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ukurban necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 64 diseños de 18 diseñadores freelance.
uk urban
We are a young vibrant company based in london SOHO. We are establishing ourselves as the key players in the distribution of underground music predominately vinyl, but not forgetting CD's and MP3's throughout the UK and abroad. We are also being labelled as music lifestyle distributor, also distrubiting merchandise and clothing. The music we distribute is from genres such as UK funky, Dubstep and Grime, we distribute it before it crosses over into the mainstream. The artists are usually from the 'streets' and have an urban background. http://www.uk-urban.com is a holding page for the moment.
We target all record shops selling underground music around the world. We are also targeting the likes of HMV, Amazon & Play.com as they all have shown interest in the music we support.Here are a few of the shops we distribute to. http://www.bm-soho.com, http://www.chemical-records.co.uk.
A unique logo that represents what our company does and the artists we represent. At the moment we have a basic silver design (http://www.uk-urban.com), but don't feel that represents what we do. We would like to have a logo that reflects the underground/urban roots but also incorprates an image of the distribution of all our music formats. We are open to all ideas and would encourage creativity. Our new website will be http://www.ukurban.com (without the hyphan). The logo must at a glance show what we do as the name itself does not. We like to portrait a professional company, young dynamic with the ability to work with the underground artists to bring their music to the world...sort of like unleashing the underground music and distributing it to the world. I hope this helps.
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MLB trade rumors: Yankees eyeing closer? Arroyo to Twins? Kemp to M's?
With baseball's general managers meeting this week in Orlando, the rumor faucet has been twisted to the fully on position, although it may still take some time until the hot rumors start flowing from the spigot. Here's a look around at what's being said, and how much of it actually holds water…
DAVID ROBERTSON: @Yankees, the official Twitter account of the 27-time world champions, has had four tweets this week. One was the news that Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson, and Hiroki Kuroda declined their qualifying offers and are full-on free agents now. One was a retweet of an MLB contest to win a CC Sabathia autographed baseball. One was a chance to meet Mariano Rivera. Then there was this…
"I'm not sure if Robertson is capable yet. He's never done that before." - @Yankees GM Brian Cashman on closer role: http://t.co/BLVHbFZddr- New York Yankees (@Yankees) November 13, 2013
|Hot Stove League links
|SN ranks the 25 best free agents
|Best: P| OF | IF | C
|Sporting News All-Stars: NL | AL
|Most beloved players
The Yankees have more than a million Twitter followers, and among the people who saw Brian Cashman's ringing non-endorsement of David Robertson as the 2014 closer in the Bronx are probably a few agents who, well, let's go to an artist's rendering.
Even if the Yankees do not sign a reliever, Cashman's public statement drives up the price on relievers such as Grant Balfour, Joaquin Benoit, Joe Nathan, Fernando Rodney and Brian Wilson. Perhaps that is the point - heighten the market for rival teams while proceeding with Robertson as the in-house option.
If the Yankees spend big in the bullpen, they can pretty much forget about addressing other needs - catcher, starting rotation, Robinson Cano or his replacement - while staying under $189 million in payroll.
Remember, in the fall of 2005, Cashman talked about how he was prepared to have Bubba Crosby be the Yankees' starting center fielder. In January 2006, New York signed Johnny Damon.
It's highly possible that Cashman is running the reverse version of that play. There is no other good reason that someone who has done his job for so long would show his hand so publicly at this stage of the offseason, knowing full well what the consequences would be in the marketplace.
- SN ranks the 20 worst MVP selections of all-time
BRONSON ARROYO: Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported that "talks between the Twins and veteran right-hander Bronson Arroyo are heating up," while noting that the hurler, who will be 37 in February, also has reportedly drawn interest from the San Francisco Giants.
Arroyo has led the National League in home runs allowed two of the past three seasons, including 32 gopher balls this year. San Francisco was home to the fewest home runs in the major leagues in 2013 - 84 - while 167 homers were hit in Minnesota, a fairly average figure that ranks below the 199 in Cincinnati.
The greatest reason for Arroyo to appeal to the Twins is that he has averaged 210 innings per season over the last nine years, with 202 innings pitched each of the last two campaigns. Twins starters worked only 880 innings in 2013, the fewest in the American League.
Staying in the National League in San Francisco probably would be a better idea for Arroyo, but if that courtship hasn't really gotten off the ground, Minnesota is a fine fit.
MARINERS: Jon Paul Morosi of Fox reports Seattle is interested in Matt Kemp,
Jerry Crasnick of ESPN has the Mariners looking to add Nelson Cruz and Carlos Beltran and Jon Heyman of CBS lists the M's first among the possible suitors for Jacoby Ellsbury.
Well, of course the Mariners want to bring in better players. They just lost 91 games in a season in which their primary outfielders were Raul Ibanez, Michael Suanders and Mike Morse. Seattle ranked 12th in the American League in scoring, and dead last with a .237 team batting average. But would these better players actually make the Mariners better, and/or actually play for Seattle?
Kemp, signed through 2019, would not have a choice about playing for the Mariners if he gets traded there, but there's the issue of actually trading for him. A Triple Crown contender when healthy, Kemp is the kind of player worth trading a top prospect to get - but how much more than that would the Dodgers demand? Is it worth making a trade to pay someone $128 million over the next six years when you could have Ellsbury for $142 over seven years and only give up a second-round draft pick to do it? Just what is the status of Kemp's ankle, and why would the Dodgers be willing to trade him instead of Andre Ethier? These are questions Jack Zduriencik would have to have good answers to in order to make a trade for Kemp.
Turning 37 in April, Beltran should be more interested in going to a team that is in position to contend immediately than Seattle, which has its work cut out and then some in a division with the A's, Rangers, and Angels.
Cruz has eight home runs in 172 career at-bats at Safeco Field, where he has hit .238. He should know as well as anyone that a giant ballpark does not suit him well as a power-hitting outfielder whose defensive prowess is less than ideal.
And that brings it back to Ellsbury, a plus defender who does not rely on power and whose on-base ability - he has a .350 career OBP - would be transformative to the Seattle lineup. As a bonus, he's from Oregon and went to Oregon State, so the Mariners are the closest thing Ellsbury has to a hometown team. That's not a real selling point for anything but tickets, but considering that Seattle has dropped out of the top 10 in the American League in attendance the past two seasons after 17 straight years in the top 10, it should mean something to the team, if not to Ellsbury.
Well, Crasnick reports the Mariners' reported interest in Ellsbury is "overblown." Presumably because it makes too much sense?

