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This post is brought to you by my wonderful father, William Wiggins, who so graciously spent his time creating this for all of you. He grew up on the North Folk of Long Island, about 3 hours outside of the city. He went to college in the Northeast and returned to NYC in 1985 where he has lived ever since. He works in the film industry as a set dresser, and is way cooler than I will ever be. I hope you enjoy! Love, Lane.
New York City. One of the greatest cities in the world. It can conjure up images of skyscrapers, art, sports or food. It can be different things to different people. It can be different things to the same person. Hopefully at some point you'll have the gumption to take the plunge and visit New York.
It has something for everyone.
Don't try to do everything- you'll never do it and you'll go broke trying.
This is my very biased and personal tour for three (or four days) in New York City.
For our purposes, we are going to consider only the island of Manhattan. We'll save the other four boroughs (Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island) for another day. To make it a bit simpler, we will be primarily concerned with Manhattan below 59th St (with a few necessary exceptions).
Where to Stay
You will need a place to stay. Check the reviews (TripAdvisor and Yelp for starters) and make sure you feel comfortable with your choice. My option when I visit another city is Airbnb. A quick look at the Airbnb website showed a private room in a loft in Hell's Kitchen for $128/night, a one bedroom penthouse studio in the east 50s for $135/night and lastly a private room for $95/night.
Don't rule out hotels. A web search showed three, three star hotels from $72 to $116, all in the Times Square area. Call and see about location and fees. Be a wise shopper and ask questions. Shop around. I am sure there are deals to be found.
Don't be intimidated by the price tag (on lodging and just about everything else), 65 million people visited New York last year and most of them were real people just like you. If you're eligible, do a web search of 'hostels in Manhattan', you can find a reasonable place there and the synergy of a hostel can elevate your visit.
How to Navigate
You need to get around. New Yorkers use mass transit. If you don't want to be mistaken for a tourist, use the subway and bus system. The system has its problems, but it's safe and the second best way to get around (the first is walking which you will do plenty of). And I promise you'll have a few indelible subway stories to take home. Keep your heels and new shoes at home. Bring good walking shoes.
Download a subway map and a bus map. Google maps has directions within the app. Both bus and subway, although most of the time you will be taking the train (subway). I prefer my own map because it gives options and lets you see how many stops until yours and more importantly, if you're heading in the right direction. Don't be tough on yourself if you get lost or get on the wrong train. I've taken trains all my life and got on the right train heading in the wrong direction just last week! I always tell visitors: no one should be deprived of a transit story. Embrace yours!
Fear of the subway? It's safe, sort of clean and sort of reliable. It's how most everyone gets around.
Buy a Metrocard from a subway station agent or use a credit or debit card at a vending machine at any station. Get a seven day unlimited Metrocard for $32. If you're at an agent booth, ask for a subway map. It can be useful when your phone battery dies and it's a free souvenir.
"Wait! I'm only going to be here for three or four days. Why should I get a seven day Metrocard?" In the end, you'll save money. With an unlimited Metrocard (for subways, buses and the tram to Roosevelt Island), you will be more likely to go uptown then back downtown then take a bus to dinner then a train back to your Airbnb/hotel. That's about $12 right there. Uber's and taxis have their place. They are everywhere. But they can get expensive. With an unlimited card you can feel extravagant by taking a train just two stops if it's raining, cold, hot or you're just pooped. An unlimited Metrocard allows you the choice to move all over the city without having to worry about the $2.50 fare every time you use the train or bus. And an unlimited Metrocard will allow free transfers between buses and trains. A regular Metrocard (one preloaded with a dollar amount) only allows one transfer per swipe.
Other alternatives: there are buses which (most double decker and free ponchos when it rains) for a flat fee you can travel designated loops all over the city. They are hop on/hop off. They are sold on the street (usually in congested tourist spots like Times Square, midtown and outside the Empire State Building) by people with jackets and placards. A ticket can range from $28 and up. If there are three of you, that's $84. You can take a lot of train rides for that.
Taxis get expensive quickly. I rarely take them. But if you're in a hurry or it's raining, it can be a good choice. Uber is equally good. My wife feels safer in an Uber than a cab. You know who is picking you up and if you leave your wallet or camera in an Uber, you stand a very good chance of getting it back.
In general, because you are traveling and out of your routine, be careful with your belongings. Not because you are a target for crime, but I've found I chronically misplace water bottles, hats, and valuables moreso when I'm traveling than when I'm at home.
Where do we go now? First a little bit of orientation.
Uptown is north. Downtown-South. An address that begins at 1 East 32nd St. is on the east side of 5th Avenue on 32nd St. 1 West 32nd St. is on 32nd St. on the west side of 5th Avenue. And so on. With few exceptions, on odd numbered streets the traffic runs one way (WEST). On even numbered streets (E for East), the traffic runs EAST. Find cross streets on avenues here.
Explore your neighborhood. Get to know your immediate surroundings. I like to find a place to get a cup up of coffee or to get a bit of breakfast. Fortunately or unfortunately Starbucks are ubiquitous. Their coffee is exactly what you can expect. But ask around, there may be a coffee shop that isn't a chain close by.
First a tip about the city and restrooms. At some point while you are out and about, you will need a restroom. There are precious few public restrooms in New York. There are restrooms in Grand Central Station. It is located at 42nd St. between Lexington and Madison Avenues – Grand Central Terminal (terminal and station are incorrectly used interchangeably). I haven't been to Penn Station in a while, but I am sure there are restrooms there, too. Other large municipal buildings may have restrooms. The fall back and predictable go-to is a coffee shop chain. Starbucks is one of the few places in New York where you can find a free restroom. There is usually a code to unlock the restroom. You can buy a cup of coffee to get the code (usually printed on the receipt. And yes, I fished a few receipts out of the trash) or wait outside the door and grab it before it closes. I don't mind buying a cup of coffee for the pleasure of using a clean restroom. My other convenient place to use a bathroom is the Plaza Hotel (785 5th Ave. between 58th and 59th St.) on Central Park South set back from 5th Avenue. Walk in like you own the place. The men's room is to the left and downstairs. The women's room is through the bar area and to the right down the stairs. Another hotel where you can use the restroom is the Roosevelt Hotel (45 E 45th St.) on Madison Avenue and 45th St. The entrance is on 45th St. Bathrooms are up a short flight of stairs and to the right. You can try this at most large and busy hotels. I can't guarantee your success. In a pinch it's worth a try.
My experience with NYC parks is hit or miss. If you're looking for break dancing and street performers and find them it equals a great experience. If you're looking for a quiet place to have lunch and some peace and quiet- break dancing is not going to be your choice. Since you are there and I can not possibly know what you're looking for, walk around and be open to the possible. It lurks everywhere.
If you feel like you're lost or need some help with a train or bus, ask somebody. New Yorkers are surprisingly friendly. If they don't look like it, it's because they are on their way to work, or to the doctor or heading home or to meet someone. You might be pleasantly surprised. Then again, you might have asked the wrong person having a bad day. We love our city. We want you to love it, too.
My experience with NYC parks is hit or miss. If you're looking for break dancing and street performers and find them, it equals a great experience. If you're looking for a quiet place to have lunch, break dancing is not going to be your choice. Since you are there and I can not possibly know what you're looking for, walk around and be open to the possible. It lurks everywhere.
I've put together several routes for you. They reflect the city I know. They are personal and subjective.
Day One: Brooklyn Bridge, Municipal NY, Chinatown
Day Two: Greenwich Village, Chelsea Market, Chelsea, Highline
Day Three: Battery Park, 9/11 Memorial, Statue of Liberty, Wall St., Trinity Church, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Museum of the American Indian
Day One: Brooklyn Bridge, Municipal NY, Chinatown
Take the F train (try to get in the rear or last car of the train) towards downtown/Brooklyn to the first stop, York Street. Exit and turn right when you reach the street. Quickly turn left and walk with the traffic on York St.
Look for signs to the Brooklyn Bridge. Make a left on Washington St. Walk up the stairs and walk over the bridge. You're heading toward the building on the Manhattan side, 1 Center St.
Great pizza at Juliana's, 19 Old Fulton St. Worth the side trip and the (inevitably) possible wait. Continue on York St. Make a left on Front St. Walk a few hundred yards, make a right onto Old Fulton St. CC= takes credit cards.
When you get back to the Manhattan side of the bridge walk up Center St. Nerd alert: I'm a big fan of architecture. So I will be recommending buildings and churches. They're free, too. There's a great building (31 Chambers) on the corner of Chambers St. and Center St. If you don't mind going through security, check out the lobby. At least walk in and have a quick look.
Continue up Center St. for one block. Make a left on Reade St. Make the next right on Elk St. and look for the African Burial Ground National Monument. It was discovered when they were digging for the new building behind it.
Get back on Center St. Continue walking uptown. Walk towards and past the Triumph of the Human Spirit, the tall basalt monument in the fountain. Federal and state courthouses are on the east side of Foley Square. They are worth a look if you like that kind of architecture and want to spend the time to get through security.
Continue up Center St. to Worth St. Make a right on Worth St. When you get to Baxter St. where it intersects Worth stop at what used to be The Five Points. Continue up Baxter St. Go into the Columbus Park. Great for people watching.
At the corner of Baxter and Bayard there is a good Thai restaurant. Great lunch specials. Going up Baxter is Nha Trang One Vietnamese restaurant. We usually have the barbecued pork chops and a squid dish. I can't vouch for the Pho, I've never had Pho here. Overall, the food is good. Service is quick.
Go back toward the park on Baxter St. Turn on Bayard and walk into Chinatown. You'll find different types of Chinese food-Hunan, Szechuan, Cantonese, Mandarin. One of my favorites is Wo Hop at 17 Mott St. The food is good, not great. The tee shirts could use some work, too. Its easy to find. Turn right on Mott St. It's down in a cellar, it's tiny and noisy and it feels like New York. Chinatown is bordered on the north by Canal St.; to the east by the Bowery and to the west by Church St. There has been a lot of spill over in all four directions in the last 50 years. Wander around Chinatown for as long as you like. If you still have the time, find Broadway and follow it down town. Walk to the right to enter TriBeCa.
Because Manhattan is squeezed into a triangular shape, the trains conveniently converge in lower Manhattan. End of day one.
Day Two: Greenwich Village, Chelsea, Highline
Begin at Greenwich Village/Chelsea Market on 75 9th Ave at 15th St./ Chelsea/Highline. It begins at Washington St. and Gansevoort St.
Note from Lane: you may be able to sneak in a bit of SoHo today if you are feeling ambitious and if your legs aren't crying (yet).
Take the train (L,N,Q,R,W,4,5,6) to Union Square. Exit anywhere. Walk around Union Square. There is always something going on. There is a Farmer's Market several times a week, a Christmas market during the holidays and it's a great place to pass the time of day. There is a Barnes and Noble bookstore at the north end of the park. Four floors of books and coffee.
Broadway runs down the east side of Union Square. Find it and head south, walking with traffic. At 12th St. you will find the Strand bookstore. It is one of the only bookstores left from what used to be a collection of bookstores in the vicinity. You can spend as much or as little time as you want here. Check out the rare books on the third floor. First and signed editions are here and yes they are for sale. There are bins of sale books outside on rolling racks. Continue your walk south. Stop anywhere you like. Explore some of the side streets. Grace church is at 10th and Broadway. At Washington Place, turn right. At the corner of Greene St. and Washington Place is the building that housed the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory (history nerd alert). Look for the plaque commemorating the fire and the 146 women, most of them young immigrants, that died in 1911.
You are now on the campus of NYU. There is an art gallery (Grey Art Gallery) on the corner of Washington Square East and Washington Place. Enter Washington Square Park. You are now on the campus of NYU. Washington Square Park is a great place to hang out and people watch. In the afternoon on a warm day you might find, comedians, folk singers, jugglers, break dancers and more.
For lunch head to Mamoun's Falafel at 119 MacDougal Street (walk to the opposite side of Washington Square Park that you entered from toward Washington Square West. It becomes MacDougal St. Follow traffic south to a tiny place on the right, look for the (hopefully) quick moving line. I get a Falafel with everything. I like to get a side, usually babaganoush or hummus. Walk back to Washington Square Park and sit down. Check out the chess players on the corner. At the southwest corner of the park turn right on West 4th St. Wander away from Washington Square Park and head towards Sixth and Seventh Avenues. Get lost in the West Village. The architecture is typical of new from the late 19th century.
If you have a map it can be reassuring. A smart phone has a map. If you don't use one, Bleecker and W 4th St. are parallel. John's Pizzeria at 278 Bleecker St. has a reputation for great pizza (cannot buy it by the slice). I ate there a few times and the pizza is very good, but the wait and service-with-attitude can numb the experience.
Continue west along West 4th or Bleecker and enjoy the quieter streets that connect them. Continue on Bleecker to Hudson St. and make a right on Hudson walk uptown to Horatio St, make a left. Take a right on Washington St. There you have a choice. The Whitney Museum of American Art is at 99 Gansevoort St. Tickets are $25/adults $18/students. Pay what you wish Fridays 7-9:30 CC. Second choice is the Highline. Go one block, find and climb up the stairs. A summer day may find the Highline mobbed. I like going off season and early. Go in the winter or inclement weather. These thin out the crowd and the dramatic weather can add another dimension.
But don't stay away on a nice day. Some things New York gets wrong and some things New York gets right. New York got the Highline right on. The Highline is amazing. Serene and gentle while incorporating the city in a flattering way. It appears organized, and my favorite place is the tiered seating overlooking 10 Ave.
If you're hungry, exit the Highline at 14th St. Walk away from the West Side and New Jersey. Get to 9th Ave and make a left and head uptown to 75 Ninth Ave. Walk the entire length from 9th to 10th Avenues. The vendors have changed over the years but the food and shop quality has remained very high. The art and fountain at the Chelsea market are New York cool.
There is also the Gansevoort Market on the corner of Ninth Ave and 14th St. Both are hard to beat. I've have eaten and continue to eat at both places. This is, of course, if you're still hungry. There's still, dinner.
You can continue on the Highline by returning to 14th St or head to the galleries via Tenth Avenue. There are many galleries between 10th and 11th Avenues on every street from 23rd St. to 29th St. The bulk of them on 24th, 25th and 26th St. Get a gallery guide from the first gallery you visit. Keep the post cards from the shows that are free and typically on the desk in the gallery. A good way to remember the art you liked or didn't.
I also highly recommend Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer. They have the MOST instagram-able milkshakes!
Day Three: Battery Park, 9/11 Museum, Statue of Liberty, Wall St, Trinity, and St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Take the #1 train to South Ferry. Or take the #4 or #5 train to Bowling Green. Or lastly take the R or W train to Whitehall St./South Ferry. If you've taken the #4 or #5 train walk out to Broadway and follow it south till you see the Statue of Liberty or the large yellow orange Staten Island Ferry. There is a large sign that reads Staten Island Ferry or something like that. Walk upstairs and wait for the next boat (it's free!). Get a seat on the side of the boat that faces the statue. Hopefully you'll have good weather to enjoy a free ride, the salt air and a great view of the Statue of Liberty. You can see, visit the island, and climb up to the crown if you like. Find that information for the National Park Service here.
I like the Ferry. The price is right (free!). It won't take a huge chunk of time out of your day and on the return trip you can get a feel of what it may have been like in 1905 to see the statue after 9 days in steerage. On the return trip, it's an impressive view of Manhattan too.
After the hour and 20 minutes or so to Staten Island and back walk around Battery Park. There are two museums with the park located to the west: the Museum of Jewish Heritage and the Skyscraper Museum. I don't know anything about them.
When you've exhausted Battery Park find State St. If you walk away from the Ferry it will turn into Broadway. I don't recall seeing street signs around the ferry so you may have to wing it. I know 'winging it' is not what you'd expect from a tour guide. But if you took the #5 train, head back that way. Check out the Museum of the American Indian, the old Customs House or 1 Bowling Green. It's only a hundred yards away. The Customs House is one of my favorite municipal buildings. I've the unique good fortune to see the parts of the building that few people see. And it is splendid. However, there is plenty of beauty to see. It starts outside with the sculpture on either side of the entrance. Admission is free as it is part of the Smithsonian. The exhibits rotate and can be eclectic. They had Jimi Hendrix's jacket a few years back. Check their website.
If and when you're done with the NMAI, exit and go sit in the park out front. It really was a green for the Dutch to go bowling on. The 'Wall St. Bull' is at the north end of Bowling Green and is a great photo op if can photoshop the 60 tourists out.
Continue up Broadway to Wall St. and Broadway (89 Broadway). There you will find Trinity Church. Go in and explore the church constructed in 1846. It is the third church building on this spot. The cemetery around the church is worth a visit. Alexander Hamilton and Robert Fulton are buried here among others. Further up Broadway at 209 Broadway is St. Paul's Chapel. George Washington prayed here after his inauguration in 1789 and this church was instrumental in the physical and spiritual revival of lower Manhattan afterwards. These are great oases to collect your thoughts and enjoy the church as a sanctuary.
Next you have a choice to make. Wall St. or the 9/11 Memorial. First, I'll walk you through Wall St.
Walk back to Wall St. and imagine this as a wall to separate a nascent Dutch colony to the south and an unbroken carpet of green north all the way to the Arctic Circle. It was loosely populated with dozens of indigenous peoples. They are all gone now. Remembered only by Lenape Indian names. Canarsie. Rockaway. Manhattan et al.
Head down hill on Wall St. to the intersection of Broad and Wall Streets. This is the hub of the financial district and the home of the New York Stock Exchange. Federal Hall at 26 Wall St. is the building behind the statue of George Washington. It was on this spot that he took the oath of office. This National Park building replaces the structure from Washington's time. In here, you will find articles and artifacts from the presidency and currently an exhibit honoring Alexander Hamilton.
Across the street on the east side of Wall St. across from the stock exchange at 23 Wall St. is the former offices of J. P. Morgan. Businessman, financier and art collector. Here you can see the results of the 1920 bombing that killed 30 and injured dozens. Look for the fist sized pock marks on the exterior of the building. The Stock Exchange used to be open for tours. They are no longer available for security reasons. Now, we can head over to the World Trade Center.
Walk back to Broadway and turn right and head uptown to Liberty St. Turn left on Liberty St. and walk to Greenwich St. Here you will find the 9/11 Memorial and the 9/11 Museum.
My friend has visited the Memorial and said it's a reflective space about lives lost and the attack on 9/11. I have not been to either one. I was home from work that day and saw everything from my living room window. But this is advice I would offer any visitor to any place in New York. Get tickets online ahead of time. Go early in the day. Crowds tend to build from noon into the afternoon. After the Museum and Memorial, there is the Oculus nearby. The Oculus is the building that looks like it is built from giant fish bones. It is quite spectacular from the inside as well as the outside. Go in and walk around. There are shops inside and trains below. There is more shopping and restaurants across the West Side highway in the World Financial Center. As you approach the WFC you will cross the bike and pedestrian greenway that travels along the highway all the to 175th St./George Washington Bridge. For other food options there is Eataly on Liberty St. between Trinity Place and Greenwich St. I am only familiar with the mother store on 23rd and 5th Ave. If it is a even a remote cousin to the main store it is worth a visit. The selection is impressive. Someone has scoured Italy from top to bottom and brought the best of it to NYC. As I said above I have not been to this location. But I'm still certain that the prepared food is of a very high quality and you might want to indulge. End of Day 3.
I am keeping my guide to three days. You can improvise, add, subtract or split things up as you wish. I encourage you to just wander around and put your stamp on your trip.
Note by Lane: if you are here an extra day, I would recommend doing Times Square, Bryant Park (my favorite place in the city), NY Public Library, Grand Central Station, and Rockefeller Center (and Empire State Building if it's a must-see for you). They are all within walking distance of each other (bring good walking shoes). Although I do not enjoy Times Square because of the masses of people, I could spend all day in Bryant Park- there is always something going on like juggling classes, outdoor symphony, yoga, sun bathing, picnics, weddings, ice skating, markets, street fairs, and more! My favorite thing to do is grab a lunch from Whole Foods adjacent to Bryant Park and lay in the grass and people watch. The NY Public Library has fun events, as well. One time I went, there was a free exhibit of the Declaration of Independence! Grand Central Station was my mom's favorite place in the city- there are shops but just people watching and staring at the beautiful ceiling is my favorite!
To that end, I want to add a few tips and a few lists.
https://www.tenement.org/ (one of the top 3 non art museums in the world. And my wife has the honor of working there.)
https://www.guggenheim.org (a Frank Lloyd Wright building. Spectacular building and world class art)
https://metmuseum.org/ (a must see)
Note from Lane: The MET is my favorite museum of all time! It is also located near Central Park- killing two birds with one stone! My second favorite museum is MoMA (Museum of Modern Art), but instead of going into the Museum if I am pressed for time, I check out their gift shop which is so fun!
http://www.frick.org (great art in a gorgeous home courtesy of a much hated robber baron)
https://www.frauncestavernmuseum.org/ (have a bite to eat where George Washington gave a farewell speech to his troops)
https://www.mcny.org (New York City Museum)
http://www.elmuseo.org/ (Museum dedicated to the preservation of the arts and culture of Puerto Rican's and Latinos and Latinas of all nationalities in America. Conveniently located near the Museum of the City of New York
https://www.nyhistory.org NYC history and lots more
https://www.newmuseum.org/ Contemporary art
In addition there are numerous smaller niche museums. I was in an elevator a couple of years ago and two students were on there way to the Accounting Museum in the same building. There is also the National Museum of Mathematics, no kidding. There are so many I can't even begin to find them all much less list them. If this intrigues you, look on the web. Here are places to start:
- https://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2015-03-11/new-york-10-best-small-museums ,
- https://www.walksofnewyork.com/blog/best-nyc-museums
- and finally, https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g60763-i5-k10067009-Small_Museums_in_NYC-New_York_City_New_York.html
Patsy's 1279 1st Ave. (Harlem)
Lombardi's 32 Spring Sty (Little Italy)
Eataly 5th Ave. at 23rd St. Entrance on 23rd St. (Flatiron)
Joe's Pizzeria 7 Carmine St. (Greenwich Village)
Una Pizza Napoletano 175 Orchard St. (Lower East Side)
John's Pizza 278 Bleecker St. (Greenwich Village)
NY Pizza Suprema 413 8th Ave. (Penn Station) 30th/31st Sts.
Juliana's 19 Old Fulton St.
Katz New York classic
Vanessa's Dumpling House
118A Eldridge St. (LES)
Also at 70 Pine St. (Financial district) and 220 E 14th St. (Union Square)
I hope you enjoy New York. There is so I much left out. And the city is constantly changing. If I wrote this again in two years it would be different. But for now I think it will suffice for someone visiting New York for the first time. Or if you've been here before perhaps you can see something new. Cheers!
But this is advice I would offer any visitor to any place in New York. Get tickets online ahead of time. Go early in the day. Crowds tend to build from noon into the afternoon.


