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Kirsten Scott
Not yet out of her teens, pretty yet powerful Kirsten Scott is proving herself to be a worthy competitor in United Kingdom wrestling rings. Introduced to the sport by lifelong friend Louise Lockwood, Kirsten now often finds herself battling Ms. Lockwood in her quest to capture the British Championship. Whether it's exchanging technical holds, trading strength moves or simple,
Kirsten Scott's Stats...
- Height: 5' 10"
- Weight: 160
- Hair: Blonde/Brown
- Eyes: Brown
- Hometown: Manchester, England (UK)
Kirsten Scott's Profile...
- How It Started: I have known Louise Lockwood since I was eight years old and we are good friends outside the ring. When she started wrestling, I went along to watch her practice and I just got hooked and have been ever since.
- Gimmick: I dont really have a gimmick as such. I just like to get in there and get the job done. (God I must sound boring!)
- Wrestling Style: Well, the style I like is the traditional British-style from the 70s...no messing about outside the ring with chairs, tables and all that. I do my wrestling inside the ring.
- Gear: I think a wrestler should look like a wrestler and wear the costumes, tights and boots just like they used to. Call me old fashioned, but that's my style.
- Titles Held: None at the moment...but I'm looking for a chance to fight for the British Title soon, so wish me luck!
- Biggest Win: My biggest win was against my friend Louise in August of 2003. She is a great wrestler and you have to be on your toes against her. It's a shame it was not a title bout though!
- Worst Loss: I have been beaten, but I would not call any of them a worst loss. No one likes losing, but no one is immortal. In losing, I have seen where I have made mistakes...so I suppose the losses have been a learning experience.
- Favorite Type of Match: Anything goes. If people want to rough it up, then this girl will accommodate you.
- Favorite Moves/Holds: I just love the Airplane Spin. When you are up there you are all mine!
- Finisher: The Piledriver it is one of the best finishing moves around. When you connect correctly they are out. If sometimes they dont connect the way you would like, it still weakens them enough for you to get a Sleeper on and then it's goodnight sweetheart!
- Biggest Allies: My family and Louise (when we aren't fighting in the ring that is!).
- Most-Hated Enemies: That has got to be Samantha Wilde.
- Career Highlight: Being voted "Most Up-And-Coming Wrestler" by the BWA (British Wrestling Alliance).
- Favorite Wrestlers: Kurt Angle.
- Wrestling Ambition: Well, I would like one day to wrestle in the States. I would also love to win the British Title. I want to stay healthy, keep on wrestling, and hope the fans enjoy watching me.
Kirsten Scott's Personal Notes...
I would say I am your typical teenager. I love to go to pubs and clubs at weekends here in the UK (you only have to be 18 over here), but during the week I go to college.....I am training to be a health and beauty technician. It will benefit me in the long run, but it can get tedious sometimes.....I also am learning to drive so I dont have to rely on people all the
time. Let's hope I pass!.....As you can see by my name, I am Scandinavian. I was born in the UK, but I have descendants from that part of
the world. I would love to go to the region one day. It looks so beautiful! Maybe that is where I get my
Essential Kirsten Scott Links...
- Visit Kirsten's Yahoo! Group: Kirsten Scott


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Through our events the SCV Education Foundation creates excitement for learning; encourages and promotes excellence in teaching; and educates business and community leaders on the state of our public schools.
Teacher Tribute
Recognizing excellence in education is the focus of Teacher Tribute. Selected by their peers, one teacher from each of the 54 public schools in all 5 schools districts are honored for providing outstanding leadership and exemplary teaching. With over 1500 teachers honored thus far, the event allows businesses and individuals to recognize the outstanding teachers who educate our youth - the leaders of tomorrow. Learn More
Principal for a Day
Businesses, Community Leaders and individuals who participate in this program find out first hand what it is like to run a public school or district by being paired with school administrators and becoming 'Principal for a Day'. Designed to foster a better understanding of the challenges facing educators, for 27 years this program has proved to be a valued link between local educators, business people and the community. Learn More

subset: commoncrawl


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The Icelandic research center on school inclusion was founded in June 2008. Inclusive education is the official policy of the Icelandic school system and it involves teachers education and the whole schooling system of education and teaching. It's goal is quality education for everyone, democracy and social justice in schools. The policy is one of the United Nations' goals and the official policy of the European Union.
A few dozen scholars at the University of Iceland (formerly Icelandic university of education) and the University of Akureyri are already conducting research within the field of inclusive education. The research centers goal is to serve as a coalition field for these icelandic scholars, for scholars abroad, graduate students, school administration, schools, school staff, parents and special interest student groups.
Since it's inception the following has been accomplished:
May 2009 A youth conference was held. Click here to read report in english.
March 2009 A short seminar was conducted by visiting philosopher John I'Anson.
February 2009 Conference on school inclusion – Are we on the right path in the labyrinth?
February 2009 The article What is (special) education? made available.
June 2008 visiting scholar Julie Allan held seminar for teachers at the university.
June 2008 Founding ceremony


