agenda 21 might look like. If these radical environmentalists get their way, the only areas that will be allocated for normal human use will be the areas in green…
If you do not go along with the "sustainable development" agenda, you risk being labeled a "threat" to be dealt with.
For example, Senator Harry Reid has used the label "domestic terrorists" to describe those that showed up to support Cliven Bundy at his ranch.
Reid could have used lots of other labels. But he specifically chose to call them terrorists. And considering what the law allows the feds to do to "terrorists", that is quite chilling.
And don't think that if you just stay quiet that you won't get labeled as a "terrorist". In fact, there is a very good chance that you already fit several government criteria for being a terrorist. Just check out the list below. It comes from my previous article entitled "72 Types Of Americans That Are Considered 'Potential Terrorists' In Official Government Documents"…
1. Those that talk about "individual liberties"
2. Those that advocate for states' rights
3. Those that want "to make the world a better place"
4. "The colonists who sought to free themselves from British rule"
5. Those that are interested in "defeating the Communists"
6. Those that believe "that the interests of one's own nation are separate from the interests of other nations or the common interest of all nations"
7. Anyone that holds a "political ideology that considers the state to be unnecessary, harmful,or undesirable"
8. Anyone that possesses an "intolerance toward other religions"
9. Those that "take action to fight against the exploitation of the environment and/or animals"
10. "Anti-Gay"
11. "Anti-Immigrant"
12. "Anti-Muslim"
14. "Opposition to equal rights for gays and lesbians"
15. Members of the Family Research Council
16. Members of the American Family Association
17. Those that believe that Mexico, Canada and the United States "are secretly planning to merge into a European Union-like entity that will be known as the 'North American Union'"
18. Members of the American Border Patrol/American Patrol
19. Members of the Federation for American Immigration Reform
20. Members of the Tennessee Freedom Coalition
21. Members of the Christian Action Network
22. Anyone that is "opposed to the New World Order"
23. Anyone that is engaged in "conspiracy theorizing"
24. Anyone that is opposed to Agenda 21
25. Anyone that is concerned about FEMA camps
26. Anyone that "fears impending gun control or weapons confiscations"
28. The sovereign citizen movement
29. Those that "don't think they should have to pay taxes"
30. Anyone that "complains about bias"
31. Anyone that "believes in government conspiracies to the point of paranoia"
32. Anyone that "is frustrated with mainstream ideologies"
33. Anyone that "visits extremist websites/blogs"
34. Anyone that "establishes website/blog to display extremist views"
35. Anyone that "attends rallies for extremist causes"
36. Anyone that "exhibits extreme religious intolerance"
37. Anyone that "is personally connected with a grievance"
38. Anyone that "suddenly acquires weapons"
39. Anyone that "organizes protests inspired by extremist ideology"
40. "Militia or unorganized militia"
41. "General right-wing extremist"
42. Citizens that have "bumper stickers" that are patriotic or anti-U.N.
43. Those that refer to an "Army of God"
44. Those that are "fiercely nationalistic (as opposed to universal and international in orientation)"
45. Those that are "anti-global"
46. Those that are "suspicious of centralized federal authority"
47. Those that are "reverent of individual liberty"
48. Those that "believe in conspiracy theories"
49. Those that have "a belief that one's personal and/or national 'way of life' is under attack"
50. Those that possess "a belief in the need to be prepared for an attack either by participating in paramilitary preparations and training or survivalism"
51. Those that would "impose strict religious tenets or laws on society (fundamentalists)"
52. Those that would "insert religion into the political sphere"
53. Anyone that would "seek to politicize religion"
54. Those that have "supported political movements for autonomy"
55. Anyone that is "anti-abortion"
56. Anyone that is "anti-Catholic"
57. Anyone that is "anti-nuclear"
60. Those concerned about "illegal immigration"
61. Those that "believe in the right to bear arms"
62. Anyone that is engaged in "ammunition stockpiling"
63. Anyone that exhibits "fear of Communist regimes"
65. Those that are against illegal immigration
66. Those that talk about "the New World Order" in a "derogatory" manner
67. Those that have a negative view of the United Nations
68. Those that are opposed "to the collection of federal income taxes"
69. Those that supported former presidential candidates Ron Paul, Chuck Baldwin and Bob Barr
70. Those that display the Gadsden Flag ("Don't Tread On Me")
71. Those that believe in "end times" prophecies
Do any of those criteria apply to you?