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by dnwill5121 from La Vista, Nebraska. Oct 4th 2017
Dnwill, yes there are lender who can approve a loan for a credit score under 600.i have approved a loan of 450 credit score and she got her funds.you can contact me on: goldsten lending at gmail dot firstname.lastname@example.com for your loan approval and funding.
I agree! There are a couple lenders including LeaderOne that has loan programs available for mid FICO scores under 600.
More info needed, but the short answer is yes.. there are programs which allow for financing if your credit score is under 600.. but understand that 300 is under 600 and you wont get financing if your score is 300.. Also understand that it takes more than a credit score to obtain financing.. Foreclosure? BK? Shot Sale? Unpaid Judgement? Collections? etc, etc, etc.. you could have a 760 credit score, yet with one of these credit deficiencies, you still might be denied.. For this reason, I suggest you put aside the keyboard, and pick up the phone and contact a mortgage banker/broker and apply with them. Once they see your complete loan profile, they will be better equipped to advise you properly. Also, by applying with a Banker/Broker, you have an advantage because he's familiar with local customs and works with many lenders with each one offering a different type of lending program. This is unlike the local bank which typically only has a few lending programs. The more lenders, the more lending options, and the more likely your scenario will be accepted.. Plus, the banker/broker is experienced in seeking out the best loan terms for your particular scenario, and he has lower overhead which typically results in lower rates and fees than most of the big box banks. I'm a preferred Lender with California and Arizona being my primary markets. If you or someone you know is looking for financing options, feel free to contact me or pass along my information. 480-287-5714 WilliamAcres.com NMLS# 226347 / RPM Mortgage NMLS 1541014 / AZMB0121893
Yes, no, and maybe... Once your score gets below 640, the chances of approval go down dramatically. The further below 640, the worse your chances. We offer loans below 600 credit score, but understand that credit score alone does not make for an approval. Very few files I run below 600 ever get approved unless you have a big fat down payment, but you just might be one of the lucky ones if you are strong in all other areas. Don't get your hopes up, but always worth a try. Contact a local mortgage broker in your area, give them a full application, and see what happens.
Ask our community a question.