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Not like an invasion of privacy, but more like we're already best friends.
Approximately 18 months ago, I decided that I would move to anywhere in Scandinavia for at least a semester. My deep, insightful reason was that it just felt right, but in actuality, it was because I just finished watching the first three seasons of SKAM in only four days during my winter break freshman year. Norway seemed so cool! So me! I had never gotten a glimpse of what Scandinavian culture was like until the show—all I assumed was that everyone was blonde and that it was freezing year-round (both myths, I later discovered). After watching the Norwegian show three more times in the same year, I was not only infatuated with the idea of living there, but married to it. I began following far too many Scandinavian style icons on Instagram, becoming familiar with Scandinavian culture and lingo, and then eventually deciding to study gender and sexuality studies in Stockholm for a semester.
And guess what?
That semester is now!
Yes, I'm currently in Stockholm for the next four months if you were unaware and/or not paying attention to my recent IG posts. I stepped into this fascinating city about two weeks ago, and although I only know how to say about five words in Swedish, I feel like I've finally come home. My summer move to NYC last year doesn't even come close. The independent, reserved, and non-hierarchal nature of Swedes feels too familiar to my own personality, and the idea that fika, aka taking a break from your busy day with coffee, a bun (cardamom is my favorite, btw), and friends is a highly practiced event here makes me never want to return to the states where long work days and minimal breaks are very much a thing. And then I think of the evergrowing queer scene here, as well as its feminist policies and laws, and I feel like I should extend my stay to far longer than a few months. All I know is that returning home come December will be a hell of a lot harder than the depressing few days after a week-long vacation in Spain or France, as I probably will become that person who comes out of her abroad experience as a "changed person."
But if I feel like my best and truest self here, am I actually changing or just shifting to who I'm meant to be?
Existential soul-searching aside, I also mean this in terms of style. As I say time and time again, style and identity are deeply enmeshed, so it would make all the sense that both my style and identity fit perfectly into the complex puzzle of islands that is Stockholm. After living here for a short two weeks, I've observed that Swedes agree with the notion that style and identity are inseparable. Answering the question of which came first, style or identity, is near impossible, as each consequently influences each other on a day-to-day basis. It feels that no one attempts to mask their true selves with what they put on their body; instead, it simply highlights who they are, or at least think of themselves to be. This theory of mine brings in a whole lot of style diversity, a lack of overplayed trends, and, most importantly, some really cool outfits. Even just during my commute from my apartment to class, I can easily make a long list of all the looks that both emphasize this style-identity dynamic but also that I could bring to my own style (personal style is destined to be influenced by others, if you forgot). Then I realized what exactly makes Stockholm's style so good, so personal, and so, so familiar—people simply dress to embody what they believe their best selves to be. That's the exact mindset I bring to my sartorial decisions, so maybe I really am Swedish at heart. Should I just call my family now and say I'm never coming home?
Dress and shorts are vintage. Shoes by Madewell.
While I already see myself dressing like a true Stockholmer when in the states, being here has brought this tendency out even more, where there are only two criteria I need to follow: a) comfort and b) unconventionality. It may seem strange to put these two antonyms together, but let me explain—comfort simply means to wear what I feel best in, while to be unconventional means to wear something unexpected from the norm. As I already stray towards weirder styles, these two requirements don't feel too difficult to follow. Another non-requirement, but something that Swedes definitely lean towards, is to wear mostly thrifted pieces, which is something I already do on the daily. Although I am in the home of H&M, both large-scale and boutique-style vintage stores greatly outnumber fast fashion. A wonderful, wonderful discovery, yet a curse to my bank account (which, by the way, is already dwindling, as Stockholm is one of the most expensive cities in Europe).
So! To make my Stockholm style dreams come true, I did the unexpected, but also the expected for what I would typically wear—a vintage red '90s babydoll dress partially tucked into some denim Bermudas with a pair of white loafers. Summer is the peak time for Swedes to dress, as the long, warm days bring out the best in its residents. Color! Really cool shoes! Shorts cut at unexpected lengths! As temps are already dropping and short days will become a reality very soon, the time to dress is now. They'll spend all of their waking hours outdoors, even if it's raining, just to get the last bits of sun. So why not show off? It's never to show that they think they're better than others (they're non-hierarchical, remember?); rather, it's to show that they put effort into the sartorial side of their lives. Creatures of style, I suppose? And, once again, I already feel like everything I've been doing my entire life works too well with how the Swedes do it. This sense of familiarity makes this big move less frightening than it should be. Hopefully I'll be able to survive the cold and 3pm sunsets come December.
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Secession is the departure of a group or community from a larger organization such as a state, province, country, or empire. Talk of secession has increased since Trump won the presidential election. Secession is the correct response to the election of Trump. States, regions, counties, towns, and cities should secede from the United States. Cities and states where most people did not vote for Trump must secede from the US. The United States is not worth saving. President Trump will bring oppressive, right-wing policies to places where most people did not vote for him. There are irreconcilable differences between people who voted for Trump and people who did not vote for Trump. Separation of the opposing sides is the best way to deal with irreconcilable differences. Secession would make separation formal and long-lasting. Places that are seceding from the US should seek international recognition as independent countries and should be shown on maps of the world as independent countries, not as part of the US. Places that are seceding should ask for help from people, countries, and organizations outside the US.Nobody should listen to people who tell us to work with Trump, to stop protesting him, or to accept him as president. Secession is an effective way for oppressed groups such as minorities and the poor to defend themselves from the federal government, hate crimes, exploitation, and police brutality. It is time for progressives, radicals, anarchists, leftists, environmentalists, feminists, vegans, and socialists to join forces, set aside their differences, and push for secession. California, Illinois, New York, and other blue states should secede from the United States. In Miami most voters chose Clinton. If Florida won't secede then Miami can secede from the US by separating from Florida and joining an alliance of states and cities that have left the US. Indigenous tribes whose territory is in the US may want to secede at this time and we should help them. Places that have seceded should be autonomous communities that can decide how they want to live. Autonomous communities may need to form a military alliance so they can defend themselves from people who oppose secession. Places that have seceded should take in refugees and other people who are trying to leave places that are under control of the federal government.We must secede now because the federal government will never give us the reforms we need and here's why: Obama's reforms were blocked by Republicans, Sanders and Clinton lost the 2016 election, the US will be divided between progressive Democrats and conservative Republicans for another 50 years if not longer. There will be no progressive reforms coming from the federal government because Washington, DC will be controlled by Republicans or will be deadlocked between Democrats and Republicans for a very long time. The 2016 election gave the Republicans control of the White House, Congress, and the Supreme Court. We should secede now because the federal government will probably be controlled by Republicans for the next 10-15 years and maybe even longer because of gerrymandering, the Electoral College, and voter suppression. The Republican Party will do everything it can to maintain control of the federal government for as long as possible. Secession is the ultimate check on the federal government's power. For secession to be a credible threat that the federal government takes seriously, large parts of the US will actually have to secede now and never rejoin the US in the future.Secession must come before revolution or reform. We cannot have revolution without secession because secession would give us the territory we need for revolution. We can't have revolution or reform if we don't have any territory.This is not a time for intellectualism or the writing of books. This is a time for physical action in the streets. There is a proposal in California to put secession on the ballot in 2019 but 2019 might be too late for secession. Secession needs to happen before 2019. The reason we should secede now is that waiting gives the Trump regime time to consolidate its power. Oppressive regimes such as Trump's government need to be confronted when they first appear because the more time a regime has to consolidate its power: the stronger the regime will get, the longer the regime will last, and the harder it will be to bring down the regime in the future.When I was a kid I remember watching news coverage of the break up of the Soviet Union. Secession is possible in the US because in 1991 the Soviet Union broke up. It was illegal for territories to secede from the Soviet Union but it happened anyway, and it happened quickly, about three years after the first mass protests in 1988. The first protests called for reform not secession. The Soviet government in Moscow was opposed to secession until the very end but mass protests were successful at breaking up the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union, like the United States today, was a superpower with nuclear weapons, a large military, a large police force, and a big prison system, but in the end the Soviet Union failed at using the military and the police to keep itself together, and it is unlikely that the US could use the military or the police to keep itself together if a mass movement for secession happened. The break up of the Soviet Union was made possible by mass protests in Moscow in 1991. Beginning on January 20, 2017, the Inauguration, millions of people should come to Washington, DC and demand secession, the break up of the US. Mass protests all over the country will make secession happen sooner. Protests in Washington, DC should keep happening until the secession process is complete. Large protests in Washington, DC that go on for months or years will have a demoralizing effect on politicians in the federal government and cause them to eventually accept secession. Protesters should demand that places that secede get their share of the federal government's money and military weapons.Know your rights. The First Amendment, which gives us free speech and freedom of association and assembly, makes it legal for people in the US to talk about secession, to join secessionist organizations, and to participate in meetings, protests, and movements for secession. To secede we don't need Trump's permission or the federal government's permission. Few countries have gained their independence legally. Most of the countries in the world today became independent illegally after a unilateral declaration of independence without the permission of the country or empire they seceded from. History is full of times when a territory became independent by separating from a country or empire. Secession is a normal human behavior that has been happening in all parts of the world for thousands of years. Secession is a human right that we all have whether or not a government says it is legal. To secede is not a crime, it is self defense. Seceding is about growing up. A child grows into an adult and leaves their parent's house. States, cities, and other communities need to grow up and leave their parent's house: the United States. People need to stop worshiping the American flag. People's attachment to the American flag is immature. Here are the Saint Paul Principles that were written in 2008 by organizers of the protests against the RNC:1. Our solidarity will be based on respect for a diversity of tactics and the plans of other groups.2. The actions and tactics used will be organized to maintain a separation of time or space.3. Any debates or criticisms will stay internal to the movement, avoiding any public or media denunciations of fellow activists and events.4. We oppose any state repression of dissent, including surveillance, infiltration, disruption, and violence. We agree not to assist law enforcement actions against activists and others.Anonymously written in November 2016. This writing can be copied, posted, translated, and distributed without permission from the author. Post this all over the internet. If this doesn't get approved for posting on a certain website then post it as a comment to an article about Trump, post it on social media, or email it to people.
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Continents move. Glacial cycles come and go. Mountains form and
erode. We live on a planet constantly in motion—except it's usually
extremely slow motion. In the 48 exciting lectures of How the Earth
Works, speed up the action and witness the entire history of our planet
unfold in spectacular detail, learning what the Earth is made of, where
it came from, and, above all, how it works.
This unforgettable course is an astonishing journey through time
and space. From the big bang to small geological forces, you explore
the fascinating processes involved in our planet's daily life. You also
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seafloor, and other fascinating natural phenomena. An international
innovator in seismology and geophysical education, award-winning
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comprehensive picture of our remarkable home.
O;er expires 12/07/11
Taught by Professor Michael E. Wysession
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1. Geology's Impact on History
2. Geologic History—Dating the Earth
3. Earth's Structure—Journey to the Center
4. Earth's Heat—Conduction and Convection
5. The Basics of Plate Tectonics
6. Making Matter—The Big Bang and Big Bangs
7. Creating Earth—Recipe for a Planet
8. The Rock Cycle—Matter in Motion
9. Minerals—The Building Blocks of Rocks
10. Magma—The Building Mush of Rocks
11. Crystallization—The Rock Cycle Starts
12. Volcanoes—Lava and Ash
13. Folding—Bending Blocks, Flowing Rocks
14. Earthquakes—Examining Earth's Faults
15. Plate Tectonics—Why Continents Move
16. The Ocean Seafloor—Unseen Lands
17. Rifts and Ridges—The Creation of Plates
18. Transform Faults—Tears of a Crust
19. Subduction Zones—Recycling Oceans
20. Continents Collide and Mountains Are Made
21. Intraplate Volcanoes—Finding the Hot Spots
22. Destruction from Volcanoes and Earthquakes
23. Predicting Natural Disasters
24. Anatomy of a Volcano—Mount St. Helens
25. Anatomy of an Earthquake—Sumatra
26. History of Plate Motions—Where and Why
27. Assembling North America
28. The Sun-Driven Hydrologic Cycle
29. Water on Earth—The Blue Planet
30. Earth's Atmosphere—Air and Weather
31. Erosion—Weathering and Land Removal
32. Jungles and Deserts—Feast or Famine
33. Mass Wasting—Rocks Fall Downhill
34. Streams—Shaping the Land
35. Groundwater—The Invisible Reservoir
36. Shorelines—Factories of Sedimentary Rocks
37. Glaciers—The Power of Ice
38. Planetary Wobbles and the Last Ice Age
39. Long-Term Climate Change
40. Short-Term Climate Change
41. Climate Change and Human History
42. Plate Tectonics and Natural Resources
43. Nonrenewable Energy Sources
44. Renewable Energy Sources
45. Humans—Dominating Geologic Change
46. History of Life—Complexity and Diversity
47. The Solar System—Earth's Neighborhood
48. The Lonely Planet—Fermi's Paradox
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Course no. 1750 | 48 lectures (30 minutes/lecture)
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15 March, 2016IndustriALL Global Union strongly condemns the recent terrorist attacks in Turkey and Ivory Coast and sends its heartfelt sympathies to the families of those killed in the assaults on Sunday.
In Turkey 37 people were killed in a suicide bomb in the capital, Ankara, on 13 March. Only last month 28 people were murdered in a car bomb targeting military personnel in the city. It follows the death in October last year of more than 100 people in a suicide bombing on a peace march organized by trade unions and civil society organizations in the city.
Now, Ivory Coast is in shock after 15 civilians and three security personnel were killed by Al Qaeda Islamist militants at the beach resort of Grand Bassam. The attackers stopped at a bar for a beer before embarking on their coldblooded rampage. Security forces killed three of the attackers.
"IndustriALL Global Union and our 50 million members strongly condemn these callous, cowardly attacks on defenseless people going about their daily lives. We offer our deepest condolences to families of the victims and stand shoulder to shoulder with our affiliates in Turkey and Ivory Coast," said Kemal Ôzkan, assistant general secretary of IndustriALL. "These attacks will never frighten us away from our historic mission and struggle for democracy and fundamental human rights, of which trade union liberties are an essential part."