If so, then you are a "potential terrorist" according to the U.S. government.
We live at a time when the federal government is becoming increasingly oppressive. Just consider the following excerpt from a recent article by John W. Whitehead…
It's not just the Cliven Bundys of the world who are being dealt with in this manner. Don Miller, a 91-year-old antiques collector, recently had his Indiana home raided by the FBI, ostensibly because it might be in the nation's best interest if the rare and valuable antiques and artifacts Miller had collected over the course of 80 years were cared for by the government. Such tactics carried out by anyone other than the government would be considered grand larceny, and yet the government gets a free pass.
In the same way, the government insists it can carry out all manner of surveillance on us—listen in on our phone calls, read our emails and text messages, track our movements, photograph our license plates, even enter our biometric information into DNA databases—but those who dare to return the favor, even a little, by filming potential police misconduct, get roughed up by the police, arrested, charged with violating various and sundry crimes.
This was not what our founders intended.
Our liberties and freedoms are being eroded a little bit more with each passing day, and most Americans don't even seem to care.
In the end, we will pay a great price for our apathy.
*About the author: Michael Snyder is the founder and publisher of The Economic Collapse Blog and End Of The American Dream. Michael's shocking new book about the last days entitled "The Rapture Verdict" is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com. It is shaking the world of Bible prophecy to the core, and it is being called one of the most controversial Christian books of 2016. If you would like to check it out, you can find it right here.*


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Replacement for Pfanstiehl 462-DS77 462DS77 needle stylus
Replacement for Pfanstiehl 462-DS77 462DS77 needle stylus
Replacement for Pfanstiehl 462-DS77 462DS77 needle stylus
The perfect fix for my B&O turntable!!
Glad that I found LP tunes while searching for a replacement belt for my 1983 Technics turntable, which had been in storage in a hot attic over 10 years, the belt was an exact fit, Enjoying my vinyl again!
Ill be searching LP tunes to replace my stylus soon and keep the current one as a back-up
The sound and fidelity are excellent. A big improvement over old used styli like those you might find on eBay, or incompatible versions you might find cheap on Amazon. Stick with this one.
Sounds good
Sounds really good without breaking the bank! Fit my old Audio Technica TM-3 cartridge!
Very helpful people
First time ordering (Pickering DLE Stylus) and happy with service.
I have a vintage, Realistic turntable that I lost the stylus. I looked a lot of places online, but there were just so many styles and variations. I was concerned I wouldn't find the right one for my vintage turntable. I contacted LP tunes. I provided them the cartridge model # and they recommend a stylus. The stylus purchased arrived with fast delivery, the price was comparable to most others, and when it arrived and slid right into the cartridge and played my vinyl I could not have been more happy. I thank LP tunes for being prompt, having great communication and helping me out with my order. I will definitely order again.


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Have you ever seen one of those movies where a car is speeding towards a cliff and just before it heads over the edge the driver jumps out and the car flies into the abyss and maybe crashes and ignites into a ball of flame?
If you haven't don't worry, you're about to live one… and unfortunately for you, you're not the driver who escapes, you're a passenger strapped in for the excitement. President Obama is the driver and the way he's running his campaign, it looks like he's getting ready to jump…
As you probably guessed, the car in this story is the United States economy. Everyone knows that the economy is… anemic to say the least. The unemployment rate, which is now down to 8.1% is so only because 2.2 million people have given up looking for work since Obama's inauguration. If those people were still looking for work, if they had any expectation of actually finding a job, the unemployment rate would be 11%.
As bad as two million people being so discouraged that they quit looking for work altogether is, there are a pair of dangers right around the corner that may mushroom that number, and take millions of jobs with them.