subset: commoncrawl


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Man Fakes Retardation For 20 Years
But now prosecutors say it was all a huge fraud, and they have video of Costello contesting a traffic ticket to prove it.
"He's like any other person trying to get out of a traffic ticket," Assistant U.S. Attorney Norman Barbosa said Tuesday.
Pete and Rosie Marie Costello were indicted in September on charges of conspiracy to defraud the government and Social Security fraud, and the case was unsealed Tuesday. The Vancouver pair pleaded not guilty in federal court in Tacoma on Tuesday after the case was unsealed. The traffic ticket was deferred.
Barbosa filed with the court two videos of Pete Costello taken this year: In one, he allegedly feigns retardation during an interview with Social Security workers; the other is of him contesting the traffic ticket in a courtroom earlier this year.
The indictment accuses Costello of faking — or at least exaggerating — retardation since August 1997, because that is what prosecutors are confident they can prove, Barbosa said. But the pair first received benefits 10 years before that.
The benefits cited in the indictment totaled $111,000.
Barbosa said the government does not know whether Costello is retarded to some degree, but he clearly has been "exaggerating whatever he may have, if any."
Pete Costello sat in court Tuesday and said nothing. Instead of living with his mother, he works as an auto-body repairman and lives with a girlfriend and two of her children, prosecutors said.
"Obviously his mother did get him involved in this ... but he's been an adult for many years," Barbosa said.
Court documents indicate prosecutors believe his mother, 46, pulled the same trick with a daughter, whom officials have been unable to locate. All told, she raked in $222,000 on their behalf, according to the documents.
Attorneys for the Costellos declined to comment after the hearing.
"This person isn't being honest with the government about his condition," Barbosa said. "It makes it impossible to sort out."
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Social Security and Medicare


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Present Tense 2019: Task of Remembrance
Chinese Culture Center
Present Tense: Task of Remembrance explores the ways artists and their communities continue to build and engage with memory, the weight of history, and responsibility of remembering. Inspired by the 30th anniversary of important upheavals like the Protests at Tiananmen Square, the Fall of the Berlin Wall and the Loma Prieta Earthquake, participating artists and art collectives--from the Bay Area--will showcase works across a variety of mediums.
This is what SF/Arts curator Christian L. Frock has to say about Present Tense 2019: Task of Remembrance :
The Present Tense Biennial reflects on the complexity and responsibility of remembering the past. This year it considers the anniversary of global upheaval 30 years ago, following student protests in Tiananmen Square, the Loma Prieta Earthquake and the fall of the Berlin Wall. Featuring works by Sofía Córdova, Related Tactics, Tina Takemoto and Jenifer Wofford, among many others.
Event Info
Tues. - Sat. 10AM - 4PM


