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When's the last time you really felt like a badass on a bicycle? Probably when your training wheels came off around the age of six. Well, fortunately for you, bike and oversized object enthusiast Richie Trimble has figured out a way to feel that sense of wobbly danger once again: a 14.5-foot, towering beach cruiser he calls the StoopidTall Tall Bike.
The impressively sturdy bike made its inaugural ride this past Sunday at Los Angeles's CicLAvia, a mass celebration of alternative transportation. And assuming you currently enjoy being alive, Trimble was kind enough to video tape the entire thing, letting you get a sense of what it's like to sit 14 feet up without any real risk. Not exciting enough for you? Well how about this—the bike doesn't have breaks.
But if for whatever reason, you find yourself desiring a two-wheeled street menace of your very own, he happily lays out the specs for us:
14.5ft at the Seat
Built in 12 work hours
One Huffy beach cruiser, 2" square tubing, 3/4" round tubing, and 1" round tubing
26" single speed coaster brake wheelset
6 1/2 single speed bicycle chains (32.5ft of chain)
To bend the pipe i used an upside down shopping cart and a split log. Ghetto, i know, but hey - IT WORKS.
Obviously, the bike isn't exactly street legal, so you probably won't see Trimble taking to the streets again any time soon. But at least we can relive the ride in all its terrifying glory again, and again, and again, for as long as our little hearts can handle. [Devour via @Dgolborne]


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Burna Boy – Gbona (Official Video)
Burna Boy wastes no time in premiering the visuals to his spanking new single "Gbona". The song/video serves as the superstar's first single this year since the release of his critically acclaimed "Outside" album.
Gbona is a solid mid tempo track strongly influenced by the core afrobeat sound and culture. Gbona was produced by Kel P, and Mixed & Mastered by Mix Monsta.
Clarence Shot It!

subset: commoncrawl


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The Bellator 107 weigh-ins have been completed from the Mist Nightclub inside the WinStar World Casino in preparation for Bellator MMA's November 8th event, which will showcase the Bellator Heavyweight, Middleweight and Bantamweight Tournament Finals.
Bellator MMA will take place from WinStar World Casino on Friday, November 8th with the first fight taking place at 6:00 p.m. CST and streaming LIVE on Spike.com. The televised portion of the night will begin at 8:00 p.m. CST and will air LIVE on Spike TV.
Bellator Heavyweight Tournament Final:
Peter Graham (243.8) vs. Cheick Kongo (237.1)
Bellator Bantamweight Tournament Final:
Travis Marx (135.8) vs. Joe Warren (135.8)
Bellator Middleweight Tournament Final:
Brennan Ward (185.5) vs. Mikkel Parlo (186)
Catchweight Feature Fight (157lbs):
Martin Stapleton (157.1) vs. Derek Campos (156.7)
Lightweight Feature Fight:
Edson Berto (155.7) vs. Patricky Pitbull (155.9)
Middleweight Feature Fight:
Jonas Billstein (185.6) vs. Cortez Coleman (185.4)
Light Heavyweight Feature Fight:
Ryan McCurdy (204.9) vs. Mike Mucitelli (204.4)
Heavyweight Feature Fight:
Josh Burns (243.9) vs. Raphael Butler (260)
Light Heavyweight Feature Fight:
Matt Jones (202.5) vs. Linton Vassell (205.5)
Catchweight Feature Fight (156lbs):
Rob White (155.8) vs. Chris Jones (156.3)
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King Felix fans 6 straight, finishes with 9 in 6 shutout innings as Mariners beat Padres 3-1
PEORIA, Ariz. – Felix Hernandez looked primed and ready for the regular season, pitching six shutout innings to help the Seattle Mariners beat the San Diego Padres 3-1 on Friday night.
Hernandez allowed two hits and struck out nine — including six straight in the third and fourth innings. He threw 70 pitches and didn't walk a batter.
The 2010 AL Cy Young Award winner signed a $175 million, seven-year contract last month, the largest deal for a pitcher in baseball history.
Padres starter Tyson Ross was effective early, but inefficiency cut his outing short. He gave up only one run but was pulled after throwing 94 pitches in 4 2-3 innings.
Ross, competing for the No. 5 spot in San Diego's rotation, had six strikeouts and two walks.
Kelly Shoppach homered leading off the fifth for Seattle, snapping Ross' scoreless streak at 15 1-3 innings.
Yonder Alonso went deep for the Padres, his fourth home run in his last eight games.


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AFTRR Holds Successful National Meeting at Google Pittsburgh
A total of 34 different non-profit refurbishers representing 19 states joined up in Pittsburgh, PA, on June 4th and 5th to share ideas, hear presentations from experts and most importantly, meet new friends and establish a network of contacts. The two day event was held at no cost to the attendees. Some of the attendee