The first has to do with taxes. Unless it's fixed, in January 2013 the tax code is going to create what the Washington Post has christened Taxmageddon. Between the expiration of the Bush tax cuts, the beginning of the taxes within ObamaCare, and a variety of other tax changes, federal taxes are going to increase by a total of $500 billion next year. That means that the government is going to be sucking $500 billion out of the private sector, i.e. your pocket, to fund its turtle tunnels, green energy boondoggles and Las Vegas conventions. To put that amount in perspective, that $500 billion you will no longer have to spend is more than the revenues of Apple, Target, Coke, Disney, McDonalds and Procter & Gamble combined! Now imagine removing that much activity out of the economy… That shouldn't have much of an impact on jobs.
Would you rather keep that $1,600 (per person) tax hike and spend it as you like on goods and services that benefit you and your family, or would you rather send it to Washington so that the borg can spend it on things like National Public Radio, wealth redistribution schemes and Amtrak? Unfortunately for us we already know what Barack Obama thinks about that.
The second bomb the country is facing is particularly troubling because the danger is so obvious. Why is it obvious? Because we're still licking our wounds from a mini version of the same problem: the housing crisis driven recession. Although the fundamental cause of the economic meltdown was government intervention in the housing market, the proximate cause was the sub-prime mortgages. Many of those mortgages were of the variable rate type where borrowers received a low introductory rate that would adjust (usually upward) over a period of time or in some cases, abruptly. When rates were low everything was peachy and consumers were purchasing houses at record numbers while investors were borrowing to buy investment properties. The markets were humming along.
Then everything hit a wall. Interest rates jumped, borrowers were no longer able to pay their mortgages, property values plummeted, banks collapsed, and the economy staggered into the "Great Recession". We were told we were on the brink of a financial meltdown on par with the financial collapse of 1929 and civilization might not survive. Five years later we are limping along, but at least the world didn't end.
Unfortunately for you and me, Barack Obama has not been smart enough to learn from that recent history. Over the last three years he has piled a total of $5 trillion in new debt on the shoulders of the American people. As bad as that is, that's not the worst part of it! The greater danger is that virtually every dollar of that new debt is in the form of short term notes. The administration chose this route because, like the homebuyers, they get a great low rate. A two year note today carries a .03% interest rate while a ten year would carry a 2% rate. The problem is, when interest rates spike, all that debt will have to be refinanced, likely at the much higher rates. As an example of the impact of higher rates, consider this: If the government were today paying the 5% it was paying a mere 5 years ago the interest payments alone would be an additional $400 billion a year, almost as much as they will spend on the whole of Medicare this year. That would be like removing from the economy the revenue of Ford, Dow Chemical, Kellogg's, Google, GAP, the NFL and Microsoft as well. A rate jump from .03% to 5%? No way, that's not possible. Really? In the two years between January 1978 and January 1980 interest rates jumped a total of 14%, from 6% to 20%. Imagine what $10 trillion financed at 20% might look like!
Barack Obama has set the United States on a Thelma and Louise course, but likely won't be in the driver's seat when we actually leave terra firma. Unfortunately for Mitt Romney, the pain that Obama has guaranteed us will likely occur on his watch and there may not be much he can do to avoid it. Indeed, unbelievably, it has the potential to make the current disaster of a presidency look relatively prosperous in comparison.
If he recognizes this in advance, Romney will have the opportunity to steel the American people for the maelstrom ahead while giving them a reason to expect things will get better. That is after all what real leaders do: They prepare their countrymen to persevere through difficult times without needing a scapegoat to make their case; they inspire their citizens to pick themselves up, dust themselves off and go forward to build the prosperous future they seek; and finally, and perhaps most importantly, they seek to reduce the state's power to frustrate and obstruct the citizenry's ability to build that prosperous future. Now that's an action movie I'd like to see.
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Welcome to the Future: Meet the New Avista Concept
Ahead of its public debut at the North American International Auto Show, Buick today revealed the Avista concept – a 2+2 coupe that pushes the brand's contemporary design ethos and rekindles its historic performance roots.