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These are the grim headlines from the14th Annual International AIDS Conference in Barcelona, where world leaders in research and advocacy gathered this week to celebrate the small victories in the battle against AIDS and to pool artillery for the coming onslaught. The highlights:
The current climate
The most vocal and angry group of activists anyone's seen in the last five years appeared at the conference. "This meeting was tinged with fear, anger and a great deal of concern over what's happening in Africa and what could happen in other parts of the world," says Dr. Robert Gallo, director of the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland's Biotechnology Institute. Gallo is credited, along with French scientist Luc Montagnier, with pinpointing the link between HIV and AIDS. "I don't want to say there was pessimism, but there was a realization that a lot of the critical issues like providing follow-up studies and continuing care to the neediest countries are about policy, and are out of the realm of AIDS scientists."
The conference also marked a shift away from looking for cure and toward finding new ways of prevention "We're going back to the original goal in this fight, which was the preventative vaccine," says Dr. Ronald Kennedy, chair of the department of microbiology and immunology at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, and an expert on the spread of AIDS and the search for a vaccine. The fight against AIDS is no longer about wiping out all traces of the virus in the bloodstream, says Dr. Kennedy. Now scientists are focusing on the development of an HIV/AIDS vaccine that behaves like most other vaccines: the virus is purposefully introduced into the body in order to boost immune response, which doctors hope will lower the viral load and prevent AIDS from taking hold in the first place.
While new drug cocktails make living with HIV more of a reality than ever before, millions continue to die, either because they cannot afford that life-extending cocktail, or because they've developed a new form of AIDS that's resistant or non-responsive to existing drugs. Many others will die because they don't believe AIDS is still a deadly disease: recent breakthroughs in treatment means the gut-wrenching fear of the late 1980s has evaporated and with it, obsessive (and lifesaving) condom use. Today, young people in many developed countries, including the U.S. have seen people live symptom-free for years with an HIV-positive diagnosis. As a result, many are not particularly worried about HIV and AIDS. Rates of youth infection are skyrocketing; the UN estimates as many as half of all new infections occur in young people aged 15 to 24.
Following the money
The big question is money for research and prevention programs, and who should provide the funds. Many activists believe the richest nations should fill up the collection plate. And they made their point loud and clear Tuesday when U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson was booed off the stage mid-speech by protesters angry over what they perceive as the U.S.'s lack of commitment to fighting the spread of HIV and AIDS.
In April of 2001, Secretary General Kofi Annan established the U.N. Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The initial goal was set at $10 billion a year, with contributions pledged by countries around the world. As activists and economists have noted, those contributions are not coming in as fast as might have been hoped the 2002 figure stands at $3 billion and some protestors are targeting the European Union and the U.S. for not giving enough. (The U.S. has pledged $500 million to the fund.)
The geopolitics of treatment
The prognosis is worst for residents of Caribbean nations and of sub-Saharan Africa, including Botswana, which has the world's highest caseload. But rates of infection are also on the rise in Russia and China, both of which are predicted to become the next hot spots of the disease. Earlier this month, 15 Caribbean nations agreed to purchase desperately needed AIDS drugs from major pharmaceutical companies at discounts of up to 90 percent. The companies, including Abbot Laboratories, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Merck decided it was more expedient to strike a deal with the Caribbean as a region, rather than wrangle with the individual countries. Local leaders called the agreement a "major victory" in the fight against AIDS.
This is one happy example of what can happen when drug companies move to assist countries in need. Sadly, there are many countries left without this kind of aid. And until a reasonable compromise can be reached between the financial responsibilities of pharmaceutical companies and the economic realities of AIDS-stricken nations, the best hope appears to lie in the manufacture and distribution of cut-price "copycat" drugs, like those created in India and sold to Uganda's government at drastically reduced prices. Since the introduction of these drugs in Uganda, a country devastated by AIDS, prices for treatments have fallen by 97 percent, according to Oxfam, an international aid organization.
In Brazil, the government has sidestepped drug companies' patent claims by actively promoting generic drugs. Today, Brazilians comprise more than half the 230,000 citizens of poor countries currently taking retroviral drugs. Dr. Kennedy believes this trend will spill over into other countries, including China, creating a surging generic market. It's also quite possible, he adds, that scientists in those countries will simply use samples of the drugs to create their own, far less expensive versions.
There was good news for patients struggling with drug-resistant AIDS; Roche's Enfuvirtide, or T-20, has had great success in two large late-stage trials. The drug is a so-called "fusion inhibitor," which, when added to a patient's larger drug cocktail, reduces the HIV levels found in the blood. T-20's trial performance was better than what researchers had hoped for. But even amidst this positive development, some AIDS experts expressed concern that the drug might have unknown long-term side effects. (The trials lasted just 24 weeks).
T-20 is more effective when used in combination with an existing regimen. Does this rule out T-20 for anyone who cannot afford a very expensive cocktail? "Not necessarily," says Dr. Kennedy. "They will start testing the drug on its own." But for now, T-20 serves little purpose for those in countries without access to costly AIDS drugs.
Meanwhile, American pharmaceutical company VaxGen created quite a controversy by announcing early in the conference that its AIDS vaccine, currently in trials, could come to market as early as 2005. While many activists leapt at the news, scientists and journalists were more skeptical. "Until the trial results are available in 2003," wrote Mark Henderson of the London Times, "we have only the company's word to go on, which is not enough to convince that this is the breakthrough it claims to be." Dr. Kennedy agrees: "I think we've seen a lot of exaggerated claims surrounding this vaccine," he says.
That's not to say there won't be a vaccine some day, says Dr. Gallo. "We'll solve this problem. I will never again make specific predictions, but I believe that despite what some scientists think, we will find a vaccine. And I'll take on anyone with that bet."


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Who killed Jesus?
That question has echoed down the ages. Did the Jews kill Jesus? Was Pilate guilty of murder? What about Caiaphas the high priest and Herod the king? What role did the centurions play? What about the crowd shouting, "Crucify him! Crucify him!"?
And we can't forget Judas who betrayed him.
Each person and each group mentioned had a role to play in the unfolding drama of redemption. But in the larger sense, no one "took" his life because he "gave himself up for us."
You cannot understand the love of God unless you go to the cross. You cannot understand the cross unless you see in it the outpouring of God's love. Christ's death became a sacrifice that was a "fragrant offering" to God. The NLT uses the phrase "a sweet aroma."[Ephesians 5:2]
If we had been there on that Friday in early April, we would have been repulsed by the odor. Crucifixion was a ghastly way to die. The Romans intended to make it brutal and bloody. They had mastered the art of cruel killing. That day at Calvary the smell of death was everywhere.
But the cross smelled good to God. He was well-pleased by the sacrifice of his Son.
Taken from "Fragrant Offering" by Keep Believing Ministries (used by permission).


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A Walk in the Woods
Since fitness is my passion, most of my posts are commenting on articles I run across pertaining to fitness. However, I just had the opportunity to backpack for the weekend, and I feel it was worth writing about. I find it ironic that I'm getting into this hobby at the time when "Wild" and "A Walk in the Woods" are in vogue. I was told to read both those as I started doing this. I don't think I'll ever be a through hiker, the term for those who stay on the trail from start to finish. When I was younger, I wanted to hike the Appalachian Trail, but now that I know what that entails, I find I'm happy with just doing weekend hikes.
I have experienced many facets of fitness – aerobics, weight lifting, biking, kayaking, swimming and walking. I've worked out in the gym and at home. I've participated and taught classes, and done fun things that were incidentally fitness producing. I've done indoor rock climbing and learned how to climb trees safely. Having done all this, I've discovered that fitness is a positive circular cycle. You have to exercise to be fit enough to do active things, and doing active things increases your fitness level. A way to demonstrate this is how you feel the first time you go for a bike ride in the spring, vs if you keep it up all winter on a stationary bike.
So, I had to train to hike, and hiking was what I did to train. It is excellent for fitness. There are all the benefits of walking, and many of the benefits of weight training, since you are carrying 30 lbs on your back. Unlike walking, most trails are rather challenging, like the one I just went on that had an uncounted number of stairs. The first few times I did it around my neighborhood, I was so sore the next day, especially my calves and feet. I quickly adapted. The heat was an issue, we had one seasoned member bow out after the first day, opting to get a boat home. (We were hiking along a lake.)
We left on a Friday, and did 8 miles (roughly) the first day. We did shorter hikes the next two days, roughly 6 miles Saturday, and five on Sunday. Since I had not trained on consecutive days, I was concerned that there would be some adaptive stress to daily hiking, but there was none. My right knee and foot got sore the second day, after all those stairs, but seemed completely recovered the next.
Hiking and backpacking aren't for everyone. If you have physical limitations, or just aren't sure of your
footing, it can be daunting. Backpacking means carrying everything you need on your back, which can be physically too much for some. It also means accepting a certain amount of risk, being organized and learning new skills. Of course, it also means eating, sleeping and peeing in the woods, which can be a gross-out for overly fastidious people. Having said this, many state parks have shorter, flatter trails for the less able. My husband hikes on shorter hikes. Also, you are in control of your hike. You can decide how many miles you want to do. You can always turn around and go back. Many trails are loops, of set mileage, which helps determine if they are something you'd like to challenge.
I do think most people would benefit from some sort of hiking. Getting out in nature, getting your vitamin D, socializing (you should never hike alone), and, of course, exercising, are all benefits of it. I like backpacking because of the feeling that I'm tied to all of human history. Most people lived their whole lives in a fashion similar to how we camp. It gives you great respect for our forebearers, and deep gratitude for all our technological advances.


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Hattrick Football Association
Hattrick Football Association or HFA is a mystic oraganisation located in Hattrick world which has made a total of 2 announcements published as My Hattrick messages:
Bankruptcy change
The Hattrick Football Association (HFA) has had enough of supporting players in bankrupted teams. - As of September 11 we will no longer pay salaries to players in teams that have gone bankrupt, HFA's spokesperson says. - This will of course mean that those players will leave their bankrupted teams and quit playing football since their teams cannot pay their salaries; but we don't see any reason for continuing to take the economical damage for teams going bankrupt.
National team players will however not quit if their teams go bankrupt. HFA will make sure they get transfer listed.
Wing Attack training problem
The Hattrick Football Association (HFA) has confirmed speculations regarding flaws in the recently introduced Wing Attack training scheme. - There was a mistake on our part which has led to players not receiving the correct amount of training. They have also experienced form loss, says the HFA spokesperson. - We deeply regret any problems this may have caused managers, but unfortunately we can not undo these effects. New training instructions has now been printed and distributed to all teams, making sure the correct procedures are followed in the future.


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The old Dunedin train station is an eclectic piece of architecture, dating back to 1903.
|"Age to Perfection.....Positive Aging in Action".......great tagline, they saw these old farts coming!
After Dunedin, we said farewell to Glen and Carol, and pointed Dirt Bravo back south, to cross to the southernmost of New Zealand's 3 largest islands. Stewart Island, we'd heard, is THE place to go to see kiwis, New Zealand's most famous and iconic birds.
We met up in the little town of Bluff with cruising mates John and Kathy from m/v 'Mystic Moon'. Like us, John and Kathy were doing a long road trip exploring and hiking around the country. Bluff was an interesting place, definitely "the end of the road".
|Stewart Island in the distance, from Bluff overlook
|Official bottom of New Zealand's south island
The stretch of water between Bluff and Stewart Island is considered among the roughest in the world, as the Pacific Ocean meets the Tasman Sea, on a natural ocean shelf only about 100 feet deep. The little catamaran ferry was specially designed for the rough seas that occur in all seasons.
|Workers at Bluff cannery "wet fish department" on their "smoko"
After the short ferry ride, we arrived in the town of Oban, the only real town on Stewart, and were met by Ang, who drove us to our hotel/cabins. Pretty sweet spot, we got to sleep on a real bed, in a building, no less, for the first time since leaving Auckland several weeks earlier. What a concept, gotta say, we get it, that bed was comfy!!!
Lots of kaka's, a New Zealand parrot, hung around our cabins. Yes, there really is a bird named the kaka !!! And these bad boys are not at all shy!!!
We spent a nice morning on neighboring Ulva Island, hiring Ang through Ulva's Guided Walks. She was a great guide and naturalist, and did a terrific job of showing us a lot of the birds and plants of the island. Ulva is a national park and bird sanctuary. It was declared rat free in 1997, and, with no predators, has been used since as a sort of holding pen for many of New Zealand's rarest birds and plants, some of which are nearly extinct anywhere else. It was a beautiful spot, though we were a bit underwhelmed at the populations of critters. But a great hike nonetheless.
|Water taxi (blue boat) waiting to shuttle us over to Ulva
|Tiny orchids
|A "weka", a large brown flightless bird. The closest thing we came to seeing a kiwi
|Mother weka and two chicks
|Supposedly a kiwi footprint, we're convinced that the guides tramp around after the tourists leave with "kiwi stamps"
Though we heard that Stewart Island is home to 15-20,000 kiwi birds, we went out kiwi spotting all three nights we were there, and never saw one!!! We're convinced that the damn things are just chickens with a Photoshopped beak.....who knows???
But we did several nice hikes on Stewart, and recommend the visit to anyone exploring the south island. It's not a cheap trip, but the overall laid back spirit of the small isolated island community is really pretty cool.....
|Guinea fowl
|Kathy and John, with his favorite Stewart souvenir and trusty compadre.