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All the goals from United's campaign in October 2013, all in one place, exclusively on BladesPlayer.TV
Click below to watch.
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Just finishing my last tomatoes from 2015/April-seedlings. Grew on 7th floor glassed balcony; South and West face unobstructed sun. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Loved the fact of harvesting my tomatoes while looking out at a snowstorm outside!
Varieties used: Black Krim, Purple Cherokee, Brandy Wine, and some cherry tomato ....
Black Krim- slow leaf - slow during summer, good fall, produced well in winter...
Purple Cherokee - fast leaf- low product both summer, fall, and winter
Brandy Wine - Lots of leaf and fast leaf - lots of product summer and fall, slow product winter.
cherry - it just grew... super easy...
1. Had some tiny insects on most of the plants that also infected some of my other houseplants. Didn't look like they were harming the tomato plants, but they were there and multiplying at one point (summer). Fall they all died on their own. I think they were aphids, but im not 100% on that.
2. Winter- once colder and rainy weather came in, started with the Black Krim variety (I think), mildew attacked hard! Had to spray with fungicide .
NEED HELP picking best variety for next growing season and my circumstance. Want to plant 3 different indeterminate plants and 2 cherries. I plant in March/April and they go all year! Just cut down, fertilize, and plant the next! Not bad for first time
If you had growing experience in this kind of circumstance, your wisdom would be greatly appreciated! Tips & Tricks like Epson Salt and Egg Shells are very welcomed and recognized! Thank You


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There are actually two uses for the term kicker in the journalism world. In the first sense, a kicker is the lead's introduction, typically a few words or sentences leading into the main piece. It usually is formatted to stand out visually from the rest of the story, drawing in the reader's attention much like the header does. Secondly, a kicker can be the paragraph that closes up the entire article, summarizing the important parts and closing the piece up. Both uses of the term are crucial to journalism and it is vital that journalists become familiar with them.
Return to Journalism Encyclopedia.


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|Comic hardcover, 360 pages
Published 2009 (contents: 1989-2003)
Borrowed from the library
Read October 2010
The Absolute Death
Writer: Neil Gaiman
Artists: Chris Bachalo, Mark Buckingham, Mike Dringenberg, Colleen Doran, P. Craig Russell, Malcolm Jones III, Mark Pennington, Dave McKean, Jeffrey Jones
Colorists: Steve Oliff, Matt Hollingsworth, Daniel Vozzo, Lovern Kindzierski, John J Muth, Alex Bleyaert, Rob Ro
Letterers: Todd Klein, Jeffrey Jones
This last Sandman Absolute Edition collects the adventures of Dream's sister, Death. It leads off with two Death-centric issues from The Sandman, which was probably done to pad out the book, but I still appreciated the chance to reread "The Sound of Her Wings," which features Death's first appearance. In retrospect, it stands out: Dream narrates part of it, which rarely (never?) happened again in the series, and it also seems to set up some of Dream's decisions in The Kindly Ones, a full fifty issues later. But the primary point of this collection are the two Death-focused miniseries it collects.
The first of these is The High Cost of Living, which tells the story of a 24-hour period spent by Death as an ordinary, living person in modern New York. Primarily told from the perspective of a layabout teenager, it's a nice story with a lot of fun moments and couple reappearances by Sandman stalwarts such as Mad Hettie and Hazel and Foxglove. Death's adventures are alternately entertaining and horrifying, as you might imagine, and I enjoyed this one a lot.
The second is The Time of Your Life, which isn't really about Death at all, though she appears; it's more about Hazel and Foxglove, and how they deal with having a child and the pressures of fame. I liked getting to focus on these two because, for me, Death doesn't really work as a principal character-- even more so than Dream, she's all-powerful and all-knowing, and what's worse, she likes what she does, so what's at stake for her? She works better as a side character in the stories of others. Hazel and Foxglove go on a stranger journey in this tale, and learn a bit about themselves-- though unfortunately the story occasionally descends into the kind of cheesy aphorisms you might see inside of chocolate wrappers. Also the ending is a convenient cop-out.
The art of both tales is ably provided by Chris Bachalo. I especially liked his art in the second story, where Mark Buckingham's inks are clear and gorgeous. The use of color in The Time of Your Life is really great, too.
After this, there's a few mini-stories about Death, all of which look pretty good, but maybe didn't do a whole lot for me. The one about 9/11 also descends in cheesy aphorisms, I think. The AIDS awareness story featuring Death was worth it for John Constantine holding a banana while Death put a condom on it.


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Link for 9/16/09
So, by now, most of you have heard about Kanye West dissing Taylor Swift at the VMAs. His selfish, idiotic act has been all the rage and, if you haven't seen it go find it on youtube. I wasn't going to post about it because it has nothing to do with sports or politics. However, lucky for me, our President has become involved (big surprise) so now I have an excuse. Check out these two videos – one of the President sharing his true feelings "off the record" on Kanye and the other…well just watch. Thanks to loyal reader Becca for the link!
On the one hand, I appreciate having a President who shares his feelings and is clearly a real person with real emotions and not always a carefully programmed political robot. On the other hand, I think people are making way too much of this. Although Jay Leno had a good idea with this comment – ""Been a busy week for President Obama. I notice that he's having Kanye West and Taylor Swift to the White House for a 'root beer summit' this weekend. See, she's only 19. So, it's got to be root beer." –Jay Leno
Another funny line I saw…
"Of course, you all saw this. This is what I'm talking about. Kayne West at the Video Music Awards. Kayne West interrupted Taylor Swift's acceptance speech. And after he did that, after he was done interrupting her, MTV threw him out of the building. So it's official. MTV has a lower tolerance for bad behavior than the United States Congress." –Conan O'Brien
Posted on September 16, 2009, in Politics and tagged Beer Summit, Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, Kanye West, Link of the Day, President Obama, Taylor Swift. Bookmark the permalink. 2 Comments.
I agree that it's probably getting more coverage than it should. But, I also think this "hater mentality" is worth looking at. Why do we have to put someone else down to celebrate another's accomplishments?
I mean, I'm a blogger and put my opinion out on display all the time. So I understand the need to express one's views. But in the middle of her acceptance speech? And Kanye did it in a way that not only embarrassed himself but the person he was trying to celebrate.
A lot of people on facebook are griping that adults are talking about this incident. I guess because Taylor Swift is a teenager? But the core of the issue is respect, which most certainly is an adult issue and one that we should be talking about.
Sorry to go on, but this has been weighing on my mind a lot lately!


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Are Israel and Iran on the brink of war? It's a hugely important question from a confusing part of the world. I'll try to bring a bit of clarity.
The Middle East is a complicated place — okay, that's what's known as an understatement. Not only is there civil war in Yemen, with Saudi Arabia duking it out with Iranian-backed forces, protests are flaring up in Gaza, and the terrorist group Hezbollah is gaining political ascendancy in Lebanon. The U.S. may be followed by other nations in moving embassies to Jerusalem, and the Trump Administration just announced it is pulling out of the Iranian nuclear deal.
But the most significant and confusing events right now may be in Syria. Syria's civil war has cost an estimated half-million lives, and has displaced a wave of refugees the likes of which we haven't seen since World War II.
As I speak, within Syria's borders are the following cast of characters: Kurds rebelling against Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad; Turks seeking to crush any Kurdish idea of forming a state; remnants of ISIS are there, as are Russians, American troops, and Sunni fighters, including Al-Qaeda.
And if that weren't enough, the Shiite terrorist organization Hezbollah is in Syria as well, fighting for Assad. And of course, there's the Syrian military, with a proven propensity for using chemical weapons on its own people.
But perhaps most ominous of all, forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran — Israel's sworn enemy — have used the Syrian civil war to attempt to establish a permanent military presence on Israel's doorstep, complete with Revolutionary Guards, drones, naval bases, and offensive missiles.
Given the consistent threats of Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei to turn Tel Aviv into dust, a permanent Iranian military presence in Syria is clearly a red line for the Israelis.
According to all the analysis I've read, neither Israel nor Iran want an all-out war. Okay—I have my doubts about Iran. And the kindling is piling up. A spark of any kind could ignite a major conflagration in the Middle East.
We all should pray that doesn't happen.
Click here to read more.
Source: Christian Post


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Last month, nine Syrian torture survivors filed a complaint with the German federal public prosecutor against a group of high-ranking Syrian officials. The charges: war crimes and crimes against humanity. For the victims, German courts are their last hope for justice.
The international criminal justice system has failed to end impunity for Syrian war criminals. The International Criminal Court at The Hague has no authority to judge crimes committed in the war, since the government of President Bashar al-Assad has never acknowledged the court's jurisdiction. The U.N. Security Council could submit the case to the court, but China and Russia have blocked similar initiatives in the past.
With the international criminal law system deadlocked, and independent trials in Syria even more improbable, the responsibility shifts to prosecutors and courts in third states. They are the only ones who can help narrow the accountability gap in Syria and restore faith in international criminal justice. Germany is particularly well positioned to take action. Many of the Syrian refugees who have sought asylum in the country in recent years are victims of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Germany has at its disposal both the evidence and the legal tools to carry out investigations.
Crucially, Germany is one of the few countries in the world that has implemented the principle of pure universal jurisdiction, meaning that its prosecutors and courts are able to investigate, prosecute and pass verdicts on international crimes even in the absence of links to Germany. The presence of many Syrian victims and witnesses in Germany makes investigations far easier and less costly than in cases where the only evidence is located outside the country's borders.
We hope that an investigation rising from this latest complaint will illuminate the systematic and official character of the crimes committed by the Syrian regime. Supported by the Berlin-based European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights, the complaint targets six high-ranking officials in the Syrian military intelligence service, accusing them of systematic torture in secret prisons. One of the complainants is Syrian lawyer and activist Mazen Darwish, who has documented the arrest, disappearance and killing of activists. Darwish himself was arrested in 2012, and spent more than three years in different secret military prisons, where he was subjected to severe torture methods, including electric shocks and being hung by the hands for long periods.
Arrest warrants issued by German judges against these officials would already be a great success, signaling to perpetrators that their impunity in Syria is over and that they might be held accountable should they leave the country. Arrest warrants have a direct effect by limiting the freedom of movement. They also act as a deterrent against future perpetrators, thus helping to stop the violence.
The German federal public prosecutor opened investigations of international crimes in Syria soon after the outbreak of the conflict. Pending currently are two so-called structural investigations that focus not on specific suspects but on the entire situation of the civil war and all parties to the conflict. In one of these investigations, prosecutors are currently analyzing 28,000 photos of people tortured to death in Syrian prisons. The photos were smuggled out of Syria by the former Syrian military photographer "Caesar" and are now at the disposal of prosecutors in Europe.
The Syria investigations by the federal public prosecutor have already led to a number of arrests and trials in Germany. Two German nationals, for instance, have already been sentenced to prison for war crimes they committed in the civil war. These trials should be seen as the first cracks in the wall of impunity in Syria.
Yet these particular verdicts bring little solace to the victims and have done little to restore justice in Syria. The majority of cases concerning Syria are prosecuted under terrorism charges, not framed as international crimes, and the few war crimes cases tend to involve unusual and specific incidents. What is more, the few war crime trials launched so far are all directed against members of terrorist groups, focusing on relatively low-ranking individuals. Until now, there has not been an individual case against actual members of the Assad regime.
The recent case brought before German prosecutors is only one piece in the puzzle leading to justice in Syria. On March 27, a Spanish judge agreed to initiate proceedings against high-ranking security and intelligence officials of the Assad regime. Other investigations are pending in France. We hope that other European countries will follow. Only by living up to our commitment to human rights and the rule of law can we hope to bring justice to the victims of the Syrian civil war.