A sleek, sweeping proportion is the foundation for this vision of a contemporary grand tourer, with a 400-horsepower twin-turbocharged V-6 driving the rear wheels and a driver-focused cockpit offering a comfortable, connected center of control.
"The Avista embodies the dynamic soul of Buick," said Duncan Aldred, vice president of Global Buick Sales, Service and Marketing. "It is a modern expression of the brand's heritage of sophisticated performance, communicated with beautiful elegance."
The Avista's uninterrupted body lines stretch front to rear, suggesting motion – resembling Buick's design language introduced on the Avenir concept and carried into production on the 2017 LaCrosse. The absence of conventional B-pillars between the doors and rear side windows enhances the flowing profile.
"There is elegant simplicity in the Avista's surfaces, which speak to the purity of the car's performance, and a timeless beauty that's a hallmark of Buick design," said Bryan Nesbitt, executive director Global Buick Design. "It was designed to capture the spirit of the perfect drive."
Marking the front and rear, Buick evolves its signature wing-shaped lighting with "soft curtain" elements that create illuminated "halos" around lamps' edges, suggesting a three-dimensional shape and sculpture. Their design forecasts the evolution of Buick's production lighting features, while the Avista's grille features the brand's new winged tri-shield insignia set against a three-dimensional mesh background.
Like the exterior, the Avista's 2+2 interior is defined by flowing, uninterrupted lines conveying elegance through simplicity – with intense technical and surfaces details, in everything from 3D-printed door and seat trim to a future vision of Buick's IntelliLink, with touchscreen controls on a widescreen instrument panel display.
The center console also incorporates touchscreen controls and extends to the rear seating area. Open side storage compartments built into the front of the console are enabled by the new Electronic Precision Shift, similar to the 2017 LaCrosse.
A Superior Blue foundation color echoes the exterior and is complemented with Mist Gray leather seating inserts, console trim and door trim. Exposed carbon fiber and aluminum accents throughout reinforce the precision of the performance-oriented driving experience. The fading pattern on the seats, console and doors were inspired by waves receding at a beach's edge.
"Waves, whether from the sea or in the sand, are all about motion and flow," said Nesbitt. "That's exactly what this concept is all about – flowing design and the purity of the driving experience."
Buick designers enhanced the passengers' sensory experiences with next-generation QuietTuning and air-quality control, including advanced noise cancellation technology, ionic air purifiers and aromatherapy.
The Avista also advances Buick's legacy of turbocharged performance, which carries forward in the 2016 Regal GS and other models. Similar to the 2017 LaCrosse, the concept twin-turbocharged 3.0L V-6 features fuel-saving Active Fuel Management (cylinder deactivation) and Stop/Start technology to complement its power with efficiency. The engine is backed by an eight-speed automatic transmission and Magnetic Ride Control delivers more precise body motion control.
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You guys have to PAY for flu shots??
When it comes time for you to think about getting your seasonal flu shot, there are a few ways to go about getting one – each one with a different price tag. Before you run out and schedule that doctor's appointment, check out the many ways to snag a vaccine, for less than you'd expect.
This is the way we all used to get vaccinations as kids. Whether you worked it into your back-to-school physical, or just made a special visit for all your vaccines at one time during another month, flu shots could be given along with your run-of-the-mill tetanus and MMR shots. Since most adults are caught up on these other shots, and possibly don't need to be seen for anything else, scheduling a traditional appointment can be the most costly way to get a flu shot (in fact, many facilities won't even allow you to do this). In addition to your office visit fee (which can range from $15-$120, depending on whether you have insurance), you'll pay between $15 and $50 for a flu shot.Total cost: $30-$170 per shot.
Perhaps the most popular way to get a flu shot without as much disruption to your day, pharmacies in both mom-and-pop and national chain stores are starting to offer flu shots on a walk-in basis. While the lines may be longer this year, due to the scare that H1N1 has caused, the procedures for obtaining a traditional flu shot (H1N1-specific shots are still on the horizon) are relatively painless, so to speak. To find out where you can get your shot, check your favorite pharmacy's website. Walgreens, for example, is already offering their clinic from 10am – 4pm all 7 days of the week. (Note: Since these are walk-in offerings, many pharmacies will not honor insurance – although some have been known to apply the cost against certain types of Medicare.) Total Cost: $25 – 40 per shot.