subset: commoncrawl


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Thursday, February 16, 2012
Prospects Looking Grim For "John Carter"
Below, a comment of mine from Jeff Wells' reporting on the same story:
The advance word is actually pretty positive, but the marketing has been ATROCIOUS. Starting with the awfu re-titling and continuing through the nonexistant print campaign and trailers that keep showing the same basic scenes and locations (the shorter promo clips show there's WAAAAAY more to this than the Arizona-with-aliens stuff) and deliberately making the fairly outlandish plot and events sound as generic as possible ("our world is dying..." etc) ...a lethal combination of chickenshit marketing goons ("don't say Mars! Don't say Mars!") and Stanton etc. leaning way too hard on saving the "good stuff" for theaters.
Hell, they haven't even TRIED for the "prestige boost" - i.e. like LOTR reminding audiences at every turn that they didn't just pull this out of their ass, that it was "THE" movie of this massive decades-long cultural phenomenon. For fuck's sake, every schlock airport novel that gets adapted has "BASED ON THE #1 BESTSELLER!!!!" screaming at the top of it's trailer for the VERY reason that it makes the public go "wait.. am I not in on something? maybe I need to see this, I don't wanna be left out." But Disney somehow decides it's NOT pertinent to tell people that this is based on one of the most important and influential works in the entirety of genre fiction? That it's endured for a CENTURY? That it's the source of Flash Gordon, Star Wars, LOTR, Avatar and damn near every other fantasy/scifi blockbuster thats ever been produced?
Disney does not give, and has not given, a fuck about this movie for a long time; that much is obvious. Like "Tron: Legacy," (and the stalled 20,000 Leagues remake) it's production is a leftover from the Dick Cook regime, when the big push was to build a "Disney Boy Brand" to compliment the princess brand and they were greenlighting every action/scifi tentpole that came across the desk... then it became easier/safer to just BUY a pre-built "Boy Brand" aka Marvel - why "waste" time on a question-mark like John Carter when you've got all-but-garaunteed blockbusters coming via Avengers and it's sequels PLUS at least two more Captain America, Thor and Iron Man sequels AND whatever else Marvel wants to run up the flagpole? -- ME.
It's wholly plausible that the film is good, even great - but if so, it's looking like this could be 2012's "the good guys lose" moment a'la "Scott Pilgrim." Pic opens March 9th.
15 comments:
- Michael Durant said...
I am so confused. This movie is not hard to freaking market.
It has an American good-old-boy, a fit white male warrior. He falls in love with a beautiful alien princess.
He also has a loyal alien BULLDOG. How do you fuck up marketing this? Seriously?
The moment I read "regime change", I immediately thought "they're sinking this on purpose". Ever read the book Harlan Ellison's Watching? His essay on Dune's failure explains why they sometimes sabotage perfectly good projects. Bits of it are quoted in this article.
- Blue Highwind said...
Do I care? I thought the trailers looked good. Its the fourth Star Wars prequel, but without Lucas at the helm. So hopefully we get all the visuals and action but none of the wooded dialog and comic relief aliens.
It also helps this movie has Evil Mark Strong and a Pixar director at the helm.
- Sylocat said...
The original source material has a heavy dose of the racial and gender biases of its time (though actually less than the norm back then)... which mass audiences STILL have no problem with, to this day... AND the filmmakers have done the prerequisite procedures to smooth out those issues, for the tiny fraction of audiences who live in the 21st century where social issues are concerned.
I say this without sarcasm: ANY remotely-competent marketing campaign could have turned this into a hit.
- Joshua the Anarchist said...
Yeah, the lack of "big deal"-ness surrounding this movie is depressing. It's still baffles me that it took this fucking long for any kind've legitimate film adaption of the Barsoom universe to be made. All the other genre classics of the era (Sherlock Holmes, Conan, and Burrow's own Tarzan), were getting multiple big screen treatments as early as the 30's. Meanwhile John Carter has to wait more than a century? The fucking Asylum made a John Carter movie before Hollywood proper ever got around it! How is that not an embarrassment to the industry? The whole point of the Asylum is that they don't do ANYTHING first! Hell, the only reason they even made it was they needed a public domain sci-fi property that could serve as their obligatory Avatar knockoff.
This...is very depressing news. I have to agree with Bob on the marketing, but I'd hoped that maybe that was the sort of thing that appealed to the "mainstream" who weren't aware of the novels.
I think I'll go brood now.
- Smashmatt202 said...
My mom went on record saying she refuses to see it. Just not her thing.
My, I'm going to see it as soon as I can, whether I drag my dad along or even if I have to see it myself.
I'd rather NOT see it myself, because I'd rather have someone to talk to immediately after the movie.
Hopefully Twitter gives it good press.
The thing that probably interests me about this movie the most(from a story perspective that is) is the whole Superman-in-reverse angle to the story. Instead of an ordinary guy from an alien world coming to us and having powers because that's just what happens when his people exist in our world, we get one of us going to an alien world an him finding that he's much more powerful there than he ever was at home. That is interesting. Plus the whole good director, legit source material angle doesn't hurt either.
I'll say I never gave a fig about the Scott Pilgrim movie(and still don't) but this one is much more up my alley. I heard that Disney is likely going to hold off The Avengers final trailer until JC hits so they can release it there and use the hype for TA to help this film.
Wait, it's coming out that soon? Talk about lack of hype. I've seen more promotion for the Secret World of Arrietty, and Disney usually tries to keep the Ghibli stuff low key. Then again, speaking of Ghibli, it's not the first time I've seen the house of mouse shove soming out the door with no fanfare so they can focus on the usualy blockbuster.
- Sofie Liv Pedersen said...
wait... Disney just be spend a 100 mio bugs budget on a movie and isn't even going to promote it probably...
That doesn't make any freaking sense what-so ever!
Has they just given up all ready. "Oh shocks, we have an unreleased movie which costs us over 100 mio to make, no one will want to watch this, so what do we care?"
Even if it wasn't John Cartner, that's just a really bad way to drive a business.
I bet if Jason Segell hadn't been the one going to Disney asking to make a muppet movie, they would never have used those rights either :/
- Popcorn Dave said...
Holy fucking shit! I thought this movie was another half-year away at least! Yeah, Anonymous is right, it's pretty obvious they're sinking this on purpose.
- Ezenwa said...
Which is weird, really. Scott Pilgrim, which I loved, didn't have great marketing. This movie doesn't either. Every trailer I saw was too vague. Or, in this case, not explaining the stuff they should be explaining.
My guess as to why they are sinking this: because a Pixar director is directing a non-CG film under Disney's umbrella. Besides the enmity towards Pixar, I'd say they don't want them straying from their lane, so, they are sabotaging it.
It's so sad that this petty nonsense has to happen.
- Graham said...
So how exactly does this "tracking" work? Where are they getting these numbers from? How can they tell who is and isn't interested?
- William Righetti said...
The fact that Disney isn't promoting this the way it could, makes me sad, though it doesn't surprise me. Were the studio not connected to Marvel the way it is now, (and Pixar the way it has been for some time), I think I'd make an actual effort to boycott all their movies, just to make a pointless statement.
The fact that large sections of the internet "want it to fail" and have written it off as a failed film already, makes me saddest of all, for it implies that people in this nation are forgetting their history, and have forgotten how to dream outside of what is "possible" when it comes to the subject matter of movies.
Over dramatic statements perhaps, but there is my personal take on this wretched affair. I will go see this anyway. If it's good, I'm gonna spread the word as far as I can.


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Mysterious amnesia victim leaves Calif. for Sweden
A man who was reportedly found unconscious in a California motel and awoke speaking only Swedish with no memory of his past, has arrived in Sweden to rebuild his life. (Aug. 22) AP
Michael Boatwright, a U.S. citizen and Navy veteran, awoke in a Palm Springs hospital earlier this year speaking only Swedish and saying he had no memory of his past life.
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. -- In the end, Michael Boatwright left the desert just as abruptly and bizarrely as he arrived.
Boatwright, a 61-year-old Navy veteran from Florida, is now in Sweden. Six months ago, Boatwright woke up at a Palm Springs hospital, speaking only Swedish, insisting he had forgotten his past.
On Tuesday, he landed at an airport in Gothenburg, Sweden — his plane ticket was purchased by the Riverside County, Calif., Department of Mental Health. He was greeted there by Ewa Espling, a woman from the past he says he forgot. Boatwright and Espling spent about three years together back in the mid-1980s, decades before he was diagnosed with amnesia. They once planned to marry, she said.
In a brief interview with The Desert Sun on Wednesday, Espling confirmed that she met Boatwright at the Swedish airport on Tuesday. She did not respond to further questions, and has said previously that Boatwright does not want media attention. Regardless, his Hollywood-style amnesia story has made international headlines.
"Walk in my shoes for one day," Boatwright said through a translator in July, when The Desert Sun first wrote about his peculiar story. "You'll experience the nightmare of a lifetime."
Boatwright's plane ticket to Sweden was an unusual solution to an unusual situation, Jerry Wengerd, director of the Riverside County Department of Mental Health, said Wednesday.
STORY: Man awakes in Palm Springs with apparent amnesia
The Mental Health Department will sometimes purchase travel tickets for homeless transients who have no contacts or prospects in Riverside County, Wengerd said. But the trips rarely extend outside California, and almost never outside the country.
In this case, the department considered every alternative, but eventually decided that sending Boatwright to Sweden was the only option, Wengerd said, adding that Boatwright had no family here, no resources and "no alternatives to homelessness." In Sweden, Boatwright had contacts who were willing to help, even if he couldn't remember them.
"We were satisfied he was not going to nowhere," Wengerd said. "He was going to where he wanted to go and to be with people he wanted to be with."
Before the ticket was bought, the department received assurances that Boatwright would have a place to live, access to mental health treatment and the opportunity to stay in Sweden for "the long term," despite the fact that he is an American citizen. Wergerd said he could not provide more details due to patient confidentiality concerns.
Wengerd said he personally approved the plane ticket purchase but he could not remember the price. A flight from Palm Springs to Gothenburg would cost between $2,000 and $4,000.
Boatwright's story began on Feb. 28, when the he was found unconscious in a Palm Springs motel room and taken to a local hospital.
When Boatwright awoke, he insisted he had lost his memory and forgotten how to speak English. He called himself Johan Ek. Doctors diagnosed him with amnesia, and he was kept in the hospital for five months as staff searched for a safe way to release him.
In the months that followed, The Desert Sun discovered that Boatwright had flown to Palm Springs from China a few days before he was found in the motel room. A friend in China had bought the ticket for Boatwright.
He was destitute and depressed over the remarriage of his ex-wife and banking on long-shot hopes of landing a local job as a tennis coach.
Hospital officials said Boatwright's family was unable to take him into their care. The hospital also reached out to the Department of Veterans Affairs, but the agency ruled that inpatient care was not justified in Boatwright's case.
Eventually, in early August, Boatwright moved to Roy's Desert Resource Center, a homeless shelter just outside Palm Springs run by the Coachella Valley Association of Governments.
Boatwright stayed there for two weeks.
Boatwright's flight to Sweden was first reported by CNN.
"I just want to be able to live a normal life and hopefully get my memory back," Boatwright told CNN on Tuesday after landing in Sweden.


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How to Use the Images
Photo 1
Photo 1
early 1920s.
This photo shows an aerial view of the west side flour mills and grain elevators at the Falls of St. Anthony. The falls are shown at the right edge of the photo.
Questions for Photo 2
1. Examine the photo and try to identify the area shown in Photo 1. Can you find the railroad tracks shown in the first photo? Can you find other rail lines that appear to lead to the mills?
2. A wooden apron was placed over the falls in 1866. The apron was replaced many times and ultimately converted to cement in 1955 to prevent its erosion. This destroyed the picturesque beauty seen by early visitors. Look up the word "apron" and write down what it means in relation to a dam. Why do you think the millers wanted to a cement apron to protect the falls?
3. Locate James J. Hill's curving stone arch bridge in the center of the photo. It is believed to be the oldest mainline railroad bridge over the Mississippi River. Declared a National Civil Engineering Landmark by the Society of Civil Engineers, this bridge has not been used for rail traffic since 1978. It has recently been restored for pedestrian use. Do you think structures like this should be preserved? Why or why not?
4. What is your overall impression of the district? Do you think the industrial complex takes away from the falls? Why or why not?
* The image on this screen has a resolution of 72 dots per inch (dpi), and therefore will print poorly. You can obtain a larger version of Photo 2, but be aware that the file will take as much as 30 seconds to load with a 28.8K modem.


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An Explanation of the New Perspective on Paul
First, my disclaimers: I am not a New Perspective on Paul expert. A seminary president sometimes has the role of getting up to speed on an issue that has suddenly become hot in the Church, and he should make no …Read More
Bryan Chapell
Dr. Bryan Chapell is president and professor of practical theology at Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. His insightful Bible teaching can be heard daily via the Internet on Living Christ 360.