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A single event in a writer's life can create career-long ripples much like a pebble tossed in a pond causes ripples upon the water.
|Michael Bracken teaching "Getting Your Short Stories Published,"
SIU-Edwardsville, April 4, 1985.
Photo by Kevin S. Kantola
Five years into my writing career I had a single professional fiction sale, one attributable to an act of literary crime (see "Smooth Criminal"). I was placing other writing in professional, paying markets—poetry in Intimate Romances, Intimate Secrets, and True Secrets; humor in Catholic Digest, Genesis, Hustler, Orben's Current Comedy, The Saturday Evening Post, and other publications; and I even wrote a few gag lines for a pair of men's magazine cartoonists. I had a handful of stories published in Shadows Of..., a science fiction/fantasy semi-prozine, but my professional fiction writing career seemed to have peaked with the publication of that single story in Young World.
Having no luck with traditional SF/F publications, I expanded my submission list to include men's magazines that published fiction.
During early 1976—less than a year after high school graduation—I wrote a pair of science fiction stories: "On the Blink" received 12 rejections and "Nothing is Ever Easy" received eight before I stopped submitting them in 1981, convinced that neither would ever sell. In 1982 I used pieces of both stories to write "Going Down," a 4,000-word erotic science fiction story, and on May 11, 1982, submitted it to Gentleman's Companion.
The manuscript returned two months later, but this rejection was unlike any other I had ever received. Ted Newsom, managing editor of Gentleman's Companion, had retitled, rewritten, and retyped the entire manuscript. His rejection letter dated July 26, 1982, read:
Enclosed please find the return of your manuscript, GOING DOWN. The ms. was well liked by our editorial staff but after a title change and necessary reworks, it was denied by our Publisher. We feel that the reworks should help it find a home with another publication and we sincerely wish you the best of luck.
We would like to see other submissions from you and thanks for your interest in GC.Though I had received several personal rejections prior to this, many with useful suggestions about how to improve my work, no editor had ever torn one of my stories apart and put it back together the way Ted had. I studied each of his changes, determined to understand why he made them and to utilize what I learned when writing my next story.
When telling the story of why I wrote my first mystery, I've often said that "The Dregs" (the retitle of "Going Down") was rejected because the publisher of Gentleman's Companion didn't want science fiction. As evidenced by the rejection letter quoted above, this may not true.
Regardless, at the time I received Ted's revision of "The Dregs," there was, sitting on the corner of my desk, the first scene of a story I had abandoned because it was neither science fiction nor fantasy. Utilizing everything I learned from reading Ted's revision of "The Dregs," I wrote and submitted "City Desk," a 4,400-word erotic mystery about newspaper reporter Dan Fox.
Ted accepted "City Desk," paid $300 (the most I had ever received for a single piece of writing to that point), and published the story in the January 1983 issue of Gentleman's Companion.
Ted Newsom's rejection and revision of "The Dregs" led to a decades-long career with ripples expanding in multiple directions.
|Mike Shayne
Mystery Magazine
October 1983
I became a science fiction writer when Gentleman's Companion—with a new publisher and new editor—published "The Dregs" in March 1985 and Oui published "Microchick" in April 1985.
I became a horror writer when Charles L. Grant included "Of Memories Dying" in Midnight (Tor Books), released in February 1985.
I became a men's magazine writer, placing crime fiction, horror, and science fiction in publications such as Fling, Gent, Hustler Fantasies, Juggs, Max, Penthouse Letters, Score, Voluptuous, and other publications.
I became an erotica writer, with stories in several anthologies and periodicals such as Chic Letters, Playgirl, and Screw.
I became a novelist when Books in Motion released Deadly Campaign in 1994, a mystery featuring Dan Fox, the protagonist of "City Desk."
I became a series writer, using Dan Fox for two additional short stories, and then writing several stories about St. Louis-based P.I. Nathaniel Rose—collected in Tequila Sunrise (Wildside Press)—and several more about Waco-based P.I. Morris Ronald "Moe Ron" Boyette.
I became a confession writer, with stories published in Black Confessions, True Confessions, True Experience, True Love, True Story, and many other women's magazines.
In short, I became a writer.
A single story. A single editor. A single rejection.
The ripples from that event continue to impact my writing career, a career I might not have were it not for Ted Newsom's revision of a single rejected story.
After all, writing about it is just one more ripple.
About a year before his passing, Ed Gorman selected "City Desk" for inclusion in Bad Business, a collection of stories that first appeared in men's magazines when they published stories with a bit of sex rather than sex with a bit of story. Co-edited by Peter Crowther, the anthology will be released by PS Publishing.


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Enrich your life by saying "yes" to these 17 things
It's easy to binge-watch TV every night, but getting out there and agreeing to things make you happier and gives you a brighter outlook
It's easy to binge-watch TV every night, but getting out there and agreeing to things make you happier and gives you a brighter outlook
Have you ever felt like you were stuck in a rut, doing the same things every day? Or maybe you've ended up staying at home twiddling your thumbs because you just "didn't feel like going out"?
Saying "yes" might sometimes feel like a pain when you are happy to stay home and watch TV. But it can also open you up to new experiences. Here are just a few things that you should always say "yes" to.
1) Going for a walk with a friend. Who knows what kind of secrets and inside jokes you might discover if you go for even a quick catch-up.
2) Buying that book that has been on your "to read" list for the past three terms. It might have taken you a while, but better late than never! And you'll have material if you have to write a book report at school after the summer.
3) Taking a study break and just doing nothing for an afternoon. No texting. No social media. No distractions.
4) Writing and sending handwritten cards or Post-it notes to people you care about. This can either be during the festive period or, you know, just because they're awesome.
5) Finding the time to catch up with that friend you made at summer school two years ago. You miss them and you guys clicked so well … what's keeping you?
6) Giving a classmate some help, or accepting help from a classmate, even if you don't know them that well. This is your opportunity to get to know them better!
7) Telling your crush how you feel. The worst thing that can happen is that they say "no". If that does happen, you can concentrate on moving on, rather than spending all your time daydreaming about them.
8) Trying to live a healthier way of life, one small change at a time.
9) Spending your lunch break playing catch with the rest of your classmates. You might feel like you're too old for that game, but really, no one is ever too old to run around feeling young and carefree!
10) Being part of a cheesy family photo, even when you think you look terrible that day. Your parents only want to do this because they love you. You'll appreciate it one day.
11) Taking the time to bake homemade cookies. And buying a packet of cookie mixture doesn't count. The best cookies are always made from scratch. Let the smell of freshly baked goodies fill the room. The smell itself will be enough to give you a sugar buzz that lasts all afternoon.
12) Taking a nice long nap on a rainy day. There's no shame in that at all.
13) Making it to your friend's ballet recital, musical performance, race day or art show, just to show that you care. And it's a good way to show them that you support them in everything that they do.
14) Trying a completely unknown cuisine with your friends and ordering something you can't pronounce from the menu.
15) Wearing comfortable shoes, even if they aren't the coolest pair, and ditching the painful ones. Be kind to yourself.
16) Going to the nearest florist or chocolate shop and buying a friend something small just to show that you love them and care about them.
17) Doing something that isn't necessarily "your thing" - if you're really into science, go rock climbing, if you absolutely love chemistry, try swing dancing, or if you're captain of all the sports teams at school, listen to an opera. Who knows, maybe it will become your thing. Some day you might even look back and see how silly you were to ever doubt yourself.


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Charles William Gregory (30 September 1878 – 14 November 1910) was an Australian cricketer who played for New South Wales.
In November 1906, Gregory scored 383 for New South Wales against Queensland, at the time an Australian record.
Gregory was born in Sydney; he died at the age of 32 in the Darlinghurst region of the same city.
Four of his relatives played Test cricket for Australia: his brother Syd won 58 caps, his cousin Jack 24, his uncle Dave three and his father Ned one. Two more uncles, Arthur and Charles, had short first-class careers.