Since the elderly have traditionally been included in the high-risk group encouraged by doctors to get the shot each year, it's only common sense to make the shot available where they are likely to hang out. Shots given at these privately-run recreational facilities are usually competitively priced and are not limited to just those 55 and above. Call you local center or check the paper for news on when you can get yours. Total Cost: $15 – 30 per shot
Your local health and human services office may be your best bet to find cheap shots, if you are not covered by insurance or have many people in your family needing the vaccine. Check your state's HHS website to get details on community action programs in your area that will be holding shot clinics in the next few months. While usually no one is turned down (even those with higher incomes), a suggested donation is usually appreciated if you can afford it. Total cost: Free - $20 per shot.
****Thanks to commenter Dawn below, who reminded us that your employer will often have a low-cost or free flu shot program for employees. Not employed? Alyssa at KingdomFirst Mom let us know that CVS will be giving FREE shots to the unemployed. Details to come!
With all the buzz surrounding the H1N1 virus, there have been talks of enlisting additional health professionals to be on call to administer vaccines if necessary. While I wouldn't rush out to your dentist for that flu shot just yet, it may be another option in the months to come.
Additional reading:
H1N1 Shots to be Given in Order of Risk (Kearney Hub)
Pharmacies Start Flu Shot Campaigns (Las Vegas Fox 5 News)
Flu Shot Isn't for H1N1 (LA Times)
Disclaimer: The links and mentions on this site may be affiliate links. But they do not affect the actual opinions and recommendations of the authors.
Wise Bread is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
I didn't see a Flu Clinic listing at my state's Health & Human Services website, but I do know that the local chapter of the Medical Reserve Corps is doing flu clinics. The Town Board of Health is offering the shots free of charge for residents, and the Medical Reserve Corps is doing the actual dispensing.
Just thought I'd toss it out there as another place to check. I got my 2007 vaccine through a MRC Emergency Dispensing drill, and while they did take down my insurance info I had no copay and never heard a peep from my insurance. I don't think the MRC even had facilities to accept a donation.
I'm surprised you overlooked one big category...getting a free flu shot from your employer. Mine can't be the only one.
Doh! That's a big one, Dawn. Thanks for bringing that up. I've been self-employed for so long, that I often don't consider it, and when I WAS employed, they usually had a special day at the local clinic that we could take advantage of. It wasn't through my work, per se.
I'd love to hear pricing info on employer-based flu shot programs! Anyone care to share?
Linsey Knerl
The company I work for gives flu shots. They set up clinics for employees or anyone can come in for a quick appointment. Price ranges depending on the area you are in, but it might be between $22-30 a shot, unless you want preservative free or FluMist the nasal spray (which they also have but it is usually more expensive) try Passport Health if you want to see if they have an office near you.
Our company sponsors free flu shots every year for the past 10 years. We've never had to pay. Flu shots are part of our tax expenditure since we pay so much! Go USA!
We actually have a drive thru clinic in October....just stick your driver's arm out the window. Over in two seconds. That's it. No cost. Margaret Garcia-Couoh
Flu shots are dangerous -- what's to say that you're not going to get the flu? Or that they guessed the right strain for a particular year? Also, you could end up getting the flu from the shot. I know many people that this have happened to them. Do your research before you go putting things in your body... Isn't it strange that pharmaceuticals are the ones behind these flu shots and also the ones that create the medicines you take when you do get it?
if you did your research you would know you can't get the flu from a flu shot. You are right they might not have picked the right strains for the year, but it won't hurt to get one just in case they did.
My employeer gives us free flu shots every year. They set of specific days at various locations around the facility. Then, there's a later series of "make up" appointments for anyone who was unable to get a shot during the first round (usually people on vacation or business travel). They figure that it's a small price to pay to vaccinate the entire work force (or as many as will take it, it's voluntary) rather than have to pay for sick time when the flu runs rampant through cubeville because someone refused to go home when they weren't feeling well.