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You might want to try to keep your own personal pet caveman in the dark on this one, but in her inevitably best-selling new book,The Male BrainThe Female Brain
(Broadway Books), neuropsychiatrist Louann Brizendine, MD, officially, scientifically lets guys off the hook for skirt-chasing, conking out after sex, avoiding emotionality—even spending Sundays glued to ESPN. Yes, it seems that Brizendine set , her 2006 best-seller, to "marinate in testosterone"—her fave phrase for describing how gestating brains, which all begin as female in the womb, become masculinized about half the time—in order to produce the male bookend to that work, a "brain's-eye view" into men's psyches that gives them, well, a big, fat 262-page excuse.
Despite accusations leveled in publications from Nature to The New York Times that Brizendine engaged in weak science in The Female Brain, The Male Brain is, like its predecessor, a breezy and loosey-goosey girlfriend-gab take on the state of gender-based brain science. Brizendine often relies on unreplicated or small-scale experiments, studies, and surveys to draw sweeping, possibly oversimplified conclusions about gender and human nature and to spin small distinctions and differences in the data into vive la différence.
Still, it's awfully hard to write off or dismiss an observer with the breadth of knowledge and experience in her field that Brizendine clearly has. Employing data from cognitive neuroscience, brain imaging, genetics, hormonal biology, and primatology, all strung around anecdotes from her own 25-year therapy practice, which includes running the Women's Mood and Hormone Clinic at the University of California, San Francisco, the UC system's prestigious medical school, Brizendine professes to illuminate what makes a man a man—and we're kind of obliged to hear her out.
More From ELLE
ELLE: So it's really true that the only thing guys are after is sex?
Louann Brizendine: It's actually true [laughs]. Males tend to have a level of sexual interest that's about three times greater than that of the average female of the same age. I think females don't necessarily know it's a program that's biologically run. Obviously, there's a choice about how to behave, but I think females would do well to understand how biology's running in the background.
ELLE: You write that men and women have a "deep misunderstanding of the biological and social instincts that drive the other sex." But why and how are we made to misunderstand one another?
LB: It may best be explained by long-term and short-term mating programs. An egg gets fertilized and takes nine months to gestate, and that infant requires huge amounts of care, while the investment in time and energy for a male could be a one-shot deal, and he has perhaps successfully gotten his DNA into the next generation. So there's a disparity of interest.
ELLE: What do you think is the biggest male-female disconnect?
LB: It's always that women are afraid they are going to be abandoned and left, and males feel like they are going to be captured and tied down. It's basic biology that really makes for a lot of unhappiness and misunderstanding between the sexes.
ELLE: You write that "our brains are much more plastic and changeable than scientists believed a decade ago," yet most of your book stacks up examples of hardwired differences. You say the nature-nurture debate is dead, yet your book seems to cast you in the nature camp.
LB: Nature-nurture is dead because they're really the same thing. Nature is the thing we must understand first, in terms of how things get wired in utero and the phases of brain development. The piece that used to be called nurture is genetically driven changes that come with things like stress, hormonal differences, neglect, abuse, drugs, or toxic substances. Understanding the genetics we're born with and how they get modified by our upbringing and environment is the key.
ELLE: The issue feels unresolved—what are we still debating?
LB: The debate was between biologists and psychologists way before we knew anything about genetics and hormones and their effect on the neurodevelopment of the brain, and how our tracks get laid down and sculpted, and how they overgrow like a bunch of carrots and have to be pruned back. Those things weren't known at the time, so the psychology and neurobiology grew up in silos, with no bridges. Those bridges are starting to be built now. There is still some friction because the language of the disciplines isn't even the same.
ELLE: Much of your book plays into stereotypes—that to men, women are little more than their breast-to-waist ratio. That men are emotionally stunted and sex-crazed. And yet you say you are a staunch feminist, trained at Berkeley in the '70s.
LB: I had the two voices in my head all during my writing. I think we need to honor the fact that the female brain and biology, with pregnancy and raising children, are very different from men's, like it or not. This means that something needs to happen socially, politically, in the workplace, for women and for men.
ELLE: Can we really choose how we act if our brain is guiding our impulses?
LB: The choice of acting against one's biology happens all the time—we call that becoming civilized. You have to do that. I think understanding those impulses that you're trying to dial down can really help you as an individual take some responsibility for yourself.
ELLE: Your book gives several examples of animals that, depending on the length of a particular gene, become either monogamous mates or philanderers. There is even some evidence in humans of a connection between mating behavior and a receptor's length. Could this get Tiger Woods off the hook?
LB: Well, it makes me understand it at a deeper biological level. It still outrages me: Whether you have a long, short, or medium receptor gene, when you have children and families, you're responsible to them. Let's say that men knew how long their gene was, and that the long guys were going to have an easier time staying faithful and the short guys were not, and the short guys were going to have to work harder at it—the same kind of thing happens when people know they're susceptible to diabetes or cancer or heart disease.
ELLE: Larry Summers quickly became the ex-president of Harvard by asserting that innate aptitude differences may partly explain the dearth of female academics in math and science. Could it be that in some areas there is a difference in aptitude?
LB: It's possible, although the Putnam prizes in mathematics used to have no women finalists, but it's had more and more as girls get better math education. I'd say that argues against it. But many think that women have a higher aptitude for staying on the same emotional wavelength. Why is it so hard to believe that we have different aptitudes?
ELLE: But feminists refuse to believe that.
LB: That is just wrong thinking, that something can't possibly be that way. For example, genetic differences in muscle metabolism can lead to faster running speeds, as with some Jamaicans. So, to me, it's scientifically untenable to say that men and women are, and must be, completely equal in everything. Summers' fight allows us to have a discussion about these things that are still passionately burning in our culture.
ELLE: The journal Nature said about The Female Brain that you fail "to meet even the most basic standards of scientific accuracy and balance" and accused you of making sex differences in brain structure seem almost to make men and women two different species.
LB: If that's what people are getting out of my book, that's an incorrect view. There are many more similarities than there are differences. I'm not trying to write scientific treatises. I'm writing for people who are intelligent but don't do science. In doing honor to its complexity, I think I've hit the mark in some respects and missed the mark in others. Scientifically, looking at gender differences is in its infancy. It's only really important in medicine to study diseases, for example. Gender differences per se are of less interest.
ELLE: What is your most striking conclusion from writing these two books?
LB: The thing that is awesome to me—which I see in my office with couples who come to me—I'll ask her, "How do you know he loves you?" and she'll say, "Because he wants to talk to me." But when I ask him, he'll say, "Because she wants to have sex with me." Women don't understand that men feel loved when you want to have sex with them—and if you reject them, it means you don't love them. And if a man can't verbally empathize with a woman when she feels unloved—they're like ships passing in the night. That, to me, speaks volumes. Remember Beauty and the Beast? It's from the song—first she gives a little bit, then he gives a little bit. That's how you can start to see things from the other person's point of view. That captures what's been going on in my office for 25 years.