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Wednesday, July 04, 2012
A single screen version of our new installation Belief is now available to view online at Animate Projects. Here's the copy from the Animate press release with links to the essay and interview too:
"Animate Projects is delighted to present the new film, Belief, by Thomson and Craighead. Belief is the final work in the desktop documentary trilogy, following on from the AnimateTV commission Flat Earth (2007) and A Short Film about War (2009/2010). The three films can be viewed online at animateprojects.org.
Belief comprises a series of fragmented broadcasts about belief, all sourced from the video sharing community YouTube. Belief premiered in installation at Inspace in Edinburgh as part of Edinburgh International Film Festival in June.
An essay by Morgan Quaintance and an interview with the artists accompanies the exhibition of the work online.
Belief is Supported by Creative Scotland's Vital Spark programme, New Media Scotland's Alt-w Fund, ATLAS Arts and Animate Projects.
Belief > animateprojects.org/films/by_date/2012/belief
Essay > animateprojects.org/writing/essays/m_quaintance
Interview > animateprojects.org/interviews/thomson_and_craighead_belief
Posted by Thomson / Craighead at 8:45 AM 0 comments
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People , who are enthusiastic about surreal sculptures, will undoubtedly like this terrific link as it provides some pictures of some stunningly surreal sculptures. When it pertains to surreal image or sculpture, it has the power of making the impossible suddenly appear possible and it looks this art has never passed away since it has its start in 1920s by a little group of writers and artists. The great old art still exists in different types from beautiful image manipulations to amazing sculptures. This fact can be clearly seen in the remarkable images shared in this wonderful link, which are really-eye-catching for the audiences.
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More Amazing Topics!


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As a mom of three teenagers, I'm always after my kids to get off of the electronics and engage in life. Whether they are at my side learning to cook or peeking under the hood of the car with their dad, I'm a firm believer that there are certain things they need to know before they leave the nest.
So here is my top 20 list of things that I believe all high school graduates should know (there are more than 20, but I only get so much space in the Corry Journal).
Graduates should be able to…
1…pay for dinner in a restaurant and tip well. Be kind to your server and they'll be kind in return.
2…prepare healthy meals. That package of Ramen or mac & cheese may be cheap, but if that's all you eat, your health will pay a high price.
3…know how to use a fire extinguisher. This will come in handy when your roommate decides to warm up her foil-wrapped burrito in the microwave.
4…live on a fixed budget. So you have money left over at the end of the month? Good for you! Take it and move right on to #5.
5…save money for the future. It doesn't matter what you are saving for, the point is that you will someday need the money that you faithfully set aside in a savings account, even if it's only $10 per month.
6…volunteer or donate to a charitable organization. Give without expecting anything in return.
7…change a tire, check the oil, and refill the washer fluid. Knowing basic car maintenance will save you time and money.
8…have the ability to distinguish between 'want' and 'need.' 'Want' is emotional. 'Need' is physical. While you might want that new gaming system, you need to pay your rent. Get it?
9…put down the phone, iPad, whatever, and engage in person-to-person conversation. There is no substitute for the ability to look someone in the eye or walk and talk hand in hand (without the other hand texting a third party).
10…be honest. With friends, family, strangers, and the government. Be assured that if you cheat, steal or lie, it will come back to haunt you.
11…ask questions. There are no dumb questions. Ignore the people who scoff at you for not knowing the answer and press on.
12…wash clothes. With like colors, unless you want all of your clothing to be the same shade of pink or gray.
13…sew on a button and do other basic clothes mending. Replacing a button or mending a small tear is far less expensive than buying a brand new replacement.
14…know how to dress for a job interview. Different jobs require different clothing. Do a little research and show up looking like you could step into the job that day.
15…know when to self-treat versus when to call a doctor. Most minor maladies can be cured with over-the-counter remedies.
16…plunge a toilet. Enough said.
17…let go of past hurts. People will disappoint you. Don't expect apologies. Move on. Someone once said, "Holding a grudge is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die." Your emotional, physical, and spiritual health will improve each day you move past the pain and on with life.
18…say "no" calmly and with assurance. This applies to many facets of life—only you will know when.
19…hand write a thank-you note. Whether on a postcard, notebook paper or a store-bought card, you should always let the giver know you are thankful for the gift. It's just the right thing to do.
20…behave responsibly and with integrity. In other words, treat yourself and others with respect. Do difficult things. Be the kind of friend you would want to have. Never stop learning.
Whether your kids are heading off for college, the military or the workforce, you will be doing them a favor by teaching them how to live on their own. Perhaps I can add one more thing to the list—make sure they know they are welcome to call home when they need advice. Always be there for your kids, no matter how old.
~Published in the May 24 edition of the Corry Journal~


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Tuesday, January 30, 2007
23 Comments:
- Ragnell said...
Wow, he looks like a jerk. Is this the same guy she beat the shit out of someone for killing?
- said...
What karate form is that, "screw it I'm just gonna punch you in the face?" Glad to see that's still in vogue in the Legion's time.
- said...
When the hell was this?!?
- said...
Ultra Boy apparently picked the wrong power. Val's always bugged me a little: it's just weird that Space Karate is that much better than Bat Karate. But whatever, somebody has to keep the future safe for kicks in the face!
- nightfly said...
Bah - Karate Kid throws down every day of the week. Man, you have a DALEK in your sidebar. THAT'S sweet.
- Jeff said...
Oh, Daniel-san, Mr. Miyagi will be so disappointed. He will not train you for the All Galaxy Karate Tournament now, because you used his teaching for anger.
Strike first. Strike hard. No mercy.
- said...
So is she holding her hand to her face because she's feeling faint at this mighty display of testosterone, or is it more of an "Oh dear Christ" expression?
- Filthy McMonkey said...
She's holding her hand to her face because Karate Kid just finished learnin' her up, too.
As someone once said, that's just how he rolls.
- said...
Who's the artist on that?
Carmine Infantino?
- Unknown said...
Wait, you mean KK isn't referring to Ultra Boy when he says "that girl"?
I had a vision of KK carrying UB out of the Legion headquarters and into the sunset together! Aah, sweet enforced love.
(And why doesn't Ultra Boy choose invulnerability as his default power? You know, just in case there's a surprise attack or something?)
- said...
Well, Jo could leave invulnerability on all the time, but check out his and Val's shirts -- KK didn't catch him totally off-guard, they threw it down. Jo apparently got a couple of shots in, but it was to no avail. I wouldn't be surprised if Val told him he was going to punch him in the head and then kick him in the head and then force him to punch himself in the head, just to prove some space-karate point.
- Unknown said...
Obviously in the 30th century the word 'invulnerable' means something different than it does now.
(Merriam-Webster says, "Invulnerable - 1: incapable of being wounded, injured, or harmed, 2: immune to or proof against attack)
Perhaps there's some small print after that which says "except against space karate".
- Jason said...
I think the look on her face says it all: "What a bunch of f---ing morons. THIS is why I'm a lesbian."
- Rob S. said...
It looks like George Tuska art to me. Tuscalicious!
- Michael said...
That's not Princess Projectra, that's Quantum Queen of the Wanderers. This story, from Adventure 375 (the file name says Adventure 347, but that's wrong), features the Legionnaires beating the crap out of each other in a contest to see who can capture the most Wanderers (who have temporarily turned evil). The winner gets to be the mightiest Legionnaire. This issue is the one with Bouncing Boy on the cover as the Mightiest Legionnaire of All! No, really. Art by Win Mortimer. (Apparently Ultra Boy was using his penetra-vision on her instead of keeping up his invulnerability, that must be why he got clocked by Karate Kid.
- Rob S. said...
Good thing Bouncing Boy won, too -- he doesn't have an emblem to rip off.
And thanks for the art ID. I was wracking my brains trying to think of when George Tuska drew to LSH.
- Chris Sims said...
This story, from Adventure 375 (the file name says Adventure 347, but that's wrong)
Well are't YOU Mister Smarty Smart Smartpants. Hmph.
Actually, I somehow mixed up the issue number in between looking at the archive and typing it into Photoshop.
- said...
Are... are they crying on that cover?
- Michael said...
Rob - Tuska did the Legion artwork for only a handful of issues (backup stories) in the late 70s and early 80s. I knew right away that was Mortimer art, but what threw me was the picture ID as Adventure 347 (part 2 of the KK/Nemesis Kid/Ferro Lad/Projectra intro story), which was when Curt Swan was still on the art.
Mutt - you'd cry too if you pwn3d by Bouncing Boy, wouldn't you?
Word verification: "chuplax", which is the sound that Karate Kid made when he knocked Ultra Boy unconscious.
- Chance said...
nimbus -
ultra boy can be invulnerable as long as he likes. as soon as he turns the strength on and swings, though, he gets a space karate chin check.
- said...
AHA! Although the cover shows Bouncing Boy as the winner, if I remember correctly, it's really Chameleon Boy in disguise. In the next issue, as a result of winning, he hooks up with a princess from another dimension for some tame Beauty & The Beast echoes before being sent back home.
(I bought these back issues for about a buck apiece in the late seventies.)
PS, I will never buy the notion that Karate Kid can do more than embarress himself when up against someone with invulnerability. His best kicks and punches would be about as threatening as someone lobbing cotton balls at you or me.
(God, I need to get a life.)
- said...
The guy chops tanks in half, and even caused a quake by kicking the pavement once.. Hurting an invulerable guy isn't far out there. He even broke through Inertron, basically DC's version of secondary Adamantium and something Superboy had trouble getting out of.
Besides, "Invulerability" usually just means "to conventional weapons" in most comic books.. "Durable" is probably a more accurate term.
- adam clean said...
تريد الحصول على افضل خدمات تنظيف وتعقيم خزانات المياه وانت في جدة لا عليك الا ان تقوم بالتواصل مع افضل شركه تنظيف خزانات بجده بجدة التي تستخدم مواد تنظيف وتعقيم اصلية ومعتمدة وعندها ستجد انك وقعت على الاختيار الصحيح وستحصل على خدمات ممتازة لأن اعمال شركات صيانة الخزانات بجده متنوعة وتشمل الصيانة الشاملة لخزان المياه خاصتك