As a condition of receiving money from the federal government, every town is required to have a pandemic flu response plan. Call your towns health agent (small towns may only have a part-time agent) and ask when your town will be offering flu shots. Most larger towns use the annual regular fall flu clinics to test their pandemic disaster plans and activate all emergency response personnel (public health nurses, police, fire, etc.) as well as volunteers such as CERT, Red Cross, and the Medical Reserve Corps. They offer the shots at their cost to procure the vaccine from the manufacturer (usually $10-$15).
We test our "drive thru" pandemic flu clinic every fall to vaccinate as many people as possible as cheaply as possible. It's really neat ... you don't even have to get out of your car or risk getting exposed to sick people. Every town offers clinics, though these range from full blown exercises such as ours to small walk-in clinics offered for a few hours at the town health agents office.
If you want to ensure you'll always be near the front of the line for potential pandemic flu vaccines, get trained as a CERT, Red Cross, or Medical Reserve Corps volunteer to help out at these clinics and your family will move to the front of the line to get vaccinated if a REAL killer pandemic moves through your region. You -don't- have to be a medical professional to volunteer ... they need just as many people to direct traffic, help people fill out forms, and monitor vaccinees after receiving their shots to make sure there are no reactions as they need nurses to jab people in the arm.
Be aware that Walgreens will not give shots to everyone. I'm 8 months pregnant and they turned me away for "liability" reasons. It makes perfect sense - let's turn away the people who are at greatest risk!
Our town drive-thru flu clinic isn't quite "stick your arm out and drive away," but it's pretty efficient. It's also massively cool as it's a full-blown pandemic flu disaster drill "dress rehearsal" and every agency in the area (from FEMA and the National Guard all the way down to the Boy Scouts) who might be asked to help out in the real deal shows up to practice their skills.
First we triage them at the entrance to the parking lot by asking them the usual flu shot questions (allergic to eggs, sick now, etc.) and sending the high risk ones (like the poor pregnant lady who got turned away at Walgreens) to park and walk inside (though they would NOT turn you down!). The rest get directed into the double-barreled queue to get their shot. Police officers direct the traffic from the street into the parking lot, then trained CERT and Citizens Police Academy volunteers perform triage and traffic control under the direction of a trained first responder/paramedic.
People with potential medical complications or concerns are directed to park and go inside. If your dog is in the car with you, we ask you to drop them off at home first or park the car and walk inside due to concerns about the person jabbing "mommy and daddy" getting bitten. The Boy Scouts help direct people who have to park (and little old ladies with walkers) inside, where it looks very much like a traditional flu clinic with everybody from the Red Cross to student nurses from the local community college doing the traditional flu shot things. But the real action is outside!
Out in the parking lot is everything from the usual local/county medical supply vans to military tents and satellite dishes set up to provide communications support. I'm part of civilian ARES (amateur radio emergency service) so we're cross-training with the military (we have a small base in our town) to help the Incident Commander (guy running the show) communicate with every disparate agency helping out that day (police, fire, Red Cross, military, medical, etc.) and also state/federal FEMA officials to get more supplies. Our town Health Agent is usually floating between the inside and outside clinics to monitor progress. We expect in a -REAL- pandemic the majority of our local military personnel will be redeployed to the cities, but a shadow crew of National Guardsmen who also work out of that base with some of the military's equipment will stay to help, so they're training volunteer ARES radio operators how to work with them. Lots of cool toys ... but I digress :-)
The second drive-thru station gives you the forms to fill out (name, date of birth, etc) an collect your $10 for the shot. They're able to process medicare/medicaid reimbursement forms right now, but not private insurance. My private insurance will pay the $10 for the flu shot, but not the $15 copay for me to go to a private doctor, so I just get mine done at the clinic each year. They also tell you to roll up your sleeves here. This station is usually staffed by non-medical Red Cross volunteers.
The third station gives you your shot. You just drive under a canopy, stick out your arm, get jabbed, and move onto the next station. This station is usually manned by a variety of trained medical personnel such as Medical Reserve Corps or military medics.
