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Democracy can come undone. It's not something that's necessarily going to last forever once it's been established. –Sean Wilentz , The Rise of American Democracy
Now that the Democrats' "100 hours agenda" has at least passed the House–and as Bush & Co. head toward retirement–the hard work of restoring our democracy must begin. For while the President frequently talks about exporting democracy, he has systematically undermined it here at home.
Not that this democracy was perfect before Bush had his way with it. If democracy means majority rule, minority rights and the rule of law, then the Constitution contained language that was far from democratic. Only men with property could vote. Blacks counted as three-fifths of a person. The Senate was not elected, and states of varying sizes had the same representation.
Yet despite this flawed start, our system evolved into a stronger democracy. Senators became popularly elected in 1913; women won the vote in 1920 and African-Americans forty-five years later. In the 1930s, '60s and '90s, Democratic administrations showed that a democracy could expand public healthcare, provide for old-age insurance, make products safer and clean the air.
This two-century advance has recently been reversed. A powerful group of new authoritarians in the executive branch, Congress, the clergy and corporations have expressed enormous contempt for the conversation of democracy. Trampling on the values represented by the flag far more than the couple of fools a year who actually burn one, these leaders pose a clear and present danger to our constitutional traditions. This quiet crisis of democracy–lacking the vivid imagery of a Hindenburg, a 9/11 or soldiers being shot in Iraq–has attracted very little attention. But a better democracy requires better policies. With the Democrats finally back on the offensive, it's time to repair the broken machinery of government.
The Democracy Protection Act–developed by the New Democracy Project, the Brennan Center for Justice, Demos and The Nation–can help us recover from Bush's assaults as well as fix structural flaws that have long diminished our democracy and frustrated majority support for progressive reforms. It identifies five key areas calling out for popular reform.
Taking liberties with the law.
Apparently, when Bush swore to "faithfully execute the laws," he took that oath literally. In just six years, his Administration has, in violation of the UN Charter, invaded a country, condoned torture, refused to seek warrants for wiretaps, leaked classified information for partisan gain, rounded up thousands of American Muslims without evidence, incarcerated hundreds at Guantánamo without charges, restricted habeas corpus and asserted the power to ignore hundreds of duly enacted laws–all because of an open-ended "war on terror."


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Eumelia is a Repo(we)r Greece story
It is our pleasure to announce that Eumelia activelly supports the international public diplomacy campaign of Repo(we)r Greece with the aim to present Greece through the successful stories, efforts, talent and accomplishments of the many instead of the failures and interests of the few.
Eumelia is an ambassador of this initiative and our Repo(we)r story is the face of a Greece that develops, finds solutions, creates prospect and redefines its presence in the international community.
Go to www.repowergreece.com and read the story of our unique Eumelia, a sustainable organic and ecotourism farm located in the Peloponnese and based on the theory of biodynamic farming.

subset: commoncrawl


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Thunder overcome 7-point deficit in final 50 seconds to beat Clippers 105-104
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OKLAHOMA CITY – Russell Westbrook scored 38 points and made three free throws with 6.4 seconds remaining, and the Oklahoma City Thunder overcame a seven-point deficit in the final 50 seconds to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 105-104 on Tuesday night to go up 3-2 in the Western Conference semifinals.
Westbrook was fouled by Chris Paul while shooting a 3-pointer with the Thunder trailing by two. After his free throws, Paul drove to the hoop, but Reggie Jackson stole the ball from him, and time expired.
Kevin Durant scored 10 of his 27 points in the final 3:23 for the Thunder.
Blake Griffin had 24 points and 17 rebounds, Jamal Crawford scored 19 points and Paul had 17 points and 14 assists for the Clippers.
The Thunder can clinch the series Thursday in Los Angeles.


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WASHINGTON (AP) — Close aides and loyal allies who made President Barack Obama's re-election possible are attempting to do what's never been done before. They're building an extensive, well-heeled network of outside groups and consulting firms with one goal: promoting Obama's agenda and shaping the legacy he'll leave behind.
Two months into his second term, Obama faces strong headwinds from congressional Republicans and a divided nation as he works to enact an ambitious agenda.
So those who fought to keep him in office are launching a sweeping effort, independent of government, the Democratic Party and traditional liberal groups, to create a web of influence outside the White House gates that can rally support for Obama's policies, with more flexibility that being on the inside allows.
"You can only change it from the outside," Obama said of Washington in the heat of his re-election race, reflecting a frustration that characterized his first term and his ongoing challenge to convince Republicans to see things his way.
The election over, Obama's loyalists — from campaign strategists to online gurus and policy hands to press agents — are embracing that lesson as a call to action, slicing his agenda into smaller parts and launching highly targeted, campaign-style efforts on health care, job creation and electoral politics.
The linchpin of the effort is Organizing for Action, a nonprofit run by former Obama advisers that has essentially transformed his re-election campaign into a grassroots machine to support his initiatives. In its early stages, the group is raising millions from big and small donors alike and whipping up support for issues like gun control and an immigration overhaul.
Known by its initials, OFA is chaired by Jim Messina, a former White House aide who ran Obama's 2012 campaign, and several former Obama aides sit on its board. David Plouffe, who until February served as Obama's senior adviser, is expected to join the board soon.
OFA's close ties to the West Wing and its control over the former campaign's resources has raised questions about where the nonprofit group ends and the White House starts.
The group controls Obama's massive email list and also his campaign Twitter account, which has more than 27 million followers and frequently tweets links to his government website.
As a tax-exempt entity, OFA is subject to strict limits on electoral activity, and the group has said it won't get involved in elections. The group accepts unlimited donations from individuals and corporations but plans to release the names of its donors. The corporate funding is a shift: many of the same operatives involved with OFA were once loud critics, along with Obama, of big money- and corporate-fueled entities that emerged after a series of court rulings, especially the Citizens United case, loosened restrictions on money and politics.
The arrangement has also opened the White House to criticism that contributors, in exchange for supporting the groups, could receive special access to Obama that the public is denied. White House press secretary Jay Carney has fielded repeated questioning over whether bundlers who raised $500,000 or more for OFA were promised quarterly meetings with the president — a claim that OFA and the White House disputed.
"Any notion that there is a set price for a meeting with the president of the United States is just wrong," Carney said Monday. He said it's expected that Obama would meet groups promoting his agenda and that OFA's existence is "perfectly appropriate."
As advocacy groups, OFA and the smaller organizations can coordinate with the White House on messaging and tactics. Carney has said that administration officials may appear at OFA events but won't be raising money.
"They have created literally a cottage industry solely devoted to access and making money off the access," said Sean Spicer, a spokesman for the Republican National Committee.
An OFA "founders' summit" for donors on March 13 at a Washington hotel will include addresses by Messina, Plouffe and others, according to an invitation obtained by The Associated Press. The next day will include briefings on immigration, gun control and climate change, with former Environmental Protection Agency head Lisa Jackson expected to attend.
But when OFA asks supporters to cut a check, it will be competing with a growing list of pro-Obama factions making appeals to a limited pool of Democratic donors.
Business Forward, a 3-year-old trade group that has facilitated meetings between businesses and Obama officials, is ramping up operations as a liberal counterweight to the conservative-leaning U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Business Forward is funded by corporate money that was banished from Obama's campaign coffers in 2008 and 2012.
More than 50 corporate members pay $25,000 or $50,000 a year to be involved, and participate in briefings between Obama administration officials, entrepreneurs and leaders of businesses, big and small. Its members include AT&T and Microsoft, which donated to Obama's inaugural committee, and Citi, Comcast and Facebook, whose executives served on Obama's jobs council.
"The goal is to bring new people into the process and help them tell Washington how to create jobs and accelerate our economic recovery," said Jim Doyle, Business Forward's president.
On health care, former White House official Anne Filipic recently took control of a nonprofit called Enroll America, which plans a massive push to get people to sign up for insurance under Obama's health care law, a key part of his legacy. The group is preparing for the opening of new insurance exchanges in October with on-the-ground organizing, online efforts and paid advertising.
Another team of Obama campaign aides, including field director Jeremy Bird and battleground state director Mitch Stewart, have formed a consulting firm called 270 Strategies that aims to bring grassroots organizing to political and industry clients. One early project, dubbed Battleground Texas, has set a long-term goal to make GOP-heavy Texas competitive for Democrats.
Although there's no one group formally coordinating the efforts, outside organizations allied with Obama hold regular check-in meetings and conference calls. Representatives compare notes about strategy, priorities and budgets.
"Many of us have spent at this point six years or longer together," said Teddy Goff, Obama's 2012 digital director, who is not affiliated with the fledgling bodies. "I have no doubt that people are talking to their old friends and making sure they're efficient as possible."
And while the various groups supporting Obama's agenda operate independently, the overlap in tactics, messaging and staff is tough to miss. For example, Blue State Digital, a firm founded by the campaign's digital strategist, Joe Rospars, is providing the same technology platform the campaign used for both OFA and Battleground Texas.
The blurring of the lines between outside groups, the campaign and the White House has rubbed some the wrong way. Critics say it's a sign that Obama has reversed course since rebuking the role of money in politics during his first campaign and at the start of his presidency.
"Organizing for Action is unlike any entity we have ever seen before tied to a president," said Fred Wertheimer, a campaign finance reform advocate with Democracy 21, a Washington nonprofit. "This group is so tied to Obama himself, that it creates opportunities for corporations and individuals to buy corrupting influence with the administration — and at a minimum, to create the appearance of such influence."
Follow Ken Thomas at: http://twitter.com/AP_Ken_Thomas and Josh Lederman at: http://twitter.com/joshledermanAP