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Joy Fawcett
As one of the world's most famous female soccer players, ex-pro Joy Fawcett competed in some of her best games despite painful symptoms that were later diagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis.
Often called "the ultimate soccer mom," Joy Fawcett began playing the sport at the age of 5 and joined the United States Women's National Soccer Team in 1987. She played every minute of the 1995, 1999, and 2003 Women's World Cup championships. In addition, she took part in the 1996 Olympics, then re-entered the Games four years later - this time, three weeks after giving birth!
In 2002, Joy was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, a potentially debilitating disease. Recently, armed with a new study that reveals the disease's deep emotional impact, Joy became involved with the GeneRAtions program, which is dedicated to promoting awareness of the condition and providing support for RA sufferers.
Everyday Health recently caught up with the good-natured and low-key Joy, who is never one to be slowed down - not by the pressures of competition or motherhood, and certainly not by rheumatoid arthritis.
Everyday Health: What were your first symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, and what was the condition like when you were diagnosed?
Joy Fawcett: My first symptoms occurred in 2002 while I was with the National Team, preparing for the 2003 World Cup and the 2004 Olympics. I noticed that my hands were really swollen and painful. I didn't know what the problem was, but I knew it wasn't soccer-related because I had never injured my hands before. I was also feeling more fatigued than usual. The team doctors suggested that I see a rheumatologist when I got home, that it could be arthritis. I had no clue about rheumatoid arthritis at all.
The new drugs that they use today, the ones that I'm on now, were just coming out then. It's a process of figuring out what works, because everyone's different. It can take a long time to figure out the correct dosages.
Everyday Health: What advice can you offer people who have just found out they have rheumatoid arthritis, or who suspect they might have it?
Joy Fawcett: Some of the symptoms are swollen, painful joints - it usually starts in the hands, and it's usually on both sides [of the body]. If you have joint pain and it lasts over a long period of time and it's persistent, or if you have it when you wake up in the morning and you're stiff for an hour after you're up, then get it checked out. And see a rheumatologist. You can go to your general physician first, who will hopefully refer you to a specialist. Sometimes general practitioners won't catch it early - I mean, they're more aware now, but it's still a really good idea to see a rheumatologist. And work with your doctor to find the right treatment, because that can take a while.
Also, don't be afraid to ask questions. You just don't hear much about RA, which is why, when I started with the GeneRAtions program, it was so great to hear other voices, hear from other people who have it and have had other experiences - so you know you're not alone and you're not crazy. So many times it's easy to think, oh, I'm just getting older, and my joints are getting older.
Everyday Health: Because you're an athlete, did you think at first that your symptoms were simply the result of a particularly hard day on the field?
Joy Fawcett: Right. That was also a time when people were questioning us and saying, "These players are older, do they belong here?" And then you'd start to question yourself: "Am I too old? Maybe I am." I did that a lot in the beginning.
But it progresses to a point where it can be really debilitating if you're not getting treatment or you're having a bad day. It can be very painful. It hit me hardest when I'd come home from a trip and I wanted to do my daughter's hair - I was looking forward to it because I didn't get to do it that often, and I wanted to be a mom, I was looking forward to that time in my life. And then I couldn't even brush her hair. That's when it really hit me the hardest. I couldn't even do that, something I'd been looking forward to.
Everyday Health: What is your physical activity level like these days? Is it hard to keep up with three daughters?
Joy Fawcett: It's good - they keep me busy, they keep me running. The fatigue factor was hard for me at first, but the new drugs target that. I used to find myself getting tired at maybe two in the afternoon. I didn't want to do anything, and that's when my kids were getting home. But the new treatments are better, and I just started the new treatments about two months ago, so we're hoping that'll help a lot. But I run every day, I walk, I lift weights. And I coach, so I'm out on the field two or three times a week.
Everyday Health: So you're still active in soccer?
Joy Fawcett: I am. I coach, and I play on a coed team with my husband once a week.
Everyday Health: But you have an unfair advantage against the rest of the team, right? Or maybe you don't tell them about the gold medals?
Joy Fawcett: [Laughs] They figure it out eventually.
Everyday Health: Was there anything you learned from your years as a soccer champion that helped prepare you for living with rheumatoid arthritis?
Joy Fawcett: You learn to grit your way through pain, and I don't think it's to your benefit, because in rheumatoid arthritis, if you're experiencing pain and swelling, then your joints are being attacked and they can deteriorate. I did a lot of that gritting through the pain in the beginning, and you don't want that to happen. You want to get treatment because of the permanent damage that's possible. Once your joints have broken down, you can't go back. I was lucky because I caught it in time and I don't have any permanent damage.


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We are very pleased to announce that Karoo Lark ( http://karoolark.com/ ) is now providing online web messenger.
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Change is inevitable
SS501 Members Biography
Listen to Music High
SS501 Quotes
Kim Hyun Joong
Heo Young Saeng
Kim Kyu Jong
Park Jung Min
Kim Hyung Jun
Sunday, August 25, 2013
[Video] 'Barefoot Friends' Episode 19 08.25.13
Today's episode featured the members visiting Kim NaWoon's place to learn some dishes and tried to cook some food at Tony Ann's place. Hyun Joong had to leave while the others where learning how to cook because he has another schedule. Good thing he was back when they visited Tony Ann's place and he was the one who cooked the Chicken soup. At first I thought, 'Wow he is so serious preparing and cooking the food all by himself. But when HoDong and others tried to taste it, well.. ㅋㅋㅋ In fairness to Hyun Joong, he just followed the instructions that Tony Ann's mom had said. Maybe he missed out one thing. ^^ That's okay Hyun Joong. At the end, they all loved your cooking. 나도
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맛보고 싶다. ^^ I provided 2 links. One is HD dailymotion and the other one with no partition. Enjoy! ^^
Click the picture to watch the episode!
credits: KoreanShowsNow@dailymotion
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Sunday, August 25, 2013
Barefoot Friends
Kim Hyun Joong
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Aer Lingus launched its own Viscount Awards in 2008, to honour companies who have developed economic ties between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
Aer Lingus' has positioned itself in the marketplace as a 'value carrier' adopting a "some frills" strategic approach. A 2008 partnership with JetBlue Airlines allows for easy single reservation booking of flights from Ireland to various US airports. And to help them excel further, alliances and partnerships with airlines across Europe and North America provide more services whilst improving connectivity for Irish travellers across the North Atlantic.
Aer Lingus came fifth in the "Best Economy Airline" category in the Guardian, Observer and guardian.co.uk Travel Awards 2011.
Aer Lingus is no stranger to the Holiday Extras Customers' Awards, winning the most recommended for travelling in groups and travelling with babies, and runner up for travellers with a disability in 2009, as well as scooping Best Airline in 2010.
The 2012 shortlist below


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Work Life Balance is a Myth
Many of us are chasing the elusive work/life balance in the hope that we can start living life. However work life balance is a myth as they are very much integrated and it's finding the balance that works for you, your family and your lifestyle. This we we discuss how you can achieve a balance that works for you by prioritizing the 12 core areas of your life and the small changes you can make to shift your life into a balance that leaves you feeling in control of your life instead of the proverbial hamster on the wheel feeling.


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With so much going on, so much frenetic energy, life in New York City takes the utmost focus. The senses are overwhelmed with stimuli—people, dogs in sweaters, neon advertisements, new construction, bleating traffic—and amidst all that, there is work, board meetings, family; personal lives and the responsibilities of day-to-day life. In some ways, like carriage horses in Central Park, we all have to put our blinders on sometimes, and in a bustling city like this, it is no wonder that as the present moves forward, some relics of the past—buildings, landmarks, even whole neighborhoods, are largely forgotten.
Buildings – The Vanderbilt Houses
Although the Vanderbilts are not likely to be forgotten any time soon, the Fifth Avenue of today, has changed greatly from the area formerly populated by immense and opulent mansions. Today, the mansions of tycoons have given way to luxury apartment buildings and world-renowned shopping, and upper crust folks have predominantly moved further uptown to apartments bordering Central Park, and even Hamilton Heights. But in 1898, the Fifth Avenue area between 46th and 72nd Streets was "an almost uninterrupted mile and a half of palazzi, chateaux and fortresses…a staggering parade of wealth," according to Nathan Silver's book, Lost New York. Of all these homeowners, "the Vanderbilt fortune was the greatest ever amassed in America" and unsurprisingly, two of the most impressive houses of late 1800s Fifth Avenue were the Vanderbilt Houses, built for William H. Vanderbilt in 1879-82.
W.H. Vanderbilt purchased the block between 51st and 52nd Streets in 1879, and the brownstones he built there were divided by an atrium that separated his residence from that of his two sons-in-law, Elliot F. Shepard and William D. Sloane. The twin houses came to be known as the "Vanderbilt Twins" or the "Triple Palace," because the northern house was a double unit. W.H. Vanderbilt's residence, (which he hoped would outshine Alexander T. Stewart's extravagant, white marble palazzo on 34th Street,) showcased his art collection, which he opened to public viewing on Thursdays via invitation.
William Kissam Vanderbilt, W.H.'s son, bought the next building site up Fifth Avenue at the northwest corner of 52nd Street, where he built his house designed by Richard Morris Hunt between the years of 1879-1883. William K. Vanderbilt's home was considered an exquisite architectural work, and at the time, was considered behind only the U.S. Capitol and Boston's Trinity Church, as one of the best buildings in the country. On nearby 57th Street, stood the home of Cornelius Vanderbilt II, (also W.H.'s son,) which began in 1880 and was later enlarged in 1894 after designs by George B. Post. In addition, at 680 and 684 Fifth Avenue, were the homes of W.H. Vanderbilt's other two married daughters, Mrs. William Seward Webb and Mrs. Hamilton McKown Twombly.
According to Silver, "it was said that $15 million was expended on the building, decorations and furnishing of the Vanderbilt houses." However, nothing lasts forever and everything is subject to change, and by 1947, all of the Vanderbilt houses had been torn down, resigning "Vanderbilt Row" to memories and books.