The fourth station is the reaction waiting area. You're directed to park in a parking lot for 10 minutes where volunteers trained to recognize the signs of reaction patrol along with an ambulance from the Fire Department in case somebody does have a reaction. Civilian Air Patrol handles the bulk of this duty. At 10 minutes, they ask you how you feel, then direct you how to get out of the parking lot and on your merry way.
All told, unless you've got a medical complication necessitating you go inside, we've been able to easily process 1,200 vaccinees in a few hours with an average in and out time of 20 minutes and anticipate we could easily quadruple that number in that same timeframe and get all 27,000 people in town vaccinated by going around the clock or over a period of 3-4 days. People really love it because it's so convenient and they don't even have to get out of their car. We've become a national model for pandemic flu response because it avoids having sick people who have the flu mingling with healthy vaccinees and healthy emergency response workers.
Our county public health department gives all kinds of innoculations, from the seasonal flu shot to the new H1N1, tetanus, pneumonia, etc. the cost for the seasonal shot is just $20, as opposed to the $37- $45 charged by local pharmacies.
swine flu comes back and we should take care of ourselves, go frequently to see a doctor, do exercise everyday, wash our hands before meals,ect. nothing is more important than your health.[img]http://www.photosnag.com/img/4713/n09x0302vnsn/clear.gif[/img]
I work for a temp agency, which placed me with the department of revenue, making minimum wage. The department of revenue offered free flu shots, but only for the permanent workers. I asked how much it would cost for us temps and it was outrageous. With me only making minimum wage, there's no way I could afford it. I don't yet have health insurance. Very frustrating!


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McDonald's is warning customers to be on guard against identity theft, phishing attacks, or other scams thanks to a data breach. What makes the data compromise more concerning is that it is indicative of a growing hacker strategy to go for the low-hanging fruit rather than staging a direct attack.
Hackers did not breach McDonald's per se. The attackers were able to access the sensitive McDonald's customer data through a third-party contracted by a third-party contracted by McDonald's. McDonald's hired Arc Worldwide to manage its promotional e-mail campaign, and Arc Worldwide hired another third-party to actually distribute the e-mails. That third-party–which remains anonymous–is the one that was hacked.
The good news for affected McDonald's customers is that the e-mail promotional campaigns do not involve collecting more sensitive information such as Social Security numbers, or credit card information. Still, data such as names, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, physical addresses, and other information that was exposed can be used for social engineering and identity theft attacks.
McDonald's has sent an e-mail to customers alerting them that their personal information may have been exposed. The e-mail asks customers to be more vigilant about potential identity theft or phishing threats, and asks them to contact McDonald's in the event that they receive any communications claiming to be from McDonald's which in any way ask the customer to share personal or financial information.
IT admins should pay close attention to this incident. Just as malware developers have focused more attention on third-party software like Adobe Reader rather than trying to exploit the Windows operating system directly, hackers have also learned that the easiest path to compromising a network is often through a third-party provider.
Partners and vendors often have trusted connections into fortified, high-value networks, and they represent low-hanging fruit that attackers can target. The smaller third-party organizations frequently lack the security policies and controls of the larger companies, and provide an Achilles heel that hackers can exploit to gain access to the more valuable network–often flying undetected under the radar.
There are two things that IT admins need to do in order to protect sensitive data and network resources. First, do some due diligence and establish some security guidelines for third-party providers to ensure they meet security requirements. An extension of that would be to also require third parties contracted by the third party to meet the same requirements and go through the same vetting process before being authorized to connect to the network.
The other thing that IT admins should do is establish monitoring and controls to protect the network even from trusted partners, and prevent access to sensitive systems. It wouldn't help in this instance, because the compromised database was on the third-party provider's network, but IT admins still have to strike a balance between collaboration and security.
Like flowing water, attackers will always seek the path of least resistance. As this McDonald's incident illustrates, that path often goes through trusted third-parties.