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LONDON (AP) — Around the 2012 Olympics and its host city with journalists from The Associated Press bringing the flavor and details of the games to you:
Do Brits simply not believe in air conditioning? Or is it just never needed?
"Man, it's hot in here," said U.S. boxer Claressa "T-Rex" Shields at training near the Olympic village. It was a seasonable 80 F (26.5 Celsius) on the street, but far, far hotter inside the sweltering gymnasium.
Will it be this hot for boxing's main event? Shields, a 17-year-old from Flint, Michigan, was asked.
"I sure hope not," she smiled.
—Paul Haven — Twitter http:/twitter.com/paulhaven
"The cherry on top of a pile of cherries." — U.S. fencer and gold medalist Mariel Zagunis, on being the flag bearer for opening ceremony.
She says she's bursting with pride that a. she got the job and b. women have outnumbered men on the team for the first time.
—Mark Colson, Tim Reynolds — Twitter http://twitter.com/ByTimReynolds.
Talking of doping, AP's Jenna Fryer just had a close encounter with an ad that's arguably a little wide of the mark. It's from Transport for London. Check out the arms. http://img.ly/lfJ6
—Jenna Fryer — Twitter http://twitter.com/jennafryer
To celebrate the torch's arrival in London a concert is being held in Hyde Park on Thursday — the same place where the plug was pulled on Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen a few weeks ago after they violated a curfew.
Rees Ianson, 32, was a torch bearer in the north of England and so was given the opportunity to get tickets.
"I jumped at the chance, I'm looking forward to it," says the sales manager from Lincolnshire who was nominated as a torch runner for his charity work.
He's not just down for the concert. Rees also has tickets for basketball and hockey. "I can't wait," he said on his way to the gig featuring the likes of Mark Ronson and Dizzie Rascal.
—Fergus Bell — Twitter http://twitter.com/fergb
Kazakhstan is trying to replace two of its male Olympic weightlifters at the 11th hour, possibly because of citizenship issues.
The two are Arli Chontei, in the 56-kilogram category, and Farkhad Kharki, in the 62-kilogram category.
International Weightlifting Federation spokeswoman Aniko Nemeth-Mora says Kazakhstan is citing medical reasons. However, Kazakh weightlifting official Mendikhan Tapsiruly tells AP that "this is most likely to do with the fact they were granted citizenship recently."
Both lifters are originally from China. Two other lifters in Kazakhstan's team were recruited from China, while one switched nationalities from Russia.
—Karl Ritter — Twitter http://twitter.com/Karl-Ritter
Russia's Olympic committee is laying claim to over a dozen athletes born in once-Soviet Ukraine. And it's sparked an outcry in Kiev, the Ukrainian capital.
Some athletes are listed as born in the "Ukraine region" of Russia, while others are listed as coming from the Ukrainian cities of Lutsk and Lviv, which were described as Russian.
Similar mistakes were made for Georgia-born athletes.
Russia's Olympic Committee is now working to correct the data. But it's done little to appease widespread resentment as a result of centuries of Russian dominance which ended when Ukraine gained its independence in 1991.
—Vladimir Isachenkov — Twitter http://twitter.com/visachenkov
A Greek athlete has failed a doping test and is out of the Olympics. High jump champion Dimitris Chondrokoukis has tested positive for the steroid stanozolol.
His father — and coach — says the news is "surreal" and is asking for a follow-up test.
—Graham Dunbar — Twitter http://twitter.com/gdunbarap
The ruling has come down: Saudi Arabia's female judo competitor will not be allowed to wear a hijab during her matches.
Asian judo federations allow them, but in London the veil has been deemed dangerous. Judo includes strangleholds and chokeholds — and organizers think that could prove even more painful if there's something to tug.
They also think judo should be free of religion and politics.
Wojdan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani is one of two female Saudi athletes here. The kingdom is allowing them to compete after the International Olympic Committee and human rights groups exerted intense pressure for an end to its practice of sending all-male teams to the games.
—Maria Cheng — Twitter http://twitter.com/mylcheng
People are being let back into the mall. No word yet on what triggered the alarm or what led authorities to declare the area safe again.
—Diana Ingram
AP staff at Westfield Mall, just outside Olympic Park and its security perimeter, say everyone has been told to vacate the mall. An alarm is sounding.
People are gathering outside and being forbidden to go back in.
—Diana Ingram
The line to pick up event tickets at the City of Westminster College will-call is snaking through the campus Thursday with fans anxious to get their hands on the prized item. Among them: Michael Perkowski, a contractor for the U.S. military who drove directly to get his tickets after his plane touched down from Afghanistan.
Perkowski says his ticket-buying odyssey began 18 months ago when he was working for the Army in Iraq. He went through the early bidding process and finally scored tickets to three of his 24 choices within the last few months.
Now in Afghanistan working with the U.S. Marine Corps, he says he was coming to the Games regardless of what tickets he landed.
"I don't take too many vacations, so I was doing this no matter what," he says. "We took that long flight, drove forever to come straight here but I don't care. It's all worth it."
Get a glimpse here. http://img.ly/lfxS
—Jenna Fryer — Twitter http://twitter.com/jennafryer
London looks different.
You can't walk for more than five minutes through central London without seeing some sign of the Olympics. The words "Camden" or "Kensington and Chelsea" on Olympic banners hang from lampposts at regular intervals in those London boroughs. Take a turn down a side street and you can find a park railing with a new poster depicting cycling imagery running the length of it.
The main action might be in the Olympic Park, but the Olympics is evident everywhere.
—Fergus Bell — Twitter http://twitter.com/fergb
AP's Tom Withers reports in from the basketball venue:
Act as if you own the place. That mantra has always served me well, and with those words in mind, I strolled inside the Olympic basketball venue, which wasn't fully open on Wednesday.
As technicians busily dragged cables around the outside of the temporary 12,000-seat structure, where the preliminary rounds are being played, I coolly walked in and watched a few minutes of the Angola women's team practice.
The unique building, erected in just three months, is covered in a white stretch material that will be used for light projections during the games. Its architectural style is similar to the Water Cube swimming complex in Beijing.
Feeling a bit guilty after my self-guided mini tour, I confessed to one of the media leaders that I had already been inside. He didn't seem to mind. "Cheers," he said.
—Tom Withers — Twitter http://twitter.com/twithersAP
Captain Mark Phillips, Princess Anne's former husband, has spoken of his new relationship with a woman almost 30 years his junior.
The 63-year-old, a top coach for the U.S. equestrian team, separated from his second wife, Sandy, and began divorce proceedings earlier this year after falling for fellow equestrian Lauren Hough, 35.
Phillips, whose daughter Zara is competing in Team GB's equestrian events, has faced criticism and calls for his resignation over his affair with Hough, who is also a member of the American team's coaching staff.
After the Olympics, he will leave his job. But he says it's not because of criticism in the United States.
He told Country Life magazine: "I don't read chatrooms and all that rubbish as it's mostly uninformed and unidentified opinion, which won't change my life.
He's clear about one thing: "I'm not out to win a popularity contest."
"This was an honest mistake, honestly made, an apology has been made and I'm sure every step will be taken to make sure these things don't happen again. We shouldn't overinflate this episode. It was unfortunate, it shouldn't have happened and I think we can leave it at that." — British Prime Minister David Cameron, on the mistake made Wednesday night when a South Korean flag was displayed alongside a North Korean player's picture on a scoreboard before a soccer game.
—Rob Harris — Twitter http://twitter.com/robharris
"We have no air conditioning, but it's OK, because in France we are used to having no air conditioning. So we are not lost." — French swimmer Hughes Dubosc, at an appearance with his sponsor.
—Andrew Dampf — Twitter http://twitter.com/andrewdampfap
AP's Fergus Bell, a Londoner, reports in from the crowded streets of his city:
I took a taxi journey into central London. I usually take the train or Tube because I think they are faster when there are no known problems on the line. Today, with a couple of bags in tow, I had no choice.
It should have taken me 32 minutes, according to a quick online route search.
It didn't.
OK, I knew that figure was a bit optimistic. But I wasn't expecting the driver — who knows the roads very well — to get confused by all the new Olympic lanes, end up going a very different route from the one he was expecting. I ended up in the back seat acting as navigator with maps pulled up on my tablet checking which roads were clear.
The result: after 1 1/2 hours in the car and still the wrong side of central London I abandoned the driver to his fate. Bags and all, I jumped out at an underground station and took a delightfully smooth 12-minute journey to my destination and learned a lesson: Stick to what you know and trust your instincts.
—Fergus Bell — Twitter http://twitter.com/fergb
With one day to go before the opening ceremony, no detail is being left untouched. Or unpainted.
A board was put up Wednesday to hide some unsightly gray scaffolding in front of the press seats at the gymnastics venue. On Thursday, a worker was painting the board purple so it would blend in with the rest of the signage.
—Nancy Armour — Twitter http://twitter.com/nrarmour
"I'd have thought the difficulty is, how do you cram in all that's great about our country?"
He says viewers will find moments of it "spine-tingling" and said he's been moved by the parts he's seen.
The ceremony, directed by Danny Boyle, is expected to take a global audience on an intensely visual, occasionally whimsical tour through Britain's history.
—Rob Harris — Twitter http://twitter.com/robharris
—"This is the biggest security operation in a peacetime history, bar none." — British Prime Minister David Cameron, speaking at Olympic Park.
—Rob Harris — Twitter http://twitter.com/robharris
—"Our absolute top priority must be to keep people safe." — British Prime Minister David Cameron, who has just spoken at Olympic Park about the upcoming games. Here are a few more quick bites of what he had to say:
—"We are delivering a world-class games, a well-connected games."
—"Our intelligence services are working around the clock."
—"We want these to be the games that lift up the city, lift up the country."
—Rob Harris — Twitter http://twitter.com/robharris
Not everyone in London is looking forward to the Olympics.
Bob Geldof, the former Boomtown Rats frontman and "Live Aid" charity fund-raiser, confirmed his contrarian reputation when asked at a reception for boxing legend Muhammad Ali if he was excited about the games.
No sport he was excited about?
"The egg and spoon race."
But, Geldof conceded, the games have at least brought much-needed regeneration to a post-industrial swath of east London — transformed from gritty to green by the 500-acre (200-hectare) Olympic Park.
"That was a pretty crap part of town, no matter what anyone says," Geldof said. "Now it's nice."
—Jill Lawless — Twitter http://twitter.com/JillLawless
As the debt-ridden Spanish government hovers on the brink of needing a sovereign bailout, the country is continuing to pursue a bid for the 2020 Olympics. Spanish sports secretary Miguel Cardenal maintains that Madrid winning the Olympics after two failed bids would help the country's economic recovery.
"The Spanish state is calling for its citizens to tighten its belts to accept the need for a degree of sacrifice and the measures are certainly painful," Cardenal said in London. "But we would nevertheless pursue this project," he said, saying that "this is something that will boost our aspirations to have a sustainable economy."
Bidding again, Cardenal insists Madrid will only spend where "absolutely necessary," but pointed out that much of the infrastructure is already in place.
"All of us will have to be very careful indeed in the way we use public funds," Madrid mayor Ana Botella added.
Missing out on the London Games, which start on Friday, appears to have been good fortune for a Spanish government struggling to keep a handle on its debts. Now there's time for a recovery in the Spanish economy long before 2020.
Madrid is competing against Istanbul and Tokyo. The host of the 2020 Olympics and Paralympic Games will be announced on Sept. 7, 2013 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
—Rob Harris — Twitter http://twitter.com/robharris
EDITOR'S NOTE — "Eyes on London" shows you the Olympics through the eyes of Associated Press journalists across the 2012 Olympic city and around the world. Follow them on Twitter where available with the handles listed after each item, and get even more AP updates from the Games here: http://twitter.com/AP_Sports