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New York City
Big Apple
Writer Pearl Buck once called New York City "a place apart," and this giant urban center remains unlike any other in the world. An agglomeration of vastly different cultures from around the world, the city is perhaps best explored through its many small diners and world-famous restaurants. With a population of over 8 million, the city is one of the world's major centers for media, fashion, food, culture, art, research, trade, and finance. Its famous skyline includes some of the most recognizable buildings on the planet, drawing millions of tourists from every corner of the world. To experience the city more fully, travel on foot or on the subway. Plan the details of your New York City holiday and any onward adventuring with our easy-to-use United States trip planner.
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Top New York City tours
$99 BOOK WITH VIATOR New York in One Day Guided Sightseeing Tour New York in One Day Guided Sightseeing Tour
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Where to stay in New York City
The first step to finding accommodations in New York City is finding the right neighborhood. Manhattan, where most visitors end up, offers some of the most expensive rooms in the world, though there are lower-budget options, such as hostels with shared restrooms. Reduce your costs by basing yourself in one of the outer boroughs, but beware of low-end motels where you may end up sharing the premises with hourly customers. Alternatively, stay along the New Jersey shore, offering all the major chain hotels at considerably lower prices than their Manhattan equivalents.
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New York City Holiday Planning GuideWriter Pearl Buck once called New York City "a place apart," and this expansive urban center remains unlike any other. An agglomeration of vastly different cultures from around the world, the city is a prime holiday destination perhaps best explored through its many small diners and world-famous restaurants. With a population of over 8 million, the city is one of the world's major centers for media, fashion, food, culture, art, research, trade, and finance. Its famous skyline includes some of the most recognizable buildings on the planet, and its countless tourist attractions draw millions of visitors from every corner of the globe. To fully experience its atmosphere, tour the city on foot or using the subway system.
Best Neighborhoods to Visit in New York CityTimes Square: Portrayed in numerous films and television shows and characterized by bright video screens and flashing advertisements, this New York City attraction--often called the crossroads of the world--features some of the world's best-known theaters, restaurants, and shops.
Chinatown: Home to one of the largest Chinese communities in America, this downtown neighborhood with a distinct atmosphere draws visitors to its busy streets packed with shops and restaurants, offering inexpensive souvenirs and traditional Chinese specialties.
Little Italy: Famed for its restaurant scene, this little taste of Italy tops many New York City itineraries, attracting thousands to its eateries and annual cultural events.
SoHo: A dream come true for fashion, architecture, and art enthusiasts, this cobblestoned New York district stretches over 26 blocks and includes more than 500 buildings housing museums, galleries, boutiques, and restaurants.
Wall Street: The Big Apple's powerful financial district, this street is synonymous with world business; consider visiting the city's stock exchange for a look at the inner workings of international trade.
Greenwich Village: The birthplace of the Beat generation and 1960s counterculture, the Village--as the locals call it--boasts a strong sense of community and treats visitors with its famous performing arts scene, which is carried out in the area's renowned theaters.
Union Square: Once a gathering place for wealthy residents of the area's elegant mansions, this square is now a major New York City tourist attraction filled with numerous notable landmarks, including the famous statue of George Washington--one of the city's first public artworks.
Harlem: Full of buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this neighborhood provided the setting for the famous "Harlem Renaissance" in the 1920s and 1930s--a major African-American cultural and artistic movement.
Meatpacking District: Once home to New York's meat distribution companies, this area now contains some of the city's hippest bars, trendiest restaurants, and most exclusive fashion boutiques.
Upper West Side: Ideal for visitors looking for a relaxing New York City sightseeing experience, this neighborhood features elegant architecture and charming residential streets, as well as the city's biggest and best-known park.
Chelsea: Although it remains a primarily residential neighborhood, Chelsea features a thriving bar scene and contains over 200 art galleries.
Things to Do in New York City
Popular New York City Tourist AttractionsCentral Park: A breath of fresh air in the middle of one of the world's biggest cities, this park contains plenty of greenery and shady places made for relaxation and recreation.
Top of the Rock Observation Deck: Start your New York City tour at this observation deck, offering a bird's-eye view of some of the city's biggest landmarks from protected outdoor terraces located on the 67th and 69th floors.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art: America's biggest museum, this renowned institution holds a collection of more than 2 million works, including Roman statues, music instruments, ancient weapons, Egyptian artifacts, modern photographs, and masterpieces by Whistler, Rembrandt, and Vermeer.
The High Line: Situated on a section of an abandoned railway that once serviced the lower west side of Manhattan, this linear park features birdhouses, benches, gardens, and cafes, great places for relaxing and taking in the views of the Hudson River.
Empire State Building: A major New York City tourist attraction for more than eight decades, this 103-story building remains one of America's architectural icons, featuring an observatory and an observation deck providing panoramic views of the entire city.
9/11 Memorial: Situated on the spot once occupied by the twin tower buildings destroyed during the 2001 terrorist attacks, this memorial provides visitors with a deeper understanding of those events and offers guided tours of the so-called "Ground Zero."
Manhattan Skyline: Recognizable from countless photographs and films, Manhattan's skyline features numerous landmark buildings and conveys the grandeur of the Big Apple that is best appreciated by taking a helicopter tour or sightseeing cruise on the city's rivers.
Times Square: Few visitors on holiday in New York City miss a stop at this giant intersection of several major roads, which features an informative visitors center providing free maps, restaurant and hotel recommendations, and tickets for most major tourist attractions.
Statue of Liberty National Monument: The first glimpse of the promised land for thousands of immigrants arriving across the Atlantic, this eye-catching statue represents the Roman goddess of freedom and features a large pedestal that houses an interior exhibit about liberty and democracy.
American Museum of Natural History: Among the world's biggest venues of its kind, this renowned museum complex features nearly 50 permanent exhibits occupying 27 interconnected buildings that house life-size displays of elephants and fossilized dinosaur skeletons.
Planning a New York City Vacation with Kids
Things to do in New York City with KidsOne of the world's top holiday destinations for decades, New York draws over 50 million annual visitors of all ages. Although it contains some of the busiest streets on the planet, the Big Apple is so much more than just a city of concrete, cars, and high-rise buildings. You'll find countless family-oriented activities at the city's playgrounds and parks, where your little ones can run, jump, skate, and cycle while you read a book or have cup of coffee under the shade of a tree. Practically every New York City itinerary includes Central Park, but you can also choose from dozens of smaller urban parks as well. Consider Prospect Park, featuring a kid-friendly zoo and ice skating rink--which conveniently becomes a water park during the warmer months. The largest urban zoo in the world, Bronx Zoo houses about 6,000 animals from 650 different species. The zoo's themed sections teach young animal lovers about the planet's diverse ecosystems and the importance of conservation. A landmark most kids know from their school textbooks, Statue of Liberty National Monument allows your family to see New York from the perspective of thousands of immigrants that once crossed the Atlantic Ocean by boat. To add a bit of unbridled amusement-park fun to your New York City vacation, visit Coney Island USA, where you can treat the family to hot dogs, ice cream, arcade games, and rides.
Tips for a Family Vacation in New York CityThough many visitors find it easy to spend their entire time in New York exploring only Manhattan, the city's most densely populated area, the outer boroughs also boast numerous attraction and activities tailor-made for family vacations. Remember that you can appreciate Manhattan's famed skyline from Queens, Brooklyn, or New Jersey. The outer boroughs also provide budget-friendly accommodations suitable for travelers with kids. The New Jersey shore features major chain hotels, offering comfortable rooms at considerably lower prices than their Manhattan counterparts. Wherever you end up basing your New York City vacation, look for activities that promise to keep both you and your little tourists entertained. Many of the city's museums house interactive exhibits designed for children, while street and flea markets serve as ideal snacking spots and great places for souvenirs hunting. Involve the kids in your planning, find out what they want to see and do, and try planning your trip around family-friendly events like the Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting or the Easter parade.
Dining and Shopping on Holiday in New York City
Cuisine of New York CityOne of the world's favorite vacation spots, for most of its history New York has also been a major destination for immigrants from around the world. The city has provided a home for Bangladeshis, Koreans, Thais, Kenyans, Arabs, Dominicans, Brazilians, Italians, Jews, Albanians, Greeks, and many others. Each of these groups brought their own way of cooking with them, transporting to the New World the tastes, smells, and textures of their distant homelands. You'll find falafel, bagels, gyros, hot dogs, pizza, and spaghetti in any of the five boroughs, which are served by thousands of delis, grocery stores, food carts, casual bistros, and Michelin-starred restaurants. Explore Meatpacking District on your New York City trip to discover a trendy neighborhood filled with restaurants serving everything from New American cuisine and Asian street fare, to homemade Belgian waffles and traditional Italian specialties. Within this same area you can visit Chelsea Market, housed inside a former biscuit factory and luring foodies with its selection of gourmet soups, outstanding wines, and award-winning cheeses. As you walk around the Big Apple, look for push carts selling hot dogs--called "dirty water dogs" by the locals--and smoothies. Delis offer another inexpensive-yet-authentic eating option, serving simple and heartwarming delicacies like corned beef and pastrami sandwiches, cheesecakes, and chocolate egg cream.
Shopping in New York CityPopular with both domestic and international shoppers, New York offers a range of buying options suitable for any type of budget. The city boasts some of the finest department stores in the world, many situated along Fifth Avenue, an upscale shopping street that cuts straight through midtown Manhattan. If you're a true shopaholic at heart, consider booking your hotel in or near this busy downtown area to have easy foot access to places like Madison Avenue boasts a big selection of upscale fashion boutiques and jewelry stores. If shopping for clothes on your New York City holiday doesn't seem like time well spent, visit Greenwich Village, home to record stores, bookstores, and boutique food shops. And if you don't want to spend a fortune on an "I heart NYC" T-shirt in Times Square, head to Chinatown, where you can find great deals on knock-off clothing and accessories. To purchase paintings, prints, photographs, and sculptures created by some of the city's "starving artists," check out the streets of SoHo.
Know Before You Go on a Trip to New York City
History of New York CityOriginally inhabited by various Native American tribes, the area now known as New York attracted Florentine, Portuguese, and English explorers in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Dutch established the first permanent European presence in 1624 when they founded a fur trading settlement called New Amsterdam. In 1664, the English took over the growing settlement and promptly changed its name to New York. Learn more about this period at Museum of the City of New York.
Under English rule, New York became a thriving 17th-century trading port. The city was also a major center of slavery, with nearly half of its households holding slaves by the middle of the century. Slavery bolstered the city's economy and tied its industries to the slaveholding Southern states. Add African Burial Ground National Monument to your New York City itinerary to find out more about slavery's role in the city's early development.
The area now contained within the borough of Brooklyn provided the setting for one of the major battles of the American Revolutionary War. The Battle of Long Island, fought in August of 1776, turned the city into a base of British political and military activity. A safe haven for Americans loyal to the British crown, New York also attracted slaves who joined the royal troops in order to escape slavery. After the war, British forces relocated thousands of these fighters to Nova Scotia and England.
By the 1820s, the city had abolished slavery, had served as the national capital for a while, and had begun to receive a growing number of immigrants from abroad. In 1860, Irish and German newcomers made up nearly half of New York's population. Visit Ellis Island to discover the stories of nearly 12 million immigrants who arrived in the city in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
The modern city of New York was born in 1898, the year in which Brooklyn and parts of Bronx and Queens consolidated into a growing urban center. The subway opened in 1904, helping bind the expanding boroughs. The next few decades saw the growth of New York's industries, commerce, and communications systems. The city continued to draw new arrivals from other parts of America and abroad. By the early 1920s, this population boom made New York the world's most densely populated urban area.
New York emerged from World War II as the world's undisputed center of trade, finance, education, art, research, and culture. The city solidified its political and economic power in 1952, when the structure housing United Nations Headquarters was completed.
Despite the devastating terrorist attacks of 2001 and subsequent economic difficulties, New York remains a globally powerful city and one of the world's premier holiday destinations. Enhance your New York City sightseeing experience by exploring places like American Museum of Natural History and St. Patrick's Cathedral.
Holidays & Festivals in New York CityIf you're looking for entertaining things to do in New York City, consider planning your trip around a special event or festival. Though you can enjoy a memorable Big Apple holiday any time of year, visiting in the fall or early winter allows you to attend some of the city's best-known events. For over four decades Greenwich Village has hosted a popular Halloween parade, which attracts nearly 2 million spectators and more than 50,000 costumed participants. Started in 1924, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade features balloons, floats, marching bands, live performances by the Rockettes of Radio City Music Hall, and the appearance of Santa Claus. The holiday season reaches a peak with the dazzling Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting ceremony, a favorite with kids and parents. For something more grown-up, visit TriBeCa in May, when the neighborhood hosts one of the world's prestigious film festivals.
New York City Travel Tips
Climate of New York CityNew York's humid continental climate brings scorching hot summers and very cold winters with lots of precipitation and occasional blizzards. Despite low temperatures and frequent snowfall, many visitors choose December for their New York City holiday. If you don't mind big crowds and sky-high prices, time your trip for this bitterly cold month. You can take advantage of lower prices in January and February, traditionally the city's quieter and less-expensive season. If you can wait until spring or autumn, you'll experience warm and sunny weather ideal for sightseeing and other outdoor activities.
Transportation in New York CityNew York features three major airports, two main train stations, and a big bus terminal, all of which make it one of the easiest American urban centers to reach from almost anywhere in the country or abroad. If you're planning to arrive from another U.S. destination, consider taking the train, a good way to avoid the hassle of airport security checks. Once you commence your tour of New York City, you can get around by any modern mode of transport. Traveling by subway offers an affordable way to explore and sightsee without having to deal with the stresses of driving and parking. Similarly economical, public buses work well for visitors interested in covering many locations relatively quickly. For tours along the East and Hudson Rivers, check out New York Water Taxi, offering tourists a chance to see Manhattan's famous skyline from a different perspective.