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Getting Started
By Nandy Ekle
I had the itch all day. As fellow writers I know you understand what I'm talking about. New characters screamed in my head and scenes flashed through my mind like movies on the big screen. I knew what I wanted to write and I couldn't wait to get to it.
As soon as I clocked out from my day job, I nearly skipped to my car. All the way home I sang with the radio, but I have no idea what songs played. I stopped at a red light and as I sat there the muse tickled my brain to the point where I almost didn't realize the light had turned green. I pulled into the drive way and couldn't get in the house fast enough. Change to comfy clothes, boot up the computer, watch while the screens open and the cursor blips on the white page. Giddiness threatened to take over my consciousness as I typed the title of my new greatest idea.
"Oh, this is going to be so great!" I whispered to my fingers. "I've got most of it in my head; the roadblocks will just dissolve as we type this up right quick." I took a deep breath and put my fingers on home row.
And so, there I sat in my special writing space, hands on the keyboard, cursor blinking at me like a teenager who thinks I'm as dumb as a block of wood. And it seemed I may have been. I typed the title and the movie screen in my head went dark. No more action, no conversation, even the face of my character disappeared.
I blinked a few times and stared at the empty screen. "Hey. What's going on?" I yelled these words to the hallways inside my head. Just a moment earlier these hallways had been full of words and music, sights and sounds. Now they looked like the cob-webby walls of a haunted house.
"You waited too long." The voice came from behind me. I turned quickly and caught a glimpse of a sparkling fairy princess gown as the wearer darted out an open window. "You should have started writing it as I was giving it to you."
"But, I have a job to do, a day job. Without that job, I don't get to buy fun or food." I know I sounded whiney, but I felt desperate. All day I had to force myself to stay focused on my duties instead of going into my little fantasy world.
"Sorry. I only have so much time I can give you."
"I'm here now, bring it all back." The fairy princess returned to stand behind me. "I remember some of it. Bring the rest of it back. Please help me write this story." I typed a few words.
"Oh, that is the worst place in the world to start. And you need a better voice. Here, delete it all and start over."
So I tried again and only earned more criticism. It seemed that every time I tried to write my story, the muse was meaner and more cruel until she finally rolled her eyes, stamped her foot, and huffed. Then she turned and vanished.
And this is usually how my writing times start.
Congratulations. You have just received a post card from the muse.


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UPDATE: Registration for this event will be closed at 5 p.m. today, June 3. For those who would like to participate, please sign up as we are only sending out the meeting link to those who are registered.
Have questions about meeting the Ability One requirement for the JanSan FSSI solution? Many common questions can be answered on the AbilityOne website at http://www.abilityone.gov/distributors/potential.html. This link provides downloaded forms for application, clear instructions, A list and Essentially the Same (ETS) definition, and points of contact to work with at the Commission.
After reviewing the web content, if you still have questions, we invite you to join representatives from GSA , AbilityOne and National Industries for the Blind (NIB) for a virtual meeting on June 5, 2013 from 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm (EDT), for a presentation from AbilityOne and a question and answer period. The session will provide a great opportunity for Small Businesses to learn more about AbilityOne and the process for becoming AbilityOne Certified.
We invite you to register for the session using this Registration Form by COB, Monday, June 3.
Please feel free to reach out to the JanSan Team here on GSA Interact or at email@example.com if you have any questions or comments you would like to share.
GSA's JanSan Team
Views: 1514


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You can find the book for order here, and check Carissima on Twitter @cmathen in case she's doing a launch event that you can get to (Winter Semester, Osgoode). If you are on twitter and don't follow her, recommend that you do, for live tweeting all kinds of things, for instant digests of SCC new releases, for fun. Oh, and if you want the JCPC Person's case itself, here it is on Canlii.
(excerpt from Chapter 7 "Interpretation and Rights" with thanks to Carissima)
It took time for the Persons Case to make its mark. [A]side from a few other Privy Council decisions, it went virtually unmentioned until 1979. In its own time, academic discussion of the reference was uniformly negative. British scholar Berriedale Keith said that 'no decision of the Privy Council is probably harder to defend as sound in law '. GF Henderson was equally cutting, charging that the case was 'not written in strict accordance with well understood legal principles '; that the federal government had manipulated the situation to secure its preferred outcome; and that the JCPC had by ' judicial legislation … altered the constitution of the Senate of Canada '.
More positive regard began to emerge in the 1970s, a time of greater awareness of women's rights and an increasing role for feminist advocacy. After being mentioned in some early Charter decisions, Edwards quickly assumed more prominence. The reference enjoyed an intriguing duality. It was used to chart a different path to constitutional interpretation compared to the more formalist approach of the Supreme Court of the 1970s. At the same time, being so deeply rooted in the country 's legal history, it may have rendered the Court 's momentous interpretative choices, a number of which are explored later in this chapter, less radical.
The critiques of the Persons Case are reminiscent of the debates in the United States over the soundness of the Brown v Board of Education (Topeka) landmark decision. Although it is possible to legitimately object to the judicial craft in each, and many commentators do, few take the next step and claim that the decision should be cast aside. In Canada, such a position would be repudiated by all but the most implacable defenders of constitutional minimalism. The hesitation to fully back the implications of such a critique illustrates the opinion's power. For, while the reference may attract debate over its precise contours, and future applications, there is in almost all quarters an acceptance of its legacy and continuing force."
Have you or your colleagues got New In Print academic/legal work that could be featured here? Let me know via email.


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- Forum posts: 18
Jul 15, 2014, 9:09:26 PM via Website
Jul 15, 2014 9:09:26 PM via Website
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The first footage from "Moneyball," Bennett Miller's adaptation of Michael Lewis' book, starring Brad Pitt was teased on ET. It ain't much, but it's something...
Lewis' book follows Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane as he put together a team that in 2003 made the playoffs with a payroll about one-third that of the New York Yankees.
The footage shows glimpses of Pitt as Beane; Jonah Hill as Beane's #2, Peter Brand (based on Paul DePodesta); Phillip Seymour Hoffman as A's manager Art Howe; and Chris Pratt as first baseman Scott Hatteberg.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
Looks pretty good, and it's got a great cast, but we still have some doubts as to how people other than hardcore baseball nerds (guilty) will respond to the drama of watching a man build a baseball team.
But just as Lewis book "The Blind Side," wasn't really about football, "Moneyball" isn't really about baseball. It's about a man with limited resources getting ahead by finding inefficiencies in the marketplace--for baseball players.
"Moneyball" opens Spet. 23.


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Today's Exercise: To Whom it May Concern
Pick up the nearest book and flip to page 29. What jumps out at you? Start there, and try a twist: write in the form of a letter.
Dear sun
here you are Star of light loosing your power to another season. All the summer you have been torturing me with your long burning rays, there it comes the Autumn to mitigate your sunny rays behind the clouds. You may have the thought that I don't like you, brightening star,however, I hate you not! I only fear for myself, for I am the Earth and everything on it. I am just writing this handwriting letter, to ask you almighty not to go harsh on us, for your are too big and we are too small.
yours faithfully
Earth Man


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The MSU College of Agriculture envisions to produce self-directing and competent graduates; contribute to the pool of knowledge in science and technology; develop strategies in the uses and applications of science and technology in the attainment of self-sufficient and global competitiveness in foods and fibers in the next century.
TeleFax: 0918-9180-530
Website: http://www.msumain.edu.ph/coa
Email: [email protected]
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The College of Agriculture, Mindanao State University, Marawi City was one of the twelve colleges opened in 1962. It was formally started in 1963, when Prof. Zacarias V. Valdez developed the college first site, now the area occupied by the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, College of Social Sciences & Humanities, College of Health Sciences, Science Training Center, and the College of Public Affairs.
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The University provides students the opportunity of a well-balance curricular offering and top-caliber for leadership roles. The Office of Admission was created of effectively control the admission of students and ensure adherence to the demands of academic excellence.
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List of college officials of College of Agriculture
<< First << Previous Page 1 of 2 Next >> Last >>