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After getting a little taste of DIRT earlier this summer (literally), I have a new fondness for the luxury body care brand that also calls Chicago its home. DIRT scrubs don't just exfoliate, they seem to help aid in obtaining that inner peace I seek at the end of long stressful days. The formulas are rich in natural food-y ingredients and leave skin glowing and moisturized. DIRT is worth the splurge. Which is why I'm giddy with excitement over DIRT's brand new offering, Relax + Reign Mandarin Red Tea Salt Scrub.
DIRT orchestrated Relax + Reign to inspire balance and encourage meditation. It's like yoga in scrub form, basically. The texture is slightly creamy with fine salt, orange peel, shea butter, vitamin E and essential and botanical oils, and it smells of mandarin red tea and ginger.
If Relax + Reign is what you seek, you can snag it for 20% off through Friday, October 26 at midnight with code YR2 online. That code goes for all scrubs!


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A bullet for the bearer of bad news
Biologists support salmon protection, and Congress yanks their funding
"When they don't like the message, they are going to kill the messenger," Michele DeHart said in November.
By "they," she meant the industrial and agricultural interests along the Snake and Columbia rivers, and their powerful friends in Congress; "the messenger" is herself and the federal agency she manages.
DeHart runs the Fish Passage Center in Portland, a team of fisheries scientists who analyze the impacts of dams on salmon for the Northwest's state fish and wildlife agencies and Indian tribes. The center's findings have often challenged the views presented by federal and hydro industry scientists.
Last summer, at the request of Indian tribes, DeHart wrote an analysis supporting U.S. District Judge James Redden's order that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spill water over dams to help migrating salmon (HCN, 6/13/05: For salmon, a crucial moment of decision). The spills cost the Bonneville Power Administration some $74 million in lost power generation.
In November, Idaho Sen. Larry Craig, R, with the acquiescence of Northwestern Democrats, cut off the center's funding. That means that when funding runs out in the coming months, DeHart and her scientists are most likely done.
"She took a position that supported one side of the argument, and that's advocacy," says Mike Tracy, a Craig spokesman.
Craig's legislation, attached to a budget bill, allows Bonneville Power to fund other agencies to do the analysis currently done by the Fish Passage Center. Nonetheless, the center's demise shows that salmon fishermen, environmental groups and Indian tribes have far less political traction than their opponents.
Washington Democratic Sen. Patty Murray helped Craig get the legislation passed. The rest of the Northwest's delegation — three Democrats and three Republicans — let it happen. "The states of Oregon and Washington should have come to the aid of the Fish Passage Center but they didn't, even though they're Democrats," says Bert Bowler, a fisheries biologist who used to work for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and is now with the nonprofit Idaho Rivers United.
Fisheries scientists say the only way to save endangered Snake River salmon and steelhead may be to breach four dams on the Snake River. In the past, the states have challenged federal assertions that transporting salmon around dams, and building systems that allow fish to bypass the structures, can offset the impacts. But the states' resistance has crumbled under political pressure, says Bowler: "(The states) are dysfunctional."
At the same time, a recent shift in ocean currents has ended, at least for now, the optimal conditions that had increased salmon productivity in the Columbia dramatically since 1997. The growing scientific evidence that global warming threatens Northwestern salmon only compounds the legal and political uncertainty.
For now, salmon advocates' hopes lie with Judge Redden, who has given federal dam operators and fish managers until May to come up with a new plan for operating the federal hydropower system so it doesn't drive the Columbia's salmon into extinction. The Portland judge ruled last May that the Bush administration erred when it said that eight dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers do not jeopardize endangered and threatened salmon and steelhead. He also rejected the administration's view that the Endangered Species Act requires the federal government to keep salmon numbers stable, but not recover them.
The federal government's appeal of the decision is expected to go all the way to the Supreme Court, where the outcome is far from certain: In the past, new Chief Justice John Roberts has challenged the scope of the Endangered Species Act (HCN, 10/31/05: In Bush's Supreme Court, who's on first?).
Craig's ability to get Congress to cut the center's funding has salmon advocates wondering if he'll now press for a recovery plan that falls short of what scientists say is necessary. Such a bill — akin to legislation advanced by Sen. Mark Hatfield, R-Ore., in the wake of a similar judicial decision on the spotted owl in the late 1980s — would override the Endangered Species Act.
Nobody is talking publicly right now about such a strategy. But federal officials will return to Redden's court Dec. 15 to plead for a more lenient dam-management plan for 2006. Their plan would spill far less water and cost Northwest ratepayers 10 times less than the operations plan proposed by salmon advocates.
If Redden turns them down, the battlefield could move from the courtroom to Congress.
The writer is the author of Scorched Earth: How the Fires in Yellowstone Changed America.


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Add users individually or in bulk to Office 365 - Admin Help
The people on your team each need a user account before they can sign in and access Office 365 for business. The easiest way to add user accounts is to add them one at a time in the Microsoft 365 admin center. After you do this step, your users will have Office 365 licenses, sign in credentials, and Office 365 mailboxes.
Need help with the steps in this topic? We've got you covered. Make an appointment at your local Microsoft Store with an Answer Desk expert to help resolve your issue. Go to the Microsoft Stores page and choose your location to schedule an appointment.
- Choose Add a user.
Fill in the information for the user. Choose Add when you are done.
Name Fill in first, last, display name, and user name.
Domain For example, if the user's username is Jakob, and his domain is contoso.com, he'll sign in to Office 365 by typing email@example.com.
Contact information Expand to fill in a mobile phone number, address, and so on.
Password Use the auto-generated password or expand to specify a strong password for the user.
They'll need to change their password after 90 days. Or you can choose to Make this user change their password when they first sign in.
Roles Expand if you need to make this user an admin.
Product licenses Expand this section and select the appropriate license. If you don't have any licenses available, you can still add a user and buy additional licenses.
After you add a user, you'll get an email notification from the Microsoft Online Services Team. The email will contain the person's Office 365 user ID and password so they can sign in to Office 365. You need to tell your new user about their Office 365 sign in information. Use your normal process for communicating new passwords.
If you create users by migrating mail boxes, you will need to activate Office 365 user accounts by assigning licenses. If you don't assign a license to a user, their mailbox will be disabled after a grace period of 30 days. See how to assign licenses to users using the Microsoft 365 admin center.
Video: Add and manage users in the Microsoft 365 admin center
Next steps
Share the Employee quick start guide with your new users to set things up, like Office on a PC or Mac and Office mobile apps.
Need help?
Contact Office 365 for business support.
Have hundreds or thousands of users to add?
To add multiple users at the same time, follow these steps:
Use a spreadsheet to add people in bulk. See Add several users at the same time.
Automate adding accounts and assigning licenses. See Create user accounts with Office 365 PowerShell. Choose this method if you're already familiar with using Windows PowerShell cmdlets.
Using ActiveDirectory? Set up directory synchronization for Office 365. Use the Azure AD Connect tool to replicate Active Directory user accounts (and other Active Directory objects) in Office 365. The sync only adds the user accounts. You will need to assign licenses to the synced users before they can use email and other Office apps.
Migrating from Exchange? Ways to migrate multiple email accounts to Office 365. When you migrate multiple mailboxes to Office 365 by using either cutover, staged, or a hybrid Exchange method, you will add users automatically as part of the migration. The migration only adds the user accounts. You will need assign licenses to the users before they can use email and other Office apps.
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The MTA announced today that it has selected Tishman Speyer as the developer for the West Side Rail Yards. This announcement ends a 6-month bidding process, which originally involved 5 competing developers. Tishman Speyer outbid the only other remaining contender– a joint venture between the Durst Organization and Vornado Realty Trust– by $112 million, offering to pay $1.004 billion for the rights to develop the 26-acre site.
Read the Mayor's Press Release
Tishman Speyer Wins Hudson Yards Bid [Crain's New York Business]
Tishman Speyer's initial bid plan for the rail yards can be seen here. The developer is working with architect Helmut Jahn, landscape architect Peter Walker, and master planner Cooper Robertson. They plan to build 10 million square feet of commercial space, 3 million square feet of residential and leave 13 acres of open space.
Given the sudden change in gubernatorial administration, many thought the rail yards bid process would be delayed, so the MTA's announcement comes as somewhat of a surprise. Tishman Speyer's anchor tenant, Morgan Stanley, reportedly dropped out of the deal earlier this month.
Tishman Speyer's plan preserves most of the High Line, but proposes to demolish the spur over Tenth Avenue, and part of the section along 30th Street.
Statement regarding the MTA's selection of Tishman Speyer as the developer for the West Side Rail Yards
Friends of the High Line commends the MTA's, Governor Paterson's, and Tishman Speyer's commitment to preserving the majority of the historic High Line structure at the rail yards, and we look forward to working with all parties to ensure that the remaining sections– the spur over Tenth Avenue and the full section along 30th Street– are preserved as well.
The treatment of the High Line in Tishman Speyer's bid shows considerable progress from the days when it was presumed the site could not be developed without its demolition. We applaud the MTA, Governor Paterson, and Tishman Speyer for their recognition of the High Line as an asset. We are encouraged that they now share our vision of a continuous walkway, connecting the new residential, commercial and open space at the rail yards with the gallery district of West Chelsea and south to Gansevoort Street, that will be the next great city public park for New Yorkers and visitors alike.
We look forward to working with Tishman Speyer and the MTA to ensure full preservation of the entire historic High Line structure, including the spur over Tenth Avenue– almost 1/3 of the rail yards section. Additionally, we hope to work with the leadership of the Javits Center to ensure that a pedestrian easement is preserved on the 33/34 block, north of the rail yards site, so that the High Line may extend to connect with the Javits Center and the planned #7 extension.
We owe a great deal of our success so far in this process to the tireless support of our elected officials: Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Governor David Paterson, City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, Congressman Jerrold Nadler, Borough President Scott Stringer, and State Senator Tom Duane, as well as the advocacy efforts of Manhattan Community Board 4, and our Friends of the High Line volunteers and supporters. Our rail yards advocacy would not be possible without the generous financial support of the A.G. Foundation, the Greenacre Foundation, the Leon Levy Foundation, John and Wendy Neu, and Wendy Keys and Donald Pels.
Filed under: Advocacy, Press, Rail Yards | Tagged: Advocacy, MTA, Neighborhood, Rail Yards, Tishman Speyer |