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The family of a woman who died from fungal meningitis is shocked that the pharmacy linked to the outbreak isn't regulated. Lilian Cary received a steroid injection in August that came from the New England Compounding Center. She passed away two weeks ago.
Her husband George is awaiting test results to see if he also has the illness. The couple went to the same pain treatment center in Michigan.
"This should not have happened. This is a tragedy that goes beyond our family," said her husband in regards to more than 100 sick with meningitis and the 12 who died.
Cary's daughter Heather Andrus is frustrated and disgusted by the conditions that resulted in her mother's death. "I think it's ridiculous that these companies in this day and age aren't mandated to have inspections, and that this completely preventable death and tragedy had to happen due to those oversights," said Andrus.
Post by: Anderson Cooper, Dr. Sanjay Gupta
Filed under: Medical News • Meningitis
Such a sad story
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Sundance Film Festival opens today, more popular than ever
Everybody wants a piece of Robert Redford. Young filmmakers talking him up for advice on the street. The stewardess on an airplane who mentions her son has this idea. The guy with a videotape under his arm who looked so grungy Redford thought he was a panhandler he should stake to a meal.
That last one turned out to be Edward Burns, who talked Redford into taking a look at a little sibling comic drama he had written, directed and starred in. Redford watched it, sent it on to the folks at his Sundance Institute for independent film, and Burns' "The Brothers McMullen" premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 1995.
And so another career was born at Sundance, the festival Redford launched in 1985 in a single theater with a couple of dozen films. Opening Thursday for its 11-day run, Sundance now is home to 119 feature films, dozens of short movies, panel discussions, art exhibits, musical performances and loads of celebrity events that have sprung up around the festival.
Every January, Sundance simply takes over tiny Park City, a ski-resort town where hotels jack up prices, store owners put their inventory in storage to rent their shops for festival doings and fans sometimes stand in the cold for hours hoping for tickets to a hot film.
Redford's proud of what he created but gets a little nostalgic for the early days, when he was standing on the street trying to herd people into the theater.
"I never dreamed the festival would reach this degree. It's not quite the same as when we first started," said Redford, who feels overwhelmed now by his duties as Sundance's head of state. "What I would like most to do is just to see the films, but because of all the people coming now, it obligates me to do the meet and greet, when what I what I would love most is to be with the filmmakers and see their work.
"It's become like a monster's ball. I'm not displeased about it. But it gets more and more difficult. It's wonderful on one hand, and it's monstrous on the other hand."
The festival quickly grew into a mecca for low-budget filmmakers and fans of daring stories that go beyond the Hollywood blockbuster mill. Sundance has helped launch the careers of Quentin Tarantino, Steven Soderbergh and Robert Rodriguez, while such Academy Awards contenders as "In the Bedroom," ''Little Miss Sunshine," ''Precious" and "Winter's Bone" premiered at the festival.
Few Sundance films find much of an audience beyond the festival circuit. But the ones that do — Sundance premieres like "Napoleon Dynamite," ''Garden State" or "Super Size Me" — can inspire storytellers to pick up a camera.
A whole generation of young filmmakers has been infused with the Sundance spirit, the idea that you don't need studios or stars. If you can scrape together a little money from family and friends, you can just go and make your movie.
Where would the indie world be without Sundance?
"I don't think it would be as vibrant and healthy if it wasn't for Sundance," Redford said. "I'm not certain about my role. I've been referred to as the godfather of independent film. That makes me a little uncomfortable. I don't like having that much sitting on my shoulders."
What Redford likes most during the festival is the gathering of this year's filmmakers that he'll host Saturday at his nearby Sundance Resort, away from the crowds in Park City. After that, he likes to fade out for a breather from the Sundance scene.
"Because of the monster size of the festival, because it's grown so big, it puts so much pressure on me the first days that I can't take a whole lot more, and I have to go away after a few days," Redford said. "Because of how much I like to see the films, it's become an issue. So I kind of like to retreat, then sort of sneak back in disguise later in the festival and just try to see the films."
And it's the films that remain long after the festival's hype and glamor fades. You can look no further than last week's Academy Awards nominations to see the ripple effect the high-altitude festival for low-budget film has in the real world of show business.
Last year's top Sundance prize winner, "Beasts of the Southern Wild," picked up four Oscar nominations, including best picture, director for first-time filmmaker Benh Zeitlin and actress for 9-year-old Quvenzhane Wallis, who had never acted before. For Zeitlin, out of nowhere and into the company of fellow nominees Steven Spielberg and Ang Lee. For Wallis, into the company of Naomi Watts and Jennifer Lawrence, herself a breakout Sundance star for "Winter's Bone."
"That's why we're here," Redford said. "When somebody comes out of nowhere and with our support goes somewhere, that's a real pleasure to me."


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It turns out that atheist parents don't attempt to raise their children in an "atheist tradition" the way religious parents do with religious traditions. Rice University sociologist Elaine Ecklund surveyed over 2,000 scientists and found that half expressed "no religious identity." She pulled 275 of these atheists, and found that at least 17% had brought their children to a religious service in the past year.
From a release about the study:
The individuals surveyed cited personal and social reasons for integrating religion into their lives, including:
Scientific identity – Study participants wish to expose their children to all sources of knowledge (including religion) and allow them to make their own choices about a religious identity.
Spousal influence – Study participants are involved in a religious institution because of influence from their spouse or partner.
Desire for community – Study participants want a sense of moral community and behavior, even if they don't agree with the religious reasoning.
Ecklund said one of the most interesting findings was discovering that not only do some atheist scientists wish to expose their children to religious institutions, but they also cite their scientific identity as reason for doing so.
"We thought that these individuals might be less inclined to introduce their children to religious traditions, but we found the exact opposite to be true," Ecklund said. "They want their children to have choices, and it is more consistent with their science identity to expose their children to all sources of knowledge."
One study participant raised in a strongly Catholic home said he came to believe later that science and religion were not compatible. He said what he wants to pass on to his daughter – more than the belief that science and religion are not compatible – is the ability to make her own decisions in a thoughtful, intellectual way.
via Rice University