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BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA -- The majority of my recent experience when getting ordered Netflix discs is that they are unplayable. I have washed the discs to no avail. I've used the disk rental service for many years and this only started happening in the past year or two. Their service department is only open 6 to 6, so there's no one to complain to when this happens. Why don't they check the discs before sending them out? This is ridiculous.
LOS GATOS, CALIFORNIA -- I had a queue of 8 movies that could be shipped. One was an accidental reship of a movie we already saw. None of the others were sent. Neither the CS Rep nor her Manager could tell me when all of the following were in my queue: Therese Raquin, Doctor in the House, Hell Is a City, Martin Scorsese: Pt.1&2, The Patriot, Tiger Bay, Wanted for Murder. Not one of them shipped on 2/21 even though when my returned DVDs were received three of these were listed as next in my Queue.
They also could not tell me how many copies Netflix has of each of the above movies or how many of those were rented. They could not explain why, when I placed these movies in my queue that, with one exception, there was NO indication of a wait to get the movies, neither "short wait" or "long wait". When I put as many as 7 movies in my queue and, at the time they are added, there is no indication there will be any wait then I expect to get some of those movies when I return what I have. If not, I do not expect to pay. The manager suggested a vacation hold. Of course, once I removed the hold I would be charged with no guarantee that ANY of the movies would show up.
In effect, I would be paying for nothing. I asked that my billing be suspended until these movies could be sent. This suggestion was refused. I asked that I be credited for the prior month. This also was refused unless I canceled. So I did, even though I would have been willing to retain Netflix streaming. Let's compare this to an ordinary video rental store. You pay only when you actually receive movies. Even a Gym, at which you purchase a membership, though it will charge you even if you don't use their facilities, cannot charge you for any period of time the place is closed for repairs and cannot be used.
Netflix is unique in this respect. You can be charged even when they do not honor the good faith aspect of their contract by sending you a movie when you have many in your queue. I know that Netflix would prefer not to be in the business of sending out DVDs my mail at all but would rather concentrate on streaming. To me, my most recent experience shows that they will go to any lengths to assure this happens including failing to honor their contract. Netflix should not treat its DVD rental customers as I was treated. It is such a serious breach of ethics that I am inclined to publicize this as widely as possible.
If I ever use Netflix again it will only be if I can get satisfactory service from BOTH the DVD rental and streaming portion of the company. To me, satisfactory service is simply defined as follows: If movies in your queue, when placed there, did not show an associated wait time, and you have two to three times as many movies in the queue as required for the next shipment, but receive none; then you will not be charged for the interval of time you wait until those movies can be shipped.
The concept is very simple: You must not charge for a service you do not provide and which the customer had every right to expect. As a business practice it should be unnecessary for me to point out exactly how unethical and possibly illegal this is.
After being a Netflix customer for over 4 years, I was miffed at why I was not getting first run DVD's that were on my queue for weeks and weeks. I was getting excuses such as, "long wait" or "very long wait". It was very interesting that my neighbor who is also a Netflix customer, WAS receiving first run DVD's WITHOUT a "long wait".
Lo and behold we figured it out. Netflix does not want you to know that if you are a ONE DVD AT A TIME customer, you are not going to get first run DVD's as fast as customers who are spending more money with Netflix per month. My neighbor is on the 3 at a time plan and he very rarely has to wait for a new release whereas I at 1 at a time have to suffer! Very unfair and very unprofessional!
INTERNET, FLORIDA -- I have used both Netflix for both DVD and live streaming. I never had both streaming and DVD service at the same time. However, when I cancelled DVD service in August 2013, my account was billed for streaming through the end of November. I called customer service and they told me they would only refund me for one month of service ($8.62). I told "Bill" in customer service that I haven't streamed anything from August '13 through the end of Nov. '13. He said, we don't keep track of streaming. So, I am out $25.86! Watch your bank statements! They, Netflix, will continue to charge your account, WITHOUT your consent!
GARDEN GROVE, CALIFORNIA -- NETFLIX Re-Defines "Unlimited": I have the "3" at a time DVD Mail Plan. I'm close to a distribution center and used to get my DVD's within a day. I started noticing a pattern of delayed mailings. It appears as if they are trying to prevent me from receiving more than 3 DVDs in any given week. When I researched their current terms and conditions for DVDs, I saw a clause that states that processing for frequent users may be delayed by postponing the processing/mailing of DVDs from your local center, or mailing from a more distant distribution center.
I called Customer Service and the person I spoke to didn't even know where to find the Terms and Conditions. I ended up speaking with a supervisor who wouldn't admit that they throttle customers. His only admission was that they are limiting the frequency of newer releases that are mailed out to a given customer. They need to remove any reference to "UNLIMITED" on their DVD Plans. What angers me the most is that they aren't honest about it. Either you have limits or you don't. They obviously have limits, so just be honest about it!
OMAHA, NEBRASKA -- I signed up for Netflix 12 days ago, put 15 movies in my queue, but still haven't received any DVDs. After 8 days, I called customer service twice. The first time I waited on hold for 10 minutes, told a representative my story, was put back on hold for 5 minutes, told another representative the story, was put on hold again and after a few minutes the call was disconnected. The second time I called I finally spoke with a supervisor, who told me that it sometimes takes a few days to set up a new account. According to her, my DVDs were shipping that day.
Now it's been 12 days and when I go to Netflix.com it still says my movies are "shipping today." I'm on a free trial, so at least I'm not paying for nothing, but it's still annoying that it takes almost 2 weeks to set up a new account and get movies sent out. There is a Netflix shipping center in the city I live in so I don't see what the hold up is! I plan on canceling the subscription when the free trial is up. This service sucks.
HENDERSON, NEVADA -- Netflix or Net Flukes? Until this week I was a very happy Netflix member. At my suggestion, relatives and friends have also signed up over the past few years. I now suggest switching to Blockbuster. Here's why: Netflix ignores your selected DVDs and mails DVDs you never requested. After this happened to me, it also happened to my mother. At that point, both my mother and I started doing printouts of our Queue lists. When it happened to me a 2nd time, I was very unhappy because it was the 2nd DVD in a TV series that I really wanted to receive and watch on a weekend when TV had nothing but re-runs.
As soon as I received the email showing the DVD being mailed, I went to Netflix.com and tried to find a way to contact Netflix immediately to stop that shipment and have the one I wanted shipped the same day. To my surprise, there is NO WAY to alert Netflix to this situation from their website. It also took me several minutes to even find a phone number. In case you need it: **.
At 1 PM on a Friday (5 hours before deadlines at most post offices and mailboxes), I spoke with **. Explained my situation and was basically told that it's impossible for Netflix to send a DVD that I did not put in my Queue (list of requested DVDs). In other words, Netflix claims to have the only 100% flawless computer system on Earth and I was being called an idiot. I asked to speak with a supervisor. I repeated everything. ** told me the best they could do was sent me the correct DVD 3 days later, meaning I'd receive it on Tuesday instead of Saturday.
I asked why NOBODY at Netflix could put a postage stamp on a DVD and get it to a mailbox within the next 5 hours to satisfy this one-time request from a repeat customer. ** response was the same BS I heard from ** "our system doesn't make mistakes." At that point I reminded ** about the headlines Netflix made in the past year when their entire system went down. Bottom Line: Switch to Blockbuster because if they ever send you the wrong DVD or you simply want another title, you drive to the nearest retail store and exchange it.
One other question I forgot to ask **. Aside from insisting that I had selected a summer camp movie for kids, he said that title was #6 on my Queue list. If that were true, I'd like to know why Netflix didn't send ANY of the #1 through #5 titles that were available NOW instead of jumping to #6.
In case you're not familiar with it, Netflix's Queue is a web page that lists DVDs you selected. You can rearrange the list in order you want to receive them. The Availability column tells you if a DVD is available "NOW" which is supposed to mean that if the #1 on your list says as such, it will be the next DVD mailed to you. If it says things like "Long wait" don't expect to get it as the next DVD on your list. As I now know, that list is worthless and you'll be sent whatever DVD their computer chooses for you, even if it's not on your list.
Imagine if other businesses were run the same way. Would you dine at a restaurant that brought you the wrong food and then refused to even try to bring what you ordered and had already paid for? P.S. Quick Google search delivered several websites with others who say they received the wrong DVDs. Are they suggesting that Netflix's perfect computers made a mistake? How dare they!
RED BANK, NEW JERSEY -- I've been a Netflix subscriber for several years. We used to experience about 2% unplayable disks. Since Netflix broke off streaming as a separately billed service, the disk service has changed, about 1 in 5 disks is unplayable. We are sent scratched, broken and otherwise visibly damaged disks--disks that never should have left the warehouse. It's as if they are trying to drive people from disks to streaming.
NEBRASKA -- I was very satisfied with the service that Netflix has provided me until the past month or so. My "short waits" have become "I'll see you in hell first." They arbitrarily pick movies from my queue. Last week, my 18th movie was sent to me. The week prior was even worse. It used to take two days for my movies to reach them and then two days to get them back. Now it sometimes takes four days or until I report it lost before it gets checked in.
Personally, I think that the company has become too large too quickly. They can no longer handle the volume of movies going in and out of its distribution centers. If anybody knows of a good movie rental plan that is similar to this - not necessarily a mailing service, but a one fee a month, all you can rent deal - I'd be happy to know about it. Thanks!
MAINE -- Their handling of returns is very slow. I think they are choking the traffic or throttling it so the renters don't get the number of movies they pay for. Often it takes over 6 days for a movie to be registered as returned and then if you report them as lost too many times they treat you like a thief and suspend your account. Their customer service is almost impossible to get through to. They do have a great selection and television is such a wasteland--too bad they are so arrogant.


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Texas Police Officer Gives Man a Ticket And Something More in Unusual Traffic Stop [VIDEO]
We see them on Facebook everyday - videos of police officers engage in questionable traffic stops or ones that erupt into violent situations. But that is not the case with this story out of Plano.
What this officer did truly does go above and beyond. Watch the video and please share. We'd also like your comments below. Did this officer do the right thing? How do you feel about it?