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Classic / Drama / Musical
05 October, 1954
In 1943, Oscar Hammerstein Jr. took Georges Bizet's opera Carmen, rewrote the lyrics, changed the characters from 19th century Spaniards to World War II-era African-Americans, switched the locale to a Southern military base, and the result was Carmen Jones. Dorothy Dandridge stars as Carmen Jones, tempestuous employee of a parachute factory. Harry Belafonte plays Joe (originally José), a young military officer engaged to marry virginal Cindy Lou (Olga James). When Carmen gets into a fight with another girl, she is placed under arrest and put in Joe's charge. Succumbing to her attractiveness, Joe accompanies Carmen to her old neighborhood, where, after killing a sergeant sent to retrieve him, he deserts the army. Carmen tries to be faithful, but fortune-telling Frankie (Pearl Bailey) warns her that she and her soldier are doomed. Enter Joe Adams in the role of boxer Husky Miller (a play on Carmen's bullfighter Escamillo), who sweeps Carmen off her feet, ultimately with tragic consequences. Alhough both Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte were singers, their opera voices were dubbed in by LeVern Hutcherson and Marilyn Horne.~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide


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- Kategorija: arhivs , Tehnoloģijas Autors: Jānis Alksnis
Philips aiziet no TV biznesa, taču televizori paliek.
Pēc gandrīz gadu ilguša pārņemšanas procesa Holandiešu elektronikas gigants philips ir pārvirzījis savu zaudējumus nesošo tv biznesu kompānijas kopuzņēmumam ar Honkongā bāzēto TPV Technologies (saukts arī par TPV Vision). Kā ziņo aģentūra Bloomberg, TPV piederēs 70% uzņēmuma, savukārt Philips saņems ienākumus no ar Philips zīmolu pārdotajiem televizoriem. TPV plano saglabāt vietu televizoru tirgus augšgalā (pirmajā trijniekā). Oriģinālā preses relīze:
Philips and TPV announce start of Television joint venture named TP Vision - Joint venture to leverage the strengths of Philips and TPV in global Television market - Ensures the future of the Philips brand in Television Amsterdam, the Netherlands – Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE:PHG, AEX:PHI) today announced that the transaction to create a Television joint venture with TPV Technology Limited (0903.HK) has been completed. The joint venture will be called TP Vision and will be 70% owned by TPV and 30% by Philips. TP Vision will develop, manufacture and market Philips branded TV sets. The completion of the agreement comes after the necessary merger clearance, governmental and TPV shareholder approvals were obtained. TP Vision, with headquarters in Amsterdam, will be led by Mr. Maarten de Vries. TP Vision will combine the design expertise and innovative Philips TV heritage with the manufacturing scale, and operational excellence, of TPV. "TP Vision will be a strong player in the global TV market and will ensure the continuity of the Philips TV brand in the markets," said Philips Chief Executive Officer Frans van Houten. "TP Vision will leverage the strength of the Philips brand, innovation power and trade relationships, with the additional scale and manufacturing strengths of TPV. The TV partnership with TPV enables Philips to focus on expanding market leadership positions across our Healthcare, Consumer Lifestyle and Lighting sectors." "We are glad to have Philips as a partner in this Television joint venture," said TPV Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jason Hsuan. "This partnership will enhance Philips' brand position in the TV space and bring sustainable returns to both shareholders. Philips and TPV have been partners for many years and we are confident that together we can become a major player in Television globally." "TP Vision is here to stay and grow profitably,'' said TP Vision Chief Executive Officer Maarten de Vries. "TP Vision will continue to bring the high level of innovation consumers expect from a Philips TV. Our recently launched 2012 series have everything to enjoy the world of digital content delivered via broadcasting and the Web. We believe in creating products that touch the human senses and are within reach of all consumers in the markets we operate in." TP Vision will be responsible for the design, manufacturing, distribution, marketing and sales of Philips' Television worldwide, with the exception of mainland China, India, United States, Canada, Mexico and certain countries in South America. As part of the transaction, the Philips Television innovation and manufacturing sites, commercial organizations, headquarters and employee base of close to 3,300 will transfer to TP Vision. The key terms and conditions of the transaction are in line with the announcement made on November 1, 2011. Philips Television has operated as a standalone business within Philips Consumer Lifestyle since January 1, 2012.