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Kings Of Leon Merchandise : T-Shirts
Initially embraced as "the Southern Strokes" for their resurrection and reinvention of Dixie-styled rock & roll, Kings of Leon steadily morphed themselves into an experimental rock outfit during the 2000s. The Tennessee-bred quartet debuted in 2003 with the Holy Roller Novocaine EP, whose blend of raw, unpolished boogie rock was further explored on their debut full-length, Youth & Young Manhood. Such revivalist music was matched by a similarly revivalist appearance -- including long hair, mustaches, and tight-fitting denim -- and Kings of Leon experienced immediate popularity in the U.K. (where they would later enjoy platinum album sales, despite a persistently lukewarm reception at home). As the band explored different sonic textures with subsequent releases, most notably on 2006's Because of the Times, those tenuous links to the Strokes were finally dissolved.
Comprised of three Followill brothers -- Caleb (guitar), Nathan (drums), and Jared (bass) -- as well as first cousin Matthew Followill (guitar), Kings of Leon formed in 2000. The Followill siblings had spent their youth traveling across America's heartland with their evangelist father, decamping at Pentecostal churches and tent revivals for several days at a time before moving onward. When their father resigned from the church and divorced his wife in 1997, the boys relocated to Nashville and embraced the rock music (not to mention the accompanying lifestyle) they'd previously been denied. Cousin Matthew was added to the lineup, and a Southern garage rock sound quickly emerged. RCA took note, signing the band in 2001 and facilitating a partnership with Nashville-based producer Angelo Petraglia, who furthered the band's rock & roll education and co-wrote the material for 2003's Holy Roller Novocaine EP.
Tours across North America and the U.K. coincided with the release of the band's full-length debut, Youth & Young Manhood, that same summer. Buoyed by the single "Molly's Chambers," the album saw moderate success in the U.K. However, it was the band's sophomore effort, 2004's Aha Shake Heartbreak, that made them European stars, with three songs cracking the U.K. singles charts. The album saw an American release in February 2005, and Kings of Leon toured the country alongside U2 before retreating to work on their third effort. The darker, more expansive Because of the Times followed in 2007. Featuring production from Ethan Johns (who had helmed the band's previous releases as well), the album proved to be the band's biggest release, debuting at number 25 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and topping the album charts in the U.K., Ireland, and New Zealand.


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There is still time to mark your calendar and plan to be there at Cowboys Stadium for the first ever Dallas Opera Simulcast in a sports venue. The production is Mozart's THE MAGIC FLUTE, featuring an all-star cast, and it's a great introduction to opera. Get more details from KERA's Jerome Weeks here or Classical Music Critic Scott Cantrell of "The Dallas Morning News."
On a related note: The Dallas Opera's renowned Principle Oboist, Rogene Russell, sent a story I'd heard previously but never tracked down. A recent edition of the monthly magazine "Mental Floss" had a cover story on the "25 Most Powerful Songs"…including Mozart's "The Magic Flute."
Here's the deal: A sewage treatment plant in Treuenbrietzen, Germany, experimented with music to determine if it could help sludge-eating microbes do their job any faster and more efficiently. The answer, it appeared, was "The Magic Flute." Mozart's masterpiece evidently has extraordinary power – at the cellular level – and saves the plant money every month by keeping teeny, tiny critters excited and active. Now, if this music is that good for sludge-eating microbes, just imagine what it can do for you and your loved ones, blasting from the big screens of Cowboys Stadium!
And the concessions will be ever so much better than anything the microbes get to chow down upon.
(Image courtesy of the University of Arizona)
Suzanne Calvin, Manager/Director Media & PR