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General Comments: Futures closed higher on speculative buying. Short term trends turned down with the price action on Friday, but prices were able to climb back to the trading range yesterday. It was a cold weekend in Florida, and frosts were possible over the weekend. Some areas could have seen a freeze. Temperatures had been warm in the state until the weekend, and conditions are dry, and talk about the potential for more fruit drop and poor development of the crop for next year returned. Crop development is reported to be far enough along that some damage or loss is possible. Some buds could have been lost and that will mean less production potential for next year if the loss is confirmed. Harvest in Florida of mid and early oranges is almost over, and the Valencia harvest is underway. Bloom has been reported in groves in all production areas of the state. Brazil is seeing near to above normal temperatures and light showers and could use more rain. ICE said that 0 notices were posted against March contracts and that total deliveries for the month are 0 contracts.
Overnight News: Florida weather forecasts call for mostly dry conditions. Temperatures will average below normal.
Chart Trends: Trends in FCOJ are mixed to down with objectives of 117.00 and 109.00 May. Support is at 120.00, 118.00, and 115.00 May, with resistance at 125.00, 129.00, and 132.00 May.
General Comments: Futures were higher yesterday and short term trends turned up on the charts. Speculators bought and some stop loss orders were hit on the way up. It still seems that New York is trying to form a low in this area, and it might have completed a low yesterday. Some support came from news that Colombia Coffee farmers will not deliver as they seek higher prices for crops and some support came from even more reports of severe rust damage in Central America. Reports of rust in Central America and the production cuts that it is causing are getting noticed, as is news that the rust is now reported in Peru. Central America could lose at least 20% of the total crop this year. Losses next year could be 30% or more of the crop. Current crop development is still good this year in Brazil, and production areas are getting drier weather for the developing crop. There is some talk the drier weather could stress trees. Production ideas remain big there. Vietnam producers there talk about the potential for 25% crop losses due to prolonged drought in the Central Highlands. Central America crops are mostly harvested. Colombia is reported to have good conditions. Colombian truckers ended their strike today as their demands were negotiated by the government.
Overnight News: Certified stocks are higher today and are about 2.696 million bags. The ICO composite price is now 135.30 ct/lb. Brazil should get mostly dry weather. Temperatures will average near to above normal. Colombia should get scattered showers, and Central America and Mexico should get mostly dry conditions. Temperatures should average near to above normal. ICE said that 0 contracts was delivered today against March futures and that total deliveries for the month are 102 contracts.
Chart Trends: Trends in New York are mixed to up with objectives of 147.00, 152.00, and 160.00 May. Support is at 142.50, 141.00, and 137.00 May, and resistance is at 147.00, 149.00, and 153.00 May. Trends in London are mixed to up with objectives of 2145 May. Support is at 2090, 2070, and 2040 May, and resistance is at 2130, 2140, and 2170 May. Trends in Sao Paulo are mixed to up with objectives of 187.00 and 193.00 September. Support is at 181.00, 180.00, and 177.00 September, and resistance is at 185.00, 187.00, and 189.00 September.
General Comments: Futures closed lower again yesterday on follow through selling and on ideas of big supplies available to the market. Market trends are still down overall, but futures are within about 100 dollars of a potential swing low based on the charts. Ideas are that current low prices should créate new demand and that the main crop harvest is over in Western Africa and much of Asia so that supplies on offer could also be less. The weather is forecast to be warm and dry in West Africa this week. For now, traders expect good mid crop production from West Africa, but thios could change if hot wquinds develop in the short term. Malaysia and Indonesia crops appear to be in good condition and weather is called favorable. Traders are starting to look ahead and past the midcrop harvest and note that the market could move to a production déficit next year. More buying is being noted in deferred months at this time due to smaller production ideas for the coming crops.
Overnight News: Mostly dry conditions are expected in West Africa. Temperatures will average above normal. Malaysia and Indonesia should see episodes of scattered showers, but Malaysia will be drier this weekend. Temperatures should average near normal. Brazil will get scattered showers and warm temperatures. ICE said that 0 contracts were delivered today against March contracts and that total deliveries for the month are now 826 contracts. ICE certified stocks are lower today at 4.392 million bags.
Chart Trends: Trends in New York are down with objectives of 2050, 2020, and 1990 May. Support is at 2050, 2020, and 2000 May, with resistance at 2100, 2110, and 2130 May. Trends in London are down with objectives of 1390 and 1365 May. Support is at 1360, 1330, and 1300 May, with resistance at 1405, 1435, and 1450 May.


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Antonio Silva
TRAINING: I train two times a day from Monday through Saturday, mixing different martial arts each day.
When and why did you start training for fighting? I made my pro debut in 2005. I haven't stopped training since.
What ranks and titles have you held? I was Cage Rage and Cage Warrior SHW champion, and Pro Elite Champion.
Do you have any heroes? Minotauro Nogueira
Did you go to college and if so what degree did you earn? No
What was your job before you started fighting? I was an armored car security guard.
Getty Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this image or clip. If you violate our intellectual property you may be liable for: actual damages, loss of income, and profits you derive from the use of this image or clip, and, where appropriate, the costs of collection and/or statutory damages up to $150,000 (USD).


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The new trailer for "Hercules" has arrived, and from the looks of it, the film is hoping to appeal to the "Game of Thrones" crowd with scenes of its muscle-bound mythic hero, massive armies and expansive vistas of a faraway land.
Due in theaters July 25, the film, directed by Brett Ratner and based on Steve Moore's series for Radical Comics, sees Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson in warrior mode as the son of Zeus who comes to the aid of the King of Thrace to help defeat a powerful warlord.
The movie's impressive supporting cast includes Ian McShane, John Hurt, Joseph Fiennes and Rufus Sewell, though the trailer emphasizes the film's CG spectacle with Hercules facing off against fantastic creatures.
When it comes to large-scale, action-adventure movies, Johnson is a Hollywood fixture. In recent years, he's joined the "Fast & Furious" franchise, and also appeared in "G.I. Joe: Retaliation."
"The one thing that I do like is that by the end of a movie, that my character gets better," Johnson told Hero Complex of the roles he prefers in a 2010 interview. "It doesn't have to be a great man, just a better man. It can be off-kilter a bit, not right down the middle, that's fine. If he gets better in some way, that is important to me."
Are you excited to see "Hercules"? What do you think of the new trailer?
Please leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
– Gina McIntyre | @LATHeroComplex
'Guardians of the Galaxy': Vin Diesel video fuels buzz
'Thor 2': Chris Hemsworth, Malekith, Sif in new clips
'S.H.I.E.L.D.': Brett Dalton talks playing 'badass' Ward
Arnold Schwarzenegger's Conan prepping for his 'Unforgiven' turn
Muscle summer: 'Captain America,' 'Thor' and 'Conan'
'Game of Thrones': Jason Momoa goes for the throat


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New version
With multi-room control and the new heating algorithm,
Smart Thermostat, Internet Bridge, USB cables, connectors, ethernet cable, mounting screws, adhesive pads, labeling for cables, screwdriver, 3 AAA batteries
The new product suite offers several integration possibilities, such as Apple HomeKit, Google Home, Amazon Echo, and IFTTT.
The Smart Thermostat can be automatically controlled via the location of your smartphone as well as manually, by schedule or on the device itself.
The Internet Bridge connects to the internet via your router. The Smart Thermostat and the Internet Bridge communicate via radio.
5-36V DC 0.2A / 4.5V DC - (3xAAA batteries, 1,200 mAh, average life ~ 2 years)
LED matrix 10 x 19 LEDs, 32 x 20 mm / buttons: 2x capacitive touch, 1x mechanical
temperature / humidity / ambient light
Smart Thermostat 104 x 104 x 19 mm / Internet Bridge 81 x 27 x 22 mm / Full packaging: 175 × 175 × 116 mm
Smart Thermostat 132g / Internet Bridge 61g / Full packaging: 700 g
German engineered, production certified: ISO 14001 / ISO 9001 / BS OHSAS 18001 / EU RoHS compliant Recyclable packaging
2 year limited warranty
Via Internet Bridge connected to an ethernet port of the home's internet router
868 MHz, Mesh (6LoWPAN)
TLS 1.2 (SSL), 2048-bit Extended Validation Certificate / TLS 1.2 (SSL), 256-bit elliptic curve encryption / AES-CCM encryption
PC+ABS plastics/ white, matte
English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch
based on a simulation study by the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics (Germany, 2013)
Google Home, IFTTT
The report shows you the home temperature throughout the day and your savings with
Easy to install, intuitive to use and automatically adjusts the heating to your lifestyle.
Every home is unique,
If you have a wireless thermostat or have a gas boiler without a thermostat you'll need the Extension Kit (also needed to control a hot water tank).
Simply replace your existing wired room thermostat.
Replace multiple room thermostats (also for underfloor heating) with Smart Thermostats.
If you have a wireless room thermostat or no underfloor thermostats you'll need the Extension Kit.
Simply replace your existing wired room thermostat.
Replace multiple wired underfloor heating thermostats with Additonal Smart Thermostats.
Stiebel Eltron
...and many more
both 230V and extra low voltage interfaces (digital bus / analogue)
combi, system and heat-only boilers
conventional and condensing boilers
common Y-, S- and W-plan setups
hydronic underfloor systems
electric underfloor systems with a maximum switching current of 6 A
air source and ground source heat pumps (heating only)
zoned systems (one Smart Thermostat per zone)
relay compatible both switched live systems and potential free (dry contact) systems
works with multiple Smart Thermostats and Smart Radiator Thermostats.
You can easily install the Smart Thermostat yourself. Our online installation service gives you detailed step-by-step instructions for your heating system.
Learn more or get in touch with us