text: Review: Our Moon has Blood Clots Only one who has undergone pain and witnessed it first hand could have written this moving account of how the Kashmir Valley forced the Pandits to flee -- and then sowed the seeds of fiction that Governor Jagmohan authored the exodus so that he could 'take care' of the Muslims. books Updated: Mar 30, 2013 11:50 IST IANS Our-Moon-has-Blood-Clots-by-Rahul-Pandita Title: Our Moon has Blood Clots Author: Rahul Pandita Publisher: Random House India Pages: 258 Price: Rs. 499Only one who has undergone pain and witnessed it first hand could have written this moving account of how the Kashmir Valley forced the Pandits to flee -- and then sowed the seeds of fiction that Governor Jagmohan authored the exodus so that he could 'take care' of the Muslims.And since in secular India it is a political sin to say anything negative about Muslims and Islam, the fiction gained currency. Even the Indian media was largely apathetic to the suffering of the Pandits. The Indian state would be accused of brutalising the Valley's Muslim people but what was ignored was "that the same people also victimised another people".This is the story that Rahul Pandita, born in Kashmir Valley and forced to quit Srinagar during the troubled 1990s, exposes with an evident sincerity, with a tortured heart but one which hasn't bid goodbye to human values. Unlike many from his community, he has no hatred for Kashmiri Muslims, not even to those who grabbed his ancestral house (after it had been ravaged by Islamists) and quietly made it their own.This is a powerful story, one that can't be ignored even as the Pakistan-backed separatist movement rages on, turning large parts of what was once a Sufi land into an Islamist hub. This is as much a personal account as it is a surgery of the politics of hatred whose face is the drive for the so-called 'azadi'.Unlike those who would want to sweep the ugly truth under a (Kashmiri) carpet, Rahul is not shy; he tells you how ordinary Kashmir Muslims too, at times, assisted thugs mouthing 'azadi' slogans to kill fellow Kashmiris in cold blood, only because they belonged to another religion.The author and his family, like innumerable Pandits, were forced to live as refugees in Jammu before finally settling down in Delhi, changing houses as many as 22 times. "I have reduced my life to names and numbers, I have memorised the names of every Pandit killed during those dark days, and the circumstances in which he or she was killed. I have memorised the number of people killed in each district."If you need to understand the Kashmir story, this book cannot be ignored. It is powerful, painful -- and revealing. First Published: Mar 29, 2013 11:44 IST


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I'm exploring the web to find sites I like
Carretera Federal Puerto Juarez - Chetumal km. 256 - 100, Kantenah | Puerto Aventuras 77710, Mexico
"Nice Resort - Big"
Posted by: Julie on Feb 26, 2010
see all reviews
The Grand Palladium Resort and Spa consists of four 5-star hotels: Hotel Grand Palladium Kantenah Resort and Spa, Colonial Grand Palladium Resort and Spa, Grand Palladium White Sand Resort and Spa, Grand Palladium Riviera Resort and Spa, and The Royal Suites.
Share your experiences with others. Don't forget to send your review to Debbie by using an easy form.
"Nice Resort - Big"
Posted by:
Julie on Feb 26, 2010 >
1 contribution(s) Canada
Visited on: Feb, 2010 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
704 people found this review helpful
Overall, very nice clean resort. We stayed in the Colonial section and did visit all 4 connecting resorts. They all are layed out the same and really no need to decide which one to stay at....they really all seemed the same. Buffets were layed out identical.
Your Arrival:
Arrived on time. Front desk staff were organized and ready. We were a group of 6 and they were not able to accommodate our request with rooms together, however, we were in the same villa area.
Clean rooms, no frills, beds are typical hard beds as in all parts of Mexico. In our group, 2 rooms had bath tubs and 1 room had shower only....all were considered standard rooms, so not sure why the difference.
Restaurants and Bars:
Lots of them and all very good. The food is excellent and lots of choices. Nice that you don't have to book the el la cartes in advance. We went to 3 in the 7 days we were there. Japanese, El Dorado and ribs and more.....all were exceptional.
The beach is nice and sand is great....Swimming, be careful! Lots of coral in the area and Bring your Water Shoes. Usually no problem finding lounge chairs....we never go to the beach until 9 or 10 and there were always lots. Snorkelled daily and always saw groups of fish in the coral areas. Nice.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
Booked a fishing trip with the Caribe folks at the resort....some confusion as to the pickup place and time on the morning we were to go and they were almost 3 hours late.....however they offered to still accommodate the group and said they had a surprise for us at the end of the day...we never got a surprise. The guides in the boat were very nice.
Other Comments:
If you want a thrill, make sure you go to Xplor and try the zip lines. Awesome! Tip: Use the Collectivo for transportation, the taxis and vans will rip you off. We paid $90 USD to take us to Xplor and were told that we would have to walk a long way to the gate if we used the Collectivo. Turns out the Collectivo was $2.00 each and it dropped you off about 100 metres from the front desk of Xplor. Oh well, lesson learned.


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Holiday Inn San Antonio- Int`L Airport
Holiday Inn San Antonio- Int`L Airport
77 N. E. Loop 410
77 N. E. Loop 410
San Antonio, Texas
United States
Check In: 3PM
Check Out: 12PM
Check-in Age: 18
Book With Us Advantage
- Best Price Guarantee
We promise you access to the guaranteed best available prices, or your first night is free.
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Your room is guaranteed.
- No Booking Fees!
We do not charge any booking fees for making reservations directly with us.
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IHG takes your privacy seriously and works to protect you. All personal information you provide is encrypted and secure.
Welcome to Holiday Inn San Antonio- Int`L Airport
The Holiday Inn Hotel San Antonio International Airport (SAT) offers you our famous Texas hospitality along with an ideal location. We're one mile from the airport and seven miles from downtown San Antonio.
Few hotels in San Antonio, Texas are so convenient for leisure travelers. We're just off Loop 410 making it easy to get around the city to see The Alamo and River Walk or to shop at the nearby North Star Mall. SeaWorld San Antonio is just 20 minutes from us.
Business guests love the free amenities at our hotel in San Antonio; the free 21 hour airport shuttle service, high-speed, and Wi-Fi Internet access make travel easier. Fort Sam Houston is eight miles and both Trinity and Incarnate Word University are only four miles. If you're in town for meetings check out our 10,000 sq ft of meeting space for 650 guests.
Few hotels at the San Antonio, TX airport can match our amenities that include executive work stations, mini-fridge, and microwave in each room. There's an upgraded Fitness Center, gorgeous outdoor pool, whirlpool, and guest patio. You can savor the tastes of Texas at our restaurant with herbs from our garden or relax in the lounge. You'll see just how friendly Texas can be when you choose one of the finest airport hotels in San Antonio, TX and Stay Green with us.
Kids Stay and Eat Free
Kids ages 18 and under stay for free when sharing their parents' room. Up to four kids ages 11 and under eat free any time of the day in any Holiday Inn® on-site restaurant.
*View Terms & Conditions for Details.
SeaWorld & Six Flags Fiesta Texas nearby.Children's clothes shopping at North Star Mall, less than 1 mile.
|Kids Stay Free
|Kids Eat Free
Free High-Speed Internet
Standard Wireless Internet service is included for all guests.
Shuttle/ Parking
- Car Parking Available
- Complimentary Daily Self-Parking is available
- Large fenced in parking lot with controlled access on back entrances. Plenty of bus parking available.
Pet Policy
- No pets allowed
- Service Animals Allowed
- No pets allowed except service animals with proper paper work.
Languages Spoken by Staff
Credit Cards
- American Express
- Visa
- MasterCard
- Diners Club
- Carte Blanche
- Discover
- Smoke-Free Facility
- Number of Floors: 11
- Total Number of Rooms: 397
- Number of Suites: 7
- Number of Non-Smoking Rooms: 397
- Number of Accessible Rooms: 12
- Connecting Rooms Available
- Public Spaces Renovated in: 2014
- Guest Rooms Renovated in: 2014
- Public Entrance
- Guest Rooms
- Elevators
- Public Restrooms
- Registration Desk
- Exercise Facility
- Business Center
- Pool
- Number of Accessible Meeting Rooms: 11
Accessible Hotel Areas
- Registration Area
- Accessible Guest Rooms
- Business Center
- Meeting Room
- Exercise Facility
- Pool
Hotel Areas with Accessible Routes from Accessible Public Entrance
- Accessible Self-Parking
- Van Accessible Self Parking
- Ramp Access
- Portable Bathtub Seats
- Closed Caption TVs
- Telephone with TDD
- Visual Alarm/Alert in Guest Rooms
- Visual Alarm/Alert in Public Spaces
- Communication Kits with Visual Alarms
Provided by Hotel


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Morenci Area High School met the requirements for the annual Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) rating.
Ratings were announced last week by the Michigan Department of Education, in conjunction with federal No Child Left Behind legislation.
The rating isn't generally celebrated—most schools make the grade—but there is great concern when a district fails to achieve AYP, said Morenci school superintendent Kyle Griffith.
On the other hand, he told school board members Monday, a lot of work goes into making sure the AYP rating is achieved.
In 2006, Michigan began basing its high school assessment on the ACT college aptitude test. Goals are set for success in mathematics and language art—goals that increase each year until 100 percent of those tested earn "proficient" results.
READINESS—Board members accepted a resolution to participate in the Michigan School Readiness Program again this year. The program is administered by Little People's Place.
Fourteen students are involved and $47,600 in state aid is received.
DRUG DOG—Griffith said he was pleased that nothing was found in a recent search of the school by a drug dog. Searches are conducted in schools throughout the county.
BAND PROGRAM—After an announcement about the high school and middle school band concert scheduled Dec. 12, Griffith praised director James DeVoe.
"It's just amazing what strides the band has made," he said.