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Now they're making plans for disturbing a century-old tradition, the awesomely beautiful Rose Parade.
What ugly behavior. Ugly is, as Ugly does.
Original post made by ANTI-anarchists, Another Pleasanton neighborhood, on Dec 28, 2011
Comments (37)
what's so bad about disrupting a parade?
Dear Anti...
Fyi...I posted this same info item and also emphasized that Obama supports the Occupy Movement.
The Pleasanton Weekly censored and removed my posting.
The Pleasanton Weekly fiercely defends any position Obama and the Anti-American Democrat Congress takes, despite the fact that they are destroying our Country economically, militarily, from and energy independence standpoint, culturally, religiously, and on many other fronts.
agree - please prove you comments...tee hee hee, tee hee hee...
Let's see, our founding fathers tarred and feathered tax collectors, smuggled weapons to fight the British, and threw rocks at British soldiers, yet you think it's the end of the world for a group of protestors to ruin a parade?
Seriously, you need to rethink your priorities.
Fair enough.
So you won't be too upset when the responsible majority in this country begin to employ revolutionary tactics against the socialist, "get something for free" occupiers?
We are only trying to save the country we grew up with and hold near and dear. A country where those who are willing to work hard and sacrifice can get ahead.
If you want a Socialist Democracy, move to Europe. This country was not founded on different principals.
How come you believe so strongly that Americans do not have a right to express their Free Speech?
I completely agree with free speech. I just want the equivalent right to express my views.
If they their free speech right allows them to disturb one of my enjoyment activities, shouldn't I have the same right?
Is it irresponsible people like this who the occupiers are fighting for? (make sure you view the last 30 seconds where the plaintiff admits she has not paid the rent).
Web Link
Absolutely disgusting and making a mockery of our system. Do you think all this free money is truly helping these people?
And oh BTW just in case I get accused of being a racist, I'd have the same reaction if the players were white, yellow, etc.
Just disgusting.
The "system" is what we have at present. If you're dissatisfied, then get more politically involved and work for the changes that your desire.
The framers of the US Constitution were not fools. They knew exactly what they were doing. It's no accident that the issue of Free Speech is of prime importance in the USA.
You have a right to engage in political activities that involve your right to free speech.
be my guest...
Anti and Agree - The post that the PW took down hyperlinked to data from the 2010 census. This was data compiled of the national median annual salary from 1953 to 2010 corrected for inflation. When plotted in years vs salary, you are struck with what this country once was and what it has become now.
In the years 1953 to 1973, there was a gradual increase in the median salary for all twenty years. From 1974 to 2010 there has been no real increase. The increase during the Clinton years only brought the median salary back to where it was in 1973. The last 36 years have produced no increase in median income. In fact it is now heading rapidly in the negative direction.
On top of this the cost for basic necessities, such as energy, health care, housing, etc, has far outpaced the national inflation rate. So not only has income stagnated, the things that you need to live have gotten more expensive. Leaving the average wage earner with less and less discretionary income.
The blame goes back many years, over many congresses and presidents. Allowing Wall Street to speculate on basic human necessities. Spending money on costly wars with no outcome other then to enrich the defense industry. Allowing mergers and acquisitions of vital industries by foreign interests, failing to protect manufacturing prowess and natural resources, etc....
So, yes, if I were of the younger generation, and had my eyes opened to what has happened to this country in the last 36 years, I would be ticked off also.
Cholo - you are missing my point. Everyone in this country has the right to free speech. This is one of the great elements of our society.
But what are the limits of that free speech? Does someone's free speech rights allow them the right to upset a form of entertainment that I enjoy, in this case the Rose parade? The answer is clearly no.
The Rose parade has not rolled around yet. Besides, hardly anybody cares about a parade.
What are you actively doing politically to protect your rights?
You can watch the parade. If it's dirupted, that's a part of the parade...enjoy!
I love your double standard for people who have political points similar to yours. You should be proud as this is the American way and what has gotten us to the point where we are now.
Trust me - I'm quite involved locally with politics and working on the issues that have and will have the most impact on our community.
And at the same time, I am a working and tax contributing member of our society. What a novel idea.
I leave you with one more thought which actually came from the holiday letter from a good friend of mine who is CFO of a biotech company:
"We have some problems in this country, but don't confuse the "occupiers" with anything resembling a solution. It's OK though, I'll continue to work 80 hours a week trying to create jobs and save lives to subsidize their demonstrations. These folks are the same free-loaders who looked over my shoulder during an exam or encouraged me to blow off my trip to the library. They couldn't articulate their purpose back then either."
Freedom of Speech ENDS when it ENCROACHES on the RIGHTS OR SPACE OF OTHERS, legitimate activities of others. Parade participants purchased the right to use....a YEAR ahead. Civil people obey rules, UNcivil are UNruly by definition. Next year occupiers could pay, make a float covered ENTIRELY by LIVE materials, stand in line a 5am and 'parade' their message. Otherwise they are thugs and anarchists.
You risk life and limb when you ENCROACH on other persons, belongings, or pruchased space.
Most real Americans love, respect, and enjoy the efforts of hardworking youth bands, hardworking contributors, and artisans who who to make things beautiful for the enjoyment for all, and have for 100 years, enough so to keep doing it.
Only the lowest form of scum would lack the ability to appreciate beauty and respect the efforts of other average Americans...a real gathering of people who produce vs the people who choose to destroy.
The 'Rose Bowl Parade' is more than a parade. A beautiful statement.
Only the dumbest form of live could possible think anything could be gained by TREADING on others......persons, belonging, or space.
Get off your pitty potty or soap bench or whatever. How many million people -- even American people -- go to sleep hungry at night and you're seriously worried about the Rose Bowl parade getting disrupted?
Get a life. If you need help finding one, I understand Open Heart Kitchen can always use volunteers.
BTW: YOU are the 99%.
Take a look at the tax code if you don't believe me. There's an excellent book by David Cay Johnston called "Perfectly Legal: The Covert Campaign to Rig Our Tax System to Benefit the Super Rich - and Cheat Everybody Else."
It's available from the library if you can't afford it.
If the Occupy movement is so upsetting, have you considered taking the movement to court and suing? Isn't that the American way?
who is sick/nuts enuf to work 80 wk?...sombody with no life...duh...
Too bad many of the occupy people resort to incivility and lawlessness. It is time for them to organize around a platform and start a real political movement like the Tea Party. I don't think either group represents me.
Ed Fallon sounds pretty reasonable in this interview and I agree with a lot of what he says here concerning dealing with Wall Street.
Web Link
Cholo - you crack me up. It is clear you don't work in silicon valley and don't have a clue as to how hard some successful people work to create the wealth for themselves/their families that you seem to despise.
This guy grew up in an Indianapolis blue collar neighborhood, was an academic all american football player, got an ivie league graduate education, helped create heart stents that so many overweight americans benefit from, has a lifelong marriage, has three kids of which one is on track to swim for the US olympic team, etc.
You say he has no life. I say you have absolutely no clue as to what it takes to be successful. Instead you admire a bunch of slackers who want to get stuff for free or not have to work very hard.
Catch a clue. You should be very scared of the day when your "occupy" attitude runs the productive and wealth creating people out of this state and/or country.
Please describe the life of a man/woman who works 80 hrs. a week!
must be a bed full of roses...blue color, academic all american, football star, "ivie" league education, helped create heart stents, a lifelong marriage, 3 kids all starlets in the water,
hair made of gold nuggets, no toenails necessary, fins instead of hands, no eyes because they're developed radar eyelashes, all solid platinum teeth, no need to go to the toilet, no paper trail, oh my...not to mention they make sooooooo muc $$$$$$$$$ they don't even have to pay taxes...oh my...is America impressed or what?
always, the trees tremble when the family trucks...
is this wonder family caucasoid?
anon, I really like that...parasites with attitude. It sort of sums up the occupiers....who, BTW are funded by moveon.org. They were given fancy Wall Street digs for their 'offices', and paid pg&e bills. So NONE, I could never be part of the 99 when moveon.org is a driving force, along with union protest experts. The 99 is really about 19 % and half of those are the permanent street parasites.
They are also planning to disturb Repub primaries.
Anybody stooping to 'disturb and disrupt' a rose bowl event, or our election process, can only be described as leftist, Anti-American, Anarchists....
begging for anything that might come their way, good ....or bad! Disturbing and disrupting are a long way from writing or speaking opinions.
"Posted by anon, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, 17 hours ago
Cholo - you crack me up. It is clear you don't work in silicon valley and don't have a clue as to how hard some successful people work to create the wealth for themselves/their families that you seem to despise."
A lot of the occupy movement protesters are seniors who WORKED HARD and PAID TAXES for YEARS! WALL STREET has diminished most seniors life savings to very little.
To those of you double wage earners, HARD WORKING TAX PAYERS in Pleasanton... WAIT until one of you looses their high paying job and goes a year or more at best to replace that position.
When you use up your saving, PLEASE tell us that you will refuse unemployement. When you grow old and retire, PLEASE tell us...
"I was a HARD WORKING TAX PAYOR, I won't take SOCIAL Security, that's a socialist program.
"Posted by ANTI-anarchists, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, 47 minutes ago
anon, I really like that...parasites with attitude. The 99 is really about 19 % and half of those are the permanent street parasites."
How old are you? Where have you lived during your life? MANY "street parasites" as YOU label them, FOUGHT for YOUR freedom. These Veterans came back with mental and phisical diabilities and recieved little if any help from this Gov. Now they are reduced to being labeled "street parasites"?
all I say is somebody has gold nugget hair and a few hang around the fort types flip out?
working 80 hrs. per week is big stuff to brag about...the world is impressed!!! oh my...the world is impressed...oh my!!!
that you don't need to have anymore of those time consuming bowel movements is waaaaaaaaaaay cool! time on the pot could be used to work another 40 hrs. weekly!!! oh my...
angels overhead, trumpets blowing, the sky is falling...
plutonians need rain...
Cholo - don't worry about changing your name - your misspellings and repeat messages give you away.
Tragically, the Iraq war had nothing to do with our freedom so I won't play that game.
Also, if you really believe that Wall Street was 100% responsible for our economy tanking, I suggest you educate your self. Maybe start with "All the Devils are Here". Wall Street is not blameless, but the Fed and incompetent government policies and regulation are at the top of the list.
It is amazing how truly clueless many of the socialist parasites are in this country.
"Wall Street is not blameless"
You have gift for understatement.
Let me know if I left anyone off the list of who is responsible for our financial crisis:
Fed who blew the dept bubble with too low interest rates
Government low income home ownership programs
Inept regulatory agencies
Big banks on Wall Street
Mortgage originators
Homeowners who lied about their income
Homeowners who bought homes that were unaffordable
Homeowners who used their homes as ATMs
Blaming all this mess on Wall Street just makes one look ignorant. Do you ever wonder why the government has been so slow to prosecute fraud in this case? Because they are complicit.
Wake up.
Please provide a detailed analysis of what one does for 80 hrs. of work per week and possibly more! I'm patient...tee hee hee, tee hee hee...
Incidentally, help me understand your point about "why the government has been so slow" and occupy.
thank you...wookie the chewbaca
Cholo - you've got a government job and therefore a lot of free time on your hands. Why don't you put some effort into educating yourself. Pick up "All the Devils are Here". Once you've got that book, I'd be happy to point out many examples of where our government committed acts that were equally complicit as Wall Street's.
Then maybe you can start "occupying" the right areas?
"Let me know if I left anyone off the list of who is responsible for our financial crisis"
You left off big insurance companies like AIG and the credit rating agencies like S&P.
i'm retired! HOORAY!
Think, I would never denegrate any veteran, they are our American heroes.Yes, they do suffer in streets when they have no place else. I was talking about the younger street druggies who 'fell in' with protesting occupiers. Veterans don't normally join in with street types who would even consider disrupting an American Rose parade or US voting process.
I should have been more clear, and you should not assume something was said, that wasn't.
Cholo really needs to take his meds....he can't stop talking.
Good catch Patriot - insurance companies like AIG that purchased derivatives and rating agencies are definitely part of the cast of villains.
Wall Street was definitely part of the problem but my no means were they the only villains. This is why I can't take the OWS movement seriously. They are seriously misinformed and misdirected.
Cholo - I'm not sure what you are trying to accomplish by continuing to ask for a detailed explaination of what happens when you put in 80 hours a week. Just keep in mind it is the innovation, wealth creation, and tax revenue of these type of people that you are drafting off of. It seems that you and your occupy cohorts are too daft to realize this. I guess this is what happens when people grow up within an entitlement socieity and get something for nothing for too long.
Do everyone a favor, help get your occupy brothers and sisters educated so that you can understand the true roots of our problems and push for specific change that will make a difference for all.
Cholo - a more complete list of villains for your band of occupiers:
- Fed who blew the debt bubble with too low interest rates
- Government low income home ownership programs
- Inept regulatory agencies
- Members of congress who got in the way of those regulator who were trying to do their job
- Members of congress of tried to stop the necessary changes to Freddie/Fannie
- Big banks on Wall Street
- Insurance companies like AIG who irresponsibly bought derivatives
- Rating agencies who slapped AAA ratings on garbage MBS and CDO
- Freddie/Fannie
- Mortgage originators
- Homeowners who lied about their income
- Homeowners who bought homes that were unaffordable
- Homeowners who used their homes as ATMs
Let's see if you can apply so actual intelligence to this and expand your perspective.
Isn't it wonderful to forget all about George W. Bush and his administration and their role in all of this world financial crisis...how conveeeeeeeeeeeenient!
Hey dogma simpleton - there is specifically no mention of political parties above as both made significant contributions to the crisis.
I was hoping a more complete list of the players would elevate your thinking, but no. Do some more reading and educate yourself.
Or is it easier for you to continue to spew intellectually lazy comments on this site?
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FORT LEE, Va. — A female soldier with a gun inside a key building turned the weapon on herself, causing an injury, but didn't wound any others as a heavily trafficked Virginia Army base temporarily went on lockdown Monday morning.
Early reports indicate that the soldier fired one shot inside a four-story building that is the headquarters for the Army's Combined Arms Support Command, according to a military news release. The shooter was taken to Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center and her condition wasn't known, according to the Army. VCU confirmed that it received a patient from Fort Lee but did not give other details.
The Army statement did not identify the shooter and said officials would not immediately release any further information.
Fort Lee is 25 miles south of Richmond and 130 miles from Washington. It is the Army's third-largest training site, according to Fort Lee's website. Its daily population is about 34,000, with members from all branches, their families, civilians and contractors. The Army website also cites enormous growth and renovations at Fort Lee over the past decade as a result of realignment and closures of bases across the U.S.
CASCOM is responsible for training more than 180,000 students annually. Maj. Gen. Stephen R. Lyons became the new commanding general of CASCOM on Aug. 22.