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food&family Magazine
Growing up in Northwest Indiana, our summers were hot and humid. Life was a bit slower then, 40 years ago, but we enjoyed the weather—even though it was hot. Some of my fondest memories are gathering with family and friends to share potluck desserts. The food was plentiful and the company was always great!
Our lives now are quite a bit busier with children, their activities and work, but it's never too busy for a fun dessert like these Neapolitan Cake Push Pops.
Neapolitan, a combination of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry, is one my favorites. When baked in a cake and paired with JELL-O Instant Pudding and COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, these treats are out of this world!
When I spotted the JET-PUFFED MALLOW Bites Ice Cream Cone Marshmallows with chocolate, vanilla and strawberry, I thought they would be perfect for a fun, cool dessert or they even make great potluck desserts!
I also decided to cut down on time in kitchen, and bake the cupcakes instead of a cake.
To assemble the Cake Push Pops, first you will need to bake your cupcakes or cake. I used one chocolate cake mix and one vanilla cake mix. After baking the chocolate cupcakes, mix the vanilla cake mix according to the directions on the box and divide in half, flavor one half of the batter with a small box of JELL-O Strawberry Flavor Gelatin.
If you are making a lot of these treats, you can certainly use a strawberry cake mix, but by using the vanilla divided, it also cuts down on time and cost.
While the cupcakes are baking, mix the pudding according to the directions on the box and place in the refrigerator to set. After the cupcakes have cooled and the pudding is set, it's time to assemble the push pops. You can find the push pop containers most craft stores, but if you can't find them, a small clear jar or glass works fine too.
Now, mix the pudding and the COOL WHIP until smooth and spoon into a bag, you can use either a decorator bag or re-sealable bag.
And then the fun part, start layering: first cut the chocolate cupcakes into squares and add a couple pieces to the push pop container, pipe in a small amount of the pudding mixture. Continue layering with the vanilla and then strawberry cake, adding pudding in between the layers.
Top with COOL WHIP, and then add a few chocolate and pink sprinkles. Add a JET-PUFFED MALLOW Bites Ice Cream Cone Marshmallows.
Neapolitan Cake Push Pops Recipe
1 chocolate cake mix plus ingredients according to package
1 vanilla cake mix plus ingredients according to package
1 3.4 oz. box of JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
1 3 oz. box of JELL-O Strawberry Flavor Gelatin
1 8 oz. tub of COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed
Chocolate and Pink Sprinkles, optional
JET-PUFFED Ice Cream Cone Mallows, optional
Push Pop Containers or clear glass jar
Bake chocolate cupcakes according to directions on box and let cool. Mix vanilla cake mix and divide in half. Add JELL-O Strawberry Flavor Gelatin to half of the vanilla batter. Bake vanilla and strawberry cupcakes, let cool.
Meanwhile, combine vanilla pudding and milk and place in refrigerator to set. After the cupcakes are completely cool, remove pudding from refrigerator and fold in about 3/4 of the tub of COOL WHIP until smooth. Place in re-sealable bag or decorator bag.
To assemble the push pops, cut cupcakes into small squares and layer beginning with chocolate, adding a layer of the pudding mixture and repeating with the vanilla and strawberry cake, adding pudding between each layer. Top with remaining COOL WHIP, sprinkles and JET-PUFFED Ice Cream Cone Mallows.
Recipe makes about 18-20 push pop containers
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes for each cupcake
You can also use glass jars if you don't have push pops containers
Assemble the day you are serving
Store in refrigerator until time to serve
Made with chocolate and vanilla cakes and strawberry JELL-O, these festive-looking Neapolitan Cake Push Pops are as fun to eat as they are easy to make.
Total Time
Article by Kraft TasteMaker Liz Latham. For more recipes and ideas, visit her blog at Hoosier Homemade.
Please keep in mind that the bloggers opinions, advice and recipes are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Kraft Foods.
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text: blog posts5 things no one tells you before you start earning your MBA by Cari McLeanApr 23, 2015 3:45 pm272 ViewsUnbelievably the class of 2016 is already one-third of the way through the Illinois eMBA program and we are seeing our second-year friends graduate soon. They said it would fly by quickly and it sure does. However, after reflecting on the journey so far, here are some things no one really tells you before you start earning your MBA.Share this StoryShare 5 things no one tells you before you start earning your MBA on FacebookShare 5 things no one tells you before you start earning your MBA on TwitterFinish Strong by Matthew ColemanApr 6, 2015 4:45 pm135 ViewsFull Metal Jacket was one of my favorite movies in college. There was nothing like drinking an ice-cold beverage while watching this guy mold young men into soldiers. Although the U of I EMBA program isn't quite the Marine Corps, we've had our own boot camp so to speak – and 573 days of studying finance, marketing and operations have transformed us into hardcore business grunts. We've just finished our last class weekend and soon we'll be taking our ambition, intellect and Pepto-Bismol to China. Time to go hard – time to finish strong!Share this StoryShare Finish Strong on FacebookShare Finish Strong on TwitterDo. Or do not. There is no try. by Matthew ColemanNov 12, 2014 11:30 am222 ViewsOne of the highlights of U of I EMBA program is the capstone trip to China. All of the blood sweat and tears spent during the first year of the program culminate with a whirlwind of presentations, tours and fun in an exotic locale. However, bidding on the projects wasn't unlike arguing over your favorite TV show or movie. All of the projects offered were great and will allow us to fully apply what we've learned, but everyone has different interests. Here's how I viewed our choices…Share this StoryShare Do. Or do not. There is no try. on FacebookShare Do. Or do not. There is no try. on TwitterMy Biggest 3 Aha Moments by Cari McLeanNov 4, 2014 1:30 pm244 ViewsIt has been only two months. Two months since the jitter-filled, exciting first weekend of the EMBA program. Two months, two classes, two outstanding professors and almost too many remarkable conversations with fellow students to total. I feel like I've already learned a lot. Lessons and mantras I'll carry with me throughout my career and life. As a way to recount, I thought I'd share some of my biggest aha moments (so far).Share this StoryShare My Biggest 3 Aha Moments on FacebookShare My Biggest 3 Aha Moments on TwitterMic Please! by James WilhelmAug 23, 2014 11:45 am234 ViewsIn less than two weeks, the class of 2016 will begin their University of Illinois EMBA experience, and our class will graduate to the rank of "second-years" – with all of the rights and responsibilities that come with such a lofty and deserved rank. The most notable responsibility, of course, is the obligation to buy drinks for incoming students at the Elephant & Castle – allowing us the opportunity to expound about all that we come to learn.Share this StoryShare Mic Please! on FacebookShare Mic Please! on TwitterI Went Home by Matthew ColemanJul 31, 2014 3:15 pm93 Views"I Went Home"Before anyone ever cared where I would attend grad school, I was a kid with West Virginia roots. It's where I walked. It's where I ran. It's where I cried. It's where I bled. It holds a special place in my heart. People there have seen me grow up. I'm their son. Their passion can be overwhelming. But it drives me. I want to give them hope when I can. I want to inspire them when I can. My relationship with West Virginia is bigger than academics. I didn't realize that 10 months ago. I do now.Share this StoryShare I Went Home on FacebookShare I Went Home on TwitterApply Yourself by Matthew ColemanApr 24, 2014 4:30 pm134 ViewsI remember attending an information session at the Illini Center about a year ago. There was a phrase that I heard consistently from the faculty, professors and current/former students – "You will apply what you learn over the weekends on Mondays". While that's certainly been true for me so far, last week was different…Share this StoryShare Apply Yourself on FacebookShare Apply Yourself on TwitterExpectations by Matthew ColemanFeb 27, 2014 3:00 pm237 ViewsHave your friends ever told you about a movie that you hadn't seen yet, and they just kept raving about how good it was? For me, that movie was The Hangover. It was a funny flick (an instant classic really), but it was a bit of a letdown because my expectations were SO high. Share this StoryShare Expectations on FacebookShare Expectations on TwitterCan't Stop -- Won't Stop by Matthew ColemanNov 25, 2013 2:15 pm122 ViewsI fall in the subset of students that doesn't typically travel much for work – the rest of the class travels extensively. Whether it's commuting by train, driving to Canada or flying to Australia and China, the class of 2015 has enough travel reward points to easily reach "Executive Platinum Diamond Concierge Baller" status. That doesn't even include attending life events like births (congrats, Uncle Rick) and baptisms (congrats, Erin) that we wouldn't miss for the world. That said, our EMBA curriculum is like P. Diddy; it can't stop – won't stop.Share this StoryShare Can't Stop -- Won't Stop on FacebookShare Can't Stop -- Won't Stop on TwitterBack to school again! by Matthew ColemanOct 15, 2013 1:00 pm189 ViewsWhat do a tanagram, a murder mystery and trading geometric shapes have to do with an EMBA program? Well…everything as it turns out! Share this StoryShare Back to school again! on FacebookShare Back to school again! on Twitter


text:
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Gold futures retreated Friday, part of a broader selloff across commodity markets after a sharper-than-expected slowing in Chinese growth.
Gold for June delivery GCM2, -0.17% lost $20.40, or 1.2%, to $1,660.20 an ounce on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange.
Comments from Federal Reserve officials had helped spur expectations of more monetary stimulus and gave the metal a boost in Thursday's session, but optimism soured after data released Friday showed Chinese growth cooled to its slowest pace in 11 quarters. Thursday's gold session
Gross domestic product grew 8.1% in the January to March period, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, missing analysts' expectations of an 8.3% expansion. China's GDP
Friday capped a positive week for gold, however, which notched gains of 1.8% on the five-day period. In contrast, other metals posted weekly losses.
Gold has been able to benefit from the hopes of more quantitative easing and gained more than 1% in three separate days in the week.
Trading was "nervous" on Friday, with gold tracking lower equities and being pressured by the stronger dollar after the Chinese data, said Frank Lesh, a broker and analyst with FuturePath Trading in Chicago.
For the past several months, "gold has seemed to be more of a follower than a leader," he said, exhibiting a very strong correlation with equities and dollar moves.
The ICE dollar index DXY, -0.17% which compares the U.S. unit to a basket of six currencies, rose to 79.875, from 79.269 in late North American trading on Thursday. The dollar and U.S. Treasurys have gotten much of the safe-haven flow that gold has failed to catch.
U.S. stocks opened lower and oil futures retreated. European stock also traded lower, led by losses for Spanish stocks after data showed bank borrowing in the country from the European Central Bank soared in March.
The wider metals complex also posted losses, with copper and silver leading the declines. China is a top consumer of copper and other base metals.
May copper HGK2, +0.00% lost 9 cents, or 2.5%, to $3.63 a pound. On the week, copper declined 4.5%.
Strategists at Barclays Capital kept their hopes up for copper despite the losses, saying they forecast strengthening global growth in the second half of the year, which will be bullish for copper prices. Second-quarter price dips are "buying opportunities," they said.
Silver for May delivery SIK2 lost $1.13, or 3.5%, to $31.39 an ounce. Silver lost 1.1% on the week.
July platinum PLN2 dropped $18.10, or 1.1%, to $1,587.90 an ounce, while palladium for June delivery PAM2 shed $5.90, or 0.9%, to $647.20 an ounce.
Weekly losses for platinum reached 1.3%, while palladium's reached 0.4%.
Providing critical information for the U.S. trading day. Subscribe to MarketWatch's free Need to Know newsletter. Sign up here.