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Pumpkin Forever!
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Product Summary
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TrimTop is a stainless steel coated trim screw engineered for use in PVC trim, PVC decking like AZEK® Deck, TimberTech® XLM, and Trex® Escapes, as well as hardwoods such as cedar, Ipe and mahogany. TrimTop screws are head-painted to match the decking or trim and are guaranteed not to rust for the life of the project.
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2nd August 2006, 06:18 PM
Hi, My name is Lisa. I was just searching around about Cavaliers, and I found this forum. I am a huge Cavalier fan. My dogs are Lovey and Penny. Lovey is Tri-colored, and 7.5 years old. Penny is Ruby, and just turned 3 in March. I think I will have alot of fun here.


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Teodorin's Troubles
Teodorin's TroublesOctober 3, 2012
Authorities in France and the U.S. have taken action in their corruption investigations into the activities of Teodorin Nguema Obiang, the son of President Obiang.
French judges have approved an international arrest warrant for Teodorín as part of a probe into the "ill-gotten gains" of President Obiang and two other African Heads-of-State. Teodorín is the target of ongoing government corruption investigations in the United States and France.
French investigating judges Roger Le Loire and Rene Grouman reportedly requested the warrant after the government of Equatorial Guinea denied the judges' request to question Teodorín in court. The judges believe there is evidence to suggest that Teodorín purchased properties in France by fraud.
On February 14, 2012, French authorities began searching an upscale Paris residence, reportedly owned by Teodorín, as part of this same investigation. According to media reports, the Paris residence is a six story building with 101 rooms and a view of the Arc de Triomphe. Police discovered "hundreds of treasures," including antiques, valuable works of art, and a Louis XIV desk with an estimated value of 1.5 million Euros. In total, the contents inside the residence may be worth more than 40 million Euros. The raid concluded on February 23, after the police had reportedly seized three truckloads of valuable artwork and antiquities.
On July 19, 2012, French authorities seized the Paris mansion, estimated to be worth $100-150 million.
After French authorities seized 11 luxury cars belonging to Teodorín last September, President Obiang appointed his son Deputy Permanent Delegate to UNESCO in a transparent attempt to provide him with diplomatic immunity. During the February 14 raid on Teodorín's residence, occupants at the house, including Teodorin's lawyer, reportedly alleged that the building was protected from search because it is the residence of Equatorial Guinea's UNESCO representative. Police reportedly did not discover any signs that the country's Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, Mariola Bindang Obiang, was staying at the residence. The government of Equatorial Guinea has expressed its "indignation" at the "illegitimate persecution" on the residence, stating that the government, and not any individual, owns the residence. At a press conference, Teodorin's lawyer stated that the property has been registered as a diplomatic residence since 2011.
In September 2012, the government of Equatorial Guinea asked the International Court of Justice to rule against France and require it to drop the arrest warrant against Teodorin and return his seized property. The Court cannot take up the case without France's approval.
In October 2011, the U.S. Department of Justice's anti-kleptocracy division filed forfeiture complaints in the District of Columbia District Court and Central California District Court against goods purchased by Teodorín. The complaints seek to seize more than $70m worth of Teodorín's assets purchased in the U.S., including his $30m mansion in Malibu, a $38.5m Gulfstream jet, a half-million dollar Ferrari, and more than $1m worth of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including "one white crystal-covered 'Bad Tour' glove." The complaints allege that Teodorín and other government officials enriched themselves through a variety of illegal schemes, including embezzlement, extortion, and misappropriation of government funds.
On June 11, 2012, the U.S. Department of Justice filed an amended forfeiture complaint against Teodorin's assets. The complaint alleges that Teodorin spent more than $300 million on luxury items between 2000 and 2011, including more than $130 million on properties around the world and $45 million on art by Renoir and other famous painters. The amended complaint provides details of the alleged schemes Teodorín used to defraud U.S. banks and extort money using his position as Minister of Agriculture and Forestry. The full amended complaint can be read here.
Teodorín's lawyers recently filed a motion in which they argue the case should be dismissed on the grounds that it would "infringe Equatorial Guinea's sovereign right to create, interpret, and enforce its own laws and will significantly hinder the existing cooperative, friendly relationship" between the United States and President Obiang's regime.
The U.S. Department of Justice's allegations are based in part on details that emerged from investigations by the U.S. Senate in 2010 and 2004 into alleged foreign corruption by members of the Obiang family and its close political associates. The Senate's 2010 investigation accused Teodorín of using shell companies to launder more than $100 million into the U.S.
In response to corruption allegations, Teodorín reportedly stated to U.S. Embassy officials in Equatorial Guinea: "I've been very lucky in business, and I like to live well."
In 2011, Global Witness reported that Teodorín commissioned plans for a $380 million superyacht. The story received considerable media attention. In response, a spokesman for the Equatoguinean government confirmed that Teodorín "requested a sketch of what building a yacht would entail, and then dismissed the idea of buying it."
This past Christmas, Teodorin made a multi-week tour across the country, distributing a reported "one million toys" to children. (Click here to watch video)
In January 2012, Teodorin paid the national soccer team at least $2 million of his own money as bonuses for winning two games during the Africa Cup of Nations tournament, which Equatorial Guinea co-hosted with Gabon.
Click here to sign our petition asking the French Foreign Ministry to deny Teodorin diplomatic immunity.
Click here to watch the CNBC investigative report Filthy Rich, which documents Teodorin's luxurious lifestyle in the U.S. and raises serious concerns that his wealth may not have been obtained through legitimate means.
Click here to listen to a BBC report about Teodorin's opulent lifestyle.


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Main Content:
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MeritBadgeDotOrg:Community Portal
From MeritBadgeDotOrg
(IMPORTANT! Added "Things to do..." SysOps, Editors, Put stuff here if you want to encourage somebody to help out.)
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==Things to do...==
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== Official BSA and Unofficial Scouting-related Websites ==
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A death certificate filed at Onslow County Register of Deeds listed a Florida man�s cause of death as a gunshot wound to the left side of his face.
A death certificate filed at Onslow County Register of Deeds listed a Florida man�s cause of death as a gunshot wound to the left side of his face.
Dale Fonso Smith, 39, of Crestview, Fla., died Aug. 9 around 4 a.m. when he was fatally shot at a home located at 713 Savannah Drive.
Camp Lejeune Marine Cpl. Benjamin Marisic, 24, of 713 Savannah Drive was arrested later that day and charged with an open count of murder in connection to Smith�s death, according to authorities.
Smith, who worked as a civilian contract civil engineer in the explosives area, authorities said, according to his death certificate. Smith is also listed as previously serving in the armed forces.
A caller to 911 on a tape released shortly after the incident indicates that Smith was shot breaking into the home.
�I had someone break in and I, uh, (expletive) shot him,� the caller says.
Operator: �OK. Do you know who it was that broke into your residence?�
Caller: �I do not ma�am. Can you send a unit over?
Operator: �OK, we have them en route. Can you tell me exactly where he is?�
Caller: �713 Savannah Drive. That�s my address ma�am.�
Operator: �No, where�s the body that you shot?�
Caller: �In my house.�
Operator: �Sir, in the front door, in the window, in the living room, in the kitchen?�
Caller: �He�s in my hallway, ma�am. I- I- I don�t know. I�m (expletive), I�m sorry.�
Operator: �Do you still have the weapon on you?�
Caller: �I have the weapon, I don�t even ...Yes.�
Operator: �OK. He�s in the hallway. Where did you shoot him?�
Caller: �He�s down ma�am. I mean � he�s-�
Operator: �OK, where�s the weapon?�
Caller: �It�s, it�s in my room, ma�am. I mean, it�s somewhere. It�s so confusing. I don�t know. It�s all a (expletive) blur.�
Operator: �And did you know the person who came in or you�ve never seen him?�
Caller: �I don�t know. He came in, and he was ... I, I, I don�t even understand ma�am.�
Operator: �OK, did he say anything when he came in to you?�
Caller: �I don�t know ma�am. I�m here in my driveway that�s all I know.�
Later, the operator asked the caller if anyone else was in the house with him. He replied that he was not sure.
Operator: �Have you been drinking tonight?�
Caller: �I had one or two beers, but that�s about it, and I was trying to go to bed...�
Marisic has a court date scheduled for Thursday morning.