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ATLANTA—Josh Smith"s steal, jam and free throw with 31 seconds remaining extended Atlanta"s lead and the Hawks held on to beat the Denver Nuggets 108-104 on Wednesday night.
Smith had 16 points and 13 rebounds on his 27th birthday. Al Horford led the Hawks with 25 points and 12 rebounds.
Ty Lawson paced Denver with a season-high 32 points. Corey Brewer had 19.
Two free throws by Danilo Gallinari with 2:34 remaining gave Denver its first lead of the final period at 98-97. Lawson"s 3-pointer gave the Nuggets a 101-99 advantage before Horford hit a tying jumper.
Following a missed jumper by Denver"s Kenneth Faried, Lou Williams made two free throws. Smith then stole the ball from Lawson and completed a fast break with a dunk over Brewer, who was called for a foul. Smith added the free throw for a 106-101 lead.
The Nuggets were without center Kosta Koufos, who remained at the team hotel with the flu. Timofey Mozgov had six points and 13 rebounds in his first start of the season.
Gallinari had 16 points and JaVele McGee added 11 for Denver.
Williams scored 16 points and Devin Harris had 12 for Atlanta.
The Hawks had first-half success with their big lineup, with Zaza Pachulia at center and Horford shifting from center to power forward. The big lineup usually benefits Horford, who has room for more scoring opportunities away from the basket.
Pachulia also thrived with extended playing time, scoring all 11 of his points in the second quarter as the Hawks took a 55-51 halftime lead.
The Hawks" biggest lead was 73-62 at the end of a 10-0 run in the third period.
NOTES: The Hawks ended a four-game losing streak in the series with their first win over the Nuggets since Nov. 7, 2009. … Hawks G Kyle Korver was away from the team and with his wife, who is expecting the couple"s first child. The team recalled rookie G John Jenkins from its Bakersfield NBA Development League affiliate. Jenkins did not play.


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Bradley-Morris offers exclusive career opportunities to professionals with U.S. military experience only. If your earliest start date is within 90 days and you meet the requirements listed in the job description, please apply. Want to skip the search? Fill out a profile and our team will send you the jobs that are the best match via email or text.
Traveling Superintendent
Live anywhere near a majo, OK US
Job Description
Lead ground-up, commercial, light industrial, or multi-family construction projects, 100K sq ft and above. You will have the opportunity to manage the construction and administrative activities associated with the field operations of a project from day one. Bringing the project to completion on schedule, within budget, and per the project specifications.
- Attend the post-award review meeting to receive project information and details for preplanning before construction
- Participate with the project manager in preparing a schedule of construction activities and their sequence, the organization structure, staff selection, and the manpower and construction equipment requirements of the project
- Direct and control the total construction project to meet specifications and within the allotted time schedule in an efficient manner to produce the expected profit
- Assist in the activities of the project manager/engineer in their duties including prompt shipment of materials and permanent equipment, in obtaining approvals of shop drawings and material samples
- Coordinate the activities of subcontractors to permit them to perform their work effectively and to integrate it with project schedules and progress
- Inform all supervisors and subcontractors promptly of any construction schedule changes
- Assist in the preparation of all job progress and cost reports to accurately reflect actual costs
- Review and approve all requisitions, field purchase orders, invoices, and other significant reports and documents
- Cooperate with the owner and his representatives, keeping them informed of construction progress
- Cooperate with architects or owner representatives on an amicable basis, but in the long-term interest of the company
- Hold job site meetings with the project manager and the regional manager
- Report regularly to the project manager to keep them informed on job progress, plans, and problems that could significantly affect costs or schedules
- Maintain a daily diary to permanently record all significant project facts, events, conditions, visitors, owner representative contacts, commitments, agreements, and approvals
- Direct adherence to the company's safety program in all phases and areas of the project
- Make decisions under tight deadlines
- Organize people, tools, and equipment and plan and manage multiple activities to accomplish desired results
- Demonstrate leadership skills with ability and willingness to face challenges, direct others, and adequately address conflict
- Exhibit commitment to quality by evaluating project-related processes and making necessary changes, using customer input to make improvements, and meeting/exceeding internal and external customer expectations
- Act in a manner of integrity that shows support for the company, its values, and the employees, while maintaining a constant focus on meeting and exceeding customer requirements and expectations
Base salary, full benefits, vehicle, gas card and lodging are provided.
Job 55905


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|PHP version >= 5.6
|Support multi-byte string library
|Support XML library
|Support image Process library
|Support mysqli driver.
|Support file archive, compressed with Zip.
|Support execute shell command.
|Support libcurl, connect to remote service.
|PHP version >= 7.2
|Support OPcache
|Support APCu
|Support Redis extension if redis cache is enabled