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Photos: Brighton College Dubai launchNovember 9, 2017, 5:00 am GMT
Brighton College Dubai held its official launch event at the Armani Hotel in Dubai last night.
The premium British curriculum school, which already has two branch campuses in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, will open its third branch in the country in September 2018.
Brighton College Dubai will offer students a FS1 to Year 13 British curriculum in a co-educational setting and will be led by founding headmaster Marco Longmore.
The school will be located in Al Barsha South and facilities will include an auditorium, a black box performance space; music and art facilities; a range of sporting facilities, including a 25m swimming pool, IAAF-standard running track, football pitches, tennis and basketball courts and a cricket/rugby field; as well as modern learning spaces designed to enhance pupil well-being, together with a Creative Learning Centre that uses the latest educational technology.
The interest list will open on November 9, 2017, with admissions expected to open soon after for entry into FS1 to Year 9 for the first year.
KHDA approved fees range from AED 64,000 in FS1 to AED 107,000 in Year 13; however the school will offer special founders fees ranging from AED 64,000 – 98,000 in its first year of operation, which will be valid to students throughout their duration at the school.


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26 Oct, Tanah Rata
After five hours on a bus, we've reached Tanah Rata in the Cameron Highlands.
This path isn't just beaten, but leveled, steamrollered and bitumenised. The cafe where we had lunch offers 10 minutes of internet access to "check your mail while we cook your food". No thanks. I'm trying to give it up.
This is a backpacker highway. Everyone on the sign-in sheet was next heading to KL, where we've come from, or Georgetown, where we're going.
Still, it has its benefits. The bus was air-conditioned, roadworthy, and had a sane driver. We were met at the bus station by a friendy tout and brought directly to the hostel. Everyone speaks flawless english. The western-style vegetarian lasagne was excellent.
Nothing wrong with that.


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By Sr Bernadette Mary Reis, fsp
Immediately after his audience with members of Italy's National Anti-Usury Council, Pope Frances wrote a letter to them. In it, he acknowledges and thanks them for their "generous charitable gesture" which he says he "directed to brothers and sisters deprived of human dignity: they are, in fact, the Kingdom of Heaven's most secure bank."
The Council is a precious yeast in society
He also reiterates that we are living in extremely difficult times in which corruption manifests itself everywhere. Pope Francis asks the Council to continue offering their services on behalf of the victims of usury "so that every persons feels they are being heard and can be guided out of the spiral of exclusion and iniquity." This help, the Pope says, "is a precious yeast for the whole of society."
Activities of the Council
The Holy Father met with members of the Anti-Usury Council on 3 February 2018. This Council provides both a social and pastoral activity throughout the dioceses of Italy. They seek to help families who have been the victims of usury or who have incurred excessive debt. Other ways they combat what they define as a "common social plague" are establishing anti-usury foundations where needed, uniting people who understand the problem and want to combat it, and by keeping the issue in the public eye by bringing it before both civil and church institutions, and the mass media.


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Our annual open week end is this coming December 1st and 2nd. We're open from 9am until 4pm. This is the time of year when most of the delphiniums are in flower and there are always a steady flow of visitors with cameras. Visitors love to see pollination demonstrations but mostly they just ogle the delphiniums and wonder how they can repeat that in their own garden. Simple, buy our plants and seeds and follow the instructions!
I love these open days. They are like an annual validation of the work we do and I just love to see people enjoying the sight.
This year the large paddock of seedlings on trial will not be there as we're using the land to build another plastic house, which may well be started by then December 1st. There will still be plenty to see however as we have a few hundred flowering plants outside to supply pollen for the seed crossing. The two existing plastic houses (600 square metres total) are loaded with delphiniums in flower too.
Come and enjoy the day with us. If you are unable to make it at the week end then give us a call anyway and we'll try to arrange a suitable time for you to drop in. We had two travelling couples, a mother and daughter from Canada and a couple from Sweden, call in last week so if you are avaid gardeners touring New Zealand, give us a call, we'll be happy to arrange a time for you to visit.
More questions answered:
Do we ship plants to the USA?
Many folk ask if we ship plants outside New Zealand. The answer, unfortunately, is no – we only ship seeds. If, however, you would like a plant similar to say, Sarita or Sunrise (for example), then ask and we will suggest the best possible seedline to give you a great chance of producing similar plants.
Dwindles? What are they?
I was recently asked if I get "Dwindles". At first I thought this may be a personal question that I don't care to answer but then realised it may be referring to plants that gradually lose vigour and don't come back the next year. Yes, we do get the occasional dwindle. In seed grown plants there is always a chance of the odd weak one. It is useful to remember that the soil in your garden can vary enormously over very small distances. You may have perfectly healthy soil in one place only to find that a couple of metres away there is either a disease problem, fertiliser imbalance or some physical difference that can have a large impact. Don't always assume that "dwindles" are the fault of the plant.
How often should I divide my delphiniums?
Unfortunately this is very akin to asking "How long is a piece of string". It depends on the plant, the climate, the soil and most of all, the personal preference of the gardener. As a general rule I suggest that if your delphiniums are taller than you would like, have thinner stems than ideal, are too crowded for your taste or have a very large crown but send up weak shoots, it may be time to divide. The best time to do this is in the very early spring when the new growth is either just about to start or very shortly afterwards (shoots are only just breaking buds or no more than an inch or so tall). Use whatever method suits you and damages the crown and roots the least.
We very rarely divide ours and don't have a vigour loss problem. I know
many folk do divide the clumps after a couple of years though, with good
The image to the right is of our delphiniums growing in the garden of Anne Cooke of Dawson Creek BC, Canada
Cheers for now


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Centre of English Studies (CES) celebrated its 40th Anniversary party in the magnificent dining hall of Trinity College Dublin last weekend!
CES is a multi-award winning school which is now spread across Ireland, England, Scotland, Canada and Taiwan. Each year CES welcome over 25,000 students from 80 countries.
Over 150 industry guests and friends joined in the party with the Quinn family and CES teams.
The party started with drummers outside the college welcoming in guests and dinner with a performance from the choral group Anúna.
See photos below:
Happy Anniversary CES!


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I love indie pop rock. I'm a spoiled big city girl. Chicago thrives with amazing indie music concerts. You want to know what sucks about loving indie pop rock and living in Pittsburgh? None of those indie pop rock musicians ever come to Pittsburgh (with the exception of Joshua Radin and his show sold out, by the way).
I know my two friends and boo thang will kill me after they read this because I nag on Pittsburgh constantly. But, I don't blame a lot of these artists for not stopping in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh is not all that. They aren't missing much.
However, you know how people are always saying to stop complaining and do something about it? Well, I thought about it and I came up with a solution to the non-existing indie scene in Pittsburgh. I decided to post up music videos of my favorite indie pop rock bands. Maybe, I can get some of my Pittsburgh friends to like the bands and increase the fan base of some of these bands in Pittsburgh. Then maybe, some of these bands will starting adding shows in Pittsburgh because people actually like them here.
You can all forward your "thank you" letters to my personal assistant.
Now, let's start off with the very first artist that got me into indie pop rock. Below is Kate Nash with "Foundations." She brilliantly compares her troubled relationship to a cracked foundation. Love it! The video is bomb, too.


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Creative Cow forum host:Sean Fennell
COW Leaders : Sean FennellCreative COW Forum Host, Web Writer, Contributing Editor
Sean got an early start working with computer animation. When he was only 13 he acquired his first animation package, Lightwave 3d. From that moment he knew he wanted to work on feature film effects and CG films. After working in the software for four years on his own projects, closely trying to replicate effects that he'd seen in television shows and movies, Sean decided to move to a more advanced system. He made his first plunge into the world of UNIX and Power animator, after purchasing an SGI O2.
Just entering college, Sean had a firm self-taught grasp of the UNIX operating system and Power Animator. He eventually upgraded to the first release of Maya and helped shift the school's curriculum from teaching Power Animator to teaching Maya. His teacher was impressed with the amount of knowledge Sean had developed only in his second year in college and offered him a month position with his company, Essential Pictures, modeling for the Toonenstein videogame.
Later the next year, the work with Essential Pictures opened up a position, with the company's previous owner, at Filmworkers Club, a post productionc ommercial facility in Chicago. The job allowed Seanto learn more about the production industry than he possibly could at school. He worked in all areas of CG production from modeling to lighting and shading on a number of aired commercials for many large companies including the Pillsbury Doughboy and Kelloggs. After nearly two years working at Filmworkers Club, Sean moved into the freelance scene in Chicago working as a 3d artist for production and post production houses and eventually producing an all CG Apple Jacks commercial, at the same time holding a full time schedule in school and producing a four minute all CG film himself.
Sean finally got to try his skills in a wide-spread collaborative project on the short film "Major Damage" as part of the lighting team. The project was a dream come true for him, since he had always dreamed of working on a CG film with a wonderful team of talented and creative people. Now just graduated from college,and utilizing experience in all areas of a cg production pipe-line; After teaching at the Art Institute of California - Orange County for over a year, and producing numerous short films with his students that run the film festival circuit. "Short Films are great, in my opinion they are one of the best group teaching mechanisms for students trying to get into the industry. I run my productions the way I would if my students were staff and being paid. At the end of the production, the students have learned alot." Sean is now currently working at Dreamworks Feature Animation in Glendale. Sean still produces short film projects with his students in his freetime.
Articles by Sean Fennell