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NH Boys' Lacrosse Coaches Association all-division teams
June 14. 2013 12:14AM
Division I
Jesse Brown, Hanover, Midfielder, Senior; Tom Haller, Nashua North, Sophomore, Midfielder; Dom St. Laurent, Bishop Guertin, Junior, Midfielder; Blake Boudreau, Bishop Guertin, Senior, Midfielder; John Miller, Bishop Guertin, Junior, Midfielder; Galen Antolino, Exeter, Senior, Midfielder; Jake Lisauskas, Pinkerton, Junior, Midfielder; Brendan Megan, Pinkerton, Senior, Midfielder; Dan Auger, Nashua South, Senior, Attack; Connor Donahue, Bishop Guertin, Junior, Attack; Rob Hart, Londonderry, Senior, Attack; Josh Gallant, Pinkerton, Senior, Attack; Dom Corsetto, Pinkerton, Senior, Attack; Don Litzelman, Exeter, Senior, Attack; Mack Walker, Souhegan, Junior, Attack; Connor Holbrook, Souhegan, Senior, Defense; Eric Coburn, Londonderry, Junior, Defense; Jamie Vogt, Exeter, Senior, Defense; Sean Conroy, Pinkerton, Senior, Defense; Andrew Thurston, Exeter, Senior, Defense; John Karanasios, Bishop Guertin, Junior, LSM; Ken Sturgess, Pinkerton, Senior, Goalie
Adam Resnick, Concord, Senior, Midfielder; Jeremy Mumford, Exeter, Senior, Midfielder; Pat Goff, Nashua South, Senior, Midfielder; Sean Delea, Pinkerton, Junior, Midfielder; Brett Dattilo, Pinkerton, Freshman, Midfielder; Julio Rincon, Manchester Central, Junior, Midfielder; Colin Swanson, Bishop Guertin, Senior, Midfielder; Hunter Allen, Bishop Guertin, Senior, Midfielder; Jon Soldano, Salem, Senior, Midfielder; Dillon McKay, Londonderry, Junior, Midfielder; Blake Burnley, Souhegan, Junior, Attack; Tom Hurley, Bishop Guertin, Junior, Attack; Nick Yennaco, Londonderry, Junior, Attack; Jim Young, Exeter, Sophomore, Attack; Cam Richard, Pinkerton, Defense, Freshman; Nate Eldred, Bishop Guertin, Junior, Defense; Carl Keating, Hanover, Senior, Defense; Noah Huizenga, Hanover, Junior, Defense; Teddy Geraghty, Hanover, Junior, Defense; Brett Connal, Pinkerton, Junior, LSM; Dan Hicks, Londonderry, Senior, LSM; Chris Washington, Hanover, Junior, Goalie
Matt Rimol. Londonderry, Sophomore, Attack; Todd Billetter, Pinkerton, Sophomore, Attack; Connor Rowley, Manchester Central, Junior, Attack; Worthy Gardner, Hanover, Junior, Midfielder; Liam Houghton, Manchester Memorial, Senior, Defense; Sam MacDonald, Salem, Sophomore, Defense; Paul Callahan, Bishop Guertin, Senior, Goalie; Brian McKinley, Nashua South, Sophomore Goalie; Nick Engel, Concord, Senior, Defense; Eric Hazard, Nashua North, Senior, Defense; Zach Adler, Exeter, Junior, Defense; Mitch Hale, Souhegan, Junior, AttackOffensive Player of the Year: Dom St. Laurent, Bishop GuertinDefensive Player of the Year: Eric Coburn, LondonderryCoach of the Year: Brad Bishop, SouheganAssistant Coach of the Year: Robert Hailey, Salem
Division II
Dan Colella, Bedford, Attack; Jason Campbell, Bedford, Attack; Devin Calkins, Bow, Attack; Matthew Sanford, Bow, Attack; Jack Carney, Goffstown, Attack; Noah Schwaegerle, St. Thomas, Attack; Sam Bonsaint, Winnacunnet, Attack; David Phelps, Bedford, Midfield; Taylor Wallace, Bedford, Midfield; Grant Mello, Bedford, Midfield; Dan Crisman, Bow, Midfield; Riley Keenan, Bow, Midfield; Brad Chapdelaine, Goffstown, Midfield; Colin MacDonald, Portsmouth, Midfield; Jake Geppert, St Thomas, Midfield; Tom O'Rourke, Bedford, Defense; Clay Kirkpatrick, Bedford, Defense; Derrick LaBranche, Bow, Defense; Jack Ollila, Goffstown, Defense; Jake Howe, Merrimack, Defense; Nate Sweet, Portsmouth, Defense; Michael Karpel, Winnacunnet, Defense; Mike Vailas, Bedford, LSM; Joe Karsonovich, St Thomas, LSM; Matt Howe, Bedford, Goalie; Sebastian Olsen, St Thomas, Goalie
Mike Fanaras, Bow, Attack; Eli Cobb, Dover, Attack; Logan Allard, Goffstown, Attack; Mac Martin, Merrimack, Attack; Ian MacDonald,Portsmouth, Attack; Mike Canniff, Timberlane, Attack; Matt Ikawa, Winnacunnet, Attack; Nick Peckham, Winnacunnet, Attack; Tyler Sullivan, Bedford, Attack; Joe Johnston, Dover, Midfield; Cam Rewucki, Dover, Midfield; Liam Moloney, Goffstown, Midfield; Sam Shearin, Goffstown, Midfield; Connor Cyr, Merrimack, Midfield; Connor MacInnis, Merrimack, Midfield; Peter Hamblett, Portsmouth, Midfield; Trey Scott, Spaulding, Midfield; Brandon Gnecco, Winnacunnet, Midfield; Devin Chen, Winnacunnet, Midfield; Ben Cranford, Winnacunnet, Midfield; Andrew Nesman, Dover, Defense; Devin Husslege, Portsmouth, Defense; Brian Chick, Spaulding, Defense; Patrick Toomey, St. Thomas, Defense; Alex Reitze, Bow, LSM; Tyler Foley, Dover, Goalie; Andrew Chretien, Goffstown, GoalieOffensive Player of the Year: Dan Colella, BedfordDefensive Player of the Year: Derrick LaBranche, BowCo-Coaches of the Year: Matt Guerard, Bedford; Josh Lewis, Goffstown
Attack: Matt Milne, Derryfield; Ryan Papineau, Hollis Brookline; Keston Beauregard, Pelham; Mackenzie Tetreault, Kingswood; Henry Merrow, Hopkinton. Midfielders: Arthur Krogman, Derryfield; Griffin Phaneuf, Derryfield; Harley Kearney, Pelham; Peter Allen, Kearsarge; Bennett Mosseau, Hopkinton; Ned Metcalf, Hopkinton; Sam Whitaker, Hollis Brookline; Anthony Gallo, Windham; Kyle Reisert, Plymouth; Jared Kuehl,Plymouth; Ryan Askham, West. Defense: Connor Walsh, Hollis Brookline; James McCluskey, Hopkinton; Woody Hedberg, Plymouth; Jon Lencki, Derryfield. Long stick midfielder: Chris Ferri, Windham. Goalies: Mitch Green, Derryfield; Matt French, Hopkinton
Attack: Brody Fredricks, John Stark; Grant Alenson, Derryfield; Jimmy O'Brien, Derryfield; Ty Gagne, Plymouth; Pat Dunn, Hollis Brookline. Midfielders): Tyler Zorn, Derryfield; Harrison Urda, Milford; Kevin DeAngelo, Pelham; Zach Ziemba, West; Ollie Gallo Kearsarge; Tyler Tambouris, Trinity; Tom Zervos, John Stark; Jeff Trovato, Windham; Wil Sheppard, Trinity; Jon Berry, Bishop Brady. Defense: Chad Loring, Pelham; Ryan Farina, Plymouth; Max Anderson, Derryfield; George Nicolopolous, Derryfield; Jon Dumont, Trinity. Long stick midfielder: Elijah Gorton, Derryfield. Goalies: Jake Diaz, Pelham; Dylan McIntosh, Plymouth
Jake Poulin, Monadnock; Brandon Goodale, Plymouth; August Colburn, John Stark; Adam Audet, Milford; Luke Tracy, Pelham; Jared Camire, West; Will Towner, Trinity; Ben Gambino, Kearsarge; Austin Cowan, Hopkinton; Dylan Robbs, Gilford; Peter Thompson, Derryfield; Ryan Stone, Laconia; Alec Grant, Hollis Brookline; Joshua Casey, Stevens; David Goodnough, Windham; Dylan Baer, Merrimack Valley; Sean Stinehour, Conval; Mike Bernier, Kingswood; Evan Hall, Bishop Brady.Offensive Player of the Year: Matt Milne, DerryfieldDefensive Player of the Year: Matt French, HopkintonCoach of the Year: Doug Maynard, Hopkinton


text: Church workers have joined the massive relief work in India's northeastern Assam state, where flooding has left 126 people dead and affected nearly 3 million people. "The situation is still very grim, and over 70 percent of the affected families have no access to their villages," said Father Theodore Purthy, director of the Tezpur Diocese's social service agency on July 12. "Many villages are still under water, and houses along with the possessions -- including cattle -- have been washed away," Father Purthy said as he returned to his base from remote villages to assess damage and to map out the church's rehabilitation program for those affected. These villages remain marooned and inaccessible as even roads have been washed away," said Father Purthy. Heavy monsoon rains in late June, along with floodwaters from Bhutan, have inundated thousands of villages and submerged roads and towns in 23 of 27 districts of Assam state, which is traversed by the Brahmaputra River. Babita Alick, team leader for disaster management of Caritas India, the social action wing of the Indian church, said that three medical teams led by doctors have been reaching out to villagers sheltered in relief camps run by the government in schools and other centers. "The conditions in the relief camps are appalling. Women, children and cattle are jostling for space in the camps. There is hardly any toilet facility in the camps with over 2,000 people," Alick said from New Delhi after visiting the flood-affected areas. "Medical attention is the greatest necessity, with dead carcasses of cattle floating around and acute shortages of drinking water. Thousands are camping on roadsides as entire villages have been under water," Alick said. She said Caritas India was working with the Tezpur Diocese, focusing on running medical camps in the relief camps and roadsides, while water and sanitation programs are also being instituted in inundated areas. "Once the water recedes and families begin to return back to their villages, we will focus on livelihood restoration and shelter repair," Alick said.