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The "Fat Leonard" corruption investigation has expanded to include more than 60 admirals and hundreds of other U.S. Navy officers under scrutiny for their contacts with a defense contractor in Asia who systematically bribed sailors with sex, liquor and other temptations, according to the Navy.
Most of the admirals are suspected of attending extravagant feasts at Asia's best restaurants paid for by Leonard Glenn Francis, a Singapore-based maritime tycoon who made an illicit fortune supplying Navy vessels in ports from Vladivostok, Russia to Brisbane, Australia. Francis also was renowned for hosting alcohol-soaked, after-dinner parties, which often featured imported prostitutes and sometimes lasted for days, according to federal court records.
The 350-pound Francis, also known in Navy circles as "Leonard the Legend" for his wild-side lifestyle, spent decades cultivating relationships with officers, many of whom developed a blind spot to his fraudulent ways. Even while he and his firm were being targeted by Navy criminal investigators, he received VIP invitations to ceremonies in Annapolis and Pearl Harbor, where he hobnobbed with four-star admirals, according to photographs obtained by The Washington Post.
The Justice Department has filed criminal charges against 28 people, including two admirals, since Francis was arrested in an international sting operation four years ago. Those cases comprise the worst corruption scandal in Navy history, but they represent a fraction of a much larger list of Navy officials under investigation but whose names have been mostly kept secret.
In response to queries from The Post, the Navy recently confirmed that it has been reviewing the conduct of 440 other active-duty and retired personnel — including 60 current and former admirals — for possible violations of military law or federal ethics rules in their dealings with Francis and his company, Glenn Defense Marine Asia.
That is double the number of admirals whom Navy officials said were under investigation last year (The Navy has about 210 admirals on active duty).
The caseload has grown as the Justice Department has given the Navy additional dossiers of individuals who did not meet the threshold for prosecution in civilian courts, but may have committed offenses under the military justice system, officials said.
The Navy's handling of the cases has been largely opaque to the public. The Navy has identified only 10 of the 440 individuals who have come under military investigation and has divulged few details about their ties to Francis, even in cases that have been closed.
The vast majority of those under scrutiny are officers, according to the Navy. Officials said Francis targeted only a few enlisted sailors with his bribes.
Navy officials said revealing additional names or more information about their involvement could violate their privacy rights and compromise ongoing cases.
"The release of such information . . . would likely reveal sensitive details about the breadth and scope of the criminal investigation and pending cases," Cmdr. Mike Kafka, a Navy spokesman, said in a statement.
So far, the Navy has charged five people with crimes — none of them admirals — under military law, charging documents show.
In addition, the Navy said it has determined that 40 people committed misconduct by violating ethics rules or other regulations. Their cases have been handled administratively, meaning they did not involve criminal charges.
In many instances, the Navy was prevented from taking tougher action because the statute of limitations under military law — five years for most felonies — had expired. The oldest matter reviewed so far dated to 1992, while most occurred between 2004 and 2010, according to a Navy official.
The official said the Navy has concluded that about half of those under review — 230 people — were not guilty of misconduct. Some were found to have had little or no contact with Francis. Many others attended dinners or accepted gifts, but the Navy determined that there were extenuating circumstances that excused their actions, said the official, who was authorized to speak only under the condition of anonymity.
Francis, 53, is in jail in San Diego as he awaits sentencing in federal court. He pleaded guilty in 2015 to bribing "scores" of Navy officials and defrauding the service of more than $35 million. One of his attorneys, Ethan Posner, declined to comment for this article.
Francis's widespread overbilling of the Navy had been an open secret for years. In response to a flood of fraud complaints dating to 2006, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) opened more than two-dozen separate investigations into Glenn Defense, according to law-enforcement records.
Most of the cases went nowhere, NCIS files show. Starting in 2009, however, NCIS escalated its efforts by assigning more agents to investigate Francis. They later opened a full-blown corruption inquiry on suspicion that some Navy officials were feeding him military secrets and inside information about defense contracts.
Despite being under the microscope, Francis was still able to rub shoulders with many of the Navy's top leaders.
In September 2011, for example, he was invited to the Naval Academy in Annapolis to attend a change-of-command ceremony for the Navy's highest-ranking officer.
During his visit, Francis posed for grip-and-grin photos with Adm. Jonathan W. Greenert, the new chief of naval operations, and the man he was replacing, Adm. Gary Roughead.
Roughead and Greenert both had encountered Francis during prior assignments in Asia and the Pacific. A Navy spokesman would not say whether they are among the 60 admirals under investigation; the names of most officers on the list have not been made public.
Roughead, who retired soon after the 2011 ceremony, said in an email that he couldn't "recall particulars" about who was invited to the event. He declined further comment.
In an email, Greenert said he had not been contacted by investigators and did not know how Francis came to be invited to the ceremony. He said he, Roughead and their spouses spent hours in a receiving line and posed for several pictures.
Of the two admirals, Greenert's previous contacts with Francis were more extensive, according to several individuals familiar with their relationship.
Greenert met the defense contractor in the late 1990s while serving as chief of staff for the Navy's 7th Fleet, which covers most of Asia. Their interactions continued after Greenert was promoted to vice admiral and took command of the fleet in 2003.
While in command, Greenert attended at least three dinners with Francis, according to two former senior Navy officials.
In December 2005, Greenert mailed Francis a holiday greeting card featuring a sketch of the USS Blue Ridge, the 7th Fleet flagship, which the contractor had often visited as a distinguished guest.
"Leonard — See you soon I expect. Recognize the ship?" Greenert joked in a handwritten note wishing him "Good health & happiness in 2006." A copy of the card was obtained by The Post.
Three months later, Greenert signed a letter on official stationery thanking Francis for the "superb services" his company provided to the Blue Ridge during several port visits in southeast Asia. "Over the years, the reputation of Glenn Marine remains exceptional," the letter stated. "Keep up the great work."
Francis treasured such letters, cards and photographs, which he promoted as proof of his close ties with the Navy's senior leaders. Greenert posed for photographs with Francis on at least two other occasions: aboard the Blue Ridge in 2005 and at a ceremony in Hawaii in 2009, according to copies of the images obtained by The Post.
In his email to The Post, Greenert said it was not unusual for commanders to send correspondence to contractors acknowledging their "responsive and flexible" service. He also said he sent hundreds of official Christmas cards during his time as the 7th Fleet commander. He did not respond to questions about dinners he attended with Francis or his other interactions with the contractor.
Greenert's relationship with Francis later became a sensitive issue for NCIS agents.
As the law-enforcement probes into Francis and his company heated up in 2013, NCIS officials deliberately kept Greenert, who by then was chief of naval operations, in the dark, according to two former senior Navy officials with direct knowledge of the case.
Even after Francis was arrested, NCIS officials excluded Greenert from briefings about the case, restricting their reports to a handful of Navy civilian leaders and Adm. Mark E. Ferguson III, who was then the vice chief of naval operations, according to the former senior officials.
In addition to Roughead and Greenert, Francis secured photo-ops with several other high-ranking admirals during his visit to the Naval Academy in 2011.
He also spent time in Annapolis with Vice Adm. Michael Miller, then the academy superintendent, who arranged for a personal tour of his official residence, Buchanan House, according to photographs obtained by The Post.
In a statement, Miller confirmed the meeting but said he had "no knowledge" that Francis was under investigation at the time.
"Mr. Francis requested a tour of the Naval Academy. We would have supported that request as we do numerous visitors every year," Miller said. He acknowledged that investigators had asked him about Francis's visit, saying he was "completely forthcoming on this subject with the Navy."
Miller said he did not invite Francis to the change-of-command ceremony. Two other Navy officials said the invitation probably came from the protocol office for the chief of naval operations, but did not know who put his name on the guest list.
The Navy later rebuked Miller with a formal letter of censure for failing to adequately reimburse Francis for lavish dinners and other gifts he received from the contractor years earlier when he commanded an aircraft carrier strike group in Asia. Miller retired from the Navy in 2015.
Four months after visiting Annapolis, Francis was a VIP guest at another Navy change-of-command ceremony: at the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
On that occasion, Francis posed for photographs with Adm. Cecil Haney, the new Pacific Fleet commander, and his predecessor, Adm. Patrick Walsh, according to copies of those images obtained by The Post.
Two former Navy officials who were present told The Post they were shocked to see Francis at the ceremony because the Pacific Fleet had been engaged in a years-long effort to tighten contract loopholes and sloppy billing practices that had enabled Glenn Defense to overcharge the Navy for millions of dollars.
They said they were even more surprised to see Francis afterward at a smaller, private party at Nimitz House, the official quarters for the Pacific Fleet commander.
In a statement, Haney said he didn't invite Francis and didn't know who he was before the ceremony.
"Any photo I took with him was most likely during the receiving line where I took numerous photos with so many in attendance that day," Haney said. He indicated that he had spoken with investigators, saying: "I have been completely forthcoming of this subject with the Navy."
In an interview, Walsh recalled Francis's presence at Pearl Harbor that day but said he didn't know who invited him.
"Leonard Francis had a way of showing up at all kinds of ceremonies," said Walsh, who retired from the Navy in 2012.
Walsh said he was aware at the time that Francis was under scrutiny by the Pacific Fleet for his billing practices, but did not know that the contractor was also under criminal investigation by NCIS. He said investigators have not questioned him about his contacts with Francis.
Walsh said he first met Francis during a port visit in Malaysia in 2004 when he served as the commander of the USS John C. Stennis aircraft carrier strike group. He said Francis invited him to one of his famous dinners, but that he didn't attend.
"I had a different set of priorities," he said.