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Evelyn Duncan has a lot at stake in Brooksville's downtown renovation project, which is scheduled to begin Wednesday.
Duncan and her husband, Bill, own the Antique Sampler Mall at Main and Liberty streets, as well as Courthouse Antiques one block to the north.
The renovation project, which includes burying utility lines and installing brick crosswalks, could seriously disrupt pedestrian and car traffic for the next five months.
But the work, which will focus on a three-block stretch of Main, should eventually lure potential customers downtown, Duncan said. It could especially benefit antique shops, because it will emphasize the city's historic qualities.
"The bottom line is, if we can endure whatever is going on, I think it will be wonderful for the city of Brooksville to be drawn into the other century," she said.
The city will have a groundbreaking outside City Hall at 5 p.m. today. Afterward, representatives from the company doing the project, Atlantis Construction of Tarpon Springs, will answer questions from business owners and other members of the public in the City Council chambers.
"I'm not really clear what they are going to do," Duncan said Monday. "I guess after (Tuesday night) I'll have a better idea."
Atlantis will be paid $590,000 for the work, which will include clearing utility poles and wires from Main, between Liberty and Fort Dade Avenue. Workers will build "bulb-outs" _ brick extensions of the sidewalks intended to encourage foot traffic and to slow car and truck traffic. They will put in planters, decorative street lights, benches and trees.
The cost of the project, $846,000 including engineering costs and fees to Florida Power, will be paid for mostly by a federal Community Development Block Grant. The city provided a $150,000 match for the grant, and the county paid about $100,000 for the bulb-outs.
The city expects to miss the grant's deadline for finishing the work, which is mid December, and has requested an extension through the end of April. The city will not lose funding because of the missed deadline, said Ann Rowe, spokeswoman for the state Department of Community Affairs. But because the city cannot apply for another grant until the work paid for by this one is completed, it will delay the next application by six months.
The city could have applied for another grant this winter; as it stands now it will apply for another grant in midsummer, said Bill Geiger, the city's community development director.
The delays were caused by coordinating the activities of several utilities and governmental agencies, including Florida Power, the county and the state Department of Transportation, Geiger said.
"It was a monumental task. It's not just like a neighborhood grant, where you are just looking at your own infrastructure," he said.
"This is a little bit more intricate because you are dealing with the timing of other utilities and governmental agencies."
It also not that late, considering the city has been discussing downtown renovation plans for nearly 20 years, said City Clerk Karen Phillips. She also said Brooksville anticipates applying for more grants and continuing the work in other parts of the city.
"It's a steppingstone to improve things downtown," she said.
The project probably will inconvenience shoppers, she said, partly because it is in the busiest part of downtown. Future work, where the traffic is lighter, will be less disruptive, she said.
Also, Phillips said, the results will be worth it.
"It feels wonderful" to finally get started, she said. "I'm so excited about it. There's a lot of potential in this."
_ Dan DeWitt covers the city of Brooksville, politics and the environment. He can be reached at 754-6116. Send e-mail to dewittsptimes.com.