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In early recovery, there were three areas of my life that I quickly learned I had to let go of or yet another relapse was lurking close by and inevitable:
- Resistance to being an alcoholic and drug addict
- My old friends
- My conception of God
Resistance to Being an Alcoholic and Drug Addict
I will never forget the first time someone suggested to me that I might have an problem with alcohol. I was highly offended and briskly brushed her off. She had tried to delicately and kindly point out to me that physically I looked tired and was significantly underweight, yet bloated. The sugar in the booze I was drinking daily had me looking like a malnourished person with a serious bloated belly. Emotionally, it was evident that I was drained and disconnected. She suggested that perhaps my drinking was getting in the way. This caring woman then mentioned the family disease aspect of alcoholism- both Mom and Dad had battled the bottle for decades and she knew it. The courage it took for her to be honest with me and her care in presenting what she was observing, of course, enraged me. This was an identity I was unwilling to accept at this point in my life. Unfortunately, and unnecessarily, it would take almost two decades of low bottoms and extreme suffering for myself and those that love me in order to embrace the distinction between how I thought of myself and what my actual reality was. Today, my heart longs to thank this family friend who on that day tried her very best to reach a young, budding alcoholic. I was in my early twenties at the time. Gratitude for her has replaced the anger and resentment that once reigned.
My resistance to accepting myself as an alcoholic ran deep. I did not want to repeat the low spots I saw in my parents; I was not going to be like them. Today, through the gift of the twelve steps, I am proud and honored to be like my Mother and Father, despite their own battles with alcohol. At the time, my ideas about myself included being a very disciplined person. I had gotten myself through undergraduate school, gotten my first job, and was living on my own. I was boiling over with pride at my accomplishments and would often boast that everything I had, I got for myself through my own effort and will power. One of my favorite lines was "I didn't marry it and my parents didn't give it to me." This notion of independence – of the one great I – was smashed by the inability to stop drinking. I was eventually confronted with the dilemma of knowing I had to let go of this self-perception of being disciplined. When it came to drugs and alcohol – I had a huge deficit of discipline. Another idea I had about my self was that of being fiercely independent. I really believed that I did not need help from anyone and could be a lone wolf. I loved that facade and fought to maintain it. Alcoholism beat me to such a state of submission that I had to face the fact that: 1. I could not stop drinking and 2. I could not to it on my own. I needed the help of others who were going through the same thing.
My Old Friends
One of the major stumbling blocks I ran into again and again (read: relapse) was figuring out when and how to let go of my drinking and drugging friends. It soon became clear that my circle of friends drank and drugged just as obsessively as I did. I did not want to leave my friends. In my head I thought they would be there for me no matter what, through thick and thin. That turned out to be very far from the truth. In the first few months of living clean and sober it was not comfortable for me to even begin to think about hanging out with people who did not drink or drug. So I repeated the mistake of thinking I could stay with my existing party animal crowd and not engage with the booze or drugs. I was certain that I would be different somehow and be able to resist the urge to use. This was obviously ineffective. I grew disenchanted, depressed, and lonely. For a long period of time, I straddled between the old crowd, new sober acquaintances, and loneliness. Some days the despair was so intense I would not leave the house. As my spiritual connection gained strength, through prayer and asking sober people for help, I noticed I had more bandwidth to be alone, to not have to engage with my friends who were still abusing substances like I used to, and to slowly open up to a new circle of people that would eventually become sober friends. This was not a process that happened quickly. My stubbornness to let go of the old crowd and my talon-like grip on hanging out at the same spots where I used to get high dragged me through many fields filled with land mines of pain and suffering. Eventually, my habits began to change and my thinking became clearer. I saw that I no longer had such a strong desire to be around my old alcoholic and drug addict friends (whom I still care for ). I realized I was standing – feebly – on a new path surrounded with people who were living clean and sober.
My Conception of God
The third domain of letting go for me was that of spirituality. I entered the halls of Alcoholics Anonymous with a lot of bias and prejudice on spiritual matters. When the higher power concept of the AA program was mentioned, I bristled with the notion that I could have a personal relationship with a God that would solve all my problems. For quite awhile, my strong sense of independence, pride, and prejudice closed me off from the necessary willingness and humility to truly begin any type of meaningful spiritual development. The battle of letting go of my old ideas of God had begun really without my awareness or acknowledged consent. I knew that the concepts I grew up with regarding God were neither ones I believed in nor had they served me in any way. As a child, my family attended church for a short time. What I heard there did not reflect what I was experiencing behind the closed doors of our home. That disconnect was something I could not reconcile. The God that was to be feared brought me no comfort. I already had a built in "I suck" belief that was further embedded by the church's doctrine of me as a sinner and not worthy of God's love. Today, I see where this church and its teaching has helped millions of people find a spiritual answer to the ups and down of life. It was just not a message that resonated with me and did not provide me with a practical application for daily living in sobriety.
Strangely, I did not want to let go of my old ideas about God. I was clear they did not serve me yet I had a deep belief that there was only one "right" view of who God is and more importantly how to be in a relationship with God was drilled into me. These old ideas bored into my soul and would not extricate easily. It has been a slow journey to let go of my childhood and mainstream cultural ideas and notions about God to get comfortable with my own sense of a power greater than myself and how that power and I can be together in a World that is often full of chaos and uncertainty. In the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous there is a classic line where Ebby Thatcher, Bill Wilson's old drinking buddy, and Bill are sitting at Bill's kitchen table discussing God. Ebby is sober and Bill is not. But he desperately wants to be. Ebby cannot seem to reach beyond Bill's inability to connect with a concept of a higher power that is personal to him. So Ebby said "Why don't you choose your own conception of God?" (pg. 12, 3rd ed.) This notion shifted Bill's thinking in a way that opened up a spiritual connection for him. He entered detox for the last time and remained sober for the rest of his life. For me, it was absolutely necessary to be willing to let go of my old ideas about God and to be open to having a new experience. An open mind, a willingness to explore my own internal beliefs and biases, and the support of a sponsor who practiced spirituality as a way of life, were essential to me as I maneuvered this new spiritual territory.
Like the fall trees that instinctively know exactly when to release their leaves before the winter ice, snow, and winds come, I have learned to let go. If the trees were to stubbornly keep their leaves, they would be dragged down and die when the Nor'easter comes through. My spiritual practice is just like that too. I must be willing to let go – even when I don't want to – before I experience the pain and suffering of clinging to old ideas and people.


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Solo artist Kim Bingham is moving on Up!
(Photo by Julie Biancardini)
MONTREAL – When it comes to persistent creative itchiness, refreshing conversational candour and an all-inclusive approach to making music, Kim Bingham strongly recalls another proud and powerful musical Montrealer: former Hole/Smashing Pumpkins bassist Melissa Auf der Maur. The two share commonalities – not the least of which is the ability to wring attention out of men like water from wet socks – including one in particular that's outright uncanny.
"We have the same birthday," says Bingham. "We're St. Patrick's Day babies."
Proof again that God is Irish.
"And what else do we have in common?" Bingham muses. "Courtney Love wanted both of us in her band, but Courtney flew off the deep end before I got into it. And I'm really glad because I know other people that know her and they were all saying 'Dooooon't!' So it's just as well. And Melissa's also asked to work with me in the past, though it just didn't work out for one reason or another. So basically we're just compadres."
Compadres who bring resonant female voices to modern rock 'n' roll. Montrealers got their first earful of Bingham with many-tentacled, early-'90s ska/pop phenomenon Me, Mom & Morgentaler, who she teamed up with straight out of CEGEP. ("They asked me to join the band because they wanted to do On My Radio by The Selector and they needed a girl to sing it.")
Here, in this highly charged entertainment incubator, Bingham began her growth into the confident onstage performer – and impassioned, dynamic pop-rock vocalist – she is today.
By 1994, Bingham had moved to Vancouver for love, and there she conceived Mudgirl, her first solo endeavour, releasing the five-song First Book EP in 1995. Four years and much in the way of critical acclaim later, Mudgirl evolved into The Kim Band, a volumized version of Mudgirl, as evidenced on the 2001 full-length Girlology, but a project that still adhered to the precepts of pop.
"I just naturally write pop-rock music. I don't know where that comes from.
"I have a love of rock and pop radio, and American radio and jukeboxes and stuff like that. With Mudgirl the angle of the songs was way more personal. And then I just got tired of people calling me Mudgirl," she says with a laugh. "So then I went more rock (with The Kim Band) and the songs became more about things other than me. After that I pretty much stepped out of the spotlight until now."
Well, yes and no. In 2007 she had two albums come out: the French-language, soft-pop solo album Intermède, released simply as Kim Bingham, and the soundtrack for Quebec TV show Les Invincibles. In an achievement that's almost more feather than cap, Bingham scored the music for three seasons of Les Invincibles, as well as two seasons of the European version shot in Paris, earning a Gémeaux Award for theme song The Hero's Take in the process.
Throughout it all Bingham had also been enjoying interest as a session player and touring musician (vocals and guitar) with some of the biggest Canadian names in the biz. These included David Usher (with whom she played for a year and a half), Nelly Furtado (which included performances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and the Late Show with David Letterman) and Bran Van 3000 (she contributed to the 2008 album Rosé and continues to perform with them).
And with last week's release of the long-contemplated, 13-song Up!, Bingham still finds herself at the receiving end of a seemingly limitless supply of good will from the greater music community – people like former Doughboys frontman and now producer John Kastner, Queens of the Stone Age drummer Gene Trautman, Blind Melon/Awolnation guitarist Christopher Thorn and members of Montreal bands The Dears and Creature, all of whom lent their abilities to Up! She attributes this support to a simple professional credo: "Treat other people the way you want to be treated."
The aptly titled Up! is an exuberant musical animal with a well-defined summertime vibe ("It's a record that goes well with sangria"), as demonstrated by the Creature-assisted dance track and first Quebec single Party Girl, the sunny and rambunctious title tune Up!, and rocking, heavier-ended party starter Sweet Irene. And the playlist goes on. In fact, there is something very familiar, and it turns out very deliberate, about the "programming" of the album, let's say.
"I've had the idea for this record for a very, very long time," says Bingham. "I've been a huge fan of America's Top 40 since I was tiny. So there's this whole idea that I have a radio in my head, and (Up!) is the radio in my head on CD."
From Me, Mom & Morgentaler through Mudgirl to The Kim Band and beyond, it's a long and winding, star-filled and storied road that arrives at the Kim Bingham of today, an artist finally content to lend her name completely to her muse.
"It was really just a matter of growing into my own skin and feeling comfortable in it," she explains. "It was also the rock'n'roll game in the sense that it's just fun and kind of glamorous to put on an identity, y'know? Like Lady Gaga as opposed to Stephanie whatever … When you think of yourself or what you're doing as something more conceptual, sometimes it gives you this freedom and liberty that separates you from the ordinary day with all its ordinary stuff.
"But now I'm ready to just be me: The Kim Bingham whose name is on the marquee, but also the Kim Bingham doing the laundry and cleaning the toilet. But the Kim Bingham toilet cleaner is still a very rock'n'roll toilet cleaner."
Spoken like a true music lifer.
"Ha! Yes, I am. Sometimes I turn and I go, 'Wait a second! I did all of that?' Because I'm always looking ahead and thinking about all the other stuff I want to do."
Up! is available now.