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Beaumont man killed in single-car accident
A Beaumont man is dead following a single-car accident Friday night, Jan. 24, 2014, at approximately 8 p.m. in the 4500 block of U.S 69 South on the Fannett Road overpass. According to traffic investigators, multiple factors contributed to the cause and severity of the crash.
Police report that 24-year-old Robert Earl Bienemy lost control of his 1995 Chevrolet pick-up truck as he was heading westbound on the overpass. Investigators believe that he may have been operating his vehicle at an unsafe speed given that fact that weather conditions had caused ice to form on the overpass. After Bienemy lost control of his vehicle, it spun, hit the guardrail, and then came to a rest in the grassy median that separates the westbound and eastbound sides of the highway. The impact and spin, along with the fact that Bienemy was not seat-belted, caused him to be ejected from the vehicle.
Judge Ransom Jones pronounced Bienemy dead at the scene and ordered an autopsy to be performed in the coming week. Two passengers were uninjured during the incident.
"There are speed limits, but with icy roads you really need to slow down," BPD Sgt. Rob Flores said.


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Saturday, April 24, 2010
Michael Robertson Loses. Free Speech Wins. Freespire.com to Live on for 100 Years!
When I left Linspire, I had every intention of just moving on with my life, but soon after my departure, Michael Robertson hit a new and disgusting low (even for him) by trying to have some good people arrested for simply having been laid off and given severance. (What kind of greedy person would do something like that?!?) Robertson tried to have these good people arrested and started attacking them, trying to destroy their good names, and doing everything he could to bring harm to these individuals. Well, I couldn't just stand by and watch. As the saying goes, "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." So, I decided the world needed to know about the REAL Michael Robertson, and little by little, I started to share some facts about Robertson via my blog, and eventually started using Freespire.com to disseminate my writings.
If you review the history page of Michael Robertson's Wikipedia page, you'll see Michael ("Mykill") and his family ("Leslieaudra") remove anything unflattering from Robertson's page (not to mention libeling others with false acquisitions). Therefore, I felt it was important that there was a website to tell the real story about Robertson and where I could defend the employees Robertson was attacking...someplace that he couldn't whitewash and censor. That place became, and is, Freespire.com.
Understandably, given Robertson's unflattering history, he doesn't want the facts shared at Freespire.com to be public, but unlike Wikipedia which he could censor directly, he had no influence at Freespire.com. So, instead, he did what many wealthy, unethical men do, and tried to squash my free speech by filing a lawsuit against me and Freespire.com.
Yesterday, the Judge in the Freespire case came out with her final ruling. Here's what happened...
Trial Prep
My lawyer estimates that Robertson spent over $100,000 on the Freespire case (including a motion for summary judgment which he lost last year). I didn't spend even a small fraction of that. There's a saying among lawyers, "If the law is on your side, argue the law. If the facts are on your side, argue the facts. If neither are on your side, pound on the table." Robertson paid dearly for a lot of table pounding. =) Both the law and the facts were unquestionably on my side. Time and time again the courts have protected sites such as Freespire.com, for to do otherwise would be an infringement on one's freedom of speech (something Robertson pretends to care about, except when it comes to the free speech of others talking ABOUT HIM =). This made defending this case very easy, and very little work was needed or done on our part, but for Robertson, well, let's just say table pounding can be very expensive!
The day before the trial, my lawyer, Gil Cabrera, called me and asked if I wanted to get together before the trial and go over anything and do any prep. I told him, "We won't need any. If we stick with the facts and law, we win, and I know you're a pro at that. Let's let Robertson waste his money and put his lawyers' kids through college. I have better things to do with my money." I then told Gil that I'd meet him at his office a few minutes before the trial, and we'd walk over to the courthouse together. (Gil's office is only a couple of blocks away.) I told him that we'd prepare as we walked over. That's it. That's all the prep we did. I knew this was likely the least a client had ever let Gil prepare for a trial, but I told him he was good enough, and our case strong enough, it wouldn't matter.
The Trial
Gil and I arrived at the courthouse and walked into the courtroom. There was Robertson with THREE lawyers from his high-priced law firm, Duane Morris (Ed Cramp, Ed's partner, and Michelle Hon, an IP litigation specialist). They had posters prepared, documents stacked a mile high, and their game faces on, all poised and ready for battle. (Robertson fancies himself as quite the legal mind, even though he loses a lot more often in the courtroom than wins.) It was clear, Robertson was sparing no expense to try and shut down Freespire.com. I felt sorry for Ed and Michelle who had been handed a total loser case, but I was anxious to see them pound that table...and boy, did they ever! I have to say, Ed and Michelle did a great job, considering they had no case and the law was completely stacked against them. Ed tried to imply all sorts of sinister going-ons as he questioned me on the witness stand about "private" domain registrations, ooooohhhh, using aliases for negotiating domain name purchases, aaaahhhh, and bank wires to escrow companies located in the, shhhhhh, the Cayman Islands. Oh my! :-O
My favorite moment was when Ed Cramp had the entire court room on the edge of their seats. He was going to drop the big bomb on us all, that would blow the case wide open. We spent 30 minutes so Ed's big moment could be allowed in court (he was going to have me read from a confidential document). There were several high school students who were in the court room as part of some class project, so we had to wait for them to all sign confidentiality agreements before they could hear the big bombshell Ed was going to drop on the court. Well, the big moment finally came...we're all on the edge of our seats...I'm on the witness stand and Ed had me turn to a specific page in the ginormous trial documents book they had prepared. He asks me to start reading his big smoking-gun document. The only problem was, what he was reading, and what everyone else in the court is reading, were completely different. It was all I could do to not look at Gil for fear I would bust out laughing while on the witness stand, just three feet from the judge. From the witness stand I had a front row seat watching Michael, Ed and Michelle scratching their heads, scrambling, trying to figure out what had happened. Where was the missing, secret document? After a minute or two of silence, while the entire court waited for them to get it together, I saw Robertson turn beet red, and he started pounding on documents on the table (literally =), as he explained to Ed that someone had photo copied the wrong document! (I could picture how later that day, Ed would have to endure one of Robertson's famous, out-of-control, childish temper tantrum "bell ringings," something I had to witness dozens of times at Linspire. I could also image the big discounts Robertson would be demanding from his legal bill for this snafu. Poor Ed. Or is it "rich" Ed, who actually seems pretty happy to keep taking Robertson's money for no-win cases? ;-)
They finally got things sorted out and Ed was able to read the big zinger. Yawwwnnn. What a let down, just more nonsense. And so the trial went on...and on....AND ON, blah, blah, innuendo after innuendo being made by Robertson's team. A case that should have taken an hour or two, Robertson and Co. dragged on for an entire day, we even stayed past the normal closing time for the court.
The Verdict
After the trial, we had to wait a couple of weeks for the Judge to issue her ruling. When it arrived, as expected, it was a complete and total victory for free speech. Robertson lost. Free speech won. Judge Judith Hayes was spot on in her ruling. She didn't miss a thing, and correctly ruled "...the Defendant had a bona fide noncommercial use for the website, the Court finds the general purpose of the website to be a free speech forum wherein Defendant criticized the management of Plaintiff. ..the Defendant at no time harbored a bad faith intent to profit from a registered mark and that his use of the website undertaken to inform consumers and criticize Plaintiff's management constituted a lawful use of the site."
Oh, but wait! Michael Objects!
I guess Robertson didn't feel like he'd wasted enough cash on this dog case (or maybe Ed Cramp had another kid needing to be put through college), so they filed a TWENTY-SEVEN PAGE objection with the court, contesting the judge's tentative ruling. When we received a copy of their objections (27 pages of the same blah, blah they tried at trial), Gil suggested we really should respond. I told him, again, I had better things to do with my money than waste it on this ridiculous case. I typed up a paragraph, emailed it to him, he translated it into legalese, and that was our response. We then waited for the Judge's final ruling...
Judge's Final Ruling
Yesterday we received Judge Hayes final "Statement of Decision." It reads: "The Court has considered objections by Plaintiff, overrules the objections so noted and hereby issues its Statement of Decision." Translated, this means, "We read your TWENTY SEVEN PAGES of blah, blah, and free speech is still protected in this country. You lose. Free speech wins." (Click here for a copy of the Judge's ruling.)
For all the money Robertson paid the MULTIPLE Duane Morris attorneys, I'll take my ONE lawyer, Gil Cabrera, any day. Even though I didn't pay him to prepare to anywhere near the extent Robertson did his team, Gil easily won. I didn't pay to let Gil have all the resources that Robertson let Duane Morris ring up (motions for summary judgment, prep time, research, nifty white posters, 27-page objections, multiple attorneys at trial, etc.), yet in my opinion, he clearly out lawyered them where it counts--in the courtroom. Gil beat Robertson's team with one hand tied behind his back, while Robertson gave his troops a tank. Gil won by sticking to the heart of the issue (non-commercial free speech site), regardless of all the nonsense Robertson's team threw out there. Sure, Gil DID have the law and the facts on his side, but he still did a great job in delivering them, and it's clear by the outcome that the Judge didn't miss a thing. Kudos to Gil for making sure the real issues didn't get buried in the mud Robertson's side was throwing at the wall.
I won't be at all surprised if Robertson appeals, as he might still have a little money left. (What's that they say about a fool and his money? ;-) But, I'm happy to see Robertson wasting his money (as I'm sure his attorney Ed Cramp is too =), since I won't be the one spending anything, just like before. Doesn't Robertson understand that the more he attacks, the more attention he just brings to Freespire.com? He spends HIS money to bring more attention to the very thing he's trying to shut down. Doi!
Some of us who worked for Robertson have a saying, "Take the smartest, most logical thing to do, and plan on Robertson doing the exact opposite." It's what makes him so predictable. What would be the dumb thing to do here? To appeal and waste more of your money to bring attention to freespire.com. So, what can we expect from Robertson...you got it. Mark my words. Like I say, as predictable as a dumb donkey.
Freespire.com for 100 Years
The Freespire.com domain name was set to expire next month. I just renewed it for another 10 years. I would have registered it for longer, but that's the max they'd let me go. I suppose they figure that in ten years who knows if "web sites" and "domain names" will even exist. One thing I can assure you, however, no matter what the medium will be in the future, I'll make sure the facts about the REAL Michael Robertson get published, not just for the next 10 years, but for the next 100.
15 comments:
Robertson sounds absolutely bonkers.
- April 25, 2010 at 11:11 AM
People will only get away with what you let them get away with.
Congratulation, Kevin, it's good to see that he isn't getting away with his behavior easily.
- April 25, 2010 at 12:53 PM
I'm a lawyer. Based on the limited court pleadings you referenced online I found it interesting that the legal action which was framed by Mr. Robertson attempted to use the Cyber-squatting laws to stop the right for free speech as opposed to using the legal principles of libel / slander. His legal counsel no doubt was trying to accomplish something that could not be done under libel / slander as information and words used to describe events are protected speech and don't constitute libel/ slander when they constitute the truth. Hence as Mr. Robertson could not dilute and twist the truth regarding his actions his legal counsel apparently attempted to use the inappropriate laws pertaining to Cyber-Squatting, domain names, tradenames, etc. in an effort to block the truth from coming forward. Sounds like you and Gil were well prepared to present the case and he did a good job of directing the court to the appropriate use of the laws. It is unfortunate that you have had to deal with these actions by Mr. Robertson.
In regards to the derivative shareholder suit, which you indicated you were not a party to I also find that interesting in that I have handled these types of cases myself. The largest one that I brought in my career to court resulted in a $5,000,000 settlement to my clients - the outside shareholders (ie: those who did not have the ability to manipulate corporate funds). It seems that those shareholders of the company should not only be able to recover funds but to have Mr. Robertson removed from his abilities to have management over traded companies. Inside dealing is indicative of a character that cannot be trusted or relied upon.
- April 26, 2010 at 9:30 AM
Too funny! Congratulations. Robertson is a butt-head.
- April 26, 2010 at 12:28 PM
- Maura Larkins said...
Thank you for reporting this interesting case. Judge Hayes swings back and forth on the free speech issue. Perhaps that unpredictability is what caused District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis to boycott Judith Hayes, which ironically brought about a good result for you, Mr. Carmony, when Judge Hayes was transferred to the civil court. Congratulations.
- April 26, 2010 at 4:48 PM
- Kevin Carmony said...
I'm pretty sure ANY judge would have ruled favorably for me in this trial, as this case was extremely straight forward. I specifically obtained the domain name with the option of griping about Linspire's management. Even Ed Cramp went to great lengths to show the judge that I had NEVER said anything good about Linspire or Freespire on the site, only bad things. (Duh!) He made the case for me. (Thanks Michael for paying Ed to do that for me! ;-).
They certainly TRIED to make it complicated (I still laugh about all the silly innuendos they tossed out), but it wasn't. Basically, I started a site that complained about Robertson, there was ZERO confusion from anyone, and I didn't make ONE PENNY off the site. Free speech 101. It's nice to live in America where free speech still maters, even though Robertson doesn't seem to think it should.
- April 26, 2010 at 5:13 PM
Congratulations on your victory! Your victory is one that is shared by everyone who believes in free speech, and believes that the good in humanity will prevail over all others. It's nice to see that you took on a wanna-be giant and succeeded. I would like to know just what was your motivation? How did you manage to post information about Michael, and yet take on all his legal assaults (I assume that he tried everything within his power to stop you) and not spend nearly as much as Michael did on legal fees?
I just wanted to wish you congrats and let you know that I've been following your blog for months. Heck, I believe that I even subscribed to your weekly emails when you were employed at Linspire many years ago while I was in college. I even remembered sending Linspire an email asking them to get involved in my engineering department's computer affairs by offering Linspire-based computers for students to experience.
Thank you very much and congrats again!
- April 26, 2010 at 6:53 PM
- Kevin Carmony said...
As I mentioned in my blog, when I left Linspire I just planned on moving on and doing anything I could to HELP Linspire. I was a sizable shareholder, so I certainly wanted to see the company succeed. If you read my first interview after I left, I was the ONLY one talking about my leaving. I had nothing but good things to say about Linspire and it's future.
Shortly after I left, greedy Robertson started to attack former employees, trying to have them arrested, trying to destroy their good names, etc., all because he wanted to get back the severance payments I, as CEO, had given them. (The real kicker was one of the employees agreed to take LESS than he had coming to him, as per his employment agreement, so that the other employees could get fair severance. The amount of severance I awarded WAS LESS than what these employees contractually had coming to them.)
When Robertson did that, I had to start letting others know what was going on, hence my blogging about Robertson and Freespire.com.
As for how I'm able to win by spending very little, 1) I have a great lawyer who out shines Robertson's team by a mile, and 2) I have the law on my side.
Thanks for the support. Robertson has more legal attacks coming to trial next month. Look for more reports on his insanity there as well.
- April 26, 2010 at 6:59 PM
You just made my day! I had such a good laugh reading this.
I've known Robertson for a lot of years, and you're spot on. He's a complete jerk. I don't know anyone who knows him that feels differently.
- May 5, 2010 at 7:00 PM
Nice... and ditto Anonymous... MR's a jerk. My life and health are better now that I no longer work for this man.
- May 7, 2010 at 3:09 AM
Robertson is a pathetic loser. No one should ever be associated with this guy. He'd sell his own mother if he thought it would make him a buck.
- May 7, 2010 at 9:10 AM
Michael Roberston acquired Xandros. their linkedin page now states Parent Company:MP3tunes
- May 10, 2010 at 6:31 AM
- Kevin Carmony said...
I'm guessing that's some sort of cross link at LinkedIn. Xandros acquired Linspire, and MP3tunes was a spin off from Linspire. As LinkedIn tries to figure out relationships and associations, I'm guessing a wire got crossed up and that's not accurate. But, I suppose it's possible. (Robertson does a lot of dumb things and loves wasting his money. =)
- May 10, 2010 at 9:07 AM
- PGTips91 said...
Kevin, thank you for your principled stand against Michael Robertson. I am relieved that you won your latest free-speech case MR brought against you.
I am saddened to think that all this is still going on, three years after you left Linspire. I hope that the cases that former employees have brought against MR finally succeed in stopping his wild career in mismanagement. I also hope that the former minority shareholders in Linspire [former employees I guess] get something back for their investment [deferred wages] which MR appears to have diverted to his personal benefit.
What a sad end to what was an exciting adventure at its commencement!
- May 13, 2010 at 8:40 PM
- Kevin Carmony said...
6-18-2010 UPDATE: Robertson, still not happy with how much money he's lost on this case, filed a 16-page objection to the Judge's final ruling. The Judge heard oral arguments on this today and gave Robertson the smack down yet again.
I don't spend much of anything on this silly case, but Robertson loves paying his lawyers, and I'm sure they love taking his money. What a sucker he is. Ah, a fool and his money...
- June 18, 2010 at 10:35 PM