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text:
Not the news they were hoping for
Regulators renewed VeriSign's status as the world's biggest Internet registry operator but constrained its ability to raise prices, sending the company's shares tumbling Friday. By renewing the company's authorization, the U.S. Department of Commerce allowed VeriSign to continue to charge for its service of registering domain names using the ubiquitous .com suffix, part of the Reston, Virginia, company's agreement with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, a world-wide decision-making body for the web.
The declaration formally affirmed VeriSign's main source of revenue through Nov. 30, 2018, while constricting its ability to raise prices, ending a plan that would have allowed the company four automatic price increases of up to 7% during the term. Instead, VeriSign must ask for Commerce Department permission if it wants to raise prices to cover extraordinary costs from security or stability threats. The company also can ask for price increases justified by new consensus policies created by the broader Internet community.
VeriSign (VRSN : NASDAQ : US$34.15), Net Change: -5.19, % Change: -13.19%, Volume: 45,119,373


text:
Skip to Content
Back to
: Communication
JVIB Special Issue on Critical Issues in Visual Impairment & Blindness
Help us expand our resources for people with vision loss.
FamilyConnect is an online, multimedia community created to give parents of visually impaired children a place to support each other, share stories and concerns, and link to local resources.
Learn how AFB designs its family of websites for accessibility!


text:
Hedge Funds: Background
While individuals who work for hedge funds had been contributing to campaigns for years, the industry itself didn't emerge as a significant political player or campaign contributor until 2007, coinciding with the increased scrutiny the industry began to face from lawmakers. However, the industry has more than made up for lost time. Hedge funds contributed nearly $40 million during the 2012 election cycle -- more than double their contributions during the 2008 election cycle.
Over the years, hedge funds have donated mostly to Democrats. However, that trend changed in 2010 and continued in 2012, when Democrats received only 24 percent of contributions from the industry. The industry's top contributor during the 2012 election cycle was Renaissance Technologies, which contributed more than $8.9 million.
The industry spent more than $7.1 million on lobbying in 2012. The Managed Funds Association, which represents the global alternative investment industry, spent more than $4.1 million on lobbying in 2012. The industry's top concern currently is the implementation of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, especially the regulation of over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives.
Hedge funds, which are not directly regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission, make money through a much broader array of investments than mutual funds, and are limited by fewer disclosure rules and constraints on trading techniques. They are generally open only to pension and endowment funds and individuals with more than $1 million in assets or incomes of more than $200,000. To identify hedge funds, CRP's researchers rely on the funds' own descriptions, reliable media sources and the Managed Funds Association.
Private equity firms, which buy controlling interests in companies with an eye to restructuring and reselling them, are not included in this category. They are, however, tracked within the larger securities and investment industry, which also includes stockbrokers, brokerage houses, bond dealers, commodities dealers and exchanges, investment banking houses, stock exchanges and venture capital firms.
-- Monica Vendituoli
Updated September 2013
Feel free to distribute or cite this material, but please credit the Center for Responsive Politics.


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ERWIN firstname.lastname@example.com_current.manitoulin_expositor 2002-03-27 published
Lloyd George LANE
In loving memory Lloyd George LANE, April 9, 1920-March 19, 2002.
Lloyd LANE, a resident of Barrie Island, died at the home of his daughter Marta, on Tuesday, March 19, 2002 at the age of 81 years.
He was born on Barrie Island, son of the late George Ernest and Martha {VANCISE} LANE, and had lived and farmed on the family farm all his life, where he and Evelyn raised their family. Lloyd also drove school bus for 23 years, and had been active on many boards, such as the Barrie Island Council, Reeve, Road Superintendent, was on the Board of Children's Aid, Flower of Hope, Co-Op and served on many committees of Lyons Memorial United Church. Lloyd also enjoyed supply teaching, one of his favourite activities. Lloyd was a loving and caring husband, father, grandfather and friend. His quiet manner and his presence will be sadly missed in the community.
Dearly loved husband of Evelyn LANE of Barrie Island. Loving and loved father of Larry of St. Catharines, Lola (husband Ray GUDMUNDSON predeceased) of Sudbury, Rhonda (husband Charlie SMITH) of Massey, Doug of Windsor, Marta (husband Dr. Joe WONG) of Markham, Lori (husband Ron ERWIN) of Scarborough, and Tammy (friend Paul THOMPSON/THOMSON/TOMPSON/TOMSON) of Toronto. Proud grandfather of Jeremy (Anne), Rebecca (Bill), Terry (fiancé Emily), Jennifer, Chuck, Angela, Sheryl (David), Ben, Cameron, Cynthia, Brandon, Angi (Chad), Raymond, Lily, Kevin, Steffi, Mitchell, Anson and Aya, and great grandchildren Tiana, Brendan, Maeve, Mark and Angus. Dear brother of Larry (wife Margaret) LANE of Gore Bay, and brother-in-law of James and Madeline LANE, Reverend Bessie LANE, Maudie and Barry POWELL and Bob and Debbie LANE. Predeceased by son Peter, brothers Clarence, Henry, John, Harold and sisters Mary and Agnes.
The funeral service was conducted in Lyons Memorial Church on Saturday, March 23 with Reverend Bessie LANE officiating. Spring interment in Gordon Cemetery. If so desired, donations may be made to the Lyons Memorial United Church or the charity of choice. Arrangements entrusted to Culgin Funeral Home.
E... Names ER... Names ERW... Names Welcome Home
ERWIN - All Categories in OGSPI


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flower treatsThursday, July 08, 2010
Call me crazy. But, I just couldn't help myself.
We were out of dog treats. Charlie searched for a recipe.
And found Snickerpoodles, perfect for his love of snickerdoodles.
I did overcook them. Thankfully, Trouble doesn't mind a bit.
51 comments
I think I'll be making some snickerpoodles ASAP !ReplyDelete
not crazy at all. that's pure puppy love!ReplyDelete
What a lucky dog!ReplyDelete
True doggie devotion right there. I love it!ReplyDelete
you make every snack special for every member of the family. I love that about you.ReplyDelete
of course you did! i can totally see why. ;)ReplyDelete
That is a wonderful idea. I am not sure if I could make them for Victor without making them pretty small, because I think that one of them would be more calories than he is supposed to get from treats.ReplyDelete
You're a good mom! I love my 4-legged babies but have never made them homemade biscuits!ReplyDelete
oh, he is just the sweetest thing!ReplyDelete
always loving your cookies here. ;)
just make the tiny cinnamon sugar cookies the other day. I found a recipe that made me think of you recently.
check it out!
i mean, seriously!? ;)
love to read you always.
What a wonderful idea!!! My mother has 2 little pups who would LOVE some snickerpoodles!!!ReplyDelete
what a sweet post!
maureen xo
Snickerpoodles?! Who knew?!ReplyDelete
I should have my kids bake some of those for our puppies who aren't nearly as little and cute as they were 6 months ago, but are now huge ravenous canine husky-lab beasts! :-)
ps- I thought of you as I cultured some buttermilk today!
Oh my goodness, how cute. I can't wait to make these for our pooch ;) Thanks for sharing. Your doggy is darling!ReplyDelete
Many Blessings,
Send Flowers to ItalyReplyDelete
Hey great stuff, thank you for sharing this useful information and i will let know my friends as well.
Our Rosie would just love these - also a great Christmas gift for friends and family with dogs.ReplyDelete
Is that an Airdale Terrier? I only ask because my parents used to have one. When they went to pick him out, the children all ran into the house shouting "Mom! Dad! They picked Trouble!" It was the only puppy they had named, and he definitely lived up to it. Maybe it's something about that breed? :-)ReplyDelete
my mother-in-law follows you and recently told me you have an airedale!! We have one too =) Now I'm going to have to make her cookies as well!ReplyDelete
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Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
The navigational prowess of "the most famous reindeer of all" will again illuminate Santa Claus' way into the Christmas season, on a rebroadcast of "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer," Tuesday, Dec. 4 (8 p.m.), on the CBS Television Network.
(Originally broadcast on CBS Dec. 8, 1972, after an eight-year run on another network.)
The special, narrated by Burl Ives, who is also heard as the voice of Sam the Snowman, is a musical story based on the popular song of the same title by Johnny Marks. It recounts the tale of a shy reindeer whose Christmas spirit is dampened because his shiny nose has made him the laughing stock of all Christmasville.
Pursued by an Abominable Snow Monster, inhabitants of Christmasville flee to the island of Misfit Toys in the Arctic wilderness where Yukon Cornelius, a prospector they meet along the way, comes to their rescue. Returning to Christmasville, they learn that bad weather may cause Christmas to be canceled. But Rudolph's headlight - his illuminated nose - saves the "foggy Christmas Eve" by serving as a beacon to guide Santa's sleigh.
Marks composed seven additional songs for the special: "Holly Jolly Christmas," "Silver and Gold," "We Are Santa's Elves," "We're a Couple of Misfits," "Jingle Jingle Jingle," "There's Always Tomorrow" and "The Most Wonderful Day of the Year." Two musical numbers in the beloved classic were restored to their original form in the remastered version. Now included is the full-length rendition of the song "We Are Santa's Elves." The second enhanced number is "We're a Couple of Misfits," a duet between Rudolph and his newfound friend, Hermey the Elf.
Over the years, fading and degeneration of the print had caused it to take on a reddish hue that differs significantly from the bluer tones and starker contrasts of the original. This color-corrected version from 1998 allows a new generation of television viewers to appreciate the special's original visual texture and rich palette of colors. Santa's elves have their blue suits back after years of wearing faded green.
Golden Books completed the scene restorations and color correction process for "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer". The special was produced by "Animagic" pioneers Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass and directed by Larry Roemer. Romeo Muller wrote the television adaptation from a story by Robert L. May.
Other highlights on CBS this holiday season include:
•"The Flight Before Christmas": An animated holiday special about a young reindeer with ambitions of becoming an expert flyer like his father features the voices of Emma Roberts ("Hotel for Dogs") and comedian Norm MacDonald ("Saturday Night Live"). Airing Saturday, Dec. 8, at 9 p.m.
•"Yes, Virginia": This animated special is based on the 1897 true story of Virginia O'Hanlon, an 8-year-old girl who inspired the most famous newspaper editorial of all time by asking, "Is there a Santa Claus?" Neil Patrick Harris, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Alfred Molina voice key characters. Beatrice Miller ("Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs") voices the role of Virginia. Airing Friday, Dec. 14, at 9 p.m.
•"The Elf on the Shelf: An Elf's Story": This animated feature, based on the best-selling holiday children's book, "The Elf on the Shelf," follows one of the many scout elves from the North Pole who helps Santa Claus determine who to put on the naughty and nice lists. Airing Friday, Dec. 14, at 9:30 p.m.
•"Elf": Will Ferrell, James Caan and Mary Steenburgen star in this comedy about a man raised as an elf at the North Pole who is sent to New York in search of his true identity. Airing Saturday, Dec. 15, at 8 p.m.