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Sunday, July 02, 2006
Two Reviews and a Trailer
Below are reviews of "The Devil Wears Prada" and "Superman Returns." My biggest disappointment with the Man of Steel? I'd heard that the "Spiderman 3" trailer played during the coming attractions. No such luck. But I ran home and played the trailer online. Three villains? A dark night of the soul for Spidey/Peter Parker? No wonder most theaters aren't showing it in front of "Superman Returns." You'd spend the whole movie wishing it were May of 2007.
Posted by Michael in New York at 1:17 PM
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|APME Announces Award Winners from 2013
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Michael Days, New Haven Register Selected As McGruder Award Winners
Michael Days, editor of the Philadelphia Daily News, and the New Haven Register are the recipients of the 13th annual Robert G. McGruder Award for Diversity Leadership, awarded by the Associated Press Media Editors in partnership with the American Society of News Editors and other journalism organizations.
Days and the Register were recognized Tuesday, Sept. 15 at the annual awards luncheon of the ASNE-APME conference at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Chicago.
The McGruder Award for Diversity Leadership is given annually to individuals, news organizations or teams of journalists who embody the spirit of McGruder, a former executive editor of the Detroit Free Press, managing editor of The Plain Dealer in Cleveland and a graduate of Kent State University. McGruder died of cancer in April 2002. A past president of APME and a former member of the board of directors of ASNE, McGruder was a relentless diversity champion.
This year, the 13th annual McGruder awards were sponsored by the APME Foundation, ASNE, The Plain Dealer and Kent State University. Supporters include the Detroit Free Press, the Chips Quinn Scholars program of the Newseum Institute and Annette McGruder. The honorees will each receive $2,500 and a leadership trophy at the awards luncheon.
Days and the New Haven Register are being honored for their commitment to diversity in news content and in newsroom recruiting and staff development.
"This year's McGruder recipients have diligently and relentlessly made diversity a key priority in their newsrooms even as so many other urgent priorities pull for attention,'' said APME President Debra Adams Simmons. "We are proud to honor their work. Each of these news organizations faced considerable challenges during the past year, yet they held true to diversity as a core value. When we look at news developments around the nation and world, in Ferguson, Missouri, and in Israel, there is no question that diverse voices make us stronger and make us better."
In the nominating letter for Days, his colleagues wrote: "These days, when covering basic news is a challenge, a commitment to diversity might be considered by some as a luxury, a fashionable trend we all pursued in better times. At the Daily News, diversity has never gone out of fashion.
"It is deeply embedded in our DNA, and Michael ensures that it remains critical and relevant," the nomination said. "Under Michael, the Daily News has become what may be one of the most diverse newsrooms in the industry, and both our day-to-day coverage and our daily discussions bear this out."
The Philadelphia Daily News newsroom is 22 percent minority, three of the paper's four regular columnists are women; of the 15 columnists across all departments, six are minorities, six are women. Readers of the newspaper are evenly divided between whites and non-whites. And of the non-white readers, 44 percent are African-American.
"Those are the data," the nomination said. "What is harder to quantify is the spirit of diversity that Michael encourages and inspires. Ours is a street-sales paper in a big city with many challenges, including poverty, a nearly bankrupt school system and a legacy of political corruption. In many ways we're a city of underdogs and one of our core missions is championing the underdog. We speak for the little guy, and constantly challenge the status quo — especially our own. Even our obituary page, a leader in the industry for transforming 'death notices' into a repository for human stories, reflects the full fabric of the city: janitors and grandmothers get the same treatment as political leaders and dignitaries."
Days fosters a sense of community partnership, making the Daily News a convener of conversations about President Barack Obama's "My Brother's Keeper" initiative and public education. And, he brokered a collaboration with Al Dia, Philadelphia's Spanish-language newspaper, to publish World Cup soccer sections at the beginning and end of the games. Reporters, editors and designers from both papers worked together to create bilingual sections that were published in both papers.
The New Haven Register's attempt to tackle the online comments on Web stories unveiled some important truths. The Register's nearly all-white newsroom three years ago, its unsuccessful attempts at recruiting and retention, and limited staff development were reflected in the paper's content and disconnect with readers. The newspaper developed an action plan and quickly got to work. In 2011, the New Haven Register and its sister publications in Connecticut had three minority journalists in its 120-person newsroom. In the spring of 2014, there were 15 minorities out of 100. Today, there 13 out of a staff of 83. The newspaper's leaders recruited staff members in non-traditional ways. For example, they identified a community member who was managing a cellphone store, active in a local mosque and volunteered at a food bank who had some experience writing for the Muslim Journal and connected him with the Chips Quinn Scholars program for training. He is now the Register's community engagement editor. Within a year, they hired another fellow from the training program.
The New Haven Register also diversified its leadership team. And it encouraged risk-taking and debate within the newsroom. It now has frank discussions, and in one example published a story about the media attention generated by Sandy Hook compared with the sometimes limited coverage of gun violence in urban New Haven.
"Our approach over the past three years has been not just to report and offer options, but to engage and facilitate," the nomination said. "The Register is regularly an outlet that now helps the black community talk through and debate important issues."
The newspaper's front pages now include black and Hispanic faces in all kinds of news stories. It has developed community relationships; hosted live and online forums on education, violence, neighborhood redevelopment; hired a talented reporter from a sister publication, and came up with a new strategy for online comments — each comment is reviewed before it is posted. The paper stopped calling undocumented immigrants "illegal." It also worked closely with Digital First corporate leaders and has placed 10 Chips Quinn scholars in Digital First Media newsrooms.
In his nomination, Matt DeRienzo, Group Editor of Connecticut Digital First Media, said the news group experienced a wake-up call: "We were limited by our own world view, our own life experiences and our own circle of friends and contacts, which were homogeneous. In that moment, we learned one of the most valuable things of all: we didn't, and couldn't, know many things about life in our community and country. If that was going to change, if we were to become a better newspaper, we would have to diversify our newsroom and the leadership of our newsroom. We decided it would be a top priority."
The 2014 judges included representatives from APME, ASNE, The Plain Dealer and Kent State University and previous recipients of the McGruder award. Jurors assessed nominees based on their significant contribution during a given year or over a number of years to furthering the cause of diversity in content and in recruiting, developing and retaining journalists of color.
APME Journalism Excellence Awards
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's investigation of delays in newborn screening programs captured top honors in the annual Associated Press Media Editors' Journalism Excellence Awards.
The newspaper's "Deadly Delays" project won in three categories - Public Service, First Amendment and the Al Neuharth Award for Innovation in Investigative Journalism.
"APME salutes the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and all of this year's winners for the exemplary journalism being produced in newsrooms around the country," APME President Debra Adams Simmons said. "We are proud to celebrate journalism that changes lives. The news industry's commitment to solid public service journalism, defense of the First Amendment and digital storytelling is as strong as ever."
The 2013 APME contest recognized news organizations in seven categories and AP staff members in separate judging.
"This is journalism with an exclamation mark," the judges wrote in selecting the Journal Sentinel's project for the 44thannual Public Service Best of Show award."What started as a data-driven project evolved into a momentous report filled with human dimension and a need for action." The award, sponsored by the APME Foundation, carries a $1,500 prize.
The newspaper also won the Tom Curley First Amendment Sweepstakes Award for the project, which analyzed data nationwide on screening programs designed to detect rare diseases in newborns and found delays at hospitals in testing the results, putting infants at risk. The award, sponsored by the APME Foundation, carries a $1,000 prize.
"This is investigative journalism at its best, practiced by masters of the genre," said the judges in the First Amendment category.
The Gazette of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and the Virgin Islands Daily News won Public Service awards in their circulation categories.
The Gazette was honored in the 40,000 to 149,000 circulation category for its reporting on how wounded combat veterans lose benefits after being discharged by the Army for minor offenses. "Powerful and beautifully told,'' the judges said. "It stands up by every measure of journalism excellence we apply."
The Daily News was recognized in the small circulation category for "EMS in Chaos,"a three-part series that revealed poor management in the Emergency Medical Service division on St. Thomas island.
"Once again the Virgin Islands' staff shines with its tenacity and reporting," said the judges, who noted the paper also won the Public Service award for its circulation category last year. It also won the Tom Curley First Amendment Sweepstakes award last year.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the Colorado Springs Gazette were also honored in the Al Neuharth Award for Innovation in Investigative Journalism. Each will receive $2,500. The award is sponsored by the Gannett Foundation.
Other winners in the First Amendment category were the Herald-Tribune of Sarasota, Florida, in the medium circulation category, for its "Breaking the Banks" project about the failure of community banks in Florida and how local bankers shaped the crisis, and the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, in the small circulation category, for a series of stories and editorials on the University of Wyoming's attempt to keep secret the hiring process for a new president.
The Wall Street Journal was named Innovator of the Year, based on a vote by conference attendees who viewed presentations by it and the other two finalists, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, and The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch. The WSJ's entry was "Startup of the Year," a multimedia project that selected 24 entrepreneurs and paired them with noted business leaders to offer them guidance. The project involved extensive use of video, including online video chats between the participants. The WSJ will receive $1,000; the award was sponsored by GateHouse Media Inc.
Miami Herald photographer Al Diaz won the APME Member Showcase Photo of the Year. The Photo of the Year is chosen from among 12 winners of a monthly award for the best member showcase photo of the month, picked from all domestic member/client contributions.
Diaz was recognized for his dramatic photo of Pamela Rauseo, 37, performing CPR on her nephew, five-month-old Sebastian de la Cruz, after pulling her SUV over on the side of a Florida highway. Judges wrote, "This incredible photo by Al Diaz stops you in your tracks and fills your heart with both panic and hope. Diaz was in the right place at the right time. His photo reminds us of the importance of knowing a life-saving response such as CPR."
USA Today was the winner of a new category, "Best Mobile Platform," for its mobile app.
APME also announced award winners in two other innovation categories as well as Digital Storytelling and International Perspective. Awards will be presented at the awards luncheon Sept. 16 during the ASNE-APME conference.
Judges did not participate in discussions or vote on categories involving their own news organizations' entries.
APME is an association of editors and content leaders at newspapers, broadcast outlets and digital newsrooms as well as journalism educators and student leaders in the United States and Canada. APME works closely with The Associated Press to foster journalism excellence.
Here are the award winners:
44thAnnual Public Service:
Over 149,000 circulation:
• Winner: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Deadly Delays."
• Honorable mention: The Washington Post, "Homes for the Taking," which revealed abuses by investors and the loss of hundreds of properties in some of the city's poorest neighborhoods, often over tax debts of just a few hundred dollars.
40,000 to 149,000 circulation:
• Winner: The Gazette, Colorado Springs, "Other Than Honorable."
Honorable mention: Herald-Tribune, Sarasota, Fla., "Breaking the Banks."
Under 40,000 circulation:
• Winner: Virgin Islands Daily News, "EMS in Chaos."
• Honorable mentions: Times-News, Twin Falls, Idaho, "Never Again", about wildland firefighting deaths; and The Daily Progress, Charlottesville, Va., "Inside ABC," about abuses in the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control agency.
Judges: APME President Debra Adams Simmons, vice president of news development, Advance Local; Bob Heisse, editor, The Times Media Co.; Hollis Towns, executive editor, Asbury Park (N.J.) Press; Bill Church, executive editor, Herald-Tribune Media Group, Sarasota, Fla.; Aminda Marques Gonzalez, executive editor, The Miami Herald; Laura Sellers, managing editor, The Daily Astorian, Astoria, Ore.; Jim Simon, deputy managing editor, The Seattle Times; and Brian Carovillano, managing editor, U.S. news, The Associated Press.
44th Annual First Amendment Award and Citations
• Winner of the Tom Curley Sweepstakes Award and $1,000: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Deadly Delays."
Over 149,000 circulation:
• Winner: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Deadly Delays."
40,000-149,999 circulation
• Winner: Herald-Tribune, Sarasota, "Breaking the Banks."
Honorable mention: The Gazette, Colorado Springs, Freedom of Information work on "Other than Honorable," "Honor and Deception" and other projects.
Under 40,000 circulation:
• Winner: Wyoming Tribune Eagle.
• Honorable mention: The Ledger, Lakeland, Fla., for its work to gain access to public records held by the Lakeland Police Department.
Judges: Mark Baldwin, executive editor, Rockford (Ill.) Register Star, chairman; APME Vice President Alan Miller, managing editor, The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch; Teri Hayt, executive editor, The Canton (Ohio) Repository; and Tom Kent, deputy managing editor/standards editor, The Associated Press.
International Perspective Awards
Over 149,000 circulation:
• Winner: Seattle Times, "Sea Change," about how acidification is disrupting the Pacific's marine ecosystem far faster and on a far bigger scale than first predicted.
40,000 to 149,999 circulation:
• Winner: Portland (Maine) Press Herald, "Arctic Partnership," about the economic impact for Portland and Maine of the decision by an Icelandic shipping company to move its North American headquarters to Portland.
Under 40,000 circulation:
• Winner: Times-News, Twin Falls, "At the Door," about the rigorous training and eventual assignments of Mormon Church members as missionaries worldwide. It offered a rare look at how the missionaries' personal lives change dramatically over the one-year assignment.
Judges: Gary Graham, editor, The Spokesman Review, Spokane, Wash., chairman; Thomas Koetting, assistant managing editor, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; and John Daniszewski, senior managing editor, international news, The Associated Press.
Digital Storytelling
Over 149,000 circulation:
• Winner: The Denver Post, "Chasing the Beast," about a storm chaser's ride through central Oklahoma during a tornado.
• Honorable mention: The Arizona Republic, "Alone on the Hill," about the deaths of the Yarnell Hill firefighters.
40,000 to 149,999 circulation:
• Winner: Maine Sunday Telegram, "Challenge of our Age," about the human impact of aging and how the state's public and private agencies are poorly prepared to meet the needs of an aging population.
• Honorable mention: The Gazette, Colorado Springs, "Other Than Honorable."
Under 40,000 circulation:
• Winner: Times-News, Twin Falls, "When the Smoke Clears," about firefighter deaths in the West.
• Honorable mention: The Dominion Post, Morgantown, W. Va., "JFK: The Legacy Lives."
Judges: APME Vice President Alan Miller, managing editor, The Columbus Dispatch, chairman; Alan English, executive editor/general manager, Shreveport (La.) Times; and Monica Richardson, managing editor, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Finalists for the Eighth Annual Innovator of the Year Award
• Herald-Tribune, Sarasota, "The Stolen Ones," about sex trafficking of children in an underground economy.
• The Wall Street Journal, "Start-Up of the Year," digital video offering, with a microsite, on 24 early-stage startups, which received mentoring from successful entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and business executives.
• The Columbus Dispatch, for its sustained enhanced format.
Judges: Joe Hight, editor, The Gazette, Colorado Springs, chairman; Meg Downey, former managing editor, The Tennessean, Nashville; George Rodrigue, managing editor, The Dallas Morning News; Linda Negro, managing editor, Evansville (Ind.) Courier & Press; and Alison Gerber, editor, Chattanooga (Tenn.) Times Free Press.
Third Annual Innovator of the Year Award for College Students
• Winner: Department of Journalism, College of Media, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, for its mobile app "Virtual Dugout,"which allows fans to follow the university's baseball team.
Judges: Chris Cobler, editor, Victoria (Texas) Advocate, chairman; Angie Muhs, executive editor, The State Journal-Register, Springfield, Ill.; Autumn Phillips, editor, Times-News, Twin Falls.
Fourth Annual Al Neuharth Award for Innovation in Watchdog Journalism
75,000 circulation and below:
• Winner: The Gazette, Colorado Springs, "Other Than Honorable."
• Honorable Mention: Herald-Tribune, Sarasota, "Breaking the Banks."
Above 75,000 circulation:
• Winner: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Deadly Delays."
• Honorable mention: The Washington Post, for its disclosures of secret surveillance by the National Security Agency.
Judges: Sellers, chairman; Simmons; and Sonny Albarado, projects editor, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Best Mobile Platform
• Winner: USA Today, for its mobile platform.
• Honorable mention: Knoxville News (Tenn.) Sentinel, for its iPad app.
Judges: Downey, chairman; Graham, and Church.
AP Staff Awards 2013
Coverage of the Moore, Oklahoma, tornado and the Newtown, Connecticut, school shootings won awards for deadline reporting and feature writing from the Associated Press Media Editors for journalism excellence by AP staffers.
The AP's investigation of the disappearance of CIA contractor Robert Levinson in Iran in 2007 — and its decision to publish the story last year • was honored in the enterprise category.
In selecting the Moore tornado coverage, the judges said, "The reporting was detailed, fast-paced and accurate • breaking news coverage as it should be done." The AP, they said, "owned the story, with vivid photos, arresting interviews with survivors and aggressive questions for authorities who acknowledged they had botched the casualty count."
Christopher Sullivan of the Newsfeatures staff won the feature writing award for "Newtown Marches Again." The judges said he captured "the struggles and resilience of the Labor Day parade committee in Newtown, a community struggling to find its footing" after the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School, which claimed 26 lives.
Adam Goldman and Matt Apuzzo, formerly of the Washington bureau, and editors of the AP were cited for their coverage of the Levinson disappearance.
"In a very competitive category, this entry stood above the rest because of the difficulty of reporting because of the tenacity, patience and courage that was needed to publish this story," the judges wrote. "The story is a gripping narrative that reads like a spy novel." Goldman is now with The Washington Post, and Apuzzo with The New York Times.
Four staffers were honored with the Charles Rowe Award for distinguished state reporting for their coverage of the California prison system. California AP created a prison team of Paul Elias in San Francisco, Gillian Flaccus in Orange County and Don Thompson in Sacramento, overseen by Sacramento correspondent Tom Verdin.
"This is an engaging and monumental work by a newly created reporting team that provided important coverage for California's AP members and their audience," the judges said. "It is mind-boggling the scope of the problems uncovered by this team. The sweep of these issues continues to grow as stories are uncovered."
Photographer Sergei Grits, based in Belarus, won the News Single Photo award for his image of a Ukrainian demonstrator setting off a Molotov cocktail in a slingshot. "This dramatic image captures the passion of the protesters in Ukraine," the judges said. "This moment amid chaos is a vivid metaphor for the crisis."
Photographer Jerome Delay was honored with the News Story Photo award for his series on the fighting in the Central African Republic where he is based. "The dedication of (Delay) to seek out and record these 'found moments' is exemplary," the judges wrote. "The images show the complexity of life amid civil war in the Central African Republic."
Jerusalem photographer Sebastian Scheiner won the Feature Single Photo award for his image of Palestinians living in a cave after their house was demolished by Israeli authorities. "The subject matter combined with the creative composition sets this photo apart."
Rodrigo Abd, a photographer based in Lima, Peru, was honored with the Feature Story Photo award for his story on exhumations from Peru's 1980-2000 conflict. "These images convey a cohesive story arch, one of the agonizing emotional toll taken on the families of victims of the conflict," the judges said.
Nathan Griffiths, Nicholas Harbaugh, Kevin Viney, Peter Hamlin and Roque Ruiz were awarded the Best Use of Multimedia for their interactives on the U.S. healthcare overhaul. Their interactives, the judges said, "were simple to follow and allowed each reader to personalize the information • an amazing feat given the complexity of the law."
The Best in Video award was given to Al-emrun Garjon of New Delhi for his coverage of the collapse of a Bangladesh factory. The judges said Garjon provided amazing shots of not only destruction but survival as well. ... It was a powerful work from start to finish."
Adriana Gomez Licon of Mexico City won the John L. Dougherty prize for exemplary work by an AP staff member who is 30 years old or younger. The judges said she "is a compelling storyteller, who uses in-depth reporting and telling details to powerful effect." Her work included a piece on the death of a beauty queen caught up in the nation's drug wars.
APME is an association of editors and content leaders at newspapers, broadcast outlets and digital newsrooms as well as journalism educators and student leaders in the United States and Canada. APME works closely with The Associated Press to foster journalism excellence.
The judges also awarded the following honorable mentions:
• Deadline Reporting: the coverage of the death of Yarnell firefighters in Arizona and the coverage of the manhunt for former Los Angeles policeman Christopher Dorner.
Judges: Kurt Franck, executive editor, The Blade, Toledo, Ohio, chairman; Michael Days, editor, Philadelphia Daily News; and Mark Baldwin, executive editor, Rockford (Ill.) Register Star.
• Enterprise Reporting: Karin Laub and Mohammed Daraghmeh, based in Ramallah in the West Bank, for Mideast reporting; and Adriana Gómez Licón of Mexico, Natacha Pisarenko and Michael Warren of Buenos Aires, Juan Zamorano of Panama, and Michael Weissenstein of Mexico City for their Latin America consumer watchdog series.
Judges: Angie Muhs, executive editor, The State Journal-Register, Springfield, Ill., chairman; Autumn Phillips, editor, Times-News, Twin Falls, Idaho; and Laura Sellers, managing editor, The Daily Astorian, Astoria, Oregon.
• Feature Writing: Alberto Arce, based in Mexico City, for "Surviving in Honduras," a series of stories about surviving violence and poverty in a country in crisis.
Judges: Bill Church, executive editor, Herald-Tribune Media Co., Sarasota, Fla., chairman; Dennis Anderson, executive editor, Peoria (Ill.) Journal Star; and Aminda Marques Gonzalez, executive editor, The Miami Herald.
• John L. Dougherty Award: Nataliya Vasilyeva, in Moscow, for her reporting on the human and environmental cost of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, and Ashley Thomas, weekend supervisor on the East desk in Philadelphia.
Judges: Jim Simon, deputy managing editor, The Seattle Times, chairman; Monica Richardson, managing editor, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution; and Sonny Albarado, projects editor, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
• Best Use of Multimedia: Nathan Griffiths and Peter Santilli, for interactives on the aging population worldwide.
Judges: Days, chairman; Teri Hayt, executive editor, The Canton (Ohio) Repository; and Alan English, executive editor/general manager, Shreveport (La.) Times.
• Best Use of Video: Raul Gallego, based in Bangkok, for "Myanmar In Transition."
Judges: Monica Richardson, managing editor, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, chairman; Eric Ludgood, assistant news director, WAGA-TV, Fox 5 News; and Greg Peppers, executive producer of radio and audio, The Associated Press.
• Charles Rowe Award for distinguished state reporting: Rebecca Boone, based in Boise, for stories on a privately run prison in Idaho, and Tom Lobiano, based in Indianapolis, for his watchdog work.
Judges: Anderson, chairman; Chris Cobler, editor, Victoria (Texas) Advocate; and Thomas Koetting, assistant managing editor, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• News Single Photo: Santi Palacios, for a migrant trying to scale a border fence into the Spanish enclave of Melilla from Morocco.
• New Story Photo: David Guttenfelder, of Tokyo, for a series on Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.
• Feature Single Photo: Ben Curtis of Nairobi for orphaned elephants getting a dust bath.
• Feature Story Photo: Daniel Ochoa de Olza of Madrid for a series of portraits of bullfighters.
Photo judges: Debra Adams Simmons, vice president of news development, Advance Local; Alan Miller, managing editor, The Columbus Dispatch; Hayt; Sellers; Simon; and Luanne Dietz, photo editor, The San Francisco Chronicle.
9/24/2021 » 9/25/2021
Rochester NewsTrain