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Conservative Media Can't Talk About Wendy Davis Without Demeaning Her
Blog ››› ››› HANNAH GROCH-BEGLEY
Right-wing media are making sexist and outrageous claims in an attempt to smear Texas gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis over her divorces.
The Dallas Morning News reported January 18th that Davis had been 21, not 19, by the time she got a divorce, a seemingly-minor contradiction to previous statements in which she had described herself as a teenage-single mother. In a statement to Buzzfeed, Davis explained that she had been separated from her first husband "on [her] way to a divorce" by 19, living alone with her daughter in a trailer for a time.
Exactly how young Davis was when she took care of her daughter on her own while facing economic hardship is a small, but understandable, question. Conservative media, however, are blowing the legitimate questions about Davis' backstory out of proportion while making sexist attacks on Davis' character and implying she is not fit for public office.
On January 20, Rush Limbaugh called Davis a "babe" and a "genuine head case," and claimed the new details proved she needed a man to be successful, as her second husband helped pay for her law school. Limbaugh concluded that her life story was full of "fraud and deceit ... her entire biography has been embellished and falsified by her."
Radio host Mark Levin also suggested that Davis was a "good Democrat gubernatorial candidate" because she is a "liar" and because there were "allegations -- I stress, allegations -- of adultery."
In two posts on his blog, Fox News contributor Erick Erickson used the divorce in an attempt to portray Davis as an unstable and unreliable mother, with two posts headlined, "Documents Show A Texas Court Ordered Wendy Davis to Stay Away From Drugs and Alcohol" and "Wendy Davis' Ex Asked a Court to Order Her Not to Use Drugs Before Seeing Her Kids."
But Erickson conveniently ignored that a temporary restraining order, or TRO, is common practice in divorce cases involving children, and can include restrictions on alcohol and drug consumption. Tommy Christopher at Mediaite effectively laid out how Davis' restraining order was typical, and an example of a petition form for the TRO is available on the Texas Law Help website, showing that drug and alcohol provisions are included on the form.
Erickson has repeatedly attempted to smear Davis, whom he demeaningly refers to as "Abortion Barbie." Last November, Erickson absurdly suggested that Davis was unfit for public office because she had claimed "mental health issues" in a 1996 lawsuit. Erickson once again showed his unfamiliarity with the law; the language he cited is required boilerplate for the Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress (IIED) claim Davis brought against a Texas newspaper.
These attacks on Davis are extreme, but they also follow a predictable pattern. The Barbara Lee Family Foundation has studied every female candidate for governor in the past, and found that women running for executive office often are placed on an "Ethical Pedestal," which perpetuates the myth that women are more innately honest than men -- allowing male opponents to undermine them by simply questioning their integrity:
To distract from what really matters -- the policies, priorities, and platforms of each candidate -- male opponents often strike early with attacks questioning a woman's integrity. It's a well-worn strategy.
We saw this happen in Senator Elizabeth Warren's race against then-Senator Scott Brown in 2012, when he repeatedly questioned her integrity, and we're already seeing it in State Senator Wendy Davis's race against Attorney General Greg Abbott in Texas.
Image via The Texas Tribune using a Creative Commons License
- Posted In
- Diversity & Discrimination, Gender, Elections, Government
- Network/Outlet
- redstate.com
- Person
- Rush Limbaugh, Mark Levin, Erick Erickson
- Show/Publication
- The Rush Limbaugh Show, The Mark Levin Show
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