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Relatively speaking, the Bruins didn't do much over the course of draft weekend in St. Paul, Minn.
They made their six picks and promoted Bruce Cassidy from assistant to head coach of the Providence (AHL) farm club.
Meanwhile, their division rivals were all active making their picks and adding help for their NHL rosters for 2011-12.
Toronto and Buffalo both bolstered their back ends by adding veteran blueliners. The Maple Leafs landed John-Michael Liles from Colorado in exchange for the Bruins' second-round pick in 2012 (the extra pick shipped to Toronto to complete the Tomas Kaberle deal). So in essense, Leafs general manager Brian Burke traded Kaberle for Joe Colborne, Liles and first-round pick Tyler Biggs (who was taken 22nd after a trade with Anaheim involving the Bruins' former first-round pick at No. 30). Not a bad haul for Kaberle, and a strong addition to the Leafs' power play (ranked 22nd in 2010-11) with Liles moving over.
The Sabres convinced Robyn Regehr it would be in his interest to swap the winters of Calgary for the winters of Buffalo (cold is cold, after all) and that gives them not only a solid veteran defensemen, but a veteran mentor for the young blueliners. At 31, Regehr is the perfect combination of someone who can still play and be a positive influence, as opposed to the likes of Teppo Numinen and Craig Rivet, who didn't have much left to offer the Sabres the last several seasons.
Ottawa added three first-round forwards to its already deep corps of scorers. Even if none of them make an NHL impact next season, the Senators should be set for several years after — both with guys that can snipe and potential trade bait. For their 2011-12 roster, however, they added Nikita Filatov for just a third-round pick from Columbus. Considering how many picks the Sens already had, this was a risk-free move. Filatov, a former No. 6 overall pick, is still just 21. Many still like his skill set if he can get his head on straight and focus on contributing to an NHL squad (plus get along with the coach). The future is bright in Ottawa, even if that brightness might not start to shine this coming season.
Montreal was the only Bruins competitor not to add anyone from the outside for their NHL roster. But they made an important re-sign with Andrei Markov re-upping for three years at a cap hit of $5.75 million. Everyone knows the injury problems Markov has had to deal with the last couple seasons. If he stays healthy, though, he could turn out to be a bargain considering his ability to quarterback the power play and provide solid play at both ends at even strength. Markov's deal also set the bar for high-end free agent defensemen, which down the road could affect what the Bruins or another team wind up paying Kaberle.
So the offseason is off and running. The teams closest to the Bruins are making their moves and the Bruins, for now, look set to stand pat. That might change as we approach July 1 and after the free-agent market opens. But as of today, repeating just as division champs, never mind Stanley Cup winners, looks like a little tougher task.


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COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - With the memory of a particularly violent weekend fresh on many people's minds, the Five Points Association is hoping for some positive national exposure and they want an assist from a willing University of South Carolina student or two.
The association is offering $300 in cash to anyone attending Saturday morning's broadcast of ESPN's College GameDay who creates a positive sign that includes the words "5 Points."
Students are asked to take a picture of their sign and email it to firstname.lastname@example.com before 10 a.m. Saturday and then try their best to make sure their sign is seen on the air.
The broadcast is scheduled for 9 a.m. - 12 noon on the Horseshoe.
The association will pay the first five students whose signs make it onto the broadcast. Sid and Nancy and Revente have also offered gift certificates.
Copyright 2012 WIS. All rights reserved.


text: Home- Faculty Search- Faculty Directory- Albert Yee Colgate Directory FACULTY DETAIL < BACK TO RESULTS Albert YeeSenior Lecturer in Political Science Political Science, 117 Persson Hall p email@example.com Degree BA, MPhil, PhD, Yale University Teaching Experience Fei Yi-Ming Professor, Hopkins-Nanjing Center, Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, The Johns Hopkins University Specialties International relations, American foreign policy, U.S.-China relations, international political economy, China's political-economic development Interests U.S.-China relations, culture of U.S. foreign policy, post-Mao China, comparative international development, international relations theory Publications "China's Macroeconomic Response to the Global Recession" Asian Perspectives (2012) "Explanations of China's Compliance with International Agreements," in Thirty Years of China-U.S. Relations, eds. S. Guo and B. Guo (Lexington 2010) "Domestic Support Ratios in Two-Level Bargaining: The US-China WTO Negotiations," The China Review (2004) "Cross National Concepts in Supranational Governance: State-Society Relations and EU Policy-Making," Governance (2004) "Semantic Ambiguity and Joint Deflections in the Hainan Negotiations," China: An International Journal (2004). Distinctions Fellowship, Institute for International Research, Hopkins-Nanjing Center (2004-06)


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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California lawmakers are expected to vote Friday on an on-time Democratic spending plan that includes a historic education funding shift to boost the fortunes of school districts with high numbers of poor and minority students while restoring some social services that fell victim to the recent recession.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California lawmakers are expected to vote Friday on an on-time Democratic spending plan that includes a historic education funding shift to boost the fortunes of school districts with high numbers of poor and minority students while restoring some social services that fell victim to the recent recession.
The new $96.3 billion state budget negotiated by Gov. Jerry Brown and legislative leaders benefits from California's recovering economy and a tax increase approved by voters last fall. It contains a $1.1 billion reserve and pays down some of the "wall of debt" the state accrued during a series of budget crises marked by multi-billion dollar deficits.
Brown will get to claim success in holding the line on spending by demanding that his fellow Democrats use his more conservative revenue projection, rather than what he says are volatile capital gains revenues.
"Look, we have boom and bust; money comes in, money goes out," Brown said this week as he announced the compromise with legislative Democrats. "And I'm trying to be a good, prudent steward of the people's money."
The governor also secured more than $3.6 billion in extra money this year for a K-12 funding formula that will channel additional resources to school districts with high levels of low-income students, those with low English proficiency and foster children.
The governor hopes that redirecting state aid will correct decades of inequality between districts. But advocates for education reform worry that labor-friendly Democrats will avoid attaching rigorous oversight and accountability standards to help close the achievement gap.
"Absent dramatically stronger accountability requirements, it is unknown," what effect the money will have, said Sen. Mark Wyland, R-Escondido, vice chairman of the Senate Education Committee.
Brown said he will not reopen the budget for negotiation but Democratic leaders are hoping to secure additional spending in the new year, when they expect higher tax revenues.
"If there is additional revenue, we can either pay down debt more aggressively or look for other targeted investments to try to, again, make up for some of what has been lost over the last four or five years," Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, said Tuesday.
Lawmakers have until Saturday to pass a balanced budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. Democrats, who control the Assembly and Senate, need only a simple majority to pass a budget and can do so without Republican support.
Under the Democratic spending plan, the legislative leaders received funding for their top priorities, including mental health treatment, dental care for 3 million low-income Californians, welfare grant increases and initial funding for a middle-class college scholarship program.
While Brown and fellow Democrats have touted their plan for restoring financial stability, Republicans criticized the package for failing to address many of the state's long-term obligations, such as paying down pension and retiree health care liabilities, or setting aside money in a rainy day fund for the next bust.
They also say the state is no position to resume spending on mental health treatment, dental care for the poor or to increase welfare grants.
"We need to invest in growing the economy, not in growing welfare," Assemblyman Dan Logue, R-Marysville, said in a statement.
Brown was unable to persuade lawmakers to redirect some $750 million a year from the state's enterprise zones program to his proposed sales tax exemption on manufacturing and research and development, a credit for hiring the unemployed and an investment tax credit to encourage businesses to retain jobs.


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A song that answers the question, 'What is love?'.
Published by
Owner: Jongleur Music/Books/Art/Pictures Music, book publishing and motion picture/television development of production and distribution. Note: 27 year old Gary Revel set out on a quest for the truth of the Martin Luther King Jr. assassination. Danger and intrigue followed. My memoir - TO LIVE OR MAYBE NOT It includes details of my birth in Folrala, Alabama, youth in Niceville, Dunedin, Safety Harbor, Bartow and Bonifay, Florida, high school-Holmes County High School, US Navy Service in San Diego, California, music business in Hollywood, Memphis, Nashville, my investigation of the Martin Luther King Jr. Assassination, recording and releasing the single record of the song about the MLK assassination, THEY SLEW THE DREAMER and more. Movies at http://garyrevel.com/jongleur/pictures Books at http://www.garyrevel.com/book View all posts by garyrevel


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NEW YORK — To reach the level of absurdity that Will Ferrell and Adam McKay regularly attain, they have to be particularly open-minded. They need to be willing to throw a joke about a female whale's anatomy against the wall, and see if it sticks.
It's a process of casual brainstorming, constant rewriting, endless improvisation and audience testing that leads them to ridiculous places. Their "Step Brothers," which McKay calls the most "free-form" film they've made, culminated at, of all places, something called the Catalina Wine Mixer, with Ferrell singing Andrea Bocelli's "Por Ti Volare."
"Sometimes I'll say to Ferrell: Can you believe we ended that movie in an opera song?" says McKay.
"We backed ourselves into such a corner," says Ferrell. "It was the only way."
"Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy," the first movie they made together coming out of "Saturday Night Live," famously arrived at Burgundy's inane translation of San Diego as meaning "a whale's vagina." Actually speaking the line caused Ferrell to uncharacteristically unravel.
"A professional crew. It's a night shoot," says Ferrell. "And it all came crashing down on me: We've convinced a bonded company to put these lines on film."
The new sequel, "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues," comes nine years after the original, a movie that helped launch a decade of comedies and boosted the careers of Judd Apatow (a producer on "Anchorman"), Paul Rudd and Steve Carell. Since then, Ferrell has starred in every movie McKay has directed, including the NASCAR comedy "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" and the white-collar crime satire "The Other Guys."
Their collaboration, begun in the writing rooms of "Saturday Night Live," has developed into one of the most rock-solid, long-running partnerships in comedy. They together created the production company Gary Sanchez, choosing the funniest way they could think of for an intern to answer the phone. (I Love Jesus productions was also an option.) They even developed a backstory of Sanchez as a former NFL placekicker from Paraguay who was getting into the movie business.
"They have something that's very special that's almost unprecedented in comedy films," says Apatow, also a producer on the sequel. "It reminds me of Bill Murray and Harold Ramis. When you're around it, you feel how rare it is. They've made five movies and they've all classics."
"I like working with them because they remind me I'm supposed to have fun," adds Apatow.
In a recent interview over lunch, McKay and Ferrell reflected on their process of constant trial and continual refinement. It usually begins with tossing around ideas at Ferrell's California guesthouse or their Gary Sanchez offices.
"We're big believers in sitting for two, three, four hours," says McKay. "We'll write down 50 ideas, and two will be useable."
The two first found themselves in sync at "SNL," where McKay rose to head writer after just one year as a writer. The first sketch they wrote together was about the deterioration of a morning news show when the teleprompters go down, leading to bloody tribalism.
"Anchorman 2" takes their chauvinist, sexist newsman into the 1980s and the dawn of 24/7 cable news. But it could have taken many different forms.
At first, they planned to tour a musical version in theaters before shooting the film. They considered setting a sequel in space ("We never figured out how or why," says Ferrell), or having Ron become friends with Manuel Noriega in Panama. They flirted with the Iranian hostage crisis ("How do we make THAT funny?" says Ferrell), as well as having Burgundy accidentally start a war.
"We'll try anything," says McKay.
Just as "Talladega Nights" hid a commentary on Bush-era red states, the premise of "Anchorman 2" includes a parody of today's media. Burgundy has the epiphany that TV news can tell people not what they need to hear, but what they want to hear — history as shaped by an idiot.
The extensive promotion of the film has included Ferrell, in character, anchoring local news in North Dakota and appearing on ESPN. Ferrell is surprised that some may be missing the satire: "The news itself is kind of blissfully endorsing all the things that we're doing."
More mixing and matching followed in the improvisation-heavy shoot, where McKay routinely shouts new lines at his actors. There were so many jokes that McKay at one point considered making the film in two parts, � la "Kill Bill," and even tested part one with an audience. Each joke has at least one alternative, so McKay plans to release a DVD version with the some 400 jokes each swapped out for another.
A tug of war with the Motion Picture Association of American led to some snips, like in the scene when Burgundy smokes crack on the air. They wince a little at losing a big musical scene (it included a song "Gay for a Day"), but say if test audiences don't respond to a scene, they're ruthless in editing. That's not to say what's in the film isn't plenty outlandish. It includes a section where Burgundy goes blind, a shark named Doby ("Nothing heightens chaos more than a berserk wild animal right in the middle," says McKay), and exclamations like "By the bedpan of Gene Rayburn!"
More than anything, they revel in these unpredictable, nonsensical left-hand turns that break the movie's already high degree of absurdity.
"Nothing is more enjoyable for me than when I'm watching a movie or a TV show and there's that sense that anything can happen," says McKay. "It is the most fun feeling in the world."
Ferrell and McKay, who also run the comedy website Funny Or Die, have both done projects separate of the other, of course. They're currently finalizing plans for a prison comedy, "Get Hard," starring Ferrell and Kevin Hart that McKay will produce.
McKay clearly has some interest in expanding his directing work in other directions, but he also, in the course of the interview, suggests to Ferrell that they do another big character like Burgundy, "like 8 on the volume scale."
"I selfishly want to only work with Adam and have him only work with me," says Ferrell. "Yet at the same time, I want other actors, other people to see. I don't know if people really, truly know how good Adam McKay is."
Says McKay: "People always say, 'Are you going to do other movies?' Yeah, eventually. But there's just never been a moment where us doing movies together hasn't been fun as hell and totally satisfying."
Ferrell and McKay is a partnership forged on jokes
NEW YORK — To reach the level of absurdity that Will Ferrell and Adam McKay regularly attain, they have to be particularly open-minded. They need to be willing to throw a joke about a female whale's anatomy against the wall, and see if it sticks.