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Beginning in English Revolution of the 1640's through the American and French Revolutions of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, the great march of progress has transformed the world. The revolutions in science and industry, combined with the powerful intellectual empiricism of the Enlightenment, has truly made the world a better place. The Enlightenment was like a corrosive acid burning a hole through ages of religious superstition, mysticism, and ignorance. We still have a long way to go, but with the rise of freethought,and Deism, we can hopefully complete what Thomas Paine originally wanted to do, enlighten the world. We still have a long way to go.
Currently, the three monotheistic religions of the world, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, still hold a powerful grip on the minds of the people of the world. In Islamic nations women are brutally oppressed, forbidden to vote or go to school, show their bodies, pick their own spouse, drive, drink alcohol or take drugs, have sex before marriage, and all enforced by a government dominated by imans, and monarchs.
In The United States, and other western nations, the tyranny is more subtle. Modern Christians demand prayer in schools, the banning of Darwin's Origin of the Species, bans on contraception and abortion, posting of the Ten Commandments in the courtrooms, blind support for Israel, using taxpayer dollars, etc. All of this is a revolt against modernity. The modern world, birthed in the Age of the Enlightenment, is still a threat to religious zealots of all stripes, and their control of societies and governments. Throughout history, religious leaders, and established churches have always been enemies of freedom. Thomas Jefferson put it best " In every country, and in every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty, always in alliance with the despot, abetting his abuses for the protection of his own." Revealed religious leaders of the seventeenth century through the present have consistently waged war on science, knowledge, and personal liberty.
Is it possible to free the people of the Earth from the tyranny of revealed religion? I believe it is. Sadly, the people of Islamic nations suffer the worst of religious tyranny, superstition, and intolerance. All believers in progress, liberty and the spirit of tolerance, should strive to provide knowledge and new ideas to the people of these nations. As a Deist and a libertarian, I believe it is imperative to start now if we are to free the world from oppression. I plan on being a Deist evangelist, so to speak. I would like to spread Deism through the works of Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, John Toland, and other great deists. Islamic nations need great works like Jefferson's writings,the Declaration of Independence, and the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. To make this happen, the people of these nations must be educated to overthrow their horrible rulers and imans. The revolutionary power of the Internet will be needed for this. If we can liberate their minds, they too, can join in the modern world, and free their societies from revealed religion.
We also must start by working in our own country, the United States. Read Paine's the Age of Reason, John Toland's Christianity Not Mysterious, and the writings of other American Revolutionaries like Samuel Adams, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, etc. These courageous men, with the exception of Samuel Adams, were not Bible thumping Christians, but instead were rationalists and deists. The world can be enlightened. Look how far we've come since the first revolution in England in 1640, only 360 years ago.
I believe that we must saturate our society with Deist values. We must cease to be polite and afraid to offend people. Speak your mind! Don't hesitate to tell them the benefits of liberty and natural religion. Confront their superstition. Make them justify their irrationalism. Also, start a blog, a webzine or write letters to the editor of your local paper, and express your views. I also want to encourage readers to check out the World Union of Deists, of which I am a member, run by a courageous and tireless proponent of Deism, Robert Johnson. The WUD can be found at the link to the right of this article. Robert also wrote a book entitled: Deism-A Revolution in Religion, A Revolution in You. The book is sold on Robert's site and is a great introduction to Deism. You can also purchase it on Amazon.com.
Take a step in the direction of natural religion, Deism. Reject revealed religion and enlighten the world!
Thursday, April 16, 2009
World Enlightenment
Posted by DL at 4:02 PM
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- Product description
- About the brand
- Review
Product description Taylor of Old Bond Street Jermyn Street CollectionCharacteristics
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- Consistency
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