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Time Warp #1
- R.I.P. – Damon Lindelof & Jeff Lemire
- It's Full Of Demons – Tom King & Tom Fowler
- I Have What You Need – Gail Simone & Gael Bertrand
- Dead Boy Detectives – Mark Buckingham & Victor Santos
- She's Not There – Peter Milligan & M.K. Perker
- 00:000:03 – Ray Fawkes & Andy Macdonald
- Warning Danger - Matt Kindt
- The Principle – Dan Abnett & I.N.J. Culbard
Published by: DC Vertigo
Price: $7.99
Page Count: 80
Just look at all that talent. Go on, take a minute and take it all in. A Vertigo anthology with Simone, Abnett, Kindt, Milligan, Albuquerque, and Spurrier – how could I pass this up?
In the name of brevity and laziness I am not going focus on all eight of the tales in this book, rather I will draw attention to the ones that make the book worthwhile, and some that take away from the entertainment value of the book. If a story is not mentioned, it was good, but not great.
When I was in grade school a bunch of us used to sit around and ask each other what was the coolest way to die. I didn't even have to think about it. The answer was obvious…'Eaten by a dinosaur.' My name is Rip Hunter. I am a Time Master. And I am not ready to die.
R.I.P could easily be subtitled "The Last Rip Hunter Story" because that is exactly what it is. I will admit to not being all that familiar with Rip Hunter as a character, and I do not know anything about his role in the New 52, but if this is the way he goes out, more power to him. In seven pages of story, Damon Lindelof incorporates the essential time travel problems into one coherent and clean tale. I really liked this story for two reasons: 1 – The sheer awesomeness of Rip's life is showcased in its full glory and 2 – this just goes to show that there are some DC characters that can exist in both DC and Vertigo continuity. Also, I may not be a fan of Jeff Lemire as a writer, but if R.I.P. is a fair sample of his work as an artist, I'd gladly read a book he was the artist on as long as he left the writing to someone else.
It's Full Of Demons / The Principle: I'd like to go into some real detail for both of these entries but in order to do that I would spoil the plot/mystery of It's Full Of Demons and I do not want to do that. What I will say is that one of these stories should not have been included because they both deal with the exact same time travel paradox but from different approaches. As big of a fan as I am of Dan Abnett, his tale, The Principle, although good, was not as good as Tom King's It's Full Of Demons from a thematic standpoint. It's Full Of Demons was a sad tragic tale of childhood loss that, once I figured it out, made me feel bad for the main character and brought into perspective the possible cause and effect of messing with the time stream. The Principle, on the other hand, was interesting, but fell flat coming after Demons.
The Grudge – This chapter was a messy convoluted collection of anecdotes that barely came together to make any sense. The technology was never clearly explained, the main characters unlikeable, and had a resolution that felt like the creators ran out of room and no longer cared. The art felt lazy and the writing tried too hard to be interesting.
Dead Boy Detectives – I have tried and tried and tried to get into the concept of the Dead Boy Detectives, but every time I read a story about them it feels like a shtick and not something I'd want to read beyond a few pages. In this case that is doubly true since this tale will be continued in the next Vertigo anthology, Witching Hour. If I pick that up, I'll probably skip this chapter.
00:000:03 – WOW! The more I think about 00:000:03 the more it impresses me. Ray Fawkes and Andy Macdonald provided social commentary on the nature of warfare, intelligence, family, love, sacrifice, and duty all while not beating the reader over the head with any kind of "message." As I read 00:000:03 I kept waiting for the feel good twist, for the deus ex machine to save the day, and I became sincerely worried and concerned that it wouldn't happen. The skill that goes into making a reader care that much in such a short amount of space is amazing, and I have nothing but respect for both creators attached to 00:000:03.
Warning Danger – Dear Matt Kindt, I love you. That is all.
One final note, for $7.99 I'd hoped for a better quality book. I do not mean the content, but the book itself. Dark Horse Presents, also an $8 anthology book, is much better put together, bigger, and has a binding that stays together even with the size of the book. Dark Horse Presents even has spine with the title and number printed on it making it more like a trade than a comic book. I know this is a petty difference to focus on, but the added quality and attention Dark Horse gives its anthology makes me feel like I am reading a cheap trade rather than an expensive comic book.
Of the eight stories collected in Time Warp, I disliked two of them, and that is a pretty good average.
Overall: 7/10


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East African nation of Djibouti, site of US military base, holds parliamentary elections
NAIROBI, Kenya – Voters in the tiny East African nation of Djibouti are casting ballots in the nation's parliamentary elections.
Friday's vote is notable because opposition political parties can win seats for the first time.
Djibouti — a nation of less than 1 million people — hosts the only permanent U.S. military base in Africa, Camp Lemonnier. The base hosts conventional forces but also special forces and aerial drones believed to be flown over Yemen and Somalia.
President Ismail Omar Guelleh won a third term in 2011 in a vote colored by an opposition boycott and a clampdown on dissent. Guelleh's critics lament changes he made to the constitution in 2010 that scrubbed a two-term limit from the nation's bylaws.


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TIPPLE CHASSE TO RIGHT (after step 4 of Back Lock)
V-6 (after 1-3 of Nat Turn)
TIPSY FOLLOWED by 2-4 of FORWARD LOCK STEP
POISE Man Stand naturally with your knees slightly flexed. Lean your body slightly forward from the waist, keeping your shoulders relaxed and at their normal level without straining across your chest. The feet are flat on the floor with all the body weight on the balls of the feet. Lady The balance will be the same as that described for the man, except that the lady's body will lean slightly backward from the waist. This backward lean should not be over-emphasised. HOLD Man Stand facing the lady as described in"POISE". The lady stands to the man's right. Place the right hand on the lady's back slightly below her left shoulder - the fingers should be held together. The upper part of the right arm, from the shoulder to the elbow, should slant downwards and the lower arm, from the elbow to the palm, should be held parallel with the floor. The left hand holds the lady's hand so that her fingers are placed between his thumb and forefinger. The man covers the lady's fingers on the right side. The left palm should not be folded inwards, there should be a straight line running from the elbow to the palm. The palm should be angled diagonally to the floor. The upper part of the right arm should slant downwards, with the arm bent at the elbow. From the elbow to the palm, the arm slants upward. The hand is held at the same level as the left ear, with the lower arm, from the elbow to the palm, being angled outwards. Lady The left hand rests lightly on the man's right hand. The fingers of the left hand are held grouped together below his right shoulder (depending on the height of the man). The right arm slants downwards from the shoulder to the elbow and then upwards from the elbow to the man's left hand. The lady's fingers are held by the man between his thumb and forefinger.
1. Feet:RF fwd Footwork:HT Alignment:Facing DW Turn:Start to turn R on 1 Rise:Start to rise e/o 1 CBM 1 Sway:St Beat:S2. Feet:LF to side Footwork:T Alignment:Backing Centre Turn:1/8 between 1 and 2 Rise:Continue to rise on 2 CBM Sway:R Beat:Q3. Feet:RF closes to LF Footwork:T Alignment:Backing DC Turn:1/8 between 2 and 3 Rise:Continue to rise on 3 CBM Sway:R Beat:Q4. Feet:LF to side and slightly back Footwork:TH Alignment:Backing DC Turn:No turn on 4 Rise:Up on 4. Lower e/o 4 CBM Sway:St Beat:S
1. Feet:LF back Footwork:TH Alignment:Backing DW Turn:Start to turn R on 1 Rise:Start to rise e/o 1 NFR CBM 1 Sway:St Beat:S2. Feet:RF to side Footwork:T Alignment:Pointing DW Turn:1/4 between 1 and 2, body turns less Rise:Continue to rise on 2 CBM Sway:L Beat:Q3. Feet:LF closes to RF Footwork:T Alignment:Facing DC Turn:Slight body turn on 3 Rise:Continue to rise on 3 CBM Sway:L Beat:Q4. Feet:RF diag fwd Footwork:TH Alignment:Backing DC Turn:No turn on 4 Rise:Up on 4. Lower e/o 4 CBM Sway:St